BRIEFLY : QUALIFYING CANCELED AT TEXAS.

Only six races into the Winston Cup season, the series standings took on added importance when NASCAR canceled qualifying for today's Interstate Batteries 500 in Ft. Worth, Texas.

Because of three inches of rain since the beginning of the week, added to an already saturated water table, water boiled up in several places on the new 1-1/2-mile Texas Motor Speedway oval Saturday, delaying the morning schedule and prompting the stock-car sanctioning body to make its decision.

Instead of the time trials, which already had been postponed by rain Thursday and Friday, NASCAR chose to give the Winston Cup teams an extended practice session once the track was opened.

Mark Martin became the first race winner at Texas Motor Speedway when he squeezed past Jimmy Spencer 13 laps from the end and pulled away for an easy victory in the inaugural Coca-Cola 300 Busch Grand National race.

NFL: Boomer Esiason is returning to the team he once led to the Super Bowl.

The Cincinnati Bengals announced that they have signed Esiason to a two-year contract, terms of which were not disclosed.

Longtime Houston Oilers cornerback Cris Dishman signed a four-year deal with Washington while the team continued to bolster its secondary by signing safety Jesse Campbell.

TENNIS: Steffi Graf paid $775,000 to German tax authorities and charity in the deal that ended an investigation into her taxes last month, a news magazine said.

Der Spiegel did not identify the source for the story, but it quoted tax officials as being angry about the deal because, ``she was the one liable for the taxes.''

NBA: Shawn Kemp, the Seattle SuperSonics' All-Star forward, was fined an undisclosed amount for failing to notify the team he would miss a practice.

COLLEGE FOOTBALL: West Virginia free safety Gary Thompkins has been charged by city police with driving under the influence in Morgantown, W.Va.

BOXING: In Pretoria, South Africa, Buyani Bungu retained the IBF featherweight title with a split decision over Kennedy McKinney in a rematch of the fight that earned him the crown.

WINTER SPORTS: In Kitchener, Ontario, Vicki Sunohara scored with 24 seconds remaining, helping perennial gold medalist Canada defeat Team Finland 2-1 to earn a fourth shot at the title in the Women's World Ice Hockey Championship.

BOWLING: Tim Criss made a ball change on his final two practice shots before the title match and it proved to be the difference, as he defeated Mike Shady 242-208 to win the Flagship Open in Erie, Pa.