Denny Hamlin and the Harley J. Earl Trophy Visit TPC Sawgrass During Road to the DAYTONA 500 Media Tour

PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. – Denny Hamlin, 2016 DAYTONA 500 champion and driver of the No. 11 FedEx Camry in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series, teed off the second stop of the Road to the DAYTONA 500 Tour at the 17th hole of THE PLAYERS Stadium Course at TPC Sawgrass alongside the Harley J. Earl trophy.

Hamlin, an avid golfer, was visiting TPC Sawgrass with Daytona International Speedway President Chip Wile to preview the upcoming 60th annual DAYTONA 500 – the prestigious season opener for the Monster Energy Series – with Jacksonville-based media. They were joined by PGA TOUR player Sam Saunders who is the grandson of golfing legend Arnold Palmer.

After photos with the Harley J. Earl and FedEx Cup trophies, Hamlin and Saunders took on the par-3, 137-yard "Island Green," arguably the most recognizable hole in golf, located within one of the most difficult courses in the world. After Saunders granted Hamlin a mulligan after his first shot went long, Hamlin was able to save par while Saunders bogied.

The Road to the DAYTONA 500 Tour takes place in the weeks leading up to the prestigious DAYTONA 500 on Sunday, Feb. 18. The stars of the Monster Energy Series will be visiting cities throughout the United States to promote "The Great American Race."

Flames beat NHL-leading Lightning 5-1 for 5th straight win

By MARK DIDTLER
Associated Press

TAMPA, Fla. (AP) -- The surging Calgary Flames got balanced scoring and another win.

Johnny Gaudreau had a goal and an assist, Mike Smith made 33 saves, and the Flames beat the NHL-leading Tampa Bay Lightning 5-1 on Thursday night for their fifth straight victory.

"A big confidence boost for our group, and keep the winning streak alive," Smith said.

Micheal Ferland, Sam Bennett, Mark Jankowski and Matthew Tkachuk also scored to help the Flames improve to 11-5-4 on the road. Gaudreau has nine assists and 10 points during a five-game points streak.

"A lot of guys were contributing chances and everybody was responsible defensively," Tkachuk said.

Brayden Point scored for Tampa Bay.

The Lightning lost All-Star defenseman Victor Hedman midway through the second with a lower-body injury. Tampa Bay coach Jon Cooper offered no update but said Hedman will undergo tests Friday.

"We'll see the extent of what's wrong," Cooper said. "No reason to speculate."

Hedman was hit on side of his left knee during a collision with Calgary's Garnet Hathaway and needed assistance to the locker room. On Tuesday night against Carolina, Hedman could not put any weight on his left skate heading to the bench with three minutes left in the second but returned two minutes later.

Ferland opened the scoring 29 seconds into the game during a 2-on-1 off a pass from Sean Monahan. Ferland added an assist and has a four-game points streak (four goals, eight points), while Monahan has points in five straight (five assists, eight points).

After Point scored 31 seconds into the second, the Flames took a 3-1 lead on goals by Gaudreau at 16:48 and Bennett on the power-play 1:55 later.

Tampa Bay's Cedric Paquette failed to score on a penalty shot at 5:15 of the second.

Jankowski and Tkachuk had third-period goals.

"Got two big goals at the end of the second to give us some breathing room," Smith said. "Then, I thought that was one of better third periods with a lead this year."

Lightning goalie Andrei Vasilevskiy stopped 19 shots.

NOTES: Gaudreau has 51 points in 43 games. His 14th goal stopped a 10-game goal drought. ... Tampa Bay D Dan Girardi, who took a slap shot to the back of the neck Sunday, missed his second straight game but could return after the Lightning's bye week. ... Flames RW Jaromir Jagr remains out with what the team calls a lower-body injury. He has missed 17 games, including the last four and 11 of the past 16.

UP NEXT

Flames: At Florida on Friday night.

Lightning: Off until Thursday night when they host Vegas for the first time.

Maria Chapa Lopez named Interim US Attorney in Florida

Associated Press

TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — Maria Chapa Lopez has been named Interim U.S. Attorney for the Middle District of Florida.

A Department of Justice news release says her appointment will take effect Friday.

