Auto Racing
For the 4th time, Johnson is the Cup’s ultimate All-Star
CONCORD, N.C. – Jimmie Johnson became the first four-time winner of NASCAR’s annual All-Star race Saturday night at Charlotte Motor Speedway.
Johnson got a fast final pit stop from his Hendrick Motorsports crew to restart the race in second for the 10-lap sprint to the finish.
He battled teammate Kasey Kahne for a little more than one lap before clearing Kahne and sailing away to the $1-million payday.
Johnson entered the race tied with the late Dale Earnhardt and Jeff Gordon as the only three-time winners in event history.
Now the five-time NASCAR champion is in a class of his own.
CONCORD, N.C. – Jamie McMurray won the Sprint Showdown to transfer into the $1-million All-Star Race at Charlotte Motor Speedway.
Ricky Stenhouse Jr. finished second Saturday night in the 40-lap race to earn the second transfer spot, his first All-Star race in his first season racing the Sprint Cup Series.
McMurray dominated both 20-lap segments to earn a spot in the Sprint All-Star race for the first time since 2011.
IndyCar founder’s stepson wins the Indy 500 pole
INDIANAPOLIS – Ed Carpenter turned Pole Day into a family celebration.
The stepson of IndyCar founder Tony George became the first member of the Hulman family to win the biggest prerace event in the series – the Indianapolis 500 pole position.
Carpenter produced a stunning finish to a day that was rife with suspense but lacked surprise. His four-lap average of 228.762 mph was quick enough to break up what appeared to be a Team Penske-Andretti Autosport lock on the front three rows in the nine-car shootout for the pole.
Cycling
Santambrogio wins Stage 14 through rain, snow and wind
BARDONECCHIA, Italy – Mauro Santambrogio of Italy won the 14th stage of the Giro d’Italia in rain, snow and wind Saturday on a course that was changed because of avalanche threats.
Countryman Vincenzo Nibali extended his overall lead to 1:26 over Cadel Evans and is in position to win his country’s biggest cycling race for the first time.
Van Garderen leads in Calif. with one stage to ride
DANVILLE, Calif. – Leopold Konig of the Czech Republic won the seventh stage of the Tour of California in a mountaintop finish Saturday, and American Tejay van Garderen finished third to keep the overall lead for the third consecutive day.
Van Garderen, the 24-year-old BMC rider from Bozeman, Mont., was 12 seconds back and leads Australia’s Michael Rogers by 1:47.
Hockey
A pair of 3-0 shutouts later, and it’s Sweden and Swiss
STOCKHOLM – The United States was upset 3-0 by Switzerland on Saturday in the semifinals of the ice hockey world championships.
The Swiss will face Sweden in today’s final after the Swedes defeated co-host Finland 3-0 in the earlier semifinal. Switzerland is guaranteed its first medal in 60 years.
Nino Niederreiter, Julian Walker and Reto Suri scored for the Swiss, who emerged as the surprise of the tournament by winning all seven of their group-stage games. The last time Switzerland won a worlds medal was 1953.
Sports Illustrated reports the Raptors interested in Ujiri
Sports Illustrated @SInow – Raptors eyeing Nuggets GM Ujiri for top exec job: on.si.com/12JXtKf.
Multiple reports say Coach K might return to Team USA
CBSSports.com @CBSSports – Report: Coach K considering return to @USABasketball – cbsprt.com/USACoachK. Krzyzewski has a 62-1 record with Team USA.
Associated Press
