INDIANAPOLIS – Era Motorsport will take on a new challenge next season, joining the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship in a partnership with DragonSpeed for the Rolex 24 at Daytona.

Led by Grand-AM and IMSA veteran driver Kyle Tilley, the team will race an Oreca 07 Gibson in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship LMP2 class.

“We’re very excited to confirm that we’ll be joining the IMSA ranks in 2020 for the Rolex 24 At Daytona,” said Team Principal Kyle Tilley. “We weren’t expecting to have to confirm the news so soon, but we’re thrilled there’s such media interest in our team.”

Tilley’s motorsport roots go back to his younger days in open wheel racing before switching to prototype and GT cars in 2010. He came to the United States in 2013, and has since raced in Grand-AM, IMSA, and the Pirelli World Challenge. He founded Era Motorsport, which originally focused on driver development in vintage and historic racing but had since expanded to encompass a variety of additional services including race car preparation, vehicle dynamics, support and more.

Based in Jupiter, Fla., DragonSpeed has become one of the most diverse professional sports car teams in North America. The team most recently competed in the 2019 NTT IndyCar Series championship, and also has championship titles in the European Le Mans Series, Pirelli World Challenge, as well as race wins in the FIA World Endurance Championship, American Le Mans Series, and Blancpain Endurance Series. The 2019 Rolex 24 at Daytona LMP2 race winners will offer technical support to Era Motorsport at the 2020 running of the event.

“The men and women at DragonSpeed are top-notch, and their support will be invaluable as we enter such a challenging event,” concluded Tilley. “Out of respect for all of our partners, we’ll withhold further details of our 2020 program until the final pieces are locked into place. We’re excited for what’s ahead and can’t wait for when the time is right to share that information.”

CONCORD, N.C. – Daryn Pittman will remain with Roth Motorsports to take on another season with the World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series next season.

Pittman joined Roth Motorsports this year to drive the No. 83 sprint car and has earned four World of Outlaws victories this season. He currently sits fourth in the World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series standings with two races remaining.

“I am extremely grateful that Dennis and Teresa Roth are giving us another year to build on what we built and accomplished in 2019,” Pittman said. “I am very optimistic that we can continue to improve and be more consistent in what will be our second year together. We have a great team with Brent Ventura and Scott Vogelsong, and I am looking forward to trying to end our season with a win this week in Charlotte, N.C.”

Pittman and Roth Motorsports opened the year by sweeping through Florida and claiming the DIRTcar Nationals title. Pittman was also able to pick up a big win at Silver Dollar Speedway and claim the Gold Cup Race of Champions, pocket a win at Skagit Speedway, as well as win the Front Row Challenge at Southern Iowa Speedway in Oskaloosa, Iowa.

Finishing second at the recently completed National Open at Williams Grove Speedway, Pittman was also on the podium at the Knoxville Nationals, finishing third behind race winner David Gravel.

Brent Ventura will continue leading the team as crew chief and Scott Vogelsong will also be back with the Roth Motorsports team in the pit area.

“All of us at Roth Motorsports are extremely excited to give this another shot,” Brent Ventura said. “It is an honor to work for Dennis and Teresa Roth, and I am looking forward to seeing what we can do in what will be our second year with Daryn Pittman. Scott Vogelsong has worked hard for our team, and I look forward to continuing to work with him and making improvements for an even more successful 2020 season.”

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — A return to Martinsville Speedway in Virginia and a debut at Iowa Speedway headlines the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour schedule for next season.

Martinsville Speedway returns to the calendar for the first time since 2010, with the series visiting the Virginia speed plant on May 8 as part of the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series weekend.

The NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour will debut at Iowa Speedway on July 31. The event is the furthest west the tour will race in 2020.

Also returning to the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour schedule next year is Jennerstown Speedway in Pennsylvania on May 23. The track has held 14 tour races over the years, with the late Ted Christopher being the last to visit victory lane in 2006.

The Whelen Modified Tour will open the season with a return trip to Virginia’s South Boston Speedway on Saturday, March 21. Connecticut will serve as the traditional opening of racing in New England with the 46th Annual Icebreaker weekend at Thompson Speedway Motorsports Park on Sunday, April 5, followed by the NAPA Spring Sizzler weekend at Stafford Motor Speedway on Sunday, April 26.

The season will conclude with the 48th annual NAPA Fall Final weekend at Stafford on Sunday, Sept. 27, and the 58th annual Sunoco World Series of Speedway Racing at Thompson on Sunday, Oct. 11.

New Hampshire Motor Speedway will again feature a 100-lap showcase on Saturday, July 18. The Whelen Modified Tour will also return with the 200-lap main event for the track’s Full Throttle Fall Weekend on Saturday, Sept. 12.

