Auto Racing
Busch brothers have a day at Darlington Raceway
DARLINGTON, S.C. – Kyle Busch took the lead from Joey Logano 18 laps from the end to win his fifth Nationwide race this season and second in three years at Darlington Raceway on Friday night.
The victory also capped a dominant showing by the Busch boys at the track “Too Tough To Tame.” Older brother Kurt set a qualifying record to win the pole for the Sprint Cup Southern 500 on Saturday night. Kyle was third in Sprint Cup qualifying before dominating the Nationwide race.
The older Busch’s lap of 181.918 mph earned him his third career pole at Darlington and broke the two-year old mark of 181.254 mph held by Kasey Kahne.
The younger Busch started from the Nationwide pole and was the strongest car throughout. He led for 107 of the 147 laps and finished one second in front of Elliott Sadler. Joe Gibbs Racing placed four in the top five, with Busch and Elliott’s teammates Brian Vickers third and Matt Kenseth fifth.
Cycling
Giro d’Italia gets a new set of champions Stage 7
PESCARA, Italy – Australian rider Adam Hansen won the hilly and rainy seventh stage of the Giro d’Italia on Friday with a solo breakaway, and Benat Intxausti of Spain took the overall lead.
Hansen, who rides for Lotto Belisol, clocked more than 4½ hours over the 109-mile leg from San Salvo to Pescara.
Intxausti took a 5-second lead over top contender Vincenzo Nibali, with defending champion Ryder Hesjedal 8 seconds back in third.
Golf
Garcia leads after Day 2; Tiger lurks at TPC Sawgrass
PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. – A brief look at the second round of The Players Championship:
Leading: Sergio Garcia had a 7-under 65, matching his best score at the TPC Sawgrass. He was at 11-under 133.
Trailing: Tiger Woods had a 67 and was one shot behind. His 134 broke his previous best 36-hole total by six shots.
Tale of the Tape: Garcia and Woods will be in the final group on the weekend for the sixth time and the first time since Sunday at the 2006 British Open. Woods went on to win the last five times.
The Island: Nine players hit into the water on the par-3 17th.
Shot of the Day: On the second hole where Woods made eagle, Brandt Snedeker was on the downward slope of a mound well right of a slightly elevated green. With the ball well below his feet, he hit a perfect punch into the hill and onto the green to 4 feet for birdie.
Noteworthy: Phil Mickelson was among 11 major champions who missed the cut. Mickelson hadn’t missed the cut at Sawgrass since 2000.
Quoteworthy: “If I keep striking it well, I do like my chances because I feel like I’m kind of wearing the course down a little bit,” said Masters champion Adam Scott, who was four shots behind.
NBA
Seattle’s champion for Kings ups his bid to $625M
SEATTLE – Chris Hansen increased his total valuation of the Sacramento Kings from $550 million to $625 million in another attempt to sway NBA owners to allow him to buy the franchise and move it to Seattle.
Hansen also announced on his website Friday that he has guaranteed owners that the franchise would pay into the league’s revenue-sharing system in Seattle and not collect money as it has in Sacramento.
Hansen has had a deal since January to buy a 65-percent controlling interest in the Kings from the Maloof family. He originally offered a total valuation of $525 million, then increased that offer to $550 million after a competing Sacramento group matched his deal.
The NBA’s relocation committee voted 7-0 last week to recommend the NBA Board of Governors – which consists of all 30 owners – reject the Seattle move. The board is expected to vote on the issue at its meeting in Dallas on Wednesday.
Associated Press
