AUTO RACING
Nemechek wins Xfinity race
All four spots in the championship round of the NASCAR Xfinity Series are still up for grabs after non-playoff qualifier John Hunter Nemechek overcame a late penalty Saturday to win at Texas Motor Speedway in Fort Worth. Nemechek won the first of three races in the round of eight, leaving the eight playoff drivers with two more races in the semifinals, at Kansas and Martinsville, to qualify for the championship finale in Phoenix. Daniel Hemric led seven of the eight playoff qualifiers across the finish line next, taking second in the 117th race of his career without a victory. It was Hemric's 10th runner-up finish in Xfinity. Noah Gragson was third, followed by Justin Allgaier and Austin Cindric. AJ Allmendinger, who won last week on The Roval at Charlotte and came in as the points leader, finished sixth on a difficult day that included a pit mishap. Allmendinger kept the points lead by four over Cindric.
FOOTBALL
Ravens activate rookie WR
The Baltimore Ravens have activated rookie receiver Rashod Bateman from injured reserve, and he's eligible to make his NFL debut today. Bateman, a first-round draft pick, hasn't played yet for the Ravens because of groin problems. Baltimore hosts the Los Angeles Chargers this weekend. The Ravens also activated offensive lineman Tyre Phillips from IR and elevated running back Le'Veon Bell and tackle Andre Smith from the practice squad. Baltimore will be without injured receiver Sammy Watkins today, so the Ravens may need Bateman to make an immediate contribution.
Colts add WR Hilton
The Indianapolis Colts activated receiver T.Y. Hilton from injured reserve in time for Sunday's game against Houston but will not have kicker Rodrigo Blankenship. Indy put Blankenship on injured reserve on Saturday with a hip injury. He will be out at least three weeks. Michael Badgley will replace Blankenship after being signed to the practice squad earlier this week. Hilton has been on IR since early September, but he returned to practice Wednesday. The Colts are hoping the four-time Pro Bowler will be able to make his season debut against the division rival Texans. The former Florida International star is the fourth-leading receiver in franchise history. He has 608 receptions for 9,360 yards and 50 touchdowns in 10 seasons.
Creator of Mr. Irrelevant dies
Paul Salata, who created the Mr. Irrelevant Award that honors the last selection of the NFL Draft after playing football at Southern California and in the NFL and Canadian Football League, died Saturday. He was 94. He died of natural causes at home in Newport Beach, Calif., a day before his 95th birthday, nephew Nick Salata told The Associated Press. Although the NFL Draft dates to 1936, Salata created the Mr. Irrelevant Award in 1976. The player and his family were invited to spend a week in Orange County enjoying activities including a trip to Disneyland and a golf tournament. The honoree received the Lowsman Trophy depicting a player fumbling a football. Kelvin Kirk of Dayton University was the first to be given the title as the 487th pick that year. In February, a Mr. Irrelevant played in and won a Super Bowl for the first time. Placekicker Ryan Succop of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers started in the game. He was the last pick of the 2009 draft.
GOLF
Two share SAS lead
Miguel Angel Jimenez eagled the par-5 17th in a 4-under 68 for a share of the second-round lead Saturday with Alex Cejka in the PGA Tour Champions' SAS Championship. Cejka shot a 67 in the round delayed 90 minutes late in the afternoon because of rain to match Jimenez at 9-under 135 at Prestonwood Country Club in Cary, N.C. Bernhard Langer (66) was a stroke back with Scott Dunlap (68) and first-round leader Scott Parel (71). The 64-year-old Langer, the tournament winner in 2012 and 2018, leads the Charles Schwab Cup points race. The 57-year-old Jimenez, from Spain, has 10 victories on the 50-and-over tour. Ken Duke (Arkadelphia, Henderson State) shot a 70 on Saturday and is at 3-under 141. Glen Day (Little Rock) turned in a 71 on Saturday and is at 2-under 142. John Daly (Dardanelle, Arkansas Razorbacks) fell back with a 75 on Saturday and is at 1-under 143.
Canter on top in Spain
English golfer Laurie Canter is eyeing his first European Tour win after taking a 3-shot lead of the Andalucia Masters in Sotogrande, Spain, heading into the final round. Canter carded 4-under 67 on Saturday after making eight birdies to double up his four bogeys. That left him 7 under after three days at the Real Club Valderrama. The closest Canter has come to a tour win were his three second-place finishes in the past two years, most recently at the PGA Championship in England last month. Countryman Matt Fitzpatrick is three shots back, followed by American David Lipsky another stroke behind.
Martin has leg amputated
Casey Martin, the Oregon golf coach who successfully sued the PGA Tour for the right to use a cart because of a rare circulatory disease, had his right leg amputated in what he told Golf Digest was always going to be "my destiny." The magazine, which has been in touch with Martin over the last few weeks, reported on its website that he had surgery Friday and was recovering at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn. His brother said doctors feel it went well enough that Martin has a good shot at an effective prosthesis. Martin suffered from Klippel-Trenaunay-Weber syndrome, which restricted circulation in the lower portion of his right leg and made it virtually impossible for him to walk 18 holes. He still managed to practice and play well enough to earn a PGA Tour card for the 2000 season. His lawsuit citing the Americans with Disabilities Act made it all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court, which voted 7-2 in his favor in a 2001 decision. Martin, a teammate of Tiger Woods on Stanford's national championship team, has been the head golf coach at Oregon since 2006. He qualified for the U.S. Open in 2012.
BASKETBALL
Grizzlies keeping Morant
The Memphis Grizzlies exercised the rookie contract options for 2022-23 for point guard Ja Morant, forward Brandon Clarke and guard Desmond Bane on Saturday. The No. 2 pick overall in 2019, Morant was the NBA Rookie of the Year and has started all 130 games played through his first two seasons. He has averaged 18.4 points, 7.3 assists and 3.9 rebounds. Morant also led the Grizzlies to the playoffs last spring and averaged 30.2 points and 8.2 assists against top-seeded Utah. Clarke, 25, was the 21st pick overall in 2019 out of Gonzaga. He was voted to the NBA All-Rookie first team after setting the single-season record among qualified rookies by shooting 61.8%. Clarke has started 20 of 117 games, averaging 11.2 points and 5.8 rebounds over 23.2 minutes a game. Bane started 17 of 68 games last season as a rookie. The 30th pick overall out of TCU averaged 9.2 points, 3.1 rebounds and 1.7 assists over 22.3 minutes per game as a rookie.