“The NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour is coming off an exciting year in which we saw Doug Coby continue his historic championship run and we saw the level of competition and number of competitors increase,” said Brandon Thompson, NASCAR managing director, touring series. “We are excited about the mix of high-profile national series tracks that will showcase the great racing on the Modified tour, and the strong short tracks that have been the backbone of Modified racing.”

Two tracks that appeared on the 2019 calendar are absent next year – Myrtle Beach Speedway in South Carolina and Tennessee’s Bristol Motor Speedway.

2020 NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour Schedule

March 21 – South Boston Speedway – South Boston, Va.

April 5 – Thompson Speedway Motorsports Park – Thompson, Conn.

April 26 – Stafford Motor Speedway – Stafford Springs, Conn.

May 8 – Martinsville Speedway – Martinsville, Va.

May 23 – Jennerstown Speedway – Jennerstown, Pa.

June 6 – Seekonk Speedway – Seekonk, Mass.

June 20 – Riverhead Raceway – Riverhead, N.Y.

July 11 – Wall Stadium Speedway – Wall, N.J.

July 18 – New Hampshire Motor Speedway – Loudon, N.H.

July 31 – Iowa Speedway – Newton, Iowa

Aug. 7 – Stafford Motor Speedway – Stafford Springs, Conn.

Aug. 19 – Thompson Speedway Motorsports Park – Thompson, Conn.

Sept. 5 – Oswego Speedway – Oswego, N.Y.

Sept. 12 – New Hampshire Motor Speedway – Loudon, N.H.

Sept. 19 – Riverhead Raceway – Riverhead, N.Y.

Sept. 27 – Stafford Motor Speedway – Stafford Springs, Conn.

Oct. 11 – Thompson Speedway Motorsports Park – Thompson, Conn.

PLACERVILLE, Calif. – Two weeks remain until the start of the inaugural Elk Grove Ford Hangtown 100 and the lineup is stacked with a multitude of talents from various disciplines throughout the racing world.

All are gunning for the top prize at California’s Placerville Speedway which features over $130,000 in total prize money for the co-sanctioned USAC NOS Energy Drink National and Western States Midget event on Nov. 19-20.

Monster Energy NASCAR Cup star and versatile dirt track pilot Kyle Larson will debut his own No. 1K for the first time in USAC National competition.  The 2011 USAC National Midget Rookie of the Year captured a non-sanctioned midget victory in the car at Placerville in September.

Larson is joined by a host of others who are planning to make rare outdoor midget starts at the event, including 2017 Indiana Midget Week champ Shane Golobic, 2016 USAC National Midget Rookie of the year Carson Macedo, 11-time USAC National Midget winner Brad Sweet, two-time All Star Circuit of Champions titlist Aaron Reutzel and Gio Scelzi, all of whom have been winners on the World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series circuit this year.

What makes the event unique is that the talented bunch listed above gets the opportunity to face off against competitors who’ve been in the seat of a midget all year, including USAC NOS Energy Drink National Midget point leader Tyler Courtney, plus series winners Kevin Thomas Jr., Chris Windom, Zeb Wise and Jason McDougal and against past series champs Spencer Bayston, Tanner Thorson, Jerry Coons Jr. and Dave Darland.

The bucket of talent infused throughout the field continues to overflow with 2019 USAC AMSOIL National Sprint Car winners Kyle Cummins, Thomas Meseraull and Brady Bacon, as well as top international midget racing stars Michael Pickens and Kaidon Brown.

The USAC Western States Midget contingent is prepared to defend its home turf with the likes of series point leader Robert Dalby, 2018 champion Michael Faccinto, recent Ventura winner Chase Johnson, and regional USAC Sprint champs Jake Swanson and Ryan Bernal.

Tuesday’s PureCrop1 main event on Nov. 19 will be 30-laps and $5,000-to-win and features the top-12 cars in combined points inverted. Following the action on opening night there will be a post-race party on the fairgrounds with food, drinks, a live band and a lot of fun to be had.

Wednesday night’s Royal Truck Body A-main on Nov. 20 will be 100-laps around the famed red clay oval with the winner picking up a $20,000 payday. The overall points champion for the two nights will pocket a $12,000 bonus.

