WELCOME, N.C. – Richard Childress Racing and Alsco Uniforms officials have announced an extension of Alsco’s sponsorship agreement with the team.

The 2021 season, which marks the fifth year of partnership between the two family-owned businesses, will see Alsco serve as a primary partner on Tyler Reddick’s No. 8 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE for multiple races in the NASCAR Cup Series, starting with this weekend’s race at Atlanta Motor Speedway.

Alsco Uniforms will also be featured as a primary partner on RCR’s No. 2 Chevrolet Camaro piloted by Myatt Snider in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, as well as a full-season associate partner on both entries.

Alsco serves as the official uniform provider of RCR and has been instrumental in helping the race team navigate the COVID-19 pandemic this past year with a full suite of hand soap, sanitizer, first aid kits and cleaning products.

The partnership has also found victory lane on the track over the past couple of years, with Reddick winning the 2019 Alsco 300 at Charlotte Motor Speedway.

“RCR is a model for success both at and away from the racetrack,” said Ben Fox, Director of Sales and Marketing at Alsco Uniforms. “We’re thrilled to continue to showcase our Uniforms rental service, alongside our variety of products, through our partnership with the team.”

“Everyone at RCR is proud to be continuing our relationship with Alsco Uniforms during the 2021 season,” said Torrey Galida, President of Richard Childress Racing. “Our partnership has grown over the years but maintains the same core values that brought our two organizations together in the beginning, all while still continuing to outfit our crew in Alsco Uniforms. We’re looking forward to continuing to create more business opportunities and great memories with Alsco for many years to come.”

MONTREAL -- Canadiens defenseman Ben Chiarot could miss the rest of the regular season after undergoing surgery Monday for a fractured hand.

The operation was at Montreal General Hospital and he is expected to miss six to eight weeks, the team said before Monday's game in Winnipeg.

Chiarot was hurt last Wednesday when he fought Canucks forward J.T. Miller in the first period of Montreal's 5-1 win. Both players drew five-minute penalties and Chiarot did not return to the game.

Chiarot has one goal and four assists in 25 games. Last year, he had career-high 21 points (nine goals, 12 assists) in 69 regular-season games.

Jason Roy has backed England's batsmen to learn quickly from a disappointing display in the second T20I, and get to grips with the slow, low surfaces in Ahmedabad that may prove to be a major factor in their T20 World Cup campaign in India later this year.

Roy top-scored for England for the second match in a row in Sunday's seven-wicket defeat, but his 46 from 35 balls proved to be a laboured affair. In particular he struggled with his timing off the legspin of Yuzvendra Chahal, as he failed to make contact with the first four of his six attempted reverse sweeps.

However, Roy's dismissal to Washington Sundar in the 12th over of the match exposed England's middle order to the full vagaries of a two-paced wicket, and a succession of batsmen came out swinging but failed to capitalise on England's solid platform of 91 for 2 after 11 overs.

Ben Stokes epitomised England's difficulties in the closing overs, as he was becalmed in the death overs by a diet of cutters from Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Shardul Thakur, who had him caught at long-on for 24 from 27 balls with two balls of the innings remaining.

The defeat was only England's third in their past 12 T20Is dating back to February 2020, but Roy insisted that the series - now locked at 1-1 with three to play, after England's eight-wicket win in the opening fixture - remains very much up for grabs.

"I'm very confident we can bounce back," he said. "It's easier said than done, India are a class team. But the way we started the series in that first game was more comprehensive than what they gave to us on Sunday, so I think going into the third game we're still full of confidence.

"We found the last eight overs of our batting [the last game] a little bit difficult but I think the boys will bounce back - we're a fast-learning side so I don't think there's been a huge amount of wind out of our sails to be honest."

On the contrary, Roy himself has plenty to be pleased about already, after putting a torrid 2020 behind him with a pair of promising performances to launch the series.

By his own admission, life in England's bio-secure bubble got to Roy last summer, as he struggled for form against Ireland and Australia with a total of 49 runs in six innings, either side of a lengthy lay-off for a side strain. He then had his enthusiasm for touring life dented further by the protocol breaches in South Africa that caused the cancellation of the ODI leg of England's tour in December.

Though he clarified an initial suggestion that he had had to "rekindle his love" of cricket during the winter, he admitted that the return of crowds to stadiums had been a major factor in his upswing in form - first at the BBL, where his haul of 355 runs in 12 innings helped Perth Scorchers reach the final, and then against India, where a half-capacity crowd of 66,532 witnessed the second fixture at Ahmedabad's new stadium - although the remainder of the series will now be staged behind closed doors, due to a surge of Covid cases in Gujarat.

