Auto Racing
Same as the last 3 races, Kyle Busch wins the pole
LONG POND, Pa. – Kyle Busch will start his drive for his fourth consecutive NASCAR Sprint Cup victory from the pole.
Busch turned a lap of 178.416 mph Friday at Pocono Raceway to take the top spot for the first time during his sensational streak.
He also made it three consecutive Cup poles for Joe Gibbs Racing following back-to-back wins from Carl Edwards.
Busch missed the first 11 races of the season with a broken right leg and left foot. He returned in late May and has won three consecutive Sprint Cup Series races and four of the last five.
He’s trying to become the first Cup driver since Jimmie Johnson in 2007 to win four consecutive races. Busch won on the road course at Sonoma, then took the last three races at Kentucky, New Hampshire and Indianapolis.
Golf
Lingmerth leads with Tiger lurking in a close second
GAINESVILLE, Va. – Tiger Woods is in contention for his first victory in nearly two years after a 5-under 66 in the second round of the Quicken Loans National.
Woods birdied six of his final 13 holes. The unlikeliest was his final birdie, a 36-footer on his next-to-last hole that he celebrated with a big fist pump. With most of Friday’s early starters finished, Woods is tied for second, one shot behind leader David Lingmerth.
SANTO DA SERRA, Madeira Islands – Sam Walker of England and Pontus Widegren of Sweden both shot a 6-under 66 Friday to sit tied for the lead after the second round of the Madeira Islands Open.
TURNBERRY, Scotland – Suzann Pettersen was the only player to break par in tough conditions for the early starters at the Women’s British Open on Friday, shooting a 3-under 69 to set a challenging clubhouse lead in the second round.
BLAINE, Minn. – Local favorite Tom Lehman shot an 8-under 64 on Friday to take a three-stroke lead in the Champions Tour’s 3M Championship.
Olympics
Beijing deemed a host for all seasons in 2022
KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia – Beijing was selected to host the 2022 Winter Olympics, becoming the first city awarded both the winter and summer games.
Beijing defeated Almaty, Kazakhstan, in a vote of the International Olympic Committee on Friday. The voting numbers were not immediately released.
The Chinese capital, which hosted the 2008 Summer Olympics, came in as the favorite. Despite a lack of natural snow and winter conditions, Beijing was seen by the IOC as a reliable and safe choice.
Almaty had hoped to bring the games to Central Asia for the first time and raise Kazakhstan’s profile on the international stage.
NFL
Seahawks make Wilson their man for next 4 years
RENTON, Wash. – Russell Wilson is sticking around with the Seattle Seahawks.
Wilson tweeted Friday morning that he has agreed to a four-year contract extension with the Seahawks, keeping him with the franchise that took him in the third round of the 2012 draft and watched him become one of the most successful young quarterbacks in NFL history.
The team had not confirmed the agreement and Wilson’s representatives did not immediately return messages seeking comment. MMQB.com reported the extension is for four years and $87.6 million.
About to begin his fourth season, Wilson has led Seattle to the playoffs all three seasons, beating Denver in the Super Bowl in his second season before losing to New England in the title game last February.
Associated Press