Auto Racing
Harvick the driver to beat Sunday in Phoenix
AVONDALE, Ariz. – Jamie McMurray was the fastest driver in Saturday’s final practice at Phoenix International Raceway, where Kevin Harvick established himself as the driver to beat.
Harvick was second fastest behind McMurray, and Harvick led the morning session. Winner of three of the last four races at Phoenix, Harvick wants a win Sunday to earn an automatic berth into NASCAR’s championship finale.
Chase for the Sprint Cup championship drivers Matt Kenseth and Joey Logano were third and fourth, followed by Dale Earnhardt Jr., then Chase driver Jeff Gordon.
Pole-sitter Denny Hamlin was 10th fastest, and Brad Keselowski was 12th. Ryan Newman (19th) and Carl Edwards (21st) were the slowest of the Chase field.
There are eight drivers racing Sunday for the four spots up for grabs in next week’s Chase finale.
Elliott becomes NASCAR’s youngest champion
AVONDALE, Ariz. – Chase Elliott is the youngest champion in NASCAR history.
Elliott wrapped up the Nationwide Series title Saturday at Phoenix International Raceway. The 18-year-old rookie is the youngest driver to win a title in any of NASCAR’s three national series.
He clinched the championship for JR Motorsports with a fifth-place finish at Phoenix. His official celebration will have to wait until next week’s season finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway.
Brad Keselowski won the race with a pass of Kyle Busch after a restart on the two-lap overtime sprint to the finish. Busch led 187 of the 206 laps but was denied the victory, because Keselowski was given the final chance to catch him after a caution with one lap remaining in regulation.
Rosberg wins pole position and now needs a win
SAO PAULO – Nico Rosberg edged Lewis Hamilton to take pole position for the Brazilian Grand Prix on Saturday, moving into a good position to close in on his archrival and Mercedes teammate in the Formula One title race.
Rosberg was fastest with a lap of 1 minute, 10.023 seconds at Interlagos, just 0.033 seconds ahead of Lewis Hamilton. Local favorite Felipe Massa was third, and his Williams teammate Valtteri Bottas finished fourth.
Rosberg led Hamilton in all three practice sessions this weekend. He trails his teammate by 24 points in the overall standings and needs to win in Brazil on Sunday to have a real shot at his first title. The championship can’t be decided at Interlagos, because the season-ending race in Abu Dhabi later this month will be worth double points.
It was the 10th pole position for Rosberg in 18 races this season.
Tennis
Czechs lead Germany 2-0 in the Fed Cup final
PRAGUE – Petra Kvitova and Lucie Safarova won the opening singles matches to give the Czech Republic a commanding 2-0 lead over Germany in the Fed Cup final Saturday.
Kvitova, the Wimbledon champion, cruised past Andrea Petkovic 6-2, 6-4, and Safarova stretched the lead by defeating the 10th-ranked Angelique Kerber 6-4, 6-4 to put the hosts one win away from the third Fed Cup title in four years.
The Czechs won their first title as an independent nation in 2011 and retained the trophy the next year. Czechoslovakia won five times, including three in a row from 1983 to 1985.
The reverse singles and doubles are scheduled for Sunday, with Kvitova – 22-6 in Fed Cup singles play, with two championships – starting against Kerber.
Associated Press
