Morning roundup: Richard Petty, Dale Earnhardt chosen for Hall

Richard Petty and Dale Earnhardt, NASCAR’s two seven-time Cup champions, and longtime driver and team owner Junior Johnson were among the first class of inductees announced Wednesday for the NASCAR Hall of Fame.

Bill France Sr., who founded NASCAR in 1947, and his son, Bill France Jr., who took over for his father and led the organization for 30 years, also were chosen as inductees.

A panel of 50 NASCAR executives, journalists, former participants and fans voted on the inductees from a list of 25 nominees.

Petty was quick to say he was disappointed that former driver David Pearson was left out.

"Anybody that won 105 races and didn’t make the cut — somebody ain’t adding right,” Petty said. Pearson’s 105 NASCAR wins are second only to Petty’s 200.

Conservative radio talk show host Rush Limbaugh has been dropped from a group seeking to buy the St. Louis Rams.

Limbaugh was to be a limited partner in a bid led by St. Louis Blues chairman Dave Checketts, but Checketts said in a statement that Limbaugh’s participation had complicated the effort. The group will move forward without him.

Former Texas Tech receiver Michael Crabtree will make his NFL debut in his home state.

The San Francisco 49ers’ rookie wide receiver is set to make his pro debut at Houston on Oct. 25 following the team’s bye week.

Golfer Robert Allenby said he has apologized to former OU golfer Anthony Kim about his comments after losing to the American in the Presidents Cup, and both said the issue was over.

After their singles match Sunday, Allenby was quoted as saying his friends saw Kim returning to his hotel room at 4 a.m. that morning, and the Australian referred to him as the "loosest cannon in that team.” Kim denied he was out late.

Both released statements through the PGA Tour.

"I did call Anthony to apologize for anything that I said that could possibly portray Anthony as anything less than a professional of the highest caliber,” Allenby said.

Kim said he accepted the apology.

Texas Rangers hitting coach Rudy Jaramillo turned down a one-year deal, ending a 15-year run during which the Rangers were among the most feared lineups in baseball.

Jaramillo, 59, had sought a multiyear contract.

Juan Gonzalez, Ivan Rodriguez and Alex Rodriguez won MVP awards under Jaramillo’s tutelage.

FROM WIRE REPORTS

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