ENGLEWOOD, Colo. (AP) — Broncos right tackle Orlando Franklin limped off the field early during Monday’s practice with an injured hip and did not return.

Coach John Fox did not specify which hip and said the severity of the injury wasn’t known.

Franklin went down on the first play of team drills. While trainers attended to him, the offense and defense changed directions so they could keep practicing while Franklin was down on the field.

Franklin’s injury was the latest on Denver’s offensive line. After the third-year veteran went out, guard Louis Vasquez moved into his spot and recently signed Ryan Lilja moved to right guard.

Manny Ramirez has been filling in at center while Chris Clark is playing left tackle in place of Ryan Clady, whose shoulder is still healing.

In another note for Broncos injuries, tight end Joel Dreessen has undergone arthroscopic surgery on his left knee and is expected to miss the remainder of training camp.

 

Jose Iglesias and a band of Texas Rangers now have All-Star spikes to fill.

The playoff races took a twist Monday when Detroit shortstop Jhonny Peralta and Texas outfielder Nelson Cruz were suspended 50 games by Major League Baseball in the Biogenesis drug case. In all, 13 players were penalized.

The AL Central-leading Tigers acquired Iglesias from Boston in a three-team trade last week, preparing to play minus Peralta. The contending Rangers called up two Triple-A outfielders soon after Cruz was banned.

Peralta, hitting .305 with 11 home runs and 54 RBIs, and Cruz, leading the Rangers with 27 homers and 76 RBIs, will be eligible for Game 1 of the playoffs if their teams make it.

Last year, All-Star game MVP Melky Cabrera served a 50-game suspension that ended in October. San Francisco kept him off the roster on its way to winning the World Series.

Bringing the thunder and the lightning to outrun the storm at Dawson County Raceway were the visiting Nebraska Modified Lites and the IMCA superstars that compete on the 3/8 mile oval in Lexington, Nebraska on Sunday evening during the Jeremy Trompke Memorial Races. 

The competitors were chomping at the steering wheel to earn a trip to the Trompke Memorial race winners circle. Earning the highly acclaimed hardware were Cale Osborn, Chad Dolan, Mike Nichols, Tiffany Bittner and David Dembowski. Brian Davidson won his second straight Nebraska Modified Lite Feature, sweeping the special scheduled events in North Platte and Lexington. 

Leading from the start to the finish was Brian Davidson of Bennington, Kansas in taking home the top honors in the Nebraska Modified Lite feature. Davidson was masterful in working through traffic during the event, to hold off the charges of runner-up Brad Bayne of Greeley, Colorado. Bayne started in the third row of the feature grid and was able to work his way to the front and drove to the second place finish. Lincoln, Nebraska hotshoe Brandon Vantine of Crete, Nebraska powered his way to a podium finish, taking home show honors for his efforts behind the wheel of his hotrod. 

Starting on the outside of the second row and finding the cushion early propelled Cale Osborn of Cozad, Nebraska to cruise to the Feature win in the IMCA Modified division. Osborn snared the lead on the fourth circuit and never looked back to claim the checkered flag. Using the low line around the Dawson County oval was prosperous for Brian Levander of Grand Island to race his way to the runner-up position. Wakeeney, Kansas lead foot Kyle Rohleder won the cash dash and then was able to build on the stellar performance with a third place showing in the Feature event.  Showing great perseverance and patience, Gibbon’s Chad Dolan led the laps the mattered the most as he took the point on the final two circuits to capture the Feature victory in the IMCA Northern Sport Modified division. Crossing the stripe in second place, Lexington’s Vince Leibert was a mainstay in competing for top honors as he led the first four laps and then took over the lead on lap 16 as a result of Dillon Schultz jumping the berm in corner three., Veteran wheelman Denny Egge of Kearney, Nebraska charged to within contention from his fifth row starting position in the waning laps and was rewarded with a third place finish.

In one of the most exciting divisions at Dawson County Raceway, Tiffany Bittner held off all challengers to notch the victory in the IMCA Hobby Stock division. Norfolk, Nebraska driver Bittner stayed cool, calm and collective throughout the Feature despite the pressure from Jason Wilkinson of Neligh, Nebraska on rear bumper for much of the final event for the Hobby Stocks. Wilkinson tried everything and more to pass Bittner, but was forced to settle for runner-up accolades. Kyle Bond is a multi-time winner of the Trompke Memorial event and was able to register a third place finish for his efforts after winning one of the earlier heat races.

Getting off to a fast start and running off and hiding in the front of the field was David Dembowski of Grand Island in the IMCA Sport Compact division. Dembowski led from the drop of the green flag until reaching the checkered flag to earn the victory. David Earhart of Farnam was heavy on the loud pedal of his ‘small but mighty’ hotrod and his efforts would pay off dearly in earning runner-up accolades. Justin Schmidt piloted his Chevy Berretta to third place honors for the Grand Island native.

Unofficial Results

–Nebraska Modified Lite Feature: 1. b55-Brian Davidson; 2. 3b-Brad Bayne; 3. 19-Brandan Vantine; 4. 15-Brandon Spanjer; 5. 5-0-Terry Vantine; 6. 61-Chick DeMoss; 7. 05-Reed Lundstedt; 8. 51-Mark Bruder; 9. 21t-Taylor Pollock; 10. 3r-Duane Bayne.

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. (AP) — There’s the man who isn’t big enough, the former first-round draft pick who hasn’t lived up to his potential and the record-setting college back brought in to replace them both.

Then, there is this question: With Peyton Manning at quarterback, does it really matter who winds up as the featured runner for the Denver Broncos?

That’s the puzzle Ronnie Hillman, Knowshon Moreno and Montee Ball are sorting out during training camp.

When the first depth chart of training camp was released over the weekend, it was Hillman, who put on 20 pounds in the offseason, listed at No. 1. He was followed by Ball, the second-round draft pick out of Wisconsin, and Moreno, the 12th overall pick of the 2009 draft.

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — Iowa wide receiver Cameron Wilson and lineman Drew Clark have left the program.

Hawkeyes coach Kirk Ferentz announced Monday that Wilson, a redshirt freshman, notified him last month that he intends to transfer. Clark, a seldom-used senior from nearby Marion, Iowa, will forego his final season to focus on his schoolwork.

Iowa opened fall practice on Monday. The Hawkeyes will hold an open scrimmage on Aug. 17 and host Northern Illinois in their season opener on Aug. 31.