CONCORD, N.C. — Bruce Cooper has been a Robert Yates Racing fan since Davey Allison raced for the team.

On Tuesday night, the Bluefield, Va., native’s car was displayed during the North Carolina Motorsports Ass’n Achievement in Motorsports banquet honoring Robert Yates.

For Cooper, it was his chance to play a part in celebration of Yates’ storied legacy and contribution to North Carolina motorsports and NASCAR.

Cooper had been searching for a retired No. 28 race car for a long time and couldn’t find one, but he did find a No. 88 Ford Quality Care Taurus that Dale Jarrett drove.

Cooper has kept it in pristine original condition, even having the engine rebuilt by the original Roush Yates engine builder Nick Ramey.

Cooper has heard horror stories about retired race cars cannibalized or simply left to a slowly rusting, inglorious fate in a barn or field. Cooper’s car will not suffer such an indignity.

Cooper was honored to have his car on display at the NCMA event.

“I couldn’t think of a better way for me to celebrate Robert Yates and the contributions he made in the sport,” he said.

The car is ready to rumble. That’s something still on Cooper’s bucket list. He’d like to strap into the 800 horsepower car and get a taste of what it’s like behind the wheel in the car Jarett once raced.

He might even be able to coax Jarett and former crew chief Todd Parrott to join him at a track sometime soon.

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – The No. 11 FedEx Express Toyota Camry that Denny Hamlin drove to his second Daytona 500 victory last year has gone on a road trip.

The winning Daytona 500 car – which has been on display for the past year inside the Daytona Int’l Speedway Ticket and Tours Building – has been transported to the NASCAR Hall of Fame in Charlotte, N.C., to be part of the NASCAR Hall of Fame induction ceremonies for its owner, Joe Gibbs.

Gibbs will join the NASCAR Hall of Fame as a member of the Class of 2020. Also a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame as a three-time Super Bowl-winning coach of the Washington Redskins, Gibbs has five NASCAR Cup Series championships.

Gibbs’ 176 Cup wins as an owner includes three Daytona 500 victories.

Following the induction ceremony on Friday, the No. 11 FedEx Express Toyota Camry will return to Daytona Int’l Speedway for display before being returned to the team prior to the 62nd annual Daytona 500 on Sunday, Feb. 16.

The transportation of the car is the first time that the winning DAYTONA 500 car has left the DIS Ticket and Tours Building during its residence at the “World Center of Racing.”

Once the car is returned to Joe Gibbs Racing prior to the Daytona 500, the car will return to the NASCAR Hall of Fame and will be on display in the Hall of Honor, where the NASCAR legends are enshrined.

The 2019 Daytona 500 win was an emotional one for Joe Gibbs Racing and the No. 11 team. The organization honored Joe Gibbs’ late son J.D. Gibbs on lap 11 of the race, as crew members stood on pit wall as a tribute.

J.D. Gibbs, who passed away the previous month due to a neurological disease, wore No. 11 as a high school football player and later, as a race car driver himself.

Hamlin’s car number when he won last year’s Daytona 500? Fittingly, the No. 11.

“I remember that night I referred to the win as the biggest win I’ve ever had in anything,” Gibbs said. “It was an emotional experience for everything it represented for J.D. [Gibbs] and our family and I’m thrilled to work with Daytona to have the car on display for this weekend’s induction ceremony and for the next year.”

LOUDON, N.H. – Officials from the Pro All Star Series and the American-Canadian Tour have announced the event schedule for the inaugural Northeast Classic, April 17-18 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway.

The two premier full-fendered series in the Northeast are partnering up on New England’s biggest stage for what is hoped to be a yearly event.

“What bigger way to open our 2020 Northeast racing season than on the biggest stage in the region,” said PASS President Tom Mayberry.  “We’re glad to be working with ACT and NHMS on this event and aim to make it a new annual tradition for racers from Connecticut to Quebec.”

The Northeast Classic will also feature open races for the tour-type modifieds, the Street Stock class, and the New England Mini-Stock Tour for its seventh appearance at the Magic Mile.

All the action kicks off on Friday, April 17, with a full card of rotating practice for all five divisions. Saturday, April 18 will feature qualifying and main event racing, with Sunday, April 19 held in reserve if necessary as a rain date.

