Professional Sports

CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- Daytona 500 winner Ryan Newman became the latest driver penalized by NASCAR, losing 25 points Tuesday because his car failed inspection at Texas Motor Speedway.

Jeremy Mayfield and Haas CNC Racing are parting ways.
The team says the split is mutual, but it comes after Mayfield's 38th-place finish Sunday in Texas that dropped him to 36th in the standings. That means the car must now qualify on speed to make this week's race at Phoenix International Raceway, where Johnny Sauter will behind the wheel of the Number-70.

DENVER -- Right-hander Ubaldo Jimenez overcame a shaky start and Matt Holliday hit two run-scoring singles in the Colorado Rockies' 4-3 win over the hard-luck Atlanta Braves on Tuesday night.

INDIANAPOLIS -- Mike Dunleavy scored 28 points, and the Indiana Pacers beat the Atlanta Hawks 112-98 Tuesday night to avoid elimination from the Eastern Conference playoff race.

Gwinnett opens postseason with win

AUGUSTA -- After working with David Leadbetter since 1990, Ernie Els said Tuesday he switched to Butch Harmon as his swing coach because he wanted to ``get a different feel, get different words coming toward me.''

NEW YORK -- Atlanta Braves minor leaguer Jordan Schafer was suspended for 50 games Thursday by the baseball commissioner's office, which said he used human growth hormone in violation of the sport's minor league drug program.

AUGUSTA -- Seven players stood on the first tee in the morning chill of Augusta National on Tuesday, a half-dozen more waiting on the practice green behind them. They had about 10 minutes to kill before the course opened for practice at 8 a.m. The quiet was shattered by the crack of Tiger Woods hitting his 3-wood off the 10th tee.

ATLANTA -- Estella Aaron, the mother of baseball Hall of Famer Hank Aaron, has died.

AUGUSTA -- Let Tiger Woods worry about the green jacket. Johnson Wagner is more focused on the orangish or is that yellowish? delicacy that's as much a part of Augusta National as the azaleas.