SOMERSET, Ky. — Officials with the Schaeffer’s Oil MARS Racing Series and Windy Hollow Speedway in Owensboro, Ky., have mutually agreed to cancel the event scheduled for Aug. 2.

After consideration regarding the possibility of a low car count, track promoter Jimmy Westerfield and series promoter Chris Tilley have mutually agreed that it wouldn’t be best to have the event in 2019.

“When Jimmy and I spoke we felt it best to cancel the event. There’s just not any Super Late Models in the Owensboro area anymore and we didn’t feel that it was fair to the race fans in that area if we couldn’t get enough cars to put on a good show,” said Tilley. “Jimmy and his crew are battling weather and other variables that several other promoters have faced this season and we wish him nothing but the best and we really look forward to the opportunity of working with them in the years to come.”

The next Schaeffer’s Oil MARS Racing Series event will be Aug. 3 at Brownstown (Ind.) Speedway, paying $10,000-to-win during the 15th annual Hall of Fame Classic.

PITTSBURGH -- The Pittsburgh Penguins and forward Zach Aston-Reese avoided arbitration on Monday, agreeing to a two-year deal that runs through the 2020-21 season.

The deal is worth $1 million annually. The two sides came together minutes before heading to arbitration.

"We were actually setting up for the meeting and kind of right before it started, right at nine o'clock, it got done," Aston-Reese said. "Right on time."

Aston-Reese, 24, posted career highs in goals (eight) and assists (nine) despite being limited to 43 games because of a hand injury. Aston-Reese -- who skated alongside Sidney Crosby on the top line but also put in work with the fourth line -- gives the Penguins more options as they try to bounce back from a first-round playoff sweep at the hands of the New York Islanders.

"Zach is a responsible player who plays a solid two-way game," general manager Jim Rutherford said. "He has a heavy style of play that is especially effective on the forecheck and penalty kill."

Aston-Reese admitted he was relieved to get a new contract ironed out before going through arbitration.

"It's a little bit awkward and I was just really happy to get the deal done before that meeting began," he said. "You hear stories of things like that and it's no coincidence that only what, 5% actually go through with the meeting. I was happy to avoid that."

CALGARY, Alberta -- The Calgary Flames have a tentative agreement for a new arena to replace the Saddledome.

The city, NHL team and the Calgary Stampede have agreed in principle to terms. The Stampede, a rodeo exhibition, owns the land.

The deal was to be presented to the City Council on Monday and then put to a vote. Calgary citizens would then have a week to voice their opinion before a council vote next week to ratify the deal.

The Saddledome is almost 36 years old. The cost of the event center is $550 million to $600 million. It is to have a seating capacity of about 20,000 for sports and would be the heart of a larger, revitalized commercial and residential district.

Manchester United have promoted Nicky Butt to the new position of head of first team development, reporting directly to manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, the club announced on Monday.

The ex-England midfielder, who played 387 games for United, has moved up from Head of Academy to help "create a seamless journey for young players stepping up to the next level."

"Manchester United is in my DNA and this is a very proud moment for me as I take on this new role," the 44-year-old Butt told the club's website. "I am passionate about nurturing, developing and coaching the talent we have here to become top players at this club."

United, who finished a disappointing sixth in the Premier League last season, have promoted Nick Cox to Head of Academy.

Executive vice chairman Ed Woodward added: "These changes will further enhance the excellent work and results we have seen over many decades in our Academy system and enable us to continue our proud traditions of producing world-class players capable of playing and excelling in the first team."

Meanwhile, Nick Cox will take over Butt's former role as the Head of Academy and will manage the coaching programme and operational services like sports science, education and analysis.

Megan Rapinoe said that, far from a distraction to overcome, criticism and controversy during the Women's World Cup played an important part in propelling the United States to the title.

In an interview with ESPN FC, Rapinoe said players rallied together after President Donald Trump tweeted during the tournament that the U.S. captain should win before talking about visiting the White House. Those tweets followed the release of a months-old video in which Rapinoe said she wouldn't accept an invitation to the White House if the U.S. were to win the World Cup.

