NASCAR puts Allmendinger on probation after DUI arrest

NASCAR placed driver AJ Allmendinger on probation Thursday following his arrest early in the morning on a charge of drunken driving.

Mooresville, N.C., police said Allmendinger failed a field sobriety test after he was pulled over.

Late Thursday afternoon, he was placed on probation until the end of the year for actions detrimental to stock-car racing.

Allmendinger, who drives the No. 44 for Richard Petty Motorsports, said in a statement he had drinks with dinner on Wednesday and made a mistake by driving afterward.

"I honestly felt fine, but I obviously should have erred more on the side of caution, particularly given what I do for a living," Allmendinger said. "It was a bad judgment call, and I apologize for that."

Allmendinger registered 0.08 on the breath test, the police report said. Under North Carolina law, that means his license automatically will be suspended for 30 days.

NASCAR spokesman Ramsey Poston said the sanctioning body does not require a valid driver's license to compete on the circuit. Under the probation, any type of further infraction, on the track or off it, could lead to a more severe punishment.

• FORMULA ONE -- Bruno Senna signed a deal to drive next year for new team Campos.

A Brazilian official involved in the negotiations said the 26-year-old nephew of three-time world champion Ayrton Senna completed a deal to drive for the Spanish team last weekend. No other details were disclosed.

Also, Nico Rosberg confirmed this weekend's Abu Dhabi Grand Prix will be his last with the Williams team.

Rosberg would not say which team he would join in 2010, with Brawn GP and McLaren thought to be the major contenders.

And the chances of Britain staging a grand prix next year depend upon Formula One reaching a deal with the Silverstone circuit, after confirmation that Donington Park will not host a race in 2010.