IndyCar will not race in Las Vegas next season

The IndyCar Series will not return to Las Vegas Motor Speedway next season, and its future at the track depends in part on what it learns from the investigation into Dan Wheldon’s fatal crash. Wheldon, a two-time Indianapolis 500 winner, was killed in the opening laps of the season finale at Las Vegas on Oct. 16.

The investigation into the 15-car wreck is continuing, and IndyCar has postponed releasing its 2012 schedule until it determines if the series can continue racing on high-banked ovals such as the one at Las Vegas.

Bruton Smith, who owns Speedway Motorsports Inc., was adamant that he wanted IndyCar to honor the three-year lease deal it has with Las Vegas, but IndyCar Chief Executive Randy Bernard had been reluctant to return to the speedway. Smith told the Associated Press on Thursday that SMI agreed to a buyout of the 2012 race, and the final season of the contract will be reviewed later.

Wheldon was killed 12 laps into the season finale. Critics have pointed to everything from the 34-car field, the size and speed of the track, the speedway’s high banking and the varying experience level of the drivers as reasons for the accident.

ETC.

Sandusky’s wife says husband is innocent

The wife of former Penn State assistant football coach Jerry Sandusky said that her husband is innocent of the child sex abuse allegations against him and that his accusers are making up their stories.

Dottie Sandusky’s comments Thursday were the first she has made since her husband was arrested last month and accused of molesting boys. She released a statement through her husband’s lawyer a day after a grand jury report said one alleged victim screamed in vain for her to help him while Sandusky attacked him in a basement bedroom.

Dottie Sandusky said no such incident occurred. Jerry Sandusky faces more than 50 charges stemming from what authorities say were assaults on 10 boys in his home, on Penn State property and elsewhere. He has maintained his innocence.

::

Federal prosecutors asked a judge to send Barry Bonds to prison in court documents filed late Thursday.

Prosecutors objected to a recommendation by a federal probation officer that Bonds, 47, get only probation when he is sentenced for obstruction of justice Dec. 16. In the documents, prosecutors asked that Bonds be sentenced to 15 months in prison.

::

Greg Oden, the Portland Trail Blazers’ often-injured center, plans to accept the team’s $8.9-million qualifying offer Friday. Agent Bill Duffy said Oden would sign the one-year deal when the team opens training camp. … Forward Shane Battier said he will sign with the Miami Heat because he wants only “a winning role” at this point in his career. … A person familiar with the situation told the AP the Detroit Pistons will re-sign forwards Tayshaun Prince and Jonas Jerebko.

::

U.S. Open champion Rory McIlroy shot a 30 on the back nine at the Dubai World Championship and gained an early advantage against top-ranked Luke Donald in the duel for the European money title.

McIlroy had six birdies on the back nine for a six-under-par 66 and finished third behind leader Peter Hanson (64) and Paul Lawrie.

Donald shot 72 and was tied for 26th after the first round.

::

Ivica Kostelic of Croatia won a season-opening World Cup slalom at Beaver Creek, Colo. He finished in a combined time of 1 minute 50.20 seconds, holding off Cristian Deville of Italy by 0.14 of a second.

::

The 13th-seeded UCLA men’s soccer team faces top-seeded North Carolina on Friday at 5:30 p.m. PST in the NCAA College Cup semifinals at Hoover, Ala. The game will be aired on ESPNU. Charlotte faces second-seeded Creighton in the other semifinal.

::

Lew Bush, a linebacker who played for the San Diego Chargers for seven seasons and was part of their Super Bowl team in the 1994 season — died Thursday at 42. The apparent cause of death was a heart attack, the Chargers said in a statement.

Bush is the seventh player from the Chargers’ Super Bowl team, which lost to the San Francisco 49ers, who has died.