Auto Racing
Keselowski out front again, wins the pole at Dover
DOVER, Del. – Brad Keselowski is getting used to racing out front, turning a track-record lap of 164.444 mph to win the pole at Dover International Speedway.
Keselowski won his second pole of the season Friday on the mile track and fifth of his career. He also has six starts from second this season, making him one of the top front-row performers in NASCAR.
Keselowski and his Team Penske teammate Joey Logano have figured out fast qualifying in their Fords. Kyle Busch will start second, and Logano, eight-time Dover winner Jimmie Johnson and rookie Kyle Larson rounded out the top five for Sunday’s race.
Series points leader Jeff Gordon was sixth, followed by Denny Hamlin, Kevin Harvick, Brian Vickers and Clint Bowyer.
Bowyer earned the top-10 start on his 35th birthday.
With only 43 cars entered, every driver qualified for the 400-mile race.
Cycling
Quintana wins mountainous time trial to extend his lead
BASSANO DEL GRAPPA, Italy – Colombia’s Nairo Quintana showed off his climbing strength and increased his lead in the Giro d’Italia with a victory Friday in the 19th stage, a mountain time trial.
Quintana, runner-up at last year’s Tour de France, clocked 1 hour, 5 minutes, 37 seconds over the 16.7-mile route from Bassano del Grappa to Cima Grappa.
Italy’s Fabio Aru finished second, 17 seconds behind, and Colombia’s Rigoberto Uran was third, 1:26 behind.
After his second stage win in this year’s race, Quintana moved 3:07 ahead of Uran in the overall standings.
Aru moved ahead of Pierre Roland into third, 3:48 back.
The ProTour’s first major of the cycling season will end on flatter ground Sunday in the northeastern port city of Trieste, Italy.
NBA
Will the Clippers’ sale affect Seattle’s bid for a team?
SEATTLE – Investor Chris Hansen said he remains committed to getting the NBA back to Seattle even though he just lost one of his biggest partners in the process.
Hansen released a statement Friday congratulating former Microsoft chief executive officer Steve Ballmer on his agreement to purchase the Los Angeles Clippers for $2 billion. Hansen said Ballmer’s commitment will make him a “great owner and strong asset for the league.”
But Ballmer’s deal in Los Angeles leaves him out of Hansen’s investment group that has attempted to get a team back to Seattle. Hansen said his remaining partners – two members of the Nordstrom department store family are the other known partners – remain committed.
Hansen said environmental reviews on a proposed arena are nearing completion, and “we will soon be in a strong position to attract a franchise” to Seattle.
NFL
Washington takes the blame for his 1-year suspension
PHOENIX – The NFL suspended Arizona Cardinals standout inside linebacker Daryl Washington one year for violating the league’s substance abuse policy.
The punishment, announced Friday, was for substance abuse and did not mention his recent guilty plea to assaulting his ex-girlfriend.
Washington, in a statement released by his agent, said the penalty was for marijuana, and he takes responsibility for the violation. He said he “is committed to making changes” in his life that will allow him to return to the NFL.
Considered among the best in the NFL at his position, Washington was suspended the first four games of last season for violating the substance abuse policy.
Washington, the team leader in tackles in 2011 and 2012, will lose $2.9 million in salary because of the suspension.
In March, Arizona exercised a $10-million option to keep him on the roster. Washington received $5 million then, and the deals calls for him to get the other $5 million next March.
Associated Press
