Weller, Thomas win at Sharon Speedway

Weller, Thomas win at Sharon Speedway

Hartford

Jim Weller Jr., Will Thomas III, Greg Martin, Casey Bowers, Mike Clark and Bill Fuchs were winners during Saturday’s racing at Sharon Speedway.

Weller returned to victory lane in a strong performance to win his season’s first weekly “Steel Valley Thunder” DIRTcar Big-Block Modified feature in the 20-lap Hovis Auto & Truck Supply event.

Thomas led all 20 laps of the Summit Racing Equipment feature for his third win, but first in the division since week two to extend his point lead to 17.

Martin made it three wins in a row in the RUSH Sportsman Modifieds and will have to start last next week.

Lakeview tennis sets Saturday program

CORTLAND

“Tennis with the Bulldogs” is set Saturday from 10-11:30 a.m. at Willow Park in Cortland.

Children in grades kindergarten through eighth grade will play games and learn rules and skills of tennis with the Lakeview varsity tennis team.

No registration is required. For more information, call 330-299-1053.

49ers’ Smith, Dorsey hope to play 16 games

SANTA CLARA, Calif.

Two players the San Francisco 49ers could not depend upon last year will be counted on to play big roles this season.

Linebacker Aldon Smith missed the first nine games last season serving a suspension handed down by the NFL. Defensive lineman Glenn Dorsey sat out last season with a biceps tear.

Patrick Willis, a linebacker, and defensive lineman Justin Smith retired after the season and defensive lineman Ray McDonald was released, leaving big holes to be filled.

With the field in good condition, the 49ers were able to hold their practice inside the stadium as scheduled.

Linebacker Chris Borland, who led the team in tackles with 128, retired after one year in the league. Three of the 49ers top five tacklers from last season are gone.

Enter Smith and Dorsey, who bring experience and add depth.

Bills suspend Kromer for 6 games

PITTSFORD, N.Y.

The Buffalo Bills have suspended offensive line coach Aaron Kromer without pay for the first six games of the regular season for violating the NFL’s personal conduct policy.

The suspension was announced by Bills president Russ Brandon on Sunday night. The disciplinary action comes two days after prosecutors in Florida dropped a battery charge against Kromer for allegedly punching a boy in the face for using his beach chairs last month.

The Bills placed Kromer on paid leave on July 14, two days after he was arrested. Kromer, however, will rejoin the team at training camp.

His suspension will begin Sept. 7, in the week leading up to the Bills’ regular-season opener against Indianapolis. The suspension will run through Buffalo’s game against Cincinnati on Oct. 18.

Blatter ends IOC connection

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia

FIFA president Sepp Blatter’s term as an International Olympic Committee member ended today when he did not seek re-election.

Blatter was among a group of IOC members up for re-election for another eight-year term. But IOC President Thomas Bach said Blatter informed him by letter on July 23 that he would not stand again.

Blatter, beset by a corruption scandal at FIFA, is due to be replaced as FIFA president in an election on Feb. 26.

“He does not deem it to be appropriate to stand for re-election for eight years knowing that after seven months his term would come to an end,” Bach said on the final day of the IOC’s general assembly in Kuala Lumpur.

Blatter, an IOC member since 1999, would have had to retire from his IOC term next year anyway because he turns 80 in March.

Staff/wire report