Off the wire

LITTLE ROCK — MOTOR SPORTS

Changes coming to Bristol

Bristol Motor Speedway owner Bruton Smith said Wednesday he’ll make changes to the track after spending a week reviewing input from fans. Smith did not reveal what exactly he’ll do to the track, but said in a statement an announcement could come in about two weeks. “The race fans have spoken,” Smith said. “We had input that included a wide range of opinions. But the majority we heard from said they wanted to see changes made. The question we wanted to answer as quickly as possible was: Is something going to be done? The answer to that is yes. We will have the details in two weeks as to what that ‘something’ is.” Fans have clamored for him to return it to how it was before a 2007 reconfiguration added variable banking in the corners. It opened up lanes for two- and three-wide racing, and fans preferred tight lines that lent to bumping and banging.

FOOTBALL

Jacobs, 49ers reach deal

The San Francisco 49ers added another member of last season’s Super Bowl champion New York Giants on Wednesday, agreeing to terms with veteran running back Brandon Jacobs on a one-year contract. ESPN first reported Jacobs would join the NFC West champion 49ers. A person with knowledge of the negotiations confirmed the deal Wednesday, speaking on condition of anonymity because the team had yet to make a formal announcement. Jacobs was released March 9 by the Giants after he failed to reach agreement on a restructured deal.

A financial adviser and her lover face wire fraud charges in Los Angeles for allegedly swindling $2.2 million from Indianapolis Colts defensive end Dwight Freeney. Eva Weinberg of Los Angeles and Michael Stern of Miami were arrested last week by FBI agents who believe they were trying to flee theUnited States. An FBI affidavit said about $2.2 million was wired from Freeney’s account by Weinberg, his financial manager, to a company owned by Stern between June 2010 and last October unbeknownst to Freeney.

Cornerback Ronde Barber is returning to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers for his 16th NFL season. Barber signed a one-year contract Wednesday to come back to the only team he’s played for. He started 16 games last season for the Bucs.

HORSE RACING Union Rags a favorite in Florida

Union Rags has been made the 6-5 morning-line favorite in afield of nine horses entered for the $1 million Florida Derby on Saturday. The 1 1/8-mile Florida Derby is a major prep race for the Kentucky Derby on May 5. Considered a leading contender for the Run for the Roses, Union Rags drew the No. 6 post at Wednesday’s postposition draw. The 3-year-old colt is trained by Michael Matz, who won the 2006 Florida Derby and the Kentucky Derby with Barbaro. Union Rags will be ridden by Julien Leparoux. Risen Star Stakes winner El Padrino is the 2-1 second choice.

A full field of 14 horses has been entered for Saturday’s $10 million Dubai World Cup, with Royal Delta trying to become the firstfilly to win the race and Game On Dude drawing the far outside post. Game on Dude is trained by Hall of Famer Bob Baffert, who had a heart attack in Dubai on Monday, and is recovering. Royal Delta will leave from the No. 7 post for Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott, who won the first Dubai World Cup with Cigar in 1996. Ireland-based So You Think drew the No. 4 post for trainer Aidan O’Brien. Also entered Wednesday were Master of Hounds, Eishin Flash, Zazou, Smart Falcon, Planteur, Monterosso, Silver Pond, Transcend, Capponi, Prince Bishop and Mendip.

BASKETBALL Southern Illinois hires Hinson

Former Missouri State men’s basketball coach Barry Hinson said he’s “genuinely excited” to be chosen to take the helm of Southern Illinois’ slumping program.Hinson was introduced Wednesday as the Salukis’ men’s coach. The 50-year-old coach, who spent the past four seasons at Kansas, agreed to a five-year contract with Southern Illinois. The deal will pay him $250,000 a year during the first two years before rising to $350,000 by the contract’s last year.

Uncommitted Shabazz Muhammad scored 21 points, Duke signee Rasheed Sulaimon had 18 and Kentucky signee Archie Goodwin of Sylvan Hills finished with 14 as the West beat the East 106-102 in the McDonald’s All-American boys game Wednesday night at the United Center in Chicago. Kentucky signee Alex Poythress finished with 19 points for the East.

Tennessee recruit Bashaara Graves made the game-winning free throw with less than a second left as the East beat the West 79-78 in the McDonald’s All-American girls game Wednesday in Chicago. Baylor recruit Alexis Prince had 15 points and nine rebounds for the East to earn the MVP award.

TENNIS Weary Williams loses at Key Biscayne

KEY BISCAYNE, Fla. - Venus Williams sagged in the wooden changeover chair as if it were a cushy recliner, her head tilted back, her tank on empty.

She rose slowly to play the final two games and lost both, but grinned as she walked to the exit, perhaps because she was headed for a well-deserved rest.

Weary after winning three consecutive threeset matches, Williams was eliminated Wednesday by Agnieszka Radwanska in the quarterfinals of the Sony Ericsson Open, 6-4, 6-1.

“It was disappointing not to be able to feel my best today,” Williams said. “I was able to keep it closein the first set and try different strategies, but it was definitely a mental battle, and today I didn’t conquer the mental part of it.”

Top-ranked Victoria Azarenka lost for the first time this year when she was beaten by Marion Bartoli 6-3, 6-3.

Azarenka had won 26 consecutive matches, a streak that dated to the beginning of 2012. Her start was the best on the women’s tour since Martina Hingis went 37-0 to begin 1997.

The No. 7-seeded Bartoli will play No. 5 Radwanska in the semifinals today. The other match will be between No. 2 Maria Sharapova and No. 4 Caroline Wozniacki.

Williams’ serve lacked its usual velocity, and by the final game she wasn’t even chasing shots in the corner. The tournament was her first since the U.S. Open last August, where she withdrew after being diagnosed with a fatiguecausing autoimmune disease.

“It has been a great tournament,” she said. “Obviously I’m disappointed and would have liked to have gone further, but it’s a great start.”

In the men’s quarterfinals, 2009 champion Andy Murray overcame an upset stomach and early deficit to beat No. 9-seeded Janko Tipsarevic 4-6, 6-3, 6-4.