Dale Earnhardt Jr. to race five more years for Hendrick Motorsports

Dale Earnhardt Jr. reached a five-year contract extension with NASCAR’s Hendrick Motorsports team that will keep him in the No. 88 Chevrolet through the 2017 season, it was announced Thursday.

“It’s great to have it all wrapped up so quickly and so far in advance,” Earnhardt said in a statement. His prior contract was to end at the conclusion of the 2012 season. Terms of the new pact were not disclosed.

Amid much fanfare, Earnhardt moved to the highly successful team owned by Rick Hendrick starting in the 2008 season, and the popular driver won one race that year.

But Earnhardt — who turns 37 in October — mostly has struggled ever since and he’s now gone 117 races without a victory as the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series prepares for its next race Sunday at Atlanta Motor Speedway. Still, Earnhardt is ninth in this year’s Cup standings and thus poised to qualify for NASCAR’s Chase for the Cup championship playoff.

The top 10 drivers in points after the season’s first 26 races, along with two wild-card drivers who have the most wins among those 11th to 20th in points, qualify for the 10-race Chase that starts Sept. 18 at Chicagoland Speedway. There are two races left to determine the Chase drivers: Sunday’s race in Atlanta and a race Sept. 10 at Richmond (Va.) International Raceway.

— Jim Peltz

Pau Gasol leads Spain over Portugal at European Championship

Lakers center Pau Gasol scored 20 points, leading defending champion Spain past Portugal, 87-73, Thursday for its second victory in two days at the European Championship at Siauliai, Lithuania.

Spain pulled away early in the Group A game against the team that was the last to qualify for the tournament. Two qualifiers for the London Olympics will emerge from the 24-team event.

Juan Carlos Navarro had 19 points for Spain, and Pau’s brother, Marc Gasol of the Memphis Grizzlies, added 10 points and nine rebounds.

Meantime, San Antonio Spurs guard Tony Parker scored 21 points for

France in an 85-68 victory over Israel, and

Germany defeated Italy, 76-62, behind Dallas Mavericks star Dirk Nowitzki (21 points, 12 rebounds) and Clippers center Chris Kaman (10 points, eight rebounds).

Wade Belak said to have hanged himself

Former NHL player Wade Belak hanged himself, a person familiar with the case said.

Belak, an enforcer who had played with five NHL teams before retiring in March, was found dead Wednesday in Toronto. He was 35.

The person familiar with Belak’s death said he hanged himself at a downtown luxury hotel and condo building.

“At this point it’s non-suspicious,” Toronto police spokesman Tony Vella said.

Report on hockey riot: Vancouver police weren’t prepared

Police underestimated the number of people who would descend on Vancouver’s downtown and faced communication problems when they lost control of the massive, alcohol-fueled crowd that rioted following the Vancouver Canucks’ defeat in the National Hockey League finals in June, said a report released Thursday.

About 150 people were injured, nine police officers were wounded, more than 50 businesses were vandalized and looted, and 15 cars were burned during the June 15 riots. Adding to the city’s embarrassment is the fact that police have not yet charged anyone in connection with the riots. Police Chief Jim Chu said police are still identifying people from video and photographs.

Dustin Byfuglien accused of drunken boating

Winnipeg Jets defenseman Dustin Byfuglien has been arrested in Minnesota on suspicion of boating while intoxicated.

Hennepin County Sheriff’s officials say the 26-year-old Byfuglien was arrested Wednesday night on Lake Minnetonka in Excelsior, Minn. A statement from the sheriff’s department said he refused to submit to a blood or urine test. He was released from the Hennepin County jail early Thursday.

Nick Dougherty leads European Masters

A nightmare season for Nick Dougherty may have finally turned, as he took the opening lead in the European Masters at Crans-Sur-Sierre, Switzerland, with an eight-under 63.

Dougherty has missed the cut at 21 straight European Tour events dating back to the final event last season.

He had eight birdies and didn’t drop a shot Thursday, finishing two strokes ahead of a group that includes Rory McIlroy and Martin Kaymer.

Tyler Baze suspended at Del Mar

Jockey Tyler Baze has been suspended by the Del Mar stewards pending a formal hearing after refusing to take a breathalizer test as agreed to in a previous signed testing agreement with the California Horse Racing Board, a Del Mar track spokesman said. Baze was taken off his mounts Thursday at Del Mar.

— Eric Sondheimer

Jockey Kent Desormeaux arrested

Jockey Kent Desormeaux, a three-time Kentucky Derby winner, was arrested on misdemeanor charges he tried to run over a traffic cop outside Saratoga Race Course in New York.

Desormeaux, 41, was leaving the historic track in his Porsche about Wednesday evening when he struck the officer, police said. The officer’s condition wasn’t released.