Full Northeast Classic Event Schedule (Subject to Change)

Friday, April 17

7 a.m. – Pits Open
7:30 a.m. – Mandatory Safety Inspection (all divisions), Tire Compound Opens for ACT & PASS – practice tires only
8:45 a.m. – Tire Compound Opens for SS

Practice

10 a.m. – SS
10:15 a.m. – ACT
10:45 a.m. – PASS
11:15 a.m. – Modified
11:45 a.m. – NEMST

Noon – Lunch break

1 p.m. – SS
1:15 p.m. – ACT
1:45 p.m. – PASS
2 p.m. – Tire compound opens, ACT race tires impounded
2:15 p.m. – Modifieds
2:45 p.m. – NEMST
3 p.m. – SS
3:15 p.m. – ACT
3:45 p.m. – PASS
4:15 p.m. – Modifieds
4:45 p.m. – NEMST
5 p.m. – Close track
6 p.m. – Close pits

Saturday, April 18

7 a.m. – Pits Open
7:30 a.m. – Mandatory Tech Opens, ACT race tires released
8:15 a.m. – Drivers Meetings, mandatory for all divisions (driver and spotter)

Practice

9 a.m. – SS
9:15 a.m. – NEMST
9:30 a.m. – PASS
9:50 a.m. – ACT
10:10 a.m. – Modifieds
10:30 a.m. – Close Track

Racing

11 a.m. – PASS Heats
To follow – ACT Heats, Mod Heats, SS Heats, NEMST Heats, PASS Consi (if needed), ACT Consi (if needed), Modified Consi (if needed), PASS feature (50 laps), ACT feature (60 laps), Modified feature (50 laps), SS feature (25 laps), NEMST feature (20 laps)

GEORGETOWN, Del. – In business and in racing, Melvin L. Joseph did big things.

So it’s only appropriate the fifth annual Melvin L. Joseph Memorial is raising the bar for dirt modified racing in the First State.

This year’s edition takes place on March 6-7 and – for the first time – the Bob Hilbert Sportswear Short Track Super Series fueled by Sunoco will race for $10,049 to win!

Georgetown Speedway fires its 2020 season to life with two full days of racing on the progressively banked half-mile clay oval as part of the event.

Friday night gets the weekend underway with a small-block modified (max 370 cubic inches) main paying $4,049 to win for 30 laps.

Also on the docket Friday are the RUSH Late Models, going 20 laps for $1,049 to win; the Delmarva Chargers and the Delaware Super Trucks, both going 12-lap distances.

STSS modifieds and Crate 602 Sportsman will take part in practice rounds, with the driver recording the fastest lap guaranteed into Saturday’s Beyea Custom Headers re-draws.

On Friday, pit gates open at 4 p.m., grandstand gates unlock at 5 p.m., hot laps fire off at 6:20 p.m. and racing gets underway at 7:15 p.m.

Friday grandstand admission is $25 for adults; $20 for seniors ages 65 and up and students ages 13-17; $10 for kids ages 9-12; and children eight and under getting in free.

Friday pit admission is $35 for ages 13 and up. Kids ages 6-12 pay $10, while children five and under pay $2.

On Saturday, the Velocita-USA South Region presented by Design for Vision and Sunglass Central opener is set for the STSS big-block/small-block modifieds. The 49-lap main offers a whopping $10,049, plus bonuses, and $490 just to take the green flag.

STSS Crate 602 Sportsman competitors kick off their STSS South Region in a 25-lap feature paying $1,490 to the victor. Southern Delaware Vintage Stock Cars, Delmarva Chargers and Delaware Super Trucks, each running 12-lap features, complete the program.

Auto racing icon Ken Schrader will be on hand to serve as the Grand Marshal for the Melvin L. Joseph Memorial.

Pit gates open at 1 p.m. Saturday. Grandstand gates unlock at 2 p.m. Hot laps hit the track at 4 p.m., with racing following at 5 p.m.

Saturday grandstand admission is $25 for adults; $20 for seniors ages 65 and up and students ages 13-17; $10 for kids ages 9-12; and children eight and under get in free.

Saturday pit admission is $40 for ages 13 and up. Kids ages 6-12 pay $10. Children five and under pay $2.

Melvin L. Joseph Memorial weekend passes are available at $45 for adult grandstands, $35 for senior and student grandstands, $15 for kid grandstands and $70 for pit area access for ages 13 and up.

Hall of Fame goaltender Ed Belfour was arrested early Tuesday morning at a hotel in Bowling Green, Ohio, and charged with public intoxication and criminal mischief.

According to an arrest report, police responded to a complaint of a drunk and disorderly person and found Belfour, 54, on the floor "clutching a curtain rod that had been ripped out of the dry wall above a window next to him. The subject was kicking the spa door while he was laying on the ground."

Police found that Belfour was under the influence of alcohol to the point that "he was a danger to himself and others."

A witness said that Belfour had been drinking at the hotel and had tried to fight with a hotel employee before going upstairs and trying to force his way into the spa.

Belfour was released on his own recognizance.

Belfour, whose address is listed as McKinney, Texas, played 17 years in the NHL -- for Chicago, Dallas, Toronto, San Jose and Florida. Known as "The Eagle," he was a three-time All-Star and two-time Vezina Trophy winner. He won the Stanley Cup with the Stars in 1999.

BUFFALO, N.Y. -- If the Buffalo Sabres intend to make a late-season playoff push, they're going to have to do so without their starting goalie for much of the next month.

Linus Ullmark will miss between three and four weeks with an injury to his right leg, the Sabres announced Wednesday, a day after he was hurt in a 5-2 loss to Ottawa.