Chapa Lopez has worked in the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Florida since April 2000. She prosecuted drug trafficking and large-scale money laundering cases until April 2016, when she became the DOJ deputy attache in the U.S. Embassy in Mexico City. Before joining the U.S. Attorney’s Office, she served in the U.S. Army Judge Advocate General’s Corps.

Chapa Lopez received her bachelor’s degree from the University of Texas, her law degree from South Texas College of Law and her master’s in law from the Judge Advocate General’s School, in Charlottesville, Virginia.

Teens accused of stealing car, nearly hitting officers

Associated Press

SARASOTA, Fla. (AP) — Two Florida teenagers are accused of stealing a car and almost hitting law enforcement officers.

Sarasota police spokeswoman Genevieve Judge said in a news release that officers were assisting the nearby North Port Police Department in tracking a stolen vehicle on Wednesday morning. The Sarasota officers spotted the car and attempted to stop it. But it sped away.

The release says officers set up stop sticks on the northbound side of the road before realizing the car was coming directly at them from the south. Officers threw the sticks at the car’s hood and leaned against their patrol car as the vehicle sped past within 3 feet (1 meter).

The car was stopped a short time later. Police arrested the 16-year-old driver and a 13-year-old passenger.

They’re charged with felonies.

US wants to use cocaine pilot’s past in auto fraud case

Associated Press

MIAMI (AP) — Federal prosecutors want to use the past of a pilot from Miami’s “cocaine cowboys” era against him during an upcoming trial on charges of participating in an auto fraud ring.

Court documents filed ahead of a Friday hearing claim 72-year-old Mickey Munday has openly bragged about his past in interviews, social media posts and in the documentary “Cocaine Cowboys.” Prosecutors say this is relevant because Munday’s alleged role in the auto fraud ring was transporting the vehicles, similar to his work in the 1980s for Pablo Escobar’s Medellin cartel and later the Cali cartel.

Munday’s trial in the auto fraud case is set to begin Tuesday.

He served about nine years in prison during the 1990s after pleading guilty to smuggling charges involving many tons of cocaine.

Rockets win without Harden, routing Magic 116-98

By DICK SCANLON
Associated Press

ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) – James Harden's strained left hamstring figures to be a problem for the Houston Rockets. It wasn't a big deal Wednesday night against the Orlando Magic.

Gerald Green scored a season-high 27 points, Clint Capela had 21 points and eight rebounds and the Rockets (27-9) got by without the NBA scoring leader in routing the Magic 116-98.

"This was a good day. We've got Golden State (Thursday) so ask me tomorrow," Rockets coach Mike D'Antoni said. "We'll try to hold the fort down until we get James back."

Green made his first five 3-point shots and finished 7 for 10 from behind the arc for the Rockets, who were never behind and led by as many as 28 late in the third quarter.

Eric Gordon and Ryan Anderson, with 17 points each, were among six Rockets in double figures and that did not include Chris Paul, who had eight points, 13 assists and seven rebounds.

"We'e still trying to get healthy," Paul said. "We're still waiting for Luc (Mbah a Moute) to get back and obviously James is out for a while, but it's by committee right now for us."

Aaron Gordon led the Magic with 16 points after missing his first eight shots. Elfrid Payton and Mario Hezonja added 14 each in Orlando's 12th loss in 13 games.

The Magic missed 16 of their first 18 shots and fell behind by 15 points before the end of the first quarter. A scoring burst by Hezonja kept them in the game in the second quarter but they could get no closer than nine.

Capela scored on a layup, a dunk and two free throws during the Rockets' 15-5 spurt at the outset of the second half, turning the game into a rout at 70-46.

In his first start and only his fourth game with the Rockets, Green produced his 27 points on only 15 shots.

"Chris (Paul) did a great job of getting me going early," Green said. "My rhythm felt really good and I was able to knock down shots.

"Everybody knows we can score, but people underestimate that when we do lock down, we lock down. Today made that point. We held them to 12 points in the first quarter."

Houston shot 44 percent (15 for 34) from 3-point range while Orlando shot 19 percent (6 for 31).

"When you're not making shots, everything in the game gets harder," noted Magic coach Frank Vogel. "You press a little bit more, your focus on the defensive end slips a little more and we've got to overcome that."

