Auto Racing
Keselowski wins his fourth Sprint Cup pole position
RICHMOND, Va. – Brad Keselowski won the pole Friday for the NASCAR Sprint Cup race Saturday night at Richmond International Raceway with a lap at 126.618 mph.
The Penske Racing driver finished second in the first round of qualifying and easily outran the field during the second stage for his fourth pole of the season.
Kyle Busch wins wire to wire at Richmond Raceway
RICHMOND, Va. – Kyle Busch led from start to finish, usually by plenty, and ended an eight-race winless streak in the NASCAR Nationwide Series with his fifth career victory at Richmond International Raceway.
Busch started on the pole, routinely built leads of several seconds and never really was challenged Friday night.
It was the fourth victory of the season for Busch but first since May 31 at Dover.
Cycling
Contador answers Valverde’s charges at every turn
OBREGON, Spain – Daniel Navarro of Spain surged forward and hung on to win the 13th stage of the Spanish Vuelta on Friday, while countryman Alberto Contador kept the overall leader’s red jersey.
Navarro finished the 117-mile mountainous ride from Belorado to Obregon two seconds ahead of Daniel Moreno and Wilco Kelderman.
Contador fended off several charges by Alejandro Valverde to retain a 20-second overall lead. Rigoberto Uran remained in third, 1:08 behind.
MLB
Diamondbacks fire Towers; Washington resigns in Texas
PHOENIX – The Arizona Diamondbacks fired general manager Kevin Towers amid a third consecutive disappointing season. Plagued by injuries, Arizona lost 22 of its first 30 games and was 59-81 through Thursday’s games.
Towers became Arizona’s general manager in 2010 and put together a roster that won 94 games and the NL West in 2011. The Diamondbacks have backpedaled since then, finishing .500 the last two seasons and struggling this year despite having the highest payroll in franchise history.
ARLINGTON, Texas – Ron Washington gathered his players for what they thought would be another team meeting in a surprisingly dreary season.
Instead, the Texas manager delivered the biggest shock of all: He was stepping down immediately. Washington resigned Friday, saying he needed to devote his full attention to an “off-the-field personal matter.”
Washington issued a statement in which he said his resignation had nothing to do with the team’s 53-87 record. He did not disclose any details of why he was leaving, but he did say the move “was not drug-related.”
Soccer
Bocanegra, 35, will retire at the MLS season’s end
CARSON, Calif. – Former United States’ national team captain Carlos Bocanegra will retire at the conclusion of Chivas USA’s season, ending the stalwart defender’s 15-year pro soccer career.
The 35-year-old Bocanegra scored a record 14 goals as a U.S. defender. He has made 110 appearances for the national team, becoming the 12th U.S. player with at least 100 caps.
USA women’s team learns its CONCACAF first-round draw
CHICAGO – The United States’ women’s national team will face Guatemala, Haiti and Trinidad & Tobago in first-round play of the CONCACAF Championship.
In the draw held Friday in Miami, the U.S. was selected for Group A. Costa Rica, Jamaica, Martinique and Mexico are in Group A.
The U.S. team will open against Trinidad & Tobago on Oct. 15 in Kansas City, Kansas.
The Americans will face Guatemala on Oct. 17 in Bridgeview, Illinois, and will finish the first round against Haiti on Oct. 20 in Washington, D.C.
Associated Press
