ORRVILLE, Ohio – After a busy month of racing in July, the World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series will kick off August by visiting two tracks recently added to the schedule.

The series will make its return to Wayne County Speedway for the first time since 1985 on Sat., Aug. 1 and then make the trip to Plymouth Speedway on Sun., Aug. 2. – its first time back to the Indiana track since 2017.

The two three-eighths-mile tracks will set the stage for a thrilling doubleheader weekend – with $10,000-to-win on the line both nights – to kick off the final half of the season with five drivers still in the hunt for the championship.

Below are some of the headlines as the World of Outlaws prepare for another busy weekend…

– Reigning champion Brad Sweet enters the doubleheader weekend as the current points leader, but last week showed how quickly that can change.

Ten-time World of Outlaws champion Donny Schatz began the Pennsylvania Swing last week by taking the points lead after earning his third win of the year at Lernerville Speedway. Four days later, he lost it to Sweet, and second-place to Logan Schuchart, after suffering a rare DNF at Williams Grove Speedway. Sweet – who has a win at Plymouth Speedway in 2016 – now holds an 18-point lead over Schuchart and a 26-point lead over Schatz.

The team championship points battle is even more intense with Jason Johnson Racing in the mix – thanks to Parker Price-Miller filling in for David Gravel when he missed a race during the DIRTcar Nationals. Sweet’s Kasey Kahne Racing with Curb team is 18 points ahead of Shark Racing and 26 points ahead of Tony Stewart/Curb-Agajanian Racing and JJR.

– The origin to Sheldon Haudenschild’s racing career can’t be told without mentioning Wayne County Speedway, which is 15 minutes away from his hometown of Wooster, Ohio. While he’s yet to run a World of Outlaws event at the three-eighths-mile track, Haudenschild has seven wins there – two with the Buckeye Outlaw Sprint Cars and five with the All Star Circuit of Champions.

Haudenschild enters the weekend with the momentum of having won his first race of the year at Lincoln Speedway with his NOS Energy Drink Stenhouse Jr.-Marshall Racing team. Before suffering a rear end issue at Williams Grove Speedway, Haudenschild was on a hot streak of 18 top-10 finishes in a row.

– Jacob Allen, of Hanover, Pa., is having one of the best season of his career in 2020, currently sitting ninth in points – the highest he’s been in the standings with four top-five finishes and nine top-10s.

He earned his first podium finish since April of 2019 with a third-place run at Lincoln Speedway – after leading the first 14 laps. Then he backed it up with a top-five finish during the Summer Nationals finale at Williams Grove Speedway. He’ll look to keep that momentum going this weekend.

– Gravel, of Watertown, Conn., is on a hot streak of his own with two wins in the last seven races – including his recent Summer Nationals wins at Williams Grove Speedway – and 11 top-10 finishes in a row.

He’s the last driver to win a World of Outlaws race at Plymouth Speedway in 2017. And while he’s out of the hunt for the driver’s championship, he’s put his Jason Johnson Racing team in contention for the team championship – currently 26 points back from the lead.

– July saw a diverse group for winners with several first-time winners for the season and eight different winners in a row. Reigning champion Sweet and Gravel were the only drivers to win repeat races during the month.

Sweet opened the month by sweeping the weekend at the three-eighths-mile Cedar Lake Speedway. Gravel picked up the win at Wilmot Raceway and Williams Grove Speedway. Price-Miller – who will look for a home state win at Plymouth Speedway – Haudenschild and Shane Stewart all won their first race of the season. Schuchart earned his fifth win of the year at the Terre Haute Action Track. The next night, Kyle Larson earned his fourth win of the year during the Brad Doty Classic. And Schatz earned his third win of the season during the Don Martin Memorial Silver Cup.

The NBA is doing its best to replicate the game experience that players are accustomed to -- even blaring Randy Newman's "I Love L.A." over the public address system when the Los Angeles Lakers beat the Washington Wizards in a scrimmage when they were designated the home team in Orlando, Florida.