"If anything, it united everyone around us and united the team around itself," Rapinoe told ESPN FC. "And it was emboldening in a way."

She added that she didn't spend much time following the reaction to the controversy in the moment. She also said that the U.S. already possessed ample motivation to win its fourth World Cup title. But coming the same week as a much-anticipated quarterfinal in Paris against host France, a co-favorite among oddsmakers to win the tournament, she contended that the episode brought players together as they began a stretch in which they played three top European opponents in the run-in to lifting the trophy.

"It was one of those things that kind of came at this funny moment," Rapinoe said. "I think it was more of a unifying thing than any sort of distraction."

Teammate Ali Krieger made a public show of support at the time with a tweet criticizing the president, but the game against France on June 28 was the first public appearance for most players since the president's tweets intensified the controversy two days earlier.

Playing a much more defensive style than at any other point in the tournament, the U.S. protected its early lead and withstood a barrage of French attacks in a 2-1 win. Rapinoe suggested it was a collective effort worthy of admiration from even Jose Mourinho -- the men's coach famous for winning major titles with a pragmatic, often defensive approach -- who she saw in the stands that day. It was not, in her estimation, the performance of a distracted team.

"We knew exactly what we wanted to do and what we were going to do to win," Rapinoe said. "We were sort of all on board in that moment, like, 'OK, this going to be more of a defensive game. We're going to counterattack.' ... And if you're going to beat us, you're going to have to break down a very organized, committed, disciplined team, which is really hard to do."

Cristiano Ronaldo won't face criminal charges after a woman accused him of raping her at his Palms Casino Resort penthouse suite in 2009.

Clark County District Attorney Steve Wolfson said he reviewed a new police investigation and determined that Kathryn Mayorga's claim can't be proven beyond a reasonable doubt.

"Therefore, no charges will be forthcoming," Wolfson said in a statement.

@LasVegasDA Declines to Prosecute 10-year-old Sexual Assault Allegation Against Cristiano Ronaldo. @ClarkCountyNV pic.twitter.com/XXdc8D9Plk

— Clark County DA (@LasVegasDA) July 22, 2019

Ronaldo's attorney, Peter Christiansen, was traveling Monday and not immediately available to comment. Christiansen has said Ronaldo and Mayorga had consensual sex in 2009. He denied it was rape.

Attorneys for Mayorga, a former model and schoolteacher, did not immediately respond to telephone, text and email messages.

The Associated Press generally does not name people who say they are victims of sexual assault. Mayorga gave consent through her lawyers to make her name public.

She has a lawsuit pending against Ronaldo in U.S. court in Las Vegas that accused Ronaldo or those working for him of conspiracy, defamation, breach of contract and coercion and fraud. She says they allowed terms of a confidential financial settlement with Mayorga to become public.

Mayorga's attorney, Leslie Mark Stovall, has acknowledged that Mayorga received $375,000 to quiet her following the encounter. He maintained that agreement was made under pressure from "fixers" trying to protect Ronaldo's reputation.

The lawsuit seeks to void the agreement and collect at least $200,000 more from Ronaldo.

Ronaldo, who plays in Italy for the Turin-based soccer club Juventus, is one of the most recognizable and highly paid players in sports.

Mayorga underwent a medical exam to collect DNA evidence shortly after she says Ronaldo assaulted her in June 2009. She spoke again with police for the new investigation, and authorities this year obtained a sample of Ronaldo's DNA through Italian authorities.

Police said the initial investigation was closed in 2009 because Mayorga only identified her attacker as a European soccer player, not by name, and did not say where she claims the rape took place.

The investigation was reopened in last year at the request of her attorneys, shortly before they sued Ronaldo.

Who can really tell what's in the future? ESPN FC, that's who.

Things happen so quickly in football that making predictions is an extremely tricky business, but we have never shied away from the big calls. So here are 20 things that will absolutely, positively, definitely happen in European football in the next three years. Maybe ...

Neymar will sign for Man United

At the time of writing, the unending saga that is Neymar's potential return to Barcelona is dragging on to the point that it doesn't really feel like it will happen. But he has to leave Paris Saint-Germain, so where will he go? He needs a club that has money, has no discernible plan and is desperate. Step forward, Manchester United.

