Auto Racing
Harvick’s qualiying record the fastest since 1987
BROOKLYN, Mich. – Kevin Harvick posted the fastest qualifying speed in NASCAR’s top series since 1987, winning the pole at Michigan International Speedway on Friday at 204.557 mph.
Harvick’s pole-winning speed was the fastest since Bill Elliott set the record of 212.809 mph at Talladega Superspeedway in April 1987, but drivers routinely have broken 200 mph at Michigan since the track was repaved before the 2012 season.
Marcos Ambrose had a speed of 203.241 in 2012, the first time anyone won a pole at over 200 mph since Elliott did it before horsepower-sapping restrictor plates were introduced at Daytona and Talladega. Last August, Joey Logano pushed the track record to 203.949.
Harvick was even faster in winning his third pole of the year and ninth of his career. Points leader Jeff Gordon was second, and last weekend’s winner, Dale Earnhardt Jr., was third.
Cycling
Froome crashes, resaddles, and keeps Dauphine lead
POISY, France – Jan Bakelants outsprinted Lieuwe Westra to win the sixth stage of the Criterium du Dauphine on Friday, while Chris Froome survived a crash to keep the overall lead.
Bakelants took more than four hours to complete the 110.9-mile stage from Grenoble to Poisy, France. Zdenek Stybar was third, 24 seconds behind Bakelants and Westra.
Froome crashed with 10 kilometers to go but got back into the pack with some help from teammate Geraint Thomas. He had bruises on his left arm, back and leg. He finished in the pack, 3:55 behind Bakelants. The 2013 Tour de France winner remained 12 seconds ahead of Alberto Contador and Wilco Kelderman in the overall standings.
USA Cycling elects chairman and a vice-chairman
COLORADO SPRINGS – Bob Stapleton was elected chairman of the USA Cycling board of directors, while Alex Nieroth was chosen vice-chairman during the organization’s meetings this week.
Stapleton, who helped found what now are ALLTEL and T-Mobile, has been involved with cycling for years. He was founder of High Road Sports, which operated and owned the successful Team HTC-Highroad from 2008 to 2011. Stapleton also is a director of Ironman triathlons.
Nieroth, who joined USA Cycling’s board in 2012, was a principal at Team Epic/Velocity, a leading entertainment and sports marketing firm that he co-founded in the late 1990s.
Stapleton replaced Bill Peterson, who served as chairman since 2010. Along with Nieroth, he will work closely with USA Cycling’s senior management team during his two-year term.
NBA
Higgins resigns as Hornets’ president after 7 years
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – The Hornets placed the team’s future personnel decisions in the hands of Rich Cho after Rod Higgins stepped down Friday as the team’s president of basketball operations.
Higgins had been with the team for the last seven years.
Cho will remain in his capacity as general manager and assume responsibility for the team’s basketball operations.
NFL
Hall of Fame head coach Chuck Noll dead at 82
PITTSBURGH – Chuck Noll, the Hall of Fame coach who won a record four Super Bowl titles with the Pittsburgh Steelers, died Friday night at his home. He was 82.
The Allegheny County Medical Examiner said Noll died of natural causes.
The Steelers won the four Super Bowls over six seasons from 1974 to 1979, an unprecedented run that made Pittsburgh one of the NFL’s marquee franchises.
Noll’s 16-8 record in postseason play remains one of the best in league history. He retired in 1991 with a 209-156-1 record in 23 seasons, after inheriting a team that never had won a postseason game in club history.
Associated Press