However, there is no denying things are different during the league restart. And with all the upheaval that has occurred, LeBron James is changing a postseason ritual of his own.

The Lakers star said Tuesday that he is doing away with his self-imposed social media blackout for the playoffs, something he refers to as "Zero Dark Thirty-23" mode, playing off the movie title.

"It's definitely going to have a different mindset, different feel to it," James said on a video conference call when asked about his approach to the Lakers' upcoming challenge. "I won't be turning my phone off during this run. I can't afford to. I have to continue to check in with my family every single day."

In past years, James would curtail the time he spent on Twitter and Instagram in April through June to sharpen his focus. But during those playoff runs, he had the balance of playing home and away, flying back from road arenas to spend time with his wife, Savannah; mother, Gloria; and three children, Bronny, Bryce and Zhuri.

James specifically cited his mom as someone he will "check in" with.

"Making sure everything is still going well, especially in the uncertainty of what 2020 has brought to all of us," he said. "So I can't afford to do that, just lose direct contact with everybody."

When asked if he'd ever been away from his family for this long -- James and the Lakers could be in Orlando for 3½ months during the coronavirus pandemic, should they make the Finals -- he said the only comparable experience was playing for USA Basketball in the Olympics. But the Olympics obligation was "probably like 30-some days," he said.

Social media has already provided James a way to keep up with his family since going to the bubble. Recently, his wife shared a video to her Instagram story of Bryce, 13, cracking up Bronny, 15, with an impression of their dad. It made James laugh, too, and he shared it on his Instagram.

James said with virtual parenting, "There's nothing that you can do to replicate time, presence," but the phone does help in staying connected.

"The communication can always be consistent and the leadership can always be consistent, and that's one thing I've always had control over," he said. "But you can't replicate actual presence when you're waking up and you're in the living room or you're in the kitchen, or you're outside playing with your kids or playing with your daughter, playing video games with your boys or working out with your boys. You can't replicate that. I'm not there.

"But Savannah is a beast at what she does: That's controlling the home and being that rock for our family. So I'm not worried about that. But you definitely, you have that miss factor when you miss your family, you miss your kids and things of that nature. But I thank Steve Jobs a lot and the team at Apple for having FaceTime, because that is a beautiful thing to have, especially during a time like this."

Shutting down social media for "Zero Dark Thirty-23" this year would also mean abandoning his platform at a time when James and his NBA brethren have been acting as spokespeople for social change. Thirteen of the past 27 Instagram posts James has shared with his 69 million-plus followers were geared toward social justice issues.

Perhaps a shift in direction is wise, anyway. Last season, the Lakers were 28-29 coming out of the All-Star break when James said his playoff mode had already been "activated" in late February. L.A. went 9-16 from there and James missed the postseason for the first time since 2005.

James' newest Lakers teammate, JR Smith, who played with the four-time MVP in Cleveland, said that James' shift in postseason persona is a bit of a misnomer, anyway.

"Honestly, he's the same person, bro," Smith said on the latest episode of the "Inside the Green Room with Danny Green" podcast. "I'm not going to lie to you. He will start reading more, though. He'll start reading more. He'll get off social media and he'll read. He will do that. But other than that, he's the same person."

No matter his methods in Orlando, James vowed to be prepared for what's ahead.

"I'll be as locked in as I can be under the circumstances," he said. "I won't cheat my teammates, I won't cheat our fans and I won't cheat myself. I'll be ready to go."

New Orleans Pelicans rookie Zion Williamson has cleared quarantine, and sources told ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski he will return to practice with the team in Orlando on Tuesday night.

Williamson returned to Orlando on Friday night after leaving the NBA "bubble" for eight days because of a family emergency.

He returned negative COVID-19 tests daily while he was away but had to quarantine for four days and return four more negative tests before being allowed to participate.

Williamson now will have two practices with the Pelicans prior to making a decision on his availability for Thursday's game against Utah.