- How Alisson led Liverpool to glory
- Zlatan: 'I don't need to dream, I am the dream'
- ICC Countdown: The big questions facing the top clubs

Klopp will walk away from Liverpool in 2022

By the time Jurgen Klopp's contract with Liverpool ends in 2022, he will have been at Anfield for seven years. It might just be a coincidence that it's the same amount of time he spent in charge of both Mainz and Borussia Dortmund, but this is a man who doesn't overstay his welcome. He left both of those clubs a hero and will want to do that a third time. In fact, the only reason he might stay longer is if Liverpool haven't won the league yet. But ...

Liverpool will win the Premier League at least once

... Because ...

Guardiola will leave City when they're banned from Europe

Manchester City appear to be constantly under suspicion of breaching financial fair play regulations, and if UEFA find them guilty of one of their charges, a Champions League ban is inevitable. Pep Guardiola tends to manage only in the most optimal situations, so one suspects he won't stick around if his team can't compete at the top level.

Mourinho will manage Bayern

Despite once deriding Guardiola's achievements with Bayern Munich on the basis that the Bundesliga is a monopoly, Germany is the notch missing from Jose Mourinho's metaphorical bedpost. Despite winning the title last season, Niko Kovac wasn't convincing, so it wouldn't be a huge shock to see him dismissed in the next year or so. And if he is, Mourinho will be waiting.

Inter will be the team to stop Juve

Juventus have won eight Serie A titles in a row, but their run has to stop soon, and it might be this season if Maurizio Sarri's methods don't take hold quickly. Theoretically Napoli are the next in line to challenge, but Inter have just appointed Antonio Conte, a steel-eyed winner. Would you bet against him? Would you dare?

Pochettino and Kane will move to Madrid

Understandably, Tottenham fans are not keen to entertain the possibility of the two most important figures in their recent history leaving, but it's inevitable at some point. Both Mauricio Pochettino and Harry Kane will need to take a considerable step up in money and prospects to go, and considering the chances are neither would go elsewhere in England, Real Madrid seem like the obvious destination.

Suarez will leave Barca in 2020

The decline has started, and for much of last season, there was talk that Barcelona had decided they needed to move on from Luis Suarez. It seems unlikely that will be reversed, and with the arrival of Antoine Griezmann, by the second half of next season Barca might feel comfortable letting Suarez go.

Arsenal's Champions League absence will continue

When Unai Emery arrived at Arsenal, he faced a big task even if he could get them moving forward just a little bit. However, they have arguably stepped back given the loss of Aaron Ramsey and the probable departure of Laurent Koscielny. It's simply tough to see them have the defensive stability required to make the top four anytime soon. As a consequence ...

Lacazette will be the next to grow weary of it all and leave

Arsenal's only saving grace is that they have two strikers who are the envy of most other top clubs, but how long will those strikers put up with playing in front of mediocrity? Alexandre Lacazette is 28, and at some point he might decide that it isn't worth the bother and seek somewhere with better prospects. See also Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Hector Bellerin.

Newcastle will be relegated

OK, not the most outrageous prediction in the world. Newcastle have already gone down twice under the calamitous Mike Ashley regime, and with scant investment in the team and the apparent conviction that former Sheffield Wednesday manager Steve Bruce is the right man to see them forward, a third feels inevitable.

Lampard will win at least one trophy with Chelsea

The managerial career of Frank Lampard is, very obviously, a work in progress, but there were enough promising signs at Derby that he has a managerial brain and could be a success. He may have to get through his first, transferless year at Stamford Bridge on goodwill, but that might prove to be a perfect season for his apprenticeship, learning at the sharp end but with a degree of job security. Given the strength of Manchester City and Liverpool, the league title might be a stretch, but he will win something.

Ronaldo will become a burden for Juventus

At the moment, Cristiano Ronaldo is still so powerful that he will basically decide when, where and for how long he plays at Juventus. However, he'll turn 35 in February and doesn't strike you as the sort of man who will gracefully step away as his powers diminish. Maurizio Sarri's main job will be figuring how to accommodate the man, the player and the ego while still winning. Not an easy task.

