LAS VEGAS -- Jimmie Johnson was celebrated Friday night for winning his record-tying seventh NASCAR Sprint Cup title, while Tony Stewart was seen off into retirement and Dale Earnhardt Jr. Carolina Panthers Hoodie . told his adoring fans hell be ready to race in 2017.Johnsons dramatic victory in the finale last month at Homestead moved him into a tie with Richard Petty and Dale Earnhardt for the most series championships. Johnson was to make his speech last at the season-ending banquet at the Wynn Las Vegas.NASCAR honored Stewart, who retired after an 18-year career that included three series championships, with a video poking fun at his coarse language, weight and temper and with a surprise appearance by Pearl Jams Eddie Vedder.Car owner Rick Hendrick then announced a $1.8 million donation by the the motorsports industry to Vedders children charity in Stewarts name.Totally caught off guard, Stewart said. But really honored that Eddie Vedder would come here for this and Im so excited the racing community raised that kind of money to help that charity.Earnhardt Jr. was voted most popular driver by fans for a record 14th time despite missing the second half of the season following at least the fifth concussion of his career. While not announcing the date or track, he intends to drive a test session this month, the final hurdle before hell be cleared to return.It made the bad days better, Earnhardt said of the unending fan support. Once I started feeling good about coming back, it gave me a lot of motivation and maybe a reminder of why I want to be back in the car. You race to have fun and win races, but it wouldnt be worth even making the trip if the fans didnt show up.The unflappable Johnson was in his tuxedo more than two hours before the red carpet ceremony smiling for numerous photo shoots. He knows how the process works as the 2016 title secures his spot atop the sports hierarchy.Stewart enjoyed his final awards week before becoming just a NASCAR team owner. His boyhood hero, A.J. Foyt, made a surprise appearance at a Thursday fan event that turned into an impromptu Stewart roast as the sport said goodbye to one of its strongest characters.Its just been one hell of a journey, a lot of fun, Stewart said. Everybody keeps saying Im retiring, but Im still going to be the same pain in the (rear) with all the NASCAR officials. Im certain theres already a pool going on back there at the NASCAR officials table on what the over-under is for me getting called to the trailer as an owner.Earnhardt sustained a concussion in a June 12 wreck at Michigan. His last start was July 9 at Kentucky as he continued to suffer serious aftereffects that included balance and vision problems.Earnhardt, who missed the final 18 races, stopped taking medication in October. Hes confident hell be healthy for drive the No. 88 Chevrolet in the Daytona 500 on Feb. 26. His busy offseason will include getting married on New Years Eve and also participating in Januarys testing session at Phoenix.Well get out there and spend half a day somewhere running some long runs and getting a good idea if Im ready to go, Earnhardt said. I feel 100 percent. I dont think there will be any issues.Xfinity Series champion Daniel Suarez and Craftsman Truck Series winner Johnny Sauter also were honored at the black tie banquet that included a musical performance by Sting and was hosted by comedian Jay Mohr for the sixth time.Sorry its not seven, Mohr told Johnson.It also marked the final event sponsored by Sprint in NASCARs top series. Sprints yellow and black logo, splashed all over the casino ballroom and above the red carpet, will be replaced by Monster Energys green-clawed `M in 2017. Kelvin Benjamin Authentic Jersey . Reassurance came from Paul Tesori, his caddie and close friend whose newborn son is in intensive care in a Florida hospital. "Paul sent me a text this morning, just told me he loved me and wanted to go out and fight as hard as I would any other day," Simpson said Sunday after doing just that. Thomas Davis Womens Jersey . Soukalova missed only one target and completed the 15-kilometre course in 40 minutes, 32.6 seconds for both victories in this seasons individual discipline. Darya Domracheva of Belarus was second, 34. http://www.nflpanthersgearofficial.com/kelvin-benjamin-jersey/ . On Tuesday, Ottawa placed forward Cory Conacher and defenceman Joe Corvo on waivers as trade rumours swirl around the Senators. GREENSBORO, N.C. -- Virginia coach Tony Bennett didnt know exactly what to expect in the eighth-ranked Cavaliers season opener, between being down two forwards to losing so much from the team that made a deep NCAA Tournament push.When it was over, he saw the Cavaliers have some balance and depth to work with, along with a defense that looked ready from the tip.Marial Shayok scored 15 points to lead the offense in Virginias 76-51 win against UNC Greensboro on Friday night. Meanwhile, the defense -- the bedrock of Bennetts program -- held the Spartans scoreless for more than 11 minutes spanning halftime as the game turned into a methodical rout.With this team and us this year, I think theres even more unknowns because of the amount of newcomers, the lack of experienced guys, Bennett said. So we just didnt know what to expect. I just want them to battle and play hard each possession. It was a welcome first step for a team that lost a lot of production from its first trip to the NCAA Tournaments Elite Eight since 1995. London Perrantes was the only returning player to average at least five points per game, but Virginia had four players hit double figures Friday night.Virginia ran off a 22-0 run to blow the game open, shot 52 percent and made 8 of 16 3-point attempts with a juggled rotation with the absences of Memphis transfer Austin Nichols and Mamadi Diakite inside.Honestly I didnt know what to think coming in (defensively), said Isaiah Wilkins, who had 10 points and nine rebounds. Well take this as a marker and try to improve it on Tuesday.Francis Alonso scored 14 points for UNCG, which shot 37 percent. It marked the first time the program has hosted a ranked opponent in a season opener, though the Spartans ended up falling to 2-55 all-time against Atlantic Coast Conference teams.We just ran into a buzzsaw tonight, sixth-year UNCG coach Wes Miller said. I think its something we can learn from and grow from.BIG PICTUREVIRGINIA: The Cavaliers were thin inside with Nichols out due to a violation of team rulles, and Diakite sitting due to an NCAA review of his amateur status. Kelvin Benjamin Womens Jersey. That gave Bennett an extended look at some players who have spent time developing within Virginias program. Of note: 6-foot-11 redshirt sophomore Jack Salt got the start and had seven points in 27 minutes as he tries to earn steady rotation minutes and provide interior depth this season.UNCG: Picked to finish fifth in the Southern Conference, the Spartans quickly fell behind by double figures and made what amounted to only a 2-minute flurry of resistance. Hardly the start that Miller wanted from a team with four returning starters.My biggest disappointment was I think when it got away from us ... we were frustrated and disappointed and we let that affect us in the next possession, Miller said, adding: Were too mature, we have too much experience to let being down 15 points affect who we are on the next possession.POLL IMPLICATIONSBennett has described preseason rankings as more of a compliment for what the program has done in recent years as opposed to a measure of the current teams standing. But Miller was sold on the No. 8 team in the AP Top 25 , noting, We can talk for days about their defense.WING OPTIONSBehind Shayok, Darius Thompson scored 12 points with three 3-pointers, while Perrantes had 10 and freshman guard Kyle Guy scored seven on 3-for-5 shooting in his college debut.Guard-wise, I feel like we dont have certain starters every night, Thompson said. Anybody can come in and contribute ... so really it shows how deep we can be.UP NEXTVIRGINIA: The Cavaliers should get their first chance to integrate Nichols into the lineup Tuesday against St. Francis Brooklyn.UNCG: The Spartans play at home Monday against Presbyterian.---Follow Aaron Beard on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/aaronbeardap---More AP college basketball at http://collegebasketball.ap.org or http://www.twitter.com/AP-Top25 Cheap NFL Jerseys Cheap NFL Jerseys China Cheap Jerseys From China Cheap NFL Jerseys Authentic Wholesale Jerseys China Cheap NFL Jerseys China NFL Cheap Jerseys ' ' '