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Fans say woman's death at track won't affect outlook on races

CHANDLER, Ariz. — Race fans who were present when a woman was killed by a tire that flew off a crashing dragster said Monday that they feel safe at the track despite the weekend accident. The woman's identity has not been released.

Many fans who returned to Chandler's Firebird International Raceway for the NHRA Arizona Nationals said it was a freak accident that won't stop them from attending.

They also said they hope NHRA officials won't add netting or otherwise restrict how they watch races.

"I just hope that nobody decides to change the sport. It's bound to happen in any sport," fan Sheila Cahill said.

NHRA and Firebird officials met; it's unclear if safety was discussed. Cory McClenathan (Top Fuel) and Jack Beckman (Funny Car) won Monday at the weather-delayed event.

Et cetera

Tennis: Defending champion Novak Djokovic, the second seed, beat Guillermo Garcia-Lopez 6-4, 6-4 and third-seeded Andy Murray beat Igor Kunitsyn 6-2, 6-3 in the first round of the Dubai Championships. … Wayne Odesnik and Evgeny Korolev won first-round matches at the Delray Beach International Championships. … No seeded players were on court for the first round of the Mexican Open in Acapulco. The women's top seed and defending champion Venus Williams plays Mathilde Johansson today. Men's top seed Fernando Verdasco plays Fabio Fognini. … Former top-ranked player Ana Ivanovic has hired Steffi Graf's old coach, Heinz Gunthardt, to help end a slump.

Soccer: Kansas City won MLS rights to sought-after midfielder Luis Gil, 16, a Californian who may want a trade to a team closer to home.

Golf: John Daly will endorse underwear for online company Slix. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.

Boxing: Allan Green (29-1, 20 KOs) was announced as the April 24 opponent for WBA super middleweight champion Andre Ward.

Greyhounds: Hi Noon Showboat, Deco Bull Rum, Blind By Thirst and Duke Of Davron drew No. 1 boxes for Wednesday night's second qualifying round in the $85,000 Sprint Classic at Derby Lane in St. Petersburg.

Mixed Martial Arts: The UFC reached a deal to showcase its main events at more than 300 movie theaters, starting with UFC 111 on March 27. UFC president Dana White says as many as 20 screenings will be hosted by UFC fighters.

Don Jensen, Times correspondent; Times wires