Someone will break the world transfer record for Mbappe

At the time, the €222 million that PSG paid for Neymar felt like an absurd outlier, the sort of figure that someone would make up to sound ridiculous and unattainable. Not so much two years on, though. Of course, someone else might emerge as the most prominent young talent in the game, but at the moment it's Kylian Mbappe, who has already started to yearn for a life away from Paris. For him, someone will pay the money.

Lloris will become a liability for Spurs

You could make an argument that this has already happened to the Tottenham captain, but the rare mistakes from Hugo Lloris have become increasingly common, to the point that his natural authority has eroded. For years Spurs haven't had to worry about who's in goal, but that concern is increasing and is now very much there.

Wolves will break into the Premier League top six

It's become common to predict that Leicester City will crack the hitherto uncrackable top six this summer. But while they have enjoyed a fine transfer window, they are playing catch-up to another side from the Midlands who were incredibly impressive last season, and Wolves have the capacity to improve further. A secondary prediction: Nuno is the most likely manager from the Premier League's other 14 clubs to get a top-six job.

Raiola will take over a club at some point

You may have seen and despaired at Mino Raiola accepting the acclaim of some Juventus fans recently after his client Matthijs de Ligt signed for them, but it just underlines his power in the game that even supporters hanging around outside a stadium know who he is. The next step after controlling players is controlling a club, so while he might not be an official part of a takeover, he may well be the guiding hand behind one.

Alonso will take a big job somewhere

His beginnings are relatively humble, having recently taken the Real Sociedad B job, but Xabi Alonso is simply too smart, erudite and respected not to land a pretty sizable job when a big club feels like it needs a new start soon. This is not to necessarily say he'll be any good -- sometimes even the most cast-iron theories don't work out -- but someone will take a chance.

Sancho won't move anywhere

There will inevitably be a constant trickle of stories linking Jadon Sancho with a move away from Borussia Dortmund, possibly to England, in the next couple of years. But why would he move? He's already very nearly the main man at one of Europe's biggest clubs and, if Bayern have a wobble, is in with a strong chance of silverware. He'll move and get his big payday at some point, but it won't be soon.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer won't last the season at Man United

Well, obviously.

Jhye Richardson, Australia's impactful young quick, could be back in contention for the latter stages of the Ashes after he makes his return to cricket from a dislocated shoulder. His route back to match fitness will come via the same path that David Warner and Cameron Bancroft took following their bans last year - a stint in the Northern Territory's winter competition.

Richardson was highly destructive in his two Test matches against Sri Lanka at the start of the year and may also have figured in Australia's World Cup plans were it not for a painful shoulder injury suffered when diving in the field during the ODI series against Pakistan in the UAE in March.

Mystery has surrounded Richardson's fitness status and potential return dates, but it has now been revealed that Richardson will resume bowling competitively on Saturday in the Northern Territory Strike League, a multi-format winter tournament that also offered Warner and Bancroft the chance to play in the wake of the Newlands scandal.

While there is no question of Richardson being named in Australia's Ashes squad at the conclusion of this week's internal trial match in Southampton, the natural attrition of a five-Test series and the obvious eagerness of the Australian selectors to get him back involved may yet see the West Australian return to the fold for the pointy end of the series.

When Richardson was injured in late March, the team doctor Richard Saw indicated that the dislocation was at the moderate end of the scale. "Jhye Richardson has had scans on his right shoulder to assess the extent of his injury," Saw said.

"The scans demonstrated the usual soft tissue damage we expect following a dislocation but fortunately has excluded any bone damage or fracture. "We are hopeful that Jhye will not require surgery but he will see a shoulder specialist early next week for a further opinion. We will be able to provide an update in respect to next steps once we have all the information on the table."

In May, before Australia's departure for the World Cup, Langer said there had been questions over Richardson's exact return date but none over his quality as a bowler.

"Probably a bit more of a cloud over him to be honest," Langer said, when asked about Richardson's fitness. "We'll just keep monitoring him. He's played a lot of cricket leading up to his accident. He's doing everything possible with his rehab. He's a little ripper."