Hangtown 100 Entry List (As of Nov. 5)

1 Karsyn Elledge/Mooresville, NC (Tucker/Boat Motorsports)
1G Kyle Cummins/Princeton, IN (Jack Yeley)
1K Kyle Larson/Elk Grove, CA (Kyle Larson Open Wheel)
1NZ Michael Pickens/Auckland, NZ (RMS)
4D Robert Dalby/Anaheim, CA (Robert Dalby)
5 Kevin Thomas, Jr./Cullman, AL (Petry Motorsports)
7BC Tyler Courtney/Indianapolis, IN (Clauson Marshall Racing)
7x Thomas Meseraull/San Jose, CA (RMS)
8 Randi Pankratz/Atascadero, CA (Randi Pankratz)
11E Cory Elliott/Bakersfield, CA (Cory Elliott)
15 TBA/TBA (Petry Motorsports)
17BC Chris Windom/Canton, IL (Clauson Marshall Racing)
17w Shane Golobic/Fremont, CA (Matt Wood Racing)
19 Spencer Bayston/Lebanon, IN (Brodie Hayward)
19T Tanner Thorson/Minden, NV (Brodie Hayward)
19w Jake Morgan/Fair Oaks, CA (Sala Racing)
20 C.J. Sarna/Palm Desert, CA (C.J. Sarna)
21 Carson Macedo/Lemoore, CA (Tarlton Motorsports)
25 Jerry Coons, Jr./Tucson, AZ (Petry Motorsports)
25x Chase Johnson/Penngrove, CA (Tom Malloy)
27B Jake Bubak/Arvada, CO (Patrick Bourke)
27w Colby Copeland/Roseville, CA (Matt Wood)
39BC Zeb Wise/Angola, IN (Clauson Marshall Racing)
47BC Andrew Layser/Collegeville, PA (Clauson Marshall Racing)
47m Michael Faccinto/Hanford, CA (Del Morris)
57 Maria Cofer/Macdoel, CA (Maria Cofer)
67z Brad Sweet/Grass Valley, CA (Willie Kahne)
68 Jonathan Beason/Broken Arrow, OK (Six8 Motorsports)
71R Dave Darland/Lincoln, IN (Del Morris)
71x TBD
73 Dylan Ito/Ventura, CA (Keith Ford)
73K Jake Swanson/Anaheim, CA (Keith Ford)
76E Brady Bacon/Broken Arrow, OK (FMR Racing)
76m Jason McDougal/Broken Arrow, OK (FMR Racing)
77w Ryan Bernal/Hollister, CA (Matt Wood Racing)
81 Dillon Welch/Carmel, IN (Tucker/Boat Motorsports)
84 Gio Scelzi/Fresno, CA (Tucker/Boat Motorsports)
87 Aaron Reutzel/Clute, TX (Tucker/Boat Motorsports)
97w Kaidon Brown/Sydney, AU (Matt Wood)
99 Colton Heath/Marysville, WA (Carla & Gaylon Stewart)
99 Robert Carson/Concord, CA (Howard & Karen Segur)
TBA TBA/TBA (Clauson Marshall Racing)
TBA TBA/TBA (Matt Wood Racing)

TORONTO -- Maple Leafs captain John Tavares is set to return to the lineup Tuesday night after missing seven games with a broken finger.

The star center says he has made "really good progress" and is looking forward to the game against the Los Angeles Kings.

Tavares was hurt Oct. 16 after a shot by Toronto defenseman Morgan Rielly hit his hand during a 4-3 loss at Washington. The Maple Leafs were 3-2-2 without Tavares, including Saturday's 4-3 shootout victory in Philadelphia. He had three goals and four assists in eight games this season before the injury.

Tavares signed a seven-year, $77 million contract with Toronto in free agency two summers ago. He had 47 goals and 88 points in his first season with the team.

Arsenal midfielder Granit Xhaka has been stripped of his captaincy and left out of the Gunners' Europa League game against Portugal's Vitoria, manager Unai Emery has confirmed. Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang will skipper the club in his place.

"I had a meeting with him and told him he is no longer in the captain's group," the Mirror website quoted the Spaniard as telling reporters on Tuesday.

Aubameyang takes over the permanent role, although he was also not in the 18-man travelling squad for the match in Guimaraes and Hector Bellerin is likely to stand in instead.

"He [Xhaka] accepted my decision. We need to carry on and focus on tomorrow's match. I needed to take a decision and now it's closed," said Emery.

The decision comes amid a swarm of controversy stemming from Xhaka's angry reaction to being booed by fans after being substituted in the Gunners' draw with Crystal Palace last month.

Xhaka taunted home fans and removed his shirt when storming off the pitch after he was substituted and appeared to swear at his team's own supporters, as well as waving his arms taunting supporters to jeer louder and cupping his ear.

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Xhaka was absent from Arsenal's shootout loss to Liverpool in the Carabao Cup on Wednesday, with Bellerin wearing the captain's armband as the Gunners exited the competition in the round of 16. And he was not in the squad for the team's 1-1 Premier League draw against Wolves on Saturday.

Immediately following the incident against Palace, Emery said Xhaka was devastated about the row and hailed his commitment to the club in training and in games.

The Switzerland international said his actions were caused in part by what he perceived to be harsh treatment from the club's fans on social media and during matches and that it boiled over that day at the Emirates.