The team wouldn't reveal the nature of the injury, though Ullmark was unable to place any weight on his right leg while being helped off midway through the third period Tuesday.

Ullmark was untouched in his crease while tracking Ottawa forward Artem Anisimov circling the net. Ullmark's left skate slipped out from under him, and he fell back with his right leg bent under him.

He has a 16-14-3 record and has held the starting role since mid-November after spending the first six weeks of the season splitting the duties with Carter Hutton.

The injury comes as the Sabres returned from a 10-day break sitting 11th in the Eastern Conference standings, and 10 points out of a playoff berth. And they're in the midst of playing nine of 10 games at home. They host Montreal on Thursday.

Now Buffalo must turn to Hutton, who is 0-7-4 in his past 11 starts and hasn't won a game since late October. The Sabres also called up minor leaguer Jonas Johansson, who has yet to play in the NHL.

"We know Carter can step up here. He had an excellent start of the season, some struggles of late," coach Ralph Krueger said. "We feel Carter is ready to be the guy to step in here and carry the ball."

Hutton isn't worried about his slump, which came after opening the season with six wins, nor his lack of playing time. In his lone start since Dec. 21, Hutton allowed five goals on 34 shots in a 6-3 loss to Vancouver on Jan. 11.

"I don't think inside this room anyone has ever doubted me or anything like that," said Hutton, who has mostly served as a backup over eight NHL seasons.

"It's not like I just fell off a cliff here. It's been a rough go, but it's just hockey," he added. "Now I have to get in there and just play my game."

The Sabres promoted Johansson over the more experienced Andrew Hammond, who has a 27-15-6 record in 56 NHL career games.

Johansson, Buffalo's third-round pick in the 2014 draft, has a 13-3-3 record in 20 games with Rochester. Listed at 6-foot-5 and 220 pounds, the 24-year-old from Sweden ranks third in the AHL with a 2.19 goals-against average and fifth with a 0.925 save percentage.

"I think it's excellent to take a look at him right now with the record he has," Krueger said. "But it's more than anything, psychologically how he's grown and developed thus far this season."

Johansson learned of his promotion shortly upon returning to Rochester after competing in the AHL all-star game in Ontario, California.

"I'm just trying to take it all in now, trying to enjoy every moment," said Johansson, who joked about calling and waking his parents in Sweden to inform them of his promotion. "That's something you only had in your dreams before. Now it became a reality."

If you have a top-two pick in the 2020 NHL draft, you can likely land yourself a franchise cornerstone piece. After that? Expect a wide range of opinions and very little consensus.

Canadian forwards Alexis Lafreniere and Quinton Byfield are certainly the top tier in this class, followed by a smattering of five-to-seven prospects who will be in or around most teams' top 10. Then there seems to be a fairly precipitous drop. The class has a lot of talent here, but there's also a lot of rawness. I find myself looking to take bigger swings on some players with upside right now, allowing criteria that I typically value most -- hockey sense and skating ability -- to be overtaken by things such as athleticism and hand skills.

There's a long, long way to go in this draft season, but here is how I rank the top 50 prospects for 2020 right now, updated and expanded from my Oct. 22 edition. Heights and weights are from Central Scouting.

1. Alexis Lafreniere, LW, Rimouski Oceanic (QMJHL)

Height: 6-foot-1 | Weight: 196

The most NHL-ready player in the draft, Lafreniere has a chance to be one of the better wings of the past few years. He plays a complete game and has few if any weaknesses in his game. With his ability to create separation with his hands, vision to spot plays on the ice and frame to challenge opposing defenders with or without the puck, Lafreniere is a handful. On top of that, he has put up monster production in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League, he posted an MVP performance at the World Juniors, and he seems to get better as the year progresses, putting him in the driver's seat to go wire-to-wire as the No. 1 prospect.

2. Quinton Byfield, C, Sudbury Wolves (OHL)

Height: 6-foot-4 | Weight: 215

Despite being one of the younger players in this draft class, 17-year-old Byfield is one of the most physically advanced. He has a massive frame, skates with power and speed, and has exceptional hands for a player his size. The fact that he's a center has some teams wondering if he can challenge Lafreniere for the top spot, but Byfield needs to become a little more consistent and maybe even a little meaner. However, when he is playing at his best, he's dominant, and it's hard not to look at those performances and wonder how much he can change the fortunes of a franchise if he can bring that same level night in, night out.

3. Lucas Raymond, LW, Frolunda (SHL)

Height: 5-foot-11 | Weight: 170

With good mobility and high skill level, Raymond has the ability to wow you on a shift-by-shift basis. But that hasn't always been the case this season, as his role on the pro team has been limited. He has a slighter build, and if he were with a shallower club team, he might play more. When you see Raymond in the international setting with Sweden, he makes plays and drives offense. Looking at the totality of his body of work, he's a major difference-maker.

4. Tim Stutzle, C/W, Mannheim (DEL)