"I never stopped loving the game, but with no crowds around, and everything that is going on being so much bigger than the game, it just puts loads of stuff into perspective," he said. "Then when your own work isn't going quite as well as you want it to, it can get really on top of you.

"I hadn't played enough cricket, that was the simple thing, so I needed to play in the Big Bash," he added. "I knew it was a long tournament, but then the moment I got there for the first game, I had 20-odd people watching me in the nets, and I had a sense of an adrenalin rush and belonging again.

"It was the most incredible feeling. I never fell out of love with the game but playing in front of crowds makes you realise that they mean a huge amount of us as sportsmen."

The next challenge for Roy is to adapt his technique to suit the surfaces at Ahmedabad, and turn his glimmer of form into the sort of buccaneering knock that his opposite number, Ishan Kishan, served up on debut for India on Sunday. To do that, he says, he will continue to take on the bowlers whom he believes will suit his leg-dominant style, even though one of them, the offspinner Washington Sundar, got the better of him last time out.

"I'm still looking for that big score," Roy said. "Those forties are great and look good on the scoreboard but to get 180s, 190s and very competitive totals in T20, you need someone to go on and get a big score. So as happy as I am there's still a lot to improve on.

"What I learned was just to make sure I was staying on my shots a little bit more," he added. "I was a bit out of position with a couple of my reverse-sweeps, and then rectified that during my innings.

"But it's a pitch where you've got to pick your bowler. Unfortunately the bowler I picked got me out. If that over had gone for a few runs, it would have swayed the momentum of our innings quite a bit.

"It was a calculated risk but didn't go my way," he added. "If I hadn't got out, then a big score was probably around the corner. That's just the way T20 goes. If you live by the sword, you've got to be willing to die by it."

The remaining three T20Is between India and England in Ahmedabad will be played behind closed doors "due to increasing number of Corona cases". The BCCI and the Gujarat Cricket Association (GCA) made the decision on Monday after the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation ordered the closure of shops, malls, restaurants and salons after 10pm in eight wards of the city to control the spread of Covid-19. According to the corporation, the city had 530 active cases as of 11am on Monday.

The GCA will refund the spectators who had purchased tickets for the games. Along with the T20Is, the three ODIs scheduled for March 23, 26 and 28 in Pune will also be played behind closed doors as per the instructions of the Maharashtra government.

"Due to rise in number of Corona cases, we at GCA have decided in consultation with BCCI, the matches will be played (behind) closed doors and not allow the spectators in the ground during T20 internationals to be played between India and England at Ahmedabad," GCA vice-president Dhanraj Nathwani said in a press release. "We will form the policy for refund of money to the spectators, who have already purchased the tickets for these three T20s. Those who have received complimentary tickets are requested not to visit the stadium."

The BCCI secretary Jay Shah said in a media release: "The decision was arrived at following detailed discussions with the state and local health authorities. The BCCI will continue to comply with all the regulations put in place to curb the spread of the Covid-19 virus and will always put the health and safety of its fans and stakeholders at the top."

All five T20Is of the series are being played at the refurbished stadium at Motera, Ahmedabad and the first two games saw crowds of 67,200 and 66,352 respectively. The ground has a capacity of close to 130,000 and the GCA allowed 50% crowd in the first two games.

"Aside from meaning there will be considerably less noise in the stadium it doesn't materially affect us as we remain in our bubble and even when crowds were in attendance we never came into contact with any of them, and the ball was sanitised whenever it was hit into the stands," an ECB spokesperson said.

England's near-two-month-long tour began with the first two Tests in Chennai before the teams moved to Ahmedabad for the remaining two Tests and the T20I series. Crowds were allowed in the stadium from the second Test onwards with a maximum of 50% capacity.

The T20I series is currently level 1-1. The remaining three matches will be played on March 16, 18 and 20.

The Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad will also be hosting eight league games of the IPL from April 26 to May 8 in addition to the four playoff matches from May 25 to 30. The IPL will be played behind closed doors "to begin with", the BCCI had said while announcing the schedule.

Daniel Bell-Drummond has been appointed as Kent vice-captain, taking over from Joe Denly as Sam Billings' deputy.

Bell-Drummond, 27, joined Kent 20 years ago, rising through the club's age group and academy system before making his debut as a 17-year-old in 2011.