As the NBA prepares to officially restart its season in its bubble inside Walt Disney World Resort on Thursday -- and other sports, most notably Major League Baseball, struggle to deal with the ongoing coronavirus pandemic -- National Basketball Players Association executive director Michele Roberts said returning to a bubble might be the only feasible way for the NBA to complete next season, as well.

"If tomorrow looks like today, I don't know how we say we can do it differently," Roberts told ESPN in a phone interview Tuesday afternoon. "If tomorrow looks like today, and today we all acknowledge -- and this is not Michele talking, this is the league, together with the PA and our respective experts saying, 'This is the way to do it' -- then that's going to have to be the way to do it."

Roberts is inside the NBA bubble as the league completed its final day of scrimmages Tuesday and moved closer to tipping off the resumption of its season at 6:30 p.m. ET Thursday when the New Orleans Pelicans face the Utah Jazz. So far, the NBA has gone three weeks without a positive test inside the bubble, and only two happening at all -- both when players arrived on campus, thus preventing COVID-19 from penetrating it.

MLB, on the other hand, is attempting to play out its season with teams traveling from city to city and playing in their home stadiums -- albeit without fans. After an outbreak within the Miami Marlins, which has seen 17 members of the team's travel party test positive for the virus, causing the team's games for the rest of this week to be postponed, along with games between the Philadelphia Phillies -- Miami's last opponent -- and the New York Yankees, it's clear just how difficult trying to play sports outside of a closed, sterile environment will be.

"I'm not in the Trump camp in believing it's all going to go away in two weeks, but I'm praying, praying that there will be a different set of circumstances that will allow us to play in a different way," Roberts said. "But because I don't know, all I know is what I know now. So it may be that, if the bubble is the way to play, then that is likely gonna be the way we play next season, if things remains as they are.

"I hope not. Because I'd like to think that people can live with their families. But I can only comment on what I know, and what I know is right now."

What Roberts knows now is that, at least so far, the bubble is working. And, after she expressed to ESPN's Ramona Shelburne in May that she was concerned a bubble could have players feeling like they were incarcerated, Roberts said she's quite pleased with the conditions on the ground.

"I was worried that it was going to appear a little too much like an armed camp," Roberts said. "I really was. I said, 'Look. You can't incarcerate people. Even if it's a pretty prison, if it's a prison, it's still a prison.'

"But having gotten here, sure there's some things [that you have to do] -- having to take your temperature, and the testing. But it could not be easier. For me to comply with the health and safety protocols, obviously I have to wear a mask and all that, but the affirmative things you have to do are really simple, and the facilities where the players are able to play and workout are absolutely consistent with the quality that they need to have and are accustomed to using. The medical facilities and the physicians on campus, I'm not worried about anyone getting sick and not being able to get absolutely immediate health care. So, no, I am completely satisfied that we've come up with the right protocol.

"Nothing is perfect, and knock on wood every day and cross my fingers every day that no one has gotten infected since we've been here. But this is clearly, we've happened upon the way to play. And the players are largely cool with it."

Meanwhile, the league and the union also have begun preparing for negotiations about how to take care of what will almost certainly be a steep drop in revenue next season because of the ongoing pandemic, which will make it difficult to both play a full schedule and, more importantly, play games in front of paying fans. In a call with the players back in May, NBA commissioner Adam Silver said money generated from live game attendance could account for up to 40 percent of the league's annual revenue.

Roberts said the two sides are "beginning some very high-level discussions with respect to what the potential issues are," and said the laborious process that was necessary for the NBA and the union to hash out how to put the bubble together, and then actually go through the process of doing so, "took just about all of the oxygen out of the room."

One thing Roberts said she was sure about, however, was that when the two sides do sit down and talk about how to handle the likely drop in revenue for next season, there won't be discussions about a complete renegotiation of the league's collective bargaining agreement. While either side can opt out of the current agreement by Dec. 15, 2022, Roberts said that isn't her concern at the moment.

"My preference is that we take care of the only things that we have to take care of, and that is to deal with what presumably is going to be a reduction in revenue of some consequence," she said. "So, no, the notion of accelerating a renegotiation of the CBA, no. That's not something that has been addressed and, I would venture to say, is not going to happen.

