Ellensburg's Jonah Street places seventh in Dakar Rally motorbike division | Briefs

Motor sports

Ellensburg's Street places seventh in motorbikes: Cyril Despres of France won the motorbike division and Carlos Sainz of Spain took the car category of the 14-stage Dakar Rally, which ended Saturday in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

Jonah Street of Ellensburg placed seventh in the motorbike division and was the lone U.S. rider among the top 39 in the final motorbike standings.

Street was forced to retire on the eighth stage of last year's Dakar Rally; he was riding with a previously injured wrist. Before his exit last year, Street won the fifth stage and spent the first week among the top three riders.

KTM rider Despres won in 51 hours, 10 minutes, 37 seconds and took his third Dakar title. Street, also on a KTM, was 2:49:43 behind. The Dakar Rally route for bikes is 5,553 miles, including 2,931 miles of special stages.

Sainz beat Volkswagen teammates Nasser Al-Attiyah of Qatar by 2:12 and Mark Miller of the United States by 32:51. Al-Attiyah won the final stage by 36 seconds over runner-up Sainz.

Auto racing

Daytona officials welcome Palin: Former vice-presidential candidate Sarah Palin will be a VIP guest at next month's Daytona 500 festivities in Daytona Beach, Fla., race officials said.

Tennis

Henin sounds relaxed before Australian Open: Belgian Justine Henin, who announced her retirement in May 2008 while ranked No. 1 in the world, makes her Grand Slam tournament comeback at the Australian Open in Melbourne. The first major of the year starts today.

Exhibition to benefit Haiti earthquake victims: Top-ranked Roger Federer of Switzerland and other superstars held a special event on the Australian Open grounds to benefit Haiti earthquake victims. Admission to "Hit for Haiti" was $9.24 (in U.S. dollars) at Rod Laver Arena, which seats 15,000.

"I had the idea that we could do something to help Haiti after the tragic earthquake. So I spoke to some other top players ... I have some connections," Federer said.

Baseball

White Sox agree to deals with Jenks, Quentin: The Chicago White Sox have avoided salary arbitration with two top players, agreeing to a one-year, $7.5 million contract with closer Bobby Jenks, 28, and a one-year, $3.2 million deal with outfielder Carlos Quentin, 27.

Jenks attended Inglemoor High School in Kenmore.

College football

Alabama celebration draws 38,000: Alabama fans came out to celebrate the Crimson Tide's recent national championship with fireworks and cheers on a chilly, damp day and headed home with a promise from coach Nick Saban.

Speaking from a stage at Bryant-Denny Stadium, with the team behind him, Saban told a crowd estimated at 38,000 he is not done winning at Alabama.

"I want everybody here to know this is not the end," Saban said. "This is the beginning."

Cycling

Armstrong team abandons independent drug tests: Icon Lance Armstrong says his decision to abandon a personal and independent drug-testing program is justified because the sport's anti-doping programs are thorough.

Horse racing

Return planned for Zenyatta: Zenyatta, a 6-year-old mare who has won all 14 of her starts, will race this year, owners Jerry and Ann Moss said. After Zenyatta beat males in the Nov. 7 Breeders' Cup Classic, the owners indicated the mare would be retired.

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