He has stood in as captain on 22 occasions already, including eight Vitality Blast matches last season, winning five and finishing the tournament as the leading run-scorer with 423 runs at an average of 42.30 and strike rate of 154.94.

"I have always worn the Kent shirt with pride, and to now make the next step up into a vice-captaincy role is something I am really looking forward to," Bell-Drummond said.

Paul Downton, Kent's Director of Cricket, said: "In all spheres of sport, it's always heartening to see a homegrown player develop into a leader in the dressing room, which 'DBD' has definitely done. Whilst Sam Billings remains our club captain, when Daniel has had the opportunity to captain the side in Sam's absence, he has done so with a calm authority; and this has made him the obvious choice to be promoted to vice-captain of the club.

"I'd also like to thank Joe Denly for his time as vice-captain. Joe remains a leader in the dressing room, both on and off the field, and continues to have a huge appetite to score a lot of runs for Kent."

Denly lost his white-ball contract with England when the ECB announced its centrally contracted players for 2020-21 last September. He has spent time over the English winter with Brisbane Heat in the BBL and PSL side Lahore Qalandars.

Kent open their Championship campaign against Northamptonshire on April 8 and Bell-Drummond will have the opportunity to lead his side early in the season while Billings, currently touring India with England's white-ball squad, is at the IPL with Delhi Capitals.

Former Tennessee Titans tight end Jonnu Smith reached agreement with the New England Patriots on a four-year, $50 million deal that includes $31.25 million fully guaranteed, agent Drew Rosenhaus told ESPN's Adam Schefter.

The $12.5 million average annual value in Smith's deal is the second most the Patriots have given to a free agent in the last 10 years behind cornerback Stephon Gilmore's deal in 2017, which averages $13 million per season, according to ESPN Stats & Information.

The Patriots entered Monday among the NFL's leaders in salary-cap space, and they were motivated to address tight end, as life after Rob Gronkowski has been a challenge for them. Over the last two seasons, they have the fewest receptions (55), receiving yards (673), targets (87) and receiving touchdowns (3) from tight ends in the NFL.

Smith took advantage of being the Titans' primary tight end last season by scoring a career-best eight touchdowns, second most on the team. He also had 41 receptions for 448 yards.

All eight of Smith's touchdowns came in the red zone. The Patriots as a team had seven touchdown receptions in the red zone last season, fewest in the NFL, according to ESPN Stats & Information data.

Smith, 25, got off to a hot start and scored five touchdowns over the first four games, but he was slowed by an ankle injury in October.

An injury to left tackle Taylor Lewan then caused the Titans to use Smith's blocking ability to help Lewan's backups. While Smith's production dipped as a result of being asked to chip defensive ends, his versatility became more evident.

The tight end was selected in the third round of the 2017 draft. In four seasons, he has caught 114 passes for 1,302 yards and 16 touchdowns. Smith was also used in the backfield at times and carried the ball six times for 82 yards, including a 57-yard touchdown run against the Houston Texans in 2019.

ESPN's Mike Reiss and Turron Davenport contributed to this report.

SANTA CLARA, Calif. -- The San Francisco 49ers continued their focus on retaining their own key free agents Monday, agreeing to terms on a one-year deal with cornerback Jason Verrett.

Niners general manager John Lynch announced the agreement on social media, tweeting that he's "fired up" to have Verrett back with the team.

The deal is worth $5.5 million with incentives that could take it higher, according to a league source. Terms of the deal were first reported by the NFL Network.

Fired up to have @Jfeeva_2 back w the squad! ? Congratulations JV!

— John Lynch (@JohnLynch49ers) March 15, 2021

Less than 24 hours after fullback Kyle Juszczyk agreed to stay with the Niners, Verrett became the second of the team's top four priority free agents to re-sign. San Francisco is still working to retain left tackle Trent Williams and nickel cornerback K'Waun Williams.

Keeping Verrett was imperative for a team that has almost all of its top cornerbacks hitting the free-agent market. With Verrett and Emmanuel Moseley re-signing in the past week, the Niners still have needs at the position but have at least two obvious starting options under contract.

After injuries limited him to six games in the previous four seasons, Verrett was finally healthy and productive last season, emerging as the San Francisco 49ers' most reliable cornerback in 2020.

Verrett, 29, played in 13 games last season, the first time he appeared in that many contests since he played 14 games in 2015. He posted two interceptions and seven pass breakups while also recording a career-high 60 tackles.

