Former NFL quarterback Ryan Leaf was arrested in Southern California on Friday. Leaf, 44, was arrested on a domestic battery charge in Palm Desert, which is about 110 miles southeast of Los Angeles, according to booking information provided by the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department. Leaf is being held on $5,000 bail at the Larry D. Smith Correctional Facility. Leaf, who was drafted by the San Diego Chargers as the No. 2 pick in 1998 but went 4-14 as a starter in three seasons, was arrested in 2012 for breaking into a home in Montana to steal prescription drugs, which violated his Texas probation and led to prison.Last July, Leaf was hired by ESPN to be a football analyst. Leaf worked for the Pac-12 Network last season and has been co-hosting a show on SiriusXM’s Pac-12 channel.
Auto racing
NASCAR takes center stage
With the Monaco Grand Prix canceled and the Indianapolis 500 postponed until August, only NASCAR’s longest race, the Coca-Cola 600, will go off as planned at Charlotte Motor Speedway on Memorial Day Sunday, the most celebrated day in motorsports. Just as it was last week at Darlington, S.C., NASCAR will be alone in the spotlight Sunday night, using a tight health screening plan and aided by its close proximity to states with relaxed restrictions. The 600, a dusk-to-dark race that doubles as an elaborate salute to the United States military, is one of the most grueling of the season, and 100 miles longer than any other stock car race on the circuit. “I think for our hardcore fans and for the people that appreciate the history of NASCAR, the 600 is it’s own kind of animal and it’s own show,” said Martin Truex Jr. “For us in the sport and drivers especially, it’s a big one and it’s one we all want to win.”
Foyt voted Indy 500′s greatest driver
In the lead-up to the 100th running of the Indianapolis 500 in 2016, the Associated Press interviewed the 27 living race winners who voted four-time Indy 500 winner A.J. Foyt as the greatest driver, with four-time winners Rick Mears and Al Unser Sr. also receiving votes. The crash-filled 1992 race that came down to Al Unser Jr. holding off Scott Goodyear in the closest finish in history was chosen as the greatest race.
Colleges
Newton’s brother transfers to Auburn
Former Howard University quarterback Caylin Newton, the younger brother of 2015 NFL MVP and 2011 No. 1 draft pick Cam Newton, will follow in his sibling’s footsteps by transferring to Auburn. Caylin Newton announced the move on Twitter on Friday. As a freshman in 2017, The younger Newton led Howard to a season-opening 43-40 road victory over UNLV in one of the biggest upsets in college football history after the Bison entered as 45-point underdogs. Newton played in four games for Howard in 2019 but sat out the rest of the season to redshirt. He then announced in October he would put his name in the NCAA’s transfer portal but still intended to graduate from Howard in May. Newton’s father, Cecil, told The Washington Post that “extenuating circumstances” led to his son’s decision to leave the program. Ron Prince, Howard’s coach for nine games in 2019, was placed on leave in November after the university opened an investigation into allegations of verbal abuse and player intimidation. Prince resigned in December, just a year after he was hired.
Miscellany
Olympic ski champion Veith retires
Olympic ski champion Anna Veith has twice returned to the top from serious knee injuries. A year after blowing out her knee for the third time, the 2014 super-G gold medalist from Austria is leaving the sport. Veith announced her retirement live on Austrian TV on Saturday, ending a career marred by injuries since she won her second overall World Cup title in 2015. “It was not a difficult decision. For me it feels 100 percent right,” said Veith, who turns 31 in June. Veith’s announcement in a prime-time TV show resembled the way Marcel Hirscher said farewell to ski racing almost nine months ago. Veith was the last active overall World Cup champion from Austria since Hirscher’s retirement. Veith won 15 World Cup races from 2011 to 2017, and collected eight medals from major events, including four golds.