"We'll do what we have to do and no more, and then we'll move on."

PHILADELPHIA -- The coronavirus outbreak among the Miami Marlins had a domino effect throughout baseball, with Major League Baseball postponing the New York Yankees' Wednesday home opener against the Philadelphia Phillies.

The Yankees will now play in Baltimore against the Orioles on Wednesday and Thursday before heading to Yankee Stadium to play their first home game of the season against the Boston Red Sox.

The cancellation of Miami's schedule through Sunday gave the Yankees a chance to vote on whether to resume their season with games in Baltimore, and the team elected unanimously to do so. The Orioles also had an opening in their schedule because they were supposed to host the Marlins in a two-game series starting Wednesday.

"Coming into it, we understood that there was going to be positive tests and there could be a team that had multiple positive tests, a significant amount like the Marlins, so I think everyone understood that this was a possibility. And the biggest thing is for us to continue," team union representative Zack Britton said on a videoconference call Tuesday afternoon from the team hotel in Philadelphia, before boarding the buses to Baltimore.

"We had a discussion, first off, about what was happening here," he added. "We were given some options on what we could possibly do. Guys felt like, obviously, we want to play. Our team has done a pretty good job I think overall following the protocols and our medical staff has done a great job of sanitizing the visiting clubhouse. And we felt like we didn't want to take three to four days off, if there's an opportunity for us to go to Baltimore and play."

Publicly, the Yankees have been steadfast in expressing their trust that the 113-page 2020 operations manual and the protocols that have been put in place are enough keep them safe and on the field.

"I definitely feel great about our group. I'm sure there's other teams that are able to handle different things but one of the conversations we had going into this is that we always try to be prepared for adversity; we know adversity is coming our way," said manager Aaron Boone. "And 2020 is unlike anything we've all experienced. We know going into this we're going to have to prepare for some uncomfortable situations, some difficult times, some difficult days, from a baseball standpoint, from a virus standpoint, from travels, from inconveniences, and I do feel like we are uniquely equipped to handle that."

General manager Brian Cashman, who spoke individually over the phone with Britton as the team union rep, said the entire team had a unified message, similar to the players' refrain during the at times bitter return-to-play negotiations: "Tell us where and we'll be there."

"We're in a world where no one has dealt with anything like this before so I think we all need to be pliable and be able to pivot and at least be open to adjust and I'm really proud of our organization thus far," Cashman said. "When I get on the phone with our manager and ask, 45 minutes before our buses due to depart for New York, 'What do you think if we instead pivoted and went to Baltimore so we could play some games down there?' Everybody seems to be all in."

Yankees ace Gerrit Cole, who had a 'complete' game 4-1 win on Opening Day after pitching five innings in a rain-abbreviated game, was scheduled to start Tuesday night against the Phillies but will now be the starter for the first game at Camden Yards. J.A. Happ will pitch in Game 2 against the O's.

The third-year manager did not announce a starter for their rescheduled home opener against the Red Sox on Friday but did reveal that Masahiro Tanaka and Jordan Montgomery would start two of the three games of the series.

Boone was also asked about Dave Martinez's comments, after the Nationals' manager got emotional while saying he was "scared" for himself and his players after the news that 14 Marlins players and staff had tested positive for COVID-19, and stated he did not share his sentiment. Martinez had a health scare last year due to heart issues.

"I certainly get that Dave went through a lot from a health standpoint a year ago and obviously having the Juan Soto situation come up on Opening Day [when Soto tested positive for COVID-19]. I understand that a lot of people are going to feel a lot of different ways about this, and it hits home with people in different ways, and I certainly respect that, but I have not shared those same feelings as of yet," Boone said.

Boone, like his players, is focused only on playing games, and winning as many of them as possible, even under the present circumstances.