The 49ers originally signed Verrett as a free agent in 2019 after he spent five injury-plagued seasons with the Chargers. He appeared in just 25 games in those five seasons because of multiple injuries, the most serious of which was a torn Achilles tendon suffered in 2018.

Verrett played just three snaps for the Niners in 2019 but they re-signed him last offseason and he was able to return closer to his form of 2015 when he earned his first and only Pro Bowl appearance.

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – After a long day turning practice laps and learning the historic Sebring Int’l Raceway circuit recently, seven-time NASCAR Cup Series champion Jimmie Johnson was excited and encouraged about his return to the track when he makes his Sebring debut this week in the Mobil 1 Twelve 12 Hours of Sebring.

Yes, he acknowledged, the grand, time-worn Sebring course has its own “characteristics” and demands. And yes, he said, there was absolutely a legitimate learning curve.

But at the end of the practice day, it was evident in Johnson’s voice that he was excited to return for his maiden 12-hour race with the No. 48 Ally Cadillac DPi team, which finished runner-up in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship season-opening Rolex 24 At Daytona in January.

It was such a stellar outing at Daytona, in fact, the team has announced it will contend for the 2021 IMSA Michelin Endurance Cup competing in all of the series’ endurance races – Sebring, the Sahlen’s Six Hours of The Glen at Watkins Glen (N.Y.) International and the 10-hour Motul Petit Le Mans at Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta, in addition to the Daytona 24-hour race.

Action Express continues to run the program with support from members of Johnson’s former NASCAR team, Hendrick Motorsports. Ally remains as the car’s sponsor for the events.

“I can recall the drivers of the (No.) 48 car and team management just talking about it at the very first test session, just how much fun we had as a group,’’ Johnson said. “Like, if we run good, maybe we can make this happen for the other endurance races, and it was just kind of talked about among us, the drivers.

“Then literally going to the airport following the Rolex race, the CEO and CMO of Ally said, ‘We need to talk to you tomorrow, this is amazing.’ Mr. (Rick) Hendrick is like, ‘We need to do more of this. This is amazing.’ And Jim France (IMSA and NASCAR Chairman) saying, ‘How can we make this happen?’

“So literally Sunday afternoon (the day of the Rolex 24 finish) and then Monday morning before eight o’clock – before I had my kids dropped off at school – I had a pretty darn good idea it was going to happen. There was a lot of momentum. Everybody kind of felt the same. There were some things to iron out, but the real momentum was there and everybody wanted to make it happen.”

The No. 48’s driver lineup also includes IndyCar champion Simon Pagenaud and two-time Rolex 24 winner Kamui Kobayashi for the remaining three races. Pagenaud was with Johnson at the recent test, helping the Sebring rookie get acquainted with the course and fine-tuning the car.

“I haven’t told him much except that this place hasn’t changed in 50 years,’’ Pagenaud joked about Sebring. “It’s rough. It’s the best place to test the race car and make sure it’s reliable, and it’s the best place to test the drivers as well.

“I’ve actually learned a lot of things watching him on Sundays when I wasn’t racing,” Pagenaud added. “I just really like the guy and I think our personalities are very alike.

“There aren’t that many seven-time champions in any sport. It’s just phenomenal, so you can only draw respect from what he’s done, the moves he’s made at the track and that only attracts respect from me.’’

The extension of Johnson’s sports car calendar is in addition to a busy IndyCar Series debut for Chip Ganassi Racing starting in April.  Johnson will contend for rookie of the year competing in the non-oval races. Between testing the sports car and getting to know the IndyCar, Johnson has had a busy offseason since stepping away from full-time NASCAR racing in November.

“I think five years ago, my post-NASCAR plan was IMSA and potentially some WEC (World Endurance Championship) races were on the list,’’ Johnson said. “But this (IMSA endurance racing) has kind of been in my head for a long time. Being able to compete for an endurance championship this year has been a goal and a direction I have wanted to head in for years. It just all happened a little sooner than expected.”

Johnson said he has limited experience at all three of the upcoming endurance tracks – participating in an SCCA one-day event on Sebring’s full course about 15 years ago, competing previously in the six-hour race at The Glen (finishing sixth in 2010) and testing a NASCAR Cup Series car at Michelin Raceway. They are all iconic tracks and events, which has Johnson genuinely looking forward to the opportunities.