RECORD-BREAKING PACE

The Rockets are well on their way to breaking their own records, set last season, for 3-point attempts (40.3 per game) and 3-pointers made (14.4 per game). "I don't go out and tell a guy we've got to get 45 threes up," D'Antoni said. "I don't care. It could be 20. Depends on how the other team plays you. But we will not run a play that is set up to get a 15-foot shot."

TIP-INS

Rockets: The game was only the third missed by Harden in the last four seasons. ... After getting 10 points and five rebounds, Nene left the game with a bruised right knee.

Magic: F Jonathon Simmons left the game in the second quarter with back spasms and did not return.

UP NEXT

Rockets: Host Golden State on Thursday night.

Magic: Host Cleveland on Saturday night.

Olynyk, Dragic lift Heat past Pistons, 111-104

By TIM REYNOLDS
Associated Press

MIAMI (AP) – Kelly Olynyk had game-highs in points and rebounds, which was easy to see in the box score.

The play of the night wasn't so obvious.

Olynyk scored 25 points and grabbed 13 rebounds, Goran Dragic added 24 points and 13 assists and the Miami Heat held off the Detroit Pistons 111-104 on Wednesday - moving three games over .500 for the first time since April 2016.

"One, that's sobering," Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said. "But it shows you that we're grinding."

That grind was evident in the final minute. Dragic missed a shot with the Heat up three, and Olynyk knew he couldn't grab the rebound. So he tapped it to Josh Richardson to extend the possession, and Dragic wound up setting Olynyk up for a layup 14 seconds later to give Miami a five-point lead and put the game away.

"Kelly's a smart player," Dragic said.

Richardson scored 22 for Miami, which shot 51 percent and outscored the Pistons 51-27 from 3-point range. James Johnson scored 16, Wayne Ellington had 12 and Hassan Whiteside added 10 for the Heat.

"They were in the paint all night," Pistons coach Stan Van Gundy said. "That's what we talked about before the game. So the ball was coming inside out of the paint. They just broke us down on the dribble on pick-and-rolls and on drives."

Tobias Harris led Detroit with 19 points. Reggie Bullock scored 17, Avery Bradley and Boban Marjanovic had 15 apiece, Dwight Buycks scored 14 and Luke Kennard added 13 for the Pistons.

The Pistons were without center Andre Drummond, sidelined by bruised ribs. That meant Marjanovic made his first start since the end of the 2015-16 season, when he was with San Antonio.

Olynyk and Whiteside are both 7-footers. Marjanovic is listed at 7-foot-3, and he seemed to tower even over the tallest Miami defenders.

"That's one big human being," Olynyk said. "But he's skilled, too."

Marjanovic was 5 for 8 from the field, 5 for 5 from the line, and led Detroit with nine rebounds. It's unclear when Drummond will be back, though soon seems likely.

"It's just a pain tolerance thing," Van Gundy said. "There's no doctor telling him he has to sit out or anything. It's whatever he can tolerate. There's no way to know that."

TIP-INS

Pistons: Detroit is 20-16, after being 16-20 at this point a year ago. ... Bullock was 4 for 4 in the third quarter, all from 3-point range. ... This game started a stretch where Detroit plays six of eight on the road. After that, they've got 14 out of 18 at home.

Heat: Miami was 17 for 34 from 3-point range. Olynyk and Richardson, Miami's starting forwards, opened a combined 6 of 6 from beyond the arc. ... Miami has now played on 11 Wednesdays (in 12 weeks) this season, but no Thursdays. ... Ellington's 3-pointer with 6:39 left put Miami up for good in a game that had 14 lead changes and 11 ties.

INJURY WATCH

Bradley returned for Detroit after missing seven games with a hip-groin injury. The Heat got James Johnson back after he sat six of Miami's last seven with bursitis in his right ankle. Miami is still without Justise Winslow (knee) and Dion Waiters (ankle). Detroit will be without Reggie Jackson (ankle) until at least the All-Star break.

HIGH TECH

Spoelstra was hit with his sixth technical this season, and he cringed when told no coach has more. Van Gundy got one for arguing, insisting he only said "come on" to referee James Williams. Van Gundy thinks it was his first technical not accompanied by profanity. "Definitely the first time I've gotten one for saying `come on,'" he said.

UP NEXT

Pistons: Visit Philadelphia on Friday.

Heat: Host New York on Friday.