"Anytime I hear about these [positives] your heart goes out to whoever is infected. First and foremost, there's the possibility that somebody becomes very sick. So first and foremost you hope people remain mostly asymptomatic, which we've seen a lot of," he said. "And then you hope that guys are able to turn it around and get back on the field because it is such a short season and, by and large, guys want to go out and perform and have a season. ... As of right now, we get to continue our season, and we're excited about that opportunity."

Governing body announces establishment of ‘Athletic Shoe Availability Scheme’ for unsponsored elite athletes and new maximum sole heights for spikes

Changes to the maximum height of spiked shoes for track and field events and the establishment of an ‘Athletic Shoe Availability Scheme’ for unsponsored elite athletes are among the rule revisions announced by World Athletics on Tuesday.

World Athletics says the rules governing shoe technology “are designed to give certainty to athletes preparing for the postponed Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games and to preserve the integrity of elite competition”.

This latest update follows the governing body’s announcement in January which gave the green light to shoes such as Nike’s controversial Vaporfly NEXT% (pictured) but banned new prototypes with thicker heels and multiple carbon plates.

READ MORE: Vaporfly survives World Athletics verdict

World Athletics says the rule amendments, which were approved by the World Athletics Council last week, are based on “significant ongoing discussions” with the Working Group on Athletic Shoes, established this year, and with shoe manufacturers.

“The purpose of these amendments is to maintain the current technology status quo until the Olympic Games in Tokyo across all events until a newly formed Working Group on Athletic Shoes, which includes representatives from shoe manufacturers and the World Federation of the Sporting Goods Industry (WFSGI), have had the opportunity to set the parameters for achieving the right balance between innovation, competitive advantage and universality and availability,” World Athletics adds.

The maximum height for road shoes of 40mm remains unchanged but there are updates for track spike shoes, which vary between events.

The previous 30mm maximum track spike sole height has been reduced to 25mm for events of 800m and above, while for events below 800m the limit is 20mm. For race walking events the maximum thickness of the sole is the same as that for road events, while for cross country it’s 25mm.

The triple jump shoe limit is 25mm, while for all other field events it is 20mm.

“For all field events, the sole at the centre of the athlete’s forefoot must not be higher than the sole at centre of the athlete’s heel,” the governing body adds.

“To assist athletes adjusting from their current shoes that do not meet the sole thickness heights … the date for compliance is 1 December 2020.”

On the amendment concerning unsponsored elite runner access to new shoes, World Athletics says approved shoes are “to be made available prior to an international competition for distribution to any uncontracted elite athlete via an Athletic Shoe Availability Scheme”.

The world governing body adds: “This is in keeping with the principle of shoes being reasonably available to athletes. As a priority item, in its forthcoming meeting we will work with the working group and World Federation of Sports Goods Industry to design an ‘Athletic Shoe Availability Scheme’ to deliver this. The scheme will cover process, criteria, numbers of pairs of shoes required, method of distribution and when the shoe needs to be available from (our position, which has been generally accepted by manufacturers, is for one month prior to international competition).”

The new rules state that any shoe that is first introduced on or after August 9, 2021, which is the day after the Tokyo Olympics ends, may not be used in competition unless and until it has been available through the Athletic Shoe Availability Scheme.

The full rule document with amendments can be downloaded here.

World Athletics CEO Jon Ridgeon said the previous rule changes were designed to give athletes clarity before the Tokyo Olympics but that the postponement of the Games due to the global pandemic had given the governing body more time to consult with stakeholders and experts and develop amended rules that will guide the sport through until late 2021.

“We have a better understanding now of what technology is already in the market and where we need to draw the line to maintain the status quo until after the Tokyo Olympic Games,” Ridgeon said.

“In developing these rules we have been mindful of the principles of fair play and universality, maintaining the health and safety of athletes, reflecting the existing shoe market in these challenging economic times, and achieving a broad consensus with the shoe manufacturers who are major investors in our sport.

“These transitional rules give us more time to develop a set of working rules for the long term, which will be introduced after the Olympic Games next year, with the aim of achieving the right balance between innovation, competitive advantage and universality.”

Watch the best shots as British number one Johanna Konta earns her first win at the Battle of the Brits team event with an impressive comeback against Katie Boulter.

