Briefs | Auto racing: Bobby Labonte leaves Petty Enterprises team

Auto racing

Labonte to test market: When driver Bobby Labonte needed a fresh start, he chose Petty Enterprises even though the storied organization had fallen far beyond NASCAR's elite teams.

The former NASCAR champion never wavered in his commitment to help bring the famed No. 43 back to victory lane despite obvious on-track struggles. After Boston Ventures took over controlling interest in June, Labonte agreed to a four-year contract extension — indicating he thought the private-equity firm had the financial resources to push Petty back to the top.

The economic crisis hit, crippling NASCAR's smaller teams. With no sponsorship in sight for 2009, and ongoing negotiations to merge Petty with Gillett Evernham Motorsports, the 44-year-old Labonte decided to leave the team and look for another ride.

Testing the market apparently seemed safer than sticking with Petty Enterprises, which lost sponsor General Mills to Richard Childress Racing this year.

Olympics

Chicago bid organizers estimate cost of staging 2016 Olympics and Paralympics: It would cost nearly $4.7 billion to stage the 2016 Olympics and Paralympics in Chicago, bid organizers estimate.

The Games also would generate $22.5 billion in new economic activity for Chicago and the state of Illinois from 2011 to 2021, according to a study.

Patrick Ryan, Chicago 2016 chairman, said he is confident, unlike London, the budget won't change significantly. London organizers estimate the overall cost for the 2012 Games will be about $16.5 billion, approximately three times the original estimate.

Rogge urges USOC to finalize revenue sharing: Jacques Rogge, International Olympic Committee president, urged U.S. Olympic officials to finalize a revised revenue-sharing deal by March, an issue that could impact Chicago's 2016 bid.

IOC members have complained about a contract that gives the USOC nearly 13 percent of U.S. television-rights fees and 20 percent of global-marketing funds — a total of about $300 million for the four-year cycle ending this year.

IOC strips two hammer throwers of medals: Two Belarusian hammer throwers were stripped of their silver and bronze medals from this year's Beijing Olympics because of high levels of testosterone.

The IOC executive board ruled against Vadim Devyatovskiy and Ivan Tsikhan. The silver will go to Krisztian Pars of Hungary and the bronze to Koji Murofushi of Japan.

Primoz Kozmus of Slovenia earned the gold medal.

Tennis

Davenport enters Australian Open: American Lindsay Davenport, a winner of three major singles tournaments, has signaled a return to the WTA Tour by entering next month's Australian Open.

Davenport, 32, who won the 2000 Australian Open, has not played a tournament since the U.S. Open in August.

Boxing

Medina says he lied about death threats: Sergio Medina said he was lying when he claimed death threats forced him to throw his WBO super-bantamweight-title bout against Juan Manuel Lopez last week in Las Vegas. Lopez knocked out Medina in the first round.

Chagaev to fight Drumond: Ruslan Chagaev, a heavyweight listed as the WBA "champion in recess" because of illness and injury, will fight Carl Davis Drumond on Feb. 7 in Rostock, Germany.

Soccer

College Cup semis are today: In today's NCAA College Cup men's semifinal matches in Frisco, Texas, Wake Forest (23-1-1) plays North Carolina (14-7-1) and Maryland (21-3) faces St. John's (19-2-3).

The title match is Sunday.

Harness racing

Tetrick, Schnittker are honored: Tim Tetrick was chosen driver of the year and Ray Schnittker was voted trainer of the year by the U.S. Harness Writers Association.

Swimming

Leveaux sets record: Amaury Leveaux of France set a world record in the 50-meter freestyle at the European short-course championships in Rijeka, Croatia, finishing the semifinal in 20.48 seconds.

Seattle Times news services