Hendrick cars barely pass inspection

NASCAR found no problems with the cars of championship leaders Mark Martin and Jimmie Johnson on Tuesday following a second, more thorough inspection.

The Hendrick Motorsports-owned cars were taken to NASCAR's research and development center after Sunday's race at Kansas to make sure there were no issues with the Chevrolets. The team was warned last week that the cars had squeaked through inspection following their 1-2 showing at Dover

"There was no room to breathe," Sprint Cup director John Darby said.

NASCAR found that the bodies of the cars raced at Dover barely met specifications. The crew chiefs were warned not to bring the Chevrolets back to the track.

The close call led to grumbling by rivals that the Hendrick teams had been given a break by NASCAR and should have been penalized. Darby insisted the cars were legal, by a hair.

Daytona, Talladega fences to be raised: The fences at Daytona and Talladega will be raised from 14 to 22 feet following a safety analysis conducted after Carl Edwards' airborne flight into the Alabama track's safety barrier.

Mickelson says back is fine

Phil Mickelson says a minor back injury that flared up last week during practice will not keep him out of the Presidents Cup matches this week at Harding Park.

Mickelson said his lower back tightened up Friday when he was chipping and putting. He played only nine holes Tuesday, and said he would play another nine today as a precaution.

Williams back to No. 1

Serena Williams has reclaimed her world No. 1 ranking with a 6-3, 6-2 victory over Russia's Ekaterina Makarova in the second round of the China Open at Beijing.

Based on pre-tournament calculations, Williams moves into the top spot in the rankings by finishing better than current No. 1 Dinara Safina at the tournament. Safina lost to local wild-card entrant Zhang Shuai in the second round on Monday.

Del Potro ousted: U.S. Open champion Juan Martin del Potro has been knocked out in the first round of the Japan Open, losing 6-4, 6-4 to French qualifier Edouard Roger-Vasselin on Tuesday in Tokyo.

Roger-Vasselin set up triple match point with a crosscourt backhand then won the match when Del Potro's forehand return was long.

Top-ranked Roger Federer pulled out of the $1.2 million event, citing fatigue, along with third-ranked Andy Murray of Britain, who withdrew because of a wrist injury.

Man can stand trial

A judge ruled Monday that the man accused of gunning down a legendary Iowa high school football coach is mentally competent to stand trial.

Mark D. Becker, 24, can appreciate the first-degree murder charges against him, understand the proceedings and assist with his defense, according to an order filed by Butler County District Judge Stephen Carroll.

Becker had been scheduled to stand trial last month in the June shooting death of Aplington-Parkersburg High coach Ed Thomas, who led the team in northeast Iowa for 34 seasons and was named the NFL's High School Coach of the Year in 2005.

Hejduk added to U.S. roster

Columbus Crew defender Frankie Hejduk has been added to the United States roster for World Cup qualifiers against Honduras and Costa Rica.

The 35-year-old scored the final goal in a 2-2 tie at El Salvador in qualifying on March 28. He was on the U.S. roster for 1998 and 2002 World Cups, then was picked for the 2006 roster before missing the tournament due to a torn knee ligament.

USADA bans Comardo

The U.S. Anti-Doping Agency says cyclist Mitch Comardo has accepted a two-year suspension from the sport after testing positive for several prohibited substances.

USADA said Tuesday that a urine sample collected out of competition from Comardo on Aug. 24 contained the estrogen blocker Tamoxifen and its metabolite 4-hydroxytamoxifen, hormone antagonists and modulators, the fertility drug human chorionic gonadotropin, and an anabolic agent.

Italian Bosisio tests positive for doping: Italian cyclist Gabriele Bosisio has tested positive for the banned blood-booster EPO.

The UCI says Tuesday that Bosisio failed a surprise doping control on Sept. 2 after a blood test triggered an usual profile within the biological passport program.

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