BRIEFLY ROBBY GORDON SORRY FOR INTENTIONAL CRASH.

Byline: - Daily News Staff and Wire Services

Robby Gordon apologized Monday for intentionally causing a crash at New Hampshire International Speedway that involved championship contenders Tony Stewart and Jeremy Mayfield.

Gordon was angered 17 laps into Sunday's race when Greg Biffle caused him to spin. After radioing to his crew that he would retaliate, he made good on the threat by intentionally wrecking Biffle later in the race.

Stewart and Mayfield could not avoid the accident, and their cars both were severely damaged. Mayfield finished 35th, Stewart was 39th, and neither likely will be able to overcome their resulting point deficits in the final nine races of NASCAR's new playoff system.

``I allowed my frustration with (Biffle) to affect two other teams, both of which have great shots to win a championship, and for that I am sorry,'' Gordon said.

HOCKEY: Tampa Bay Lightning defenseman Brad Lukowich signed with the Fort Worth (Texas) Brahmas of the Central Hockey League because the NHL has been shut down by a labor dispute.

--Katie Wolfmeyer, 19, was acquitted of charges she helped former NHL player Mike Danton hire a hit man in a failed plot to kill his agent.

The federal jury in East St. Louis, Ill., deliberated more than three hours before clearing Wolfmeyer in the scheme, which unraveled in April when the man recruited for the hit notified authorities.

Danton pleaded guilty to conspiracy charges in July and will be sentenced Oct. 22. He did not testify during Wolfmeyer's trial.

BASKETBALL: Former UCLA assistant coach Jim Saia was hired as an assistant at USC, replacing Mike Johnson. Saia was USC's director of basketball operations but traded jobs with Johnson, who was hospitalized with a kidney infection over the summer.

--The Indiana Pacers signed former USC guard Desmon Farmer. The rookie free agent averaged 19.4 points per game as a senior for the Trojans and is their all-time leading scorer with 1,606 points.

--Forward Josh Davis, the CBA's MVP last season, signed with the Philadelphia 76ers. He also played in four games with the Atlanta Hawks last season.

--The Toronto Raptors signed forward Matt Bonner, the former Florida star who played last season with Sicilia in the Italian A1 League.

TENNIS: Maria Sharapova's Wimbledon title helped her land an endorsement deal for a perfume that will bear her name. Parlux Fragrances Inc. expects to launch the perfume before the end of next year. The three-year deal reportedly is worth nearly $5 million.

SOCCER: Jose Antonio Camacho quit as coach of star-studded Real Madrid after just six games, including two losses in the past week. He was replaced by assistant Mariano Garcia Remon.