BRIEFLY NASCAR CHIEF STICKS TO STORY.

Byline: Daily News Staff and Wire Services

NASCAR president Mike Helton reiterated Friday that Dale Earnhardt's seat belt was found separated right after his fatal crash at the Feb. 18 Daytona 500 and said NASCAR isn't interested in outside opinions.

``We have no vendetta. We have no masterminded cover-up,'' Helton said at Richmond (Va.) International Raceway.

Helton declined to take questions during a news conference, which followed his meeting with Winston Cup drivers and car owners about safety.

Questions about Earnhardt's crash have festered since the crash, with seat-belt manufacturer Bill Simpson demanding NASCAR retract its remarks blaming the seat belt and others offering differing opinions.

--Mark Martin found the best mix of speed and caution to win the pole for the Pontiac Excitement 400 NASCAR Winston Cup race in Richmond, Va., on a track too slippery for some drivers to handle.

Martin turned a lap at 124.613 mph to barely edge Rusty Wallace, who circled the three-quarter-mile oval at 124.596, .003 seconds slower, for the top spot in tonight's race.

BOXING: Oscar De La Hoya agreed to a multi-fight deal with HBO and Univision to continue fighting exclusively on the networks.

His next next fight is scheduled for June 23 in Las Vegas against WBC super welterweight champion Francisco Javier Castillejo. It is to be televised on pay per view.

--Mike Tyson filed suit in U.S. District Court in New York in an effort to force a fight with Hasim Rahman, the new WBC-IBF heavyweight champion.

COLLEGE BASKETBALL: USC assistant basketball coach Silvey Dominguez will interview Monday for a similar position at Texas-El Paso. Dominguez, a native of New Mexico, interviewed in March for the head-coaching position at Saint Mary's.

- Scott Wolf

COLLEGE FOOTBALL: Michael Thompson, an Oklahoma sophomore cornerback involved in a near-fatal automobile accident Thursday, remained hospitalized in critical condition.

The 20-year-old underwent eight hours of surgery to repair a broken leg, jaw and ankle. He also had cuts to both knees, a deep cut to his right hamstring and a pelvic injury that caused internal bleeding.

--South Carolina tailback Derek Watson was suspended from the team a day after a woman said he hit her in the arm.

TENNIS: Top-seeded Venus Williams powered her way into the semifinals of the Betty Barclay Cup in Hamburg, Germany, rolling past Silvia Farina-Elia 6-1, 6-1 in less than an hour.

In the semis, Williams will face Jelena Dokic, who rallied to oust three- time Hamburg champion Arantxa Sanchez-Vicario 3-6, 7-6 (5), 6-2. Amanda Coetzer and Meghann Shaughnessy are in the other semi.

HOCKEY: With Canada's executive director of hockey, Wayne Gretzky, in attendance, Brad Isbister of the New York Islanders scored twice to lead undefeated Canada past Switzerland 6-2 for a quarterfinal berth in hockey's world championships in Hanover, Germany.

NFL: Pepper Rodgers, the 68-year-old Washington Redskins' vice president of football operations and former UCLA head coach, is recovering from triple-bypass heart surgery.

--Adrian Klemm of the New England Patriots was placed on probation for a year, ordered to perform 50 hours of community service and pay $455 after he was charged with punching a windshield because he did not like the way a motorist was driving.

--Baltimore Ravens right offensive tackle Leon Searcy was arrested and charged with battery at his Florida home. He is being held without bail.