Hendrick team off to strong start

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Los Angeles Dodgers’ Mookie Betts walks in the dugout after getting scratched from the lineup during the first inning of a spring training baseball game against the Los Angeles Angels, Sunday, March 23, 2025, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Kevork Djansezian)

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HOMESTEAD, FLORIDA - MARCH 23: Kyle Larson, driver of the #5 HendrickCars.com Chevrolet, celebrates in victory lane after winning the NASCAR Cup Series Straight Talk Wireless 400 at Homestead-Miami Speedway on March 23, 2025 in Homestead, Florida. (Photo by James Gilbert/Getty Images)

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Tiger Woods talks to his Jupiter Links Golf Club teammate Kevin Kisner before the start of a match against the Los Angeles Golf Club, Tuesday, Jan. 14, 2025, in Palm Beach Gardens, Fla. TGL featured two teams of three players competing against each other in a tech-infused arena the size of a football field. (AP Photo/Marta Lavandier)

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Hendrick team off to strong start

It’s been a fast start to the NASCAR season for powerhouse Hendrick Motorsports. The racing team has two wins in the first six Cup Series races of the season, including Kyle Larson’s victory at Homestead-Miami Speedway on Sunday. And its drivers hold the top three positions in points and four of the top six. Still, Hendrick Motorsports vice chairman Jeff Gordon believes his team is just in the chase. “The nice thing is, when you get a start like this and you’re up there in the points, it’s the fine-tuning (that comes after),” Gordon said. “What you’re chasing is victories. Perfection is what you’re really looking at.” William Byron — who last month won his second straight Daytona 500 — Larson, above, and Alex Bowman sit atop the standings. Byron and Larson each have a Cup Series win, three top-five finishes apiece, and four top-10 finishes each this year. Bowman has one top-five finish and five top-10 finishes. Chase Elliott, driving the No. 6 Chevrolet for Hendrick, is sixth in the point standings with three top-10 finishes. Those four Hendrick cars are the only Chevrolets in the top 10 in points.

Betts remains sick, down 15 pounds

Dodgers shortstop Mookie Betts is still dealing with an illness and his return remains uncertain. Betts, who missed the Dodgers’ first two games of the regular season last week in Tokyo and was sent back to Los Angeles to continue recovering, was a late scratch for Sunday’s exhibition win against the Angels. Betts told reporters he hasn’t been able to keep down solid food without vomiting for two weeks and has lost about 15 pounds. “I feel great,” Betts said. “Like, my body feels great. I’ve been able to work out. I’ve been able to do pretty much everything but eat, which is strange. So the symptoms have kind of gone away, I just have to figure out how to get my stomach to kind of calm down.” The perennial All-Star said so far all his blood work and other routine testing have been normal. Betts wasn’t expected to play in Monday’s exhibition at Angel Stadium, and he’s a long shot for the Dodgers’ opening day game on American soil on Thursday against the Tigers. Betts is making the full-time transition to shortstop after playing most of his career in right field and second base.

Tiger says he’s dating Trump Jr.’s ex

Tiger Woods has confirmed his relationship with the former daughter-in-law of President Donald Trump, publishing two images to social media in a post that said, “Love is in the air.” Woods and Vanessa Trump, who was married to Donald Trump Jr., had been seen earlier this month at Torrey Pines in San Diego along with her daughter, Kai, when Woods arrived for the final round to hand out the trophy to the winner of the Genesis Invitational. He is the tournament host. Kai Trump goes to the Benjamin School with Woods’ two children, Sam and Charlie. Kai and Charlie competed at a high-profile junior golf tournament this week. The 49-year-old Woods, above, and Vanessa Trump, 47, had been featured in gossip outlets for the last several weeks. She was married to Donald Trump Jr. for 12 years. They had five children together. Woods has two children from his marriage to Elin Nordegren, who divorced him 2010 after he had been exposed for multiple extramarital affairs. His only public relationships since were with skiing great Lindsey Vonn and with Erica Herman. —AP