In a post on his Instagram account, Xhaka wrote: "The scenes that took place around my substitution have moved me deeply. I love this club and will always give 100% on and off the pitch.

"My feeling of not being understood by fans, and repeated abusive comments at matches and in social media over the last weeks and months have hurt me deeply.

"People have said things like 'We will break your legs,' 'Kill your wife' and 'Wish that your daughter gets cancer.' That has stirred me up and I reached boiling point when I felt the rejection in the stadium on Sunday."

Information from Reuters was used in this report.

Liverpool survived a minor blip to beat Genk 2-1 at Anfield and go top of Group E in the UEFA Champions League.

Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain goal in the 53rd minute.

Positives

With a Premier League showdown against Manchester City just five days away, Liverpool were able to get the win without having to rely on the likes of

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Negatives

Jurgen Klopp's defence has been anything but tight this season and Genk took advantage of some static defending to head themselves level from a first-half corner, and Manchester City will be licking their lips at the prospect of facing a back line that looks edgy at set pieces.

Hampshire have pulled off a coup for the 2020 County Championship season after signing Nathan Lyon on a red-ball contract that, international commitments pending, ought to keep him at the club for the entirety of the campaign.

Lyon, who toured with Australia this summer as part of their World Cup and Ashes squads, is arguably the finest offspinner to have represented his country, and certainly the most prolific, having claimed 363 Test wickets in 91 appearances - second among all Australian spinners only to the great Shane Warne.

His 20 wickets in this summer's Ashes included nine wickets in a matchwinning display in the first Test at Edgbaston (his 6 for 49 sealed victory in the second innings), and in the course of a 2-2 series that ensured that Australia retained the Ashes, he went past Dennis Lillee's tally of 355 Test wickets to sit behind only Warne and Glenn McGrath in Australia's all-time list.

"I very much look forward to playing with Hampshire in next year's County Championship," said Lyon. "It is a fabulous opportunity to be involved with a leading county who have had a long and successful relationship with Australian cricketers."

One of those Australians, of course, is none other than Warne, who was Hampshire's captain in the early 2000s and who still has a stand named after him at the ground.

"I love playing cricket in England and no doubt will enjoy the 2020 summer with the Hampshire players, coaches, members and supporters," Lyon added. "We will all be focused on winning the County Championship in 2020 - I can't wait."

Lyon will play at Hampshire under the captaincy of James Vince - whom he faced on the England tour of Australia in 2017-18 - and will form part of an incisive attack led by Fidel Edwards and Kyle Abbott, the former South African quick whose 17 wickets at the Ageas Bowl in September did so much to derail Somerset's bid for their maiden Championship title.

He will slot into a Hampshire squad that already features four home-grown spinners, among them Liam Dawson, who was an unused member of England's victorious World Cup squad, and Mason Crane, the legspinner who made his Test debut against Australia at Sydney in January 2018. Lyon has had one previous stint in county cricket, when he turned out for Worcestershire for four matches in 2017.

Hampshire Director of Cricket, Giles White said: "Nathan is a really high-class spinner and we identified him in the summer as someone who would be a great addition to our Championship side. He has a real appetite for county cricket and is keen to be a part of what we're trying to do here, so we're delighted to secure his signature and we can't wait to have him on board next summer."

COSTA MESA, Calif. -- Blood boiling, Los Angeles Chargers owner Dean Spanos strongly denied his team has any interest in relocating to London, addressing a report broaching the possibility Tuesday.

"It's total f---ing bulls---," Spanos said. "We're not going to London. We're not going anywhere. We're playing in Los Angeles. This is our home, and this is where we are planning to be for a long f---ing time. Period."

Spanos was responding to a story Monday by The Athletic, which reported the Chargers and the NFL could look at moving the team to London, partly because of concerns over the Los Angeles market.

Since the Chargers relocated from San Diego to Los Angeles three years ago, the team has experienced an uphill climb in building a fan base, with opposing fans regularly taking over the team's temporary home at Dignity Health Sports Complex, a 27,000-seat soccer stadium that serves as the home of Major League Soccer's LA Galaxy.

However, the Chargers believe they will have more success earning new fans in Los Angeles once the team moves into its new home of SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, starting next year.

Chargers coach Anthony Lynn, when asked if he had talked with his players about the relocation story, said his focus is on Thursday's game on the road against the Oakland Raiders.

"I just found out about the story last night," Lynn said. "I don't think there's anything to it -- well, I know there's not anything to it. We're not going to let it be a distraction for us. We've got a job to do Thursday night, and that's what we're getting prepared for."

Quarterback Philip Rivers, who has continued to commute from San Diego to Orange County since the team's move to Los Angeles, declined to comment before practice.

"I don't see any reason to comment on it, to be honest with you," Rivers said.