Sports briefs: IndyCar driver Franchitti faces second surgery after crash

Auto racing • Three-time Indianapolis 500 winner Dario Franchitti will need a second surgery on the broken right ankle he suffered when his car went airborne into the fence during the last lap of the Grand Prix of Houston. Franchitti also fractured two vertebrae in his spine and suffered a concussion. He had surgery on the ankle Sunday night and remained in the hospital afterward. Franchitti is expected to return to Indianapolis on Wednesday and have a second surgery on his ankle.

"Thank you to everyone for all the well wishes. They mean a lot to me," Franchitti said in a statement from Target Chip Ganassi Racing. " I would also like to send my best to all the fans involved in the accident and hope that everyone is all right."

Thirteen fans and an IndyCar official were injured by debris that flew into the grandstand.

The accident occurred when Franchitti ran into the back of Takuma Sato's car and launched over it and into the fence. Sato appeared to have a problem with his car and was limping toward the finish when Franchitti came up quickly behind him in Turn 5.

Young cancer patient in remission

college football • The young boy with cancer whose touchdown run at the Nebraska spring football game was viewed by millions on the Internet is in remission, his father said Monday.

Jack Hoffman, now 8, captured the hearts of Nebraska football fans when, with the players' help, he ran 69 yards to score during April's intrasquad game. His scamper was viewed nearly 8.4 million times on YouTube and replayed on national television. The video also won an ESPY award as the "Best Moment."

Jack's father, Andy Hoffman, said the good news about the brain tumor came after an MRI test.

The encouraging news was tempered by warnings from the doctors: More than half of all kids in Jack's situation have relapses.

"We pray like crazy and hope Jack isn't in that segment," Hoffman said.

From wire reports