IndyCar will return to Fontana

IndyCar racing will return to Auto Club Speedway in Fontana on an as yet unspecified date in the fall of next year, the track announced late Monday.

The Izod IndyCar Series, which features such drivers as Dario Franchitti and Helio Castroneves, initially competed on the two-mile oval after it was built in the mid-1990s. But the series hasn’t raced there since 2005.

The return of IndyCar will help the track make up for the loss of a second NASCAR Sprint Cup Series stock-car race, which was removed from the Cup schedule this year.

Auto Club Speedway said tickets for the race would go on sale this Sept. 12.

—Jim Peltz

ETC.

Chile beats Mexico in soccer

Esteban Paredes and Arturo Vidal scored second-half goals as Chile rallied to beat Mexico, 2-1, on Monday in a Group C match in the Copa America at San Juan, Argentina.

Paredes, who went on as a second-half substitute, chipped in from a corner in the 67th minute, and Vidal soared high to meet a header in the 73rd — again from a corner.

Fielding a youth team, Mexico had taken an unlikely lead in the 41st via Nestor Araujo’s header after Chile had dominated possession.

Chile, which reached the second round in last year’s World Cup, faces World cup semifinalist Uruguay on Friday, and Mexico plays Peru.

Luis Suarez scored a first-half stoppage-time goal as Uruguay rallied for a 1-1 draw against Peru in the opening match in Group C, also at San Juan.

Paolo Guerrero

Eighteen-year-old apprentice jockey Eswan Flores earned the first victory of his career riding thoroughbreds at Hollywood Park, guiding Kelly Leak to victory at odds of 15-1 in the fourth race at six furlongs on the turf.

Flores, who attends Fernando Ledesma High School in El Monte, has ridden in four races since making his debut on Friday, and his horses have finished first, second, third and last. He had never ridden a horse or worked a horse on the turf before Monday’s race.

“The trainer told me to do whatever I want,” Flores said. “I hit him a couple of times after the wire because I didn’t know where the wire was. I was just so excited. My whole family was here today. My mom, my cousins and some of my friends — all of the people that have been helping me along. I’ve got my report now for school.”

—Eric Sondheimer

The three candidates to play host to the 2018 Winter Olympics began three final days of frantic campaigning before Wednesday’s vote by the International Olympic Committee. The cities in contention are Pyeongchang, South Korea; Munich, Germany; and Annecy, France.

The Buffalo Sabres re-signed defenseman Mike Weber to a multiyear contract.

General Manager Darcy Regier did not disclose the length or financial terms in announcing the move.

The Phoenix Coyotes signed defenseman Tyler Eckford and goalie Curtis McElhinney to one-year contracts.

Terms of the deals were not disclosed.

Theo Peckham agreed to a one-year deal with the Edmonton Oilers.

The 23-year-old defenseman was a restricted free agent.

James Bell of Villanova had 16 points and eight rebounds to lead the United States to an 83-54 victory over Canada, the opening day of the second round of the FIBA Under 19 World Championships at Riga, Latvia.

Doug McDermott of Creighton scored 10 points for the U.S. (4-0), the defending champion and the only undefeated team left among the 12 remaining countries.

The U.S. closed the first quarter with a 10-0 run and went on to lead 46-23 at halftime.

Canada (1-3) shot 30% from the field.

Vesna DolontsLucie Safarova