At Sebring this week, the future NASCAR Hall of Famer will add another significant piece of history to his list of achievements and join a top-shelf list of motorsports legends. From Phil Hill and Sir Stirling Moss to Mario Andretti and A.J. Foyt. From Al Holbert and Hurley Haywood to Geoff Brabham and Tom Kristensen, the Twelve Hours of Sebring is its own perpetual Hall of Fame entry list – one that Johnson already appreciates and embraces. And now he will be a part of it.

“I’m excited,’’ Johnson said. “All my heroes did it, so I’m glad I get to do it myself.”

SELINSGROVE, Pa. – Selinsgrove Speedway will kickoff its 75th Anniversary season this Saturday, March 20 at 2 p.m. when the track welcomes the modified stars of the Short Track Super Series.

Gates for the Short Track Super Series Icebreaker at Selinsgrove Speedway open at 11 a.m. with hot laps slated for 1:15 p.m. and racing at 2 p.m.

Adult general admission is $20 with students ages 12–17 admitted for $15. Kids ages 11 and under are free. Pit passes are priced at $40.

The Short Track Super Series stars and cars will compete in the return of the Icebreaker to the track for the first time in several years.

The modified competitors will race 40 laps for $5,000-to-win and $400 to take the green flag from a purse totaling more than $25,570 in the Icebreaker.

STSS Crate 602 Sportsman competitors will also take part in a 25-lap feature with $1,500 going to the winner and $100 to take the green flag.

The Selinsgrove event will carry STSS South Region points for the modifieds as well as STSS Belmont’s Garage South Region points for the Crate 602 Sportsman.

A banner field of modifieds is expected as the Selinsgrove show is the first of a two-day Short Track Super Series stand in the mid-state during the weekend.

Intending to compete in the big Selinsgrove Speedway event for combined modifieds are Matt Sheppard, Andy Bachetti, Ryan Watt, Michael Maresca, Billy Pauch Jr., Dominick Buffalino, Jimmy Horton and many more.

The most recent modified event held at Selinsgrove Speedway was on March 15, 2013 when Duane Howard scored in small block competition.

Billy Pauch won the last completed big-block modified main a year earlier on March 17, 2012.

French prosecutors have launched investigations into robberies linked to two Paris Saint-Germain players after thieves targeted the home of Angel Di Maria and another group broke into the house of Marquinhos' father as the teammates were playing for the club.

PSG said it has decided to temporarily reinforce security near the houses of all its players. Kylian Mbappe and Neymar were already using their own personal security guards at their homes, sources told ESPN.

Nanterre prosecutor's office secretary general Marion Chalaux told The Associated Press on Monday that the investigation is being handled by a special police unit dealing with armed robberies and serious burglaries.

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The unit was already in charge of inquiries into similar cases linked to PSG players Mauro Icardi and Sergio Rico, whose houses were also burgled during matches this year.

Chalaux said intruders managed to sneak into Di Maria's home in the posh Parisian suburb of Neuilly-sur-Seine on Sunday without being noticed.

According to L'Equipe newspaper, the thieves took watches and jewelry from a safe for an estimated loss of more than €500,000 ($597,000). Chalaux could not confirm the value.

Around the same time, another group of intruders broke into the home of PSG captain Marquinhos' father, the Versailles prosecutor's office told the AP, adding that investigators are assessing whether the two burglaries were linked.

Marquinhos posted a statement on Instagram that read: "The business representatives of PSG and Brazil's Marquinhos can confirm that during the match against Nantes, his parents' home was burgled while his parents were present in the residence but nobody was hurt and everyone is doing well, it was more fear than anything bad. The French authorities have opened an investigation."

Le Parisen newspaper said Marquinhos' father was briefly detained while thieves searched the house in the town of Chatou and stole luxury bags, jewelry, various other items and €2,000 ($2,385) in cash.

The newspaper said two teenagers were present in the house and that the three victims were locked in a room.

According to L'Equipe, Marquinhos's father was hit several times in the face and chest. The Versailles prosecutor's office confirmed the incident.

Quoting the police, Le Parisien said the thieves mistakenly targeted the home of Marquinhos' father thinking it was the player's house.

They live close to each other. Di Maria was substituted during the second half of PSG's 2-1 loss to Nantes after club officials were made aware of the incident.

Around the hour mark, PSG coach Mauricio Pochettino left the field for a few moments following an earlier discussion with sporting director Leonardo, who was on his cell phone.

Pochettino then accompanied Di Maria back to the locker room with his arm around him.

A few years ago when he was playing for Manchester United in the Premier League, Di Maria had been the victim of an attempted burglary while at his home, but the alarm sounded before visitors got inside.

Additional reporting by Julien Laurens