NASCAR fines Busch $50,000

CHARLOTTE -- Kyle Busch received the rest of his punishment from NASCAR on Monday. He still awaits any further actions by his sponsor or Joe Gibbs Racing team.

NASCAR fined Busch $50,000 and placed him on probation until Dec. 31 for intentionally wrecking Ron Hornaday during Friday's Truck series race at Texas Motor Speedway.

Busch was immediately parked during the race and his penalty was continued through Saturday's Nationwide and Sunday's Sprint Cup race.

Unless his sponsor or team decides otherwise, Busch can return to racing this weekend at Phoenix International Raceway.

NASCAR team owner Rick Hendrick was released from a Charlotte hospital, a week after he was injured when his private plane ran off the runway during a landing in Key West, Fla. An evaluation in Charlotte last Tuesday showed he had four broken ribs and a broken shoulder. He was admitted to the hospital to better manage his pain.

COLLEGES

Volleyball player charged: Nebraska volleyball star Lauren Cook will be charged in last month's traffic incident that left two people injured in what authorities called a hit-and-run accident. Lancaster County Deputy Attorney Patrick Condon said his office planned to charge Cook, but declined to say what charge or charges she would face. Her arraignment is today.

Cook is the daughter of Nebraska women's volleyball coach John Cook. She was suspended for this past weekend's matches, and coach Cook said her status was unchanged for the No. 2 Huskers. Cook was driving an SUV that authorities say hit a motorcyclist in Lincoln on Oct. 30. The driver of the motorcycle broke his leg.

GOLF

Sorenstam competes: Annika Sorenstam won the short iron competition in the Skills Challenge in Palm Beach, Fla., in her first professional competition in three years. She and teammate Morgan Pressel earned $161,000 for finishing fourth in the four-team event won by Zach Johnson and Jerry Kelly. Sorenstam and Pressel became the first female team to participate in the Challenge.

Tiger Woods said his former caddie Steve Williams is not racist and has apologized to him for a slur, and the two met and shook hands today at The Lakes Golf Club ahead of the Australian Open in Sydney. Williams' disparaging comment came during a caddies awards party Friday in Shanghai.

Woods said the comment "was hurtful ... the wrong thing to say, and something that he has acknowledged." He said it was not up to him to call for sanctions against Williams. The PGA Tour and European Tour have said no action would be taken against Williams for the comment.

HORSE RACING

Uncle Mo's racing career is over: Two days after he finished 10th in the Breeders' Cup Classic at Churchill Downs, the 3-year-old colt was retired and arrived at Ashford Stud in Versailles, Ky.

Mike Repole, who owns the 3-year-old colt, said blood tests Sunday revealed an elevated enzyme level. It's the same enzyme that was elevated in the spring, knocked Uncle Mo out of the Triple Crown races and led to the diagnosis of a life-threatening liver disease.

Repole said Uncle Mo does not have a recurrence of the disease, but the enzyme level is the highest it's been since the colt was returned to trainer Todd Pletcher's care in July.

SOCCER

Colorado fires coach: The Colorado Rapids are searching for a new coach after firing Gary Smith, who led them to their first MLS Cup a year ago.

Managing director Jeff Plush said he decided not to renew Smith's contract, which expired after this season. The Rapids were eliminated from the playoffs last week by Sporting Kansas City after a 12-9-13 regular season.

Smith had clashed with the team's technical director, Paul Bravo, and complained about the team's budget this season.

Houston's Brad Davis, D.C. United's Dwayne De Rosario and FC Dallas' Brek Shea are the finalists for MLS MVP, and Los Angeles' David Beckham is a nominee for comeback player of the year. The MVP winner will be announced Nov. 18. Competing with Beckham for the comeback award, to be announced Monday, are D.C. United's Charlie Davies and Chicago's Dominic Oduro.

TENNIS

Verdasco tops Cilic: Fernando Verdasco of Spain rallied past Marin Cilic of Croatia 3-6, 6-2, 6-3 to reach the second round of the Paris Masters.

Julien Benneteau of France, Guillermo Garcia-Lopez of Spain, Kevin Anderson of South Africa, and Germans Philipp Kohlschreiber and Florian Mayer also advanced.

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