Auto racing

Points leader Kenseth plans

to leave team after season

NASCAR points leader Matt Kenseth, one of the longest-tenured drivers in the top-level Sprint Cup Series, is leaving Roush Fenway Racing at the end of the season.

Kenseth will be replaced in the No. 17 Ford — the car he has driven for all but one of his 452 career starts — by Nationwide Series champion Ricky Stenhouse Jr.

Kenseth's relationship with Ford apparently will come to an end. He is believed to be headed to Joe Gibbs Racing, either in Joey Logano's No. 20 Toyota or a fourth unannounced team.

"I'd like to thank Matt Kenseth for his many years of loyal service," co-owner Jack Roush said Tuesday. "Matt has been an integral part of this organization for well over a decade, and we are extremely appreciative of his accomplishments and contributions to the team, and will always consider him a part of the Roush Fenway family."

Kenseth and teammate Greg Biffle, who is from Vancouver, Wash., are first and second in the Cup standings.

The 40-year-old Kenseth, who has 22 Cup victories in his career, used Twitter to discuss his upcoming exit.

"I'm very thankful to Jack Roush for the opportunities he's given me over the past 14 years. Together we have enjoyed a lot of success," he posted. "And as a team we are committed as ever to the remainder of the 2012 season and chasing a 3rd sprint cup title for Jack and RFR."

NFL

Brees expresses optimism

New Orleans quarterback Drew Brees, 33, said he is confident he and the Saints will agree on a long-term contract.

With the start of training camp about a month off, the two sides still have "a ways to go" to close the gap in negotiations, the 2010 Super Bowl most valuable player said.

Brees added, "I'm confident, and always have been, that we'll get a long-term deal accomplished."

Berry, Anderson charged

Detroit Lions cornerback Aaron Berry and ex-Atlanta running back Jamal Anderson are facing charges of driving under the influence.

Berry, 24, was arrested Saturday after allegedly driving into parked cars and attempting to flee in Harrisburg, Pa.

Anderson, 39, was pulled over northeast of Atlanta on Sunday.

College sports

Stanford leads the way

Stanford has extended its unprecedented run of overall athletic dominance.

The prestigious academic university won its 18th straight Directors' Cup. The award is presented annually by the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics to the nation's top overall program.

Stanford finished with 1,448.25 points. Florida was second with 1,314 points and UCLA third with 1,142.75 points. Ohio State (1,104.25) and Florida State (1,061) rounded out the top five.

NHL

Oates has memorable day

The Washington Capitals hired Adam Oates as coach — on the same day ex-Capitals captain Oates was elected to the Hockey Hall of Fame.

"Obviously, it's been an absolutely fantastic day," he said.

Oates, 49, has been an assistant coach for the New Jersey Devils since 2010. Dale Hunter resigned as Washington's coach after this year's playoffs.

Three other forwards were voted into the Hall of Fame by the 18-member selection committee: Joe Sakic, Mats Sundin and ex-Vancouver Canuck Pavel Bure.

Elsewhere

• Former boxer Christy Martin's ex-husband has been sentenced to 25 years in prison for trying to kill her. A judge in Orlando, Fla., sentenced James Martin, who was convicted in April of attempted second-degree murder with a firearm and two other counts.

Prosecutors say James Martin stabbed his wife in the chest, sliced her in the leg and shot her in the back during a fight in their home in 2010. Prosecutors say Christy Martin had made clear to James Martin she wanted to end their marriage for another woman.

• The European Championships' television viewership in the United States was up 31 percent from four years ago for the quarterfinals of the soccer tournament.

English-language coverage on ESPN of the four Euro 2012 matches averaged 1.92 million viewers, compared with 1.46 million in 2008. ESPN officials said Sunday's Italy-England quarterfinal, won by Italy on penalty kicks, was watched by 2.97 million people.

In Euro 2012 semifinal matches, defending champion Spain faces Portugal on Wednesday in Donetsk, Ukraine, and Germany plays Italy on Thursday in Warsaw, Poland.

The final is Sunday in Kiev, Ukraine.

• Rookie Riquana Williams scored a season-high 27 points and Ivory Latta added 21 to lead the host Tulsa Shock to a 91-75 WNBA victory over Los Angeles. The Shock, which opened the season with nine losses, has won two of its last four.

In another WNBA game, league scoring leader Angel McCoughtry had 22 points to lead Atlanta to a 70-58 victory over visiting Indiana.

Seattle Times news services