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MOORESVILLE Brad Keselowski will start his new job at Penske Racing a little early.
The team announced Monday that Keselowski will drive the No. 12 Dodge for the final three NASCAR Sprint Cup races of the season, replacing David Stremme.
Keselowski, 25, who won the Cup race at Talladega in April, signed a deal in September to take over the No. 12 in 2010. Team owner Roger Penske opted to bring Keselowski in ahead of schedule so the driver can get a jump start on next season.
Keselowski is ranked third in the Nationwide Series points race while driving for JR Motorsports. He'll drive the No. 22 Dodge for Penske in the Nationwide Series next year.
Stremme was 31st in points through 33 races this season. associated press
GAMBLING
In St. Louis, the founder of the online gambling site BetOnSports.com was sentenced to more than four years in prison, ending a lengthy investigation and prosecution into one of the world's largest offshore sports gambling companies.
Gary Kaplan, 50, must also forfeit $43.6million in illegally obtained revenue as part of a plea agreement. He also has agreed not to block another $7million being forfeited by associates. Prosecutors said Kaplan still has tens of millions in Swiss bank accounts.
Kaplan pleaded guilty in August to racketeering conspiracy, violating the Wire Wager Act and conspiring to violate it. Prosecutors had been investigating offshore sports gambling since 1997, and BetOnSports since 2001.
GOLF
Doug Barron, 40, a journeyman who lost his tour card three years ago, became the first player to be suspended by the PGA Tour for testing positive for a performance-enhancing substance. He was immediately suspended for one year, the PGA Tour said.
Barron played eight full seasons on the tour, with his best finish a tie for third at the Byron Nelson Championship in 2006.
SOCCER
Landon Donovan is a finalist for Major League Soccer's most valuable player award and Kasey Keller is up for three honors.
Donovan, the Los Angeles Galaxy midfielder, FC Dallas' Jeff Cunningham and New England's Shalrie Joseph were the top three in voting by league players, general managers, coaches, referees and media.
Keller is up against the Galaxy's Donovan Ricketts and Chivas USA's Zach Thornton for top goalkeeper honors. Keller is also up for the best newcomer and fair play awards.
England midfielder David Beckham will return to AC Milan on loan in January after the Italian club reached an agreement with Los Angeles Galaxy.
TENNIS
Roger Federer made a winning return from a six-week break, beating Belgium's Olivier Rochus 6-3, 6-4 at his hometown Swiss Indoors tournament in Basel, Switzerland.
The World Anti-Doping Agency in London has asked tennis to investigate Andre Agassi's admission that he took crystal meth in 1997. WADA director general David Howman would not elaborate on what he wrote in the letter sent to the ATP, but he told The Associated Press he hopes it "would bring a considered response."
Serena Williams has set the record for single-season prize money in women's tennis by topping $6.5million in 2009. She broke the WTA mark of slightly under $5.5million, earned by Justine Henin in 2007.
COLLEGES
Maribeth Novak scored for Lees-McRae in the 62nd minute and the Bobcats won 1-0 at Queens in the quarterfinal round of the Conference Carolinas women's soccer tournament. Observer news services