Watch the Battle of the Brits team event live on BBC iPlayer and the BBC Sport website - daily from 11:30 BST.

This video is UK only.

Watch the best shots as Andy Murray and Jodie Burrage are beaten 4-6 6-4 10-8 by Joe Salisbury and Emma Raducanu in the mixed doubles at the Battle of the Brits team tennis tournament.

Watch the Battle of the Brits team event live on BBC iPlayer and the BBC Sport website - daily from 11:30 BST.

This video is UK only.

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – With the start of the season approaching, MX Sports Pro Racing has announced that tickets to select rounds of the Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship, sanctioned by AMA Pro Racing, are now available.

Due to limitations surrounding COVID-19, spectator attendance at designated events will feature limited capacity, where access will be confined to public areas and social distancing guidelines will be implemented. The season officially gets underway with the inaugural Circle K Loretta Lynn’s National on Aug. 15, for which ticketing is now open.

“We’re pleased to have the opportunity to reopen the ticket purchasing process for our passionate and loyal fans. We commend them for their patience in waiting for the start of the 2020 Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship. It’s been a challenging year for all of us, but a return to racing is just around the corner, and fans will have the chance to let out all those months of pent up energy by cheering on their favorite riders once again,” said Davey Coombs, President of MX Sports Pro Racing. “Even though things are going to look and feel a little different this season, we eagerly await the ability to bring American motocross back to those who serve as the lifeblood of the industry.”

In addition to Loretta Lynn’s, tickets are also available for both the Ironman National (Aug. 29) and GEICO Motorcycle WW Ranch National (Sept. 26). Tickets for the remaining rounds of the schedule will be made available at a later date.

Moreover, due to the inability to host large gatherings in certain states, spectators will not be permitted at every event. Currently, the MotoSport.com Washougal National (Aug. 22) and the RedBud National (Sept. 4 and Sept. 7) will be exclusive to competitors.

Additionally, MX Sports Pro Racing has confirmed that the dates for the first RedBud doubleheader will move from Sept. 5 and Sept. 8, to Friday, Sept. 4, and Labor Day, on Monday, Sept. 7, in an effort to better accommodate the needs of participants.

“After thorough communication with our participating manufacturers and teams, it is in the best interest of all parties to move up the dates of the RedBud National on Labor Day weekend,” said Roy Janson, Managing Director of MX Sports Pro Racing. “There are several benefits to making this change, both for the competitors and the series, and should make for a more compelling scenario for this historic event.”

ELKHART LAKE, Wis. – Road America Inc. recently announced the addition of Louie Gentine to its Board of Directors.

Gentine is the CEO for Sargento Foods and succeeds his father Lou, who retired from the board after 19 years of exemplary service.

“On behalf of the Board of Directors, we want to extend our appreciation to Lou for his many years of dedicated service to the shareholders, employees and fans of Road America,” said Ron Pace, Chairman of the Board of Elkhart Lake’s Road America Inc. “We are equally excited to have Louie join our Board of Directors and share his insight and experience as we continue into the future.”

Previous to his position as CEO of Sargento, Gentine worked as a commercial lender at American National Bank in Chicago for three years following his graduation from the University of Notre Dame with a BBA in Finance. He completed his MBA at Loyola and returned to Sargento in 2000.

Louie is an experienced executive with 20 years of experience at his family’s $1.4 billion company. He has held leadership roles in marketing, production, and procurement where he was able to learn and experience multiple functions at the company. In addition to developing the broader Sargento Family, Louie has created an educational program for the family’s 4th generation family members.

Louie is married to Paula. They have four children and live in Plymouth, Wisconsin. In his free time, he enjoys doing outdoor activities such as hiking, hunting, biking, running, downhill skiing and working on projects on his property.

In addition to being involved in many community activities, he is a board member of the International Dairy Foods Association, the Consumer Brands Association, Lakeside Foods, and is the President of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul store in Plymouth. He is also co-chair for the 2020-2021 Sheboygan County United Way campaign.