Martin, Almirola may split DEI's No. 8 car

Dale Earnhardt Inc. was working on a deal Thursday to put Mark Martin and Aric Almirola in its flagship No. 8 next season in a split schedule.

DEI has been looking for a Nextel Cup driver since Dale Earnhardt Jr. said in May he would leave his late father's team at the end of the season.

DEI later acquired the contracts for Martin and Almirola when it merged with Ginn Racing. The company wants the two to split the ride in 2008.

SUPERSONICS CO-OWNER FINED SuperSonics co-owner Aubrey McClendon was fined $250,000 by the NBA after he said his group didn't buy the team to keep it in Seattle.

McClendon is one of four original partners with Clay Bennett in Professional Basketball Club LLC, the Oklahoma City group that purchased the SuperSonics and WNBA's Storm for $350 million in July 2006.

McClendon told an Oklahoma City business newspaper earlier this month the group has hoped to move the NBA franchise to Oklahoma.

ASSISTANTS HIRED Former Nuggets assistant Scott Brooks, Mark Bryant and Ralph Lewis have been hired as assistants by SuperSonics coach P.J. Carlesimo.

NO PAYTON FOR HEAT Veteran guard Gary Payton is not expected to return to the Miami Heat, coach Pat Riley said.

VAN BREDA KOLFF DIES Butch van Breda Kolff, who coached the Los Angeles Lakers to two NBA Finals appearances and won 482 games as a college coach, died Wednesday in Spokane, Wash. He was 84.

Butch van Breda Kolff had a 482-272 record in 28 college seasons and was 287-316 in 10 seasons as an NBA and ABA coach.

SUN TRUMPS FEVER Nykesha Sales scored 25 points to help the Connecticut Sun to a 93-88 triple-overtime win against the Indiana Fever in the first overtime playoff game in WNBA history.

MONARCHS WIN OPENER Nicole Powell scored 22 points to help the Sacramento Monarchs beat the San Antonio Silver Stars 86-65 in Game 1 of their WNBA playoff series. Former Colorado State athlete Becky Hammon scored 16 points for San Antonio.

PECA JOINS BLUE JACKETS Free- agent forward Michael Peca who missed the last half of the NHL season with a broken leg, has agreed to a one-year deal with the Columbus Blue Jackets.

HENMAN TO RETIRE Tim Henman will play one last time at Wimbledon, but not next year.

Henman, 32, will play his final Grand Slam at the U.S. Open, then retire in September after the Davis Cup playoff at the All England Club.

ANTI-GAMBLING MEASURES The U.S. Open has hired a security firm run by former New York City police commissioner Howard Safir and set up a whistleblower hotline to make sure it doesn't wind up with a gambling scandal.

QUARTERBACK SUSPENDED South Carolina quarterback Blake Mitchell was one of three players suspended for the opening game against Louisiana Lafayette for missing summer school classes.

MINERS REINSTATED Texas-El Paso football players Tufick Shadrawy and linebacker Brian Wilkins have been reinstated after prosecutors decided not to pursue felony charges against them in connection with a brawl outside a nightclub.

TAILBACK HURT Starting tailback Chauncey Washington has a sprained right shoulder, putting his availability for Southern California's opener in question.

U.S. LOSES The United States gave up two first-half penalty kicks to Tunisia in a 3-1 loss in the Under-17 World Cup soccer tournament in Changwon, South Korea.

DENILSON COMES TO U.S. Brazilian midfielder Denilson signed with Major League Soccer's FC Dallas.

TOUGHER STANDARDS International Olympic Committee president Jacques Rogge said serious doping offenders would be banned from the next Olympics even if their regular suspension had ended.