Charlotte, n.c.
The three-time NASCAR champion missed the first eight races of the season with a fractured vertebra suffered in a January all-terrain vehicle accident. The injury occurred one week before Stewart was scheduled to start his final season in NASCAR. He’s retiring at the end of this year.
“As soon as the doctors said they were happy with my scans, I wasn’t going to wait any longer to get back in my race car,” Stewart said, announcing his return Thursday on Twitter. “I want to make the most of my last season in Sprint Cup, and I’ve been on the sidelines long enough.”
It was a rollercoaster day for Stewart, who was granted a waiver to participate in the Chase for the Sprint Cup championship by NASCAR after he announced his return. Hours later, he was fined $35,000 for comments he made criticizing NASCAR over how it polices pit road.
Stewart warned drivers will be injured if NASCAR doesn’t start forcing teams to put all five lug nuts on their cars during tire changes.
Washington
The people said the two sides reached the agreement on Thursday.
Brooks went 338-207 in seven years with the Oklahoma City Thunder. He helped develop Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook into superstars and led the Thunder to the NBA Finals in 2012.
Brooks and Durant remain close to this day. Durant will be a free agent this summer and the Wizards have been making moves both on the court and off to position themselves to make a run at him.
Brooks replaces Randy Wittman, who was fired after five seasons.
UFC fans, rejoice. Conor McGregor is not retired.
He’s even willing to resume his spot in the main event at UFC 200.
The mixed martial arts superstar is simply fed up with the grueling promotional demands that come with being a pay-per-view star. The 27-year-old fighter, known for his over the top personality, said, “I can not dance for you this time.”
McGregor posted on Facebook Thursday that he needed to focus on himself and not the massive hype that accompanies his megafights.
“I have become lost in the game of promotion and forgot about the art of fighting,” McGregor said in the nearly 650-word statement also posted to Twitter, instantly drawing thousands of shares, retweets and comments from fans.
“For USADA and for the UFC and my contract stipulations — I AM NOT RETIRED,” McGregor said. McGregor, at times profane and critical of interviews he saw as pointless, said the “many distractions” led to errors in preparing for his last fight, specifically with cardio and weight.
McGregor has been training for a rematch against Nate Diaz at UFC 200 in July. He lost to Diaz in March, ending a 15-fight winning streak in which he surprised many fans by fighting 25 pounds above his usual weight of 145 pounds, where he holds a title belt. The rematch was set to be fought at 170 pounds.
San Antonio
Steele, whose only PGA Tour victory came in the tournament five years ago, was unable to finish the opening round after play was delayed for 3½ hours because of morning rain.
Among those in the 144-player field who did finish, Charley Hoffman had a 6-under 66, a stroke ahead of Stuart Appleby and Peter Malnati.
Defending champion Jimmy Walker opened with a 75.
Walker had four rounds under par last year in his hometown event to hold off Jordan Spieth in what was his last PGA Tour victory.
Spieth isn’t in this year’s field, the first time since he turned pro at the end of 2012 that he missed a Texas event.
When Steele returns Friday morning to complete the first round at the TPC Oaks Course, he could make a run at the course record of 63 set by Matt Every in 2012 and matched by Martin Laird in 2012.