Auto Racing
Hamlin shows backbone by winning Dover pole position
DOVER, Del. – Denny Hamlin, who was sidelined for four races with a compression fracture in his lower spine after a March 24 crash involving former teammate Joey Logano, turned a lap of 157.978 mph to win the pole at Dover International Speedway.
Hamlin followed up his pole last week at Charlotte Motor Speedway with the top speed Friday and his 15th career pole.
Martin Truex Jr., who won his only career Cup race at Dover, joins Hamlin on the front row.
Kyle Busch, Matt Kenseth and Ryan Newman rounded out the top five.
Points leader Jimmie Johnson will start 24th at the FedEx 400 benefiting Autism Speaks race.
Franchitti wins pole for 1st of two duals in Detroit
DETROIT – Dario Franchitti won the pole for the first of two races at the Detroit Grand Prix.
Franchitti, though, will start 11th on Saturday because of a 10-grid-spot penalty for making an unapproved engine change at Indianapolis.
The Chip Ganassi Racing driver earned the top spot in qualifying Friday with a lap of 1:19.3311 on Belle Isle’s 2.36-mile street course. It was the 31st pole of his career and second this season.
E.J. Viso, who qualified second, will start up front followed by Mike Conway, James Jakes and defending IndyCar champion Ryan Hunter-Reay.
Cycling
Defending champ bows out of the Tour de France
PARIS – Bradley Wiggins will not defend his Tour de France title because of a knee problem, giving teammate Chris Froome the chance to win cycling’s premier race after finishing runner-up last year.
Wiggins became the first British rider to win the Tour, but he has not been able to prepare properly leading to the June 29 start of the race. He withdrew before the 13th stage of the Giro d’Italia two weeks ago because of a chest infection. His Team Sky said Friday he also has an “ongoing knee condition” and would not be considered for the squad.
College Football
Shell among 7 selected for the College Hall of Fame
DALLAS – Art Shell was selected for induction into the College Football Hall of Fame as a member of its Divisional College class.
The divisional class honors coaches and players who competed outside the top level of college football.
Shell played offensive tackle for the University of Maryland Eastern Shore from 1964 to 1967, and went on to a long career with the Oakland Raiders as a player and a coach. He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1989.
The other players in this year’s divisional class, chosen by the National Football Foundation, are Westminster College (Pa.) quarterback Joe Micchia (1987-89), Washington University linebacker Shelby Jordan (1969-72) and Ithaca College fullback Jeff Wittman (1989-92).
The coaches are Frank Cignetti (Indiana University of Pennsylvania), James Donnelly (Austin Peay and Middle Tennessee State) and Jess Dow (Southern Connecticut University).
NBA
Kings complete their sale and hire a new coach
SACRAMENTO – A new owner is in place. A new coach is on the way. And for the first time in 14 years, Sacramento Kings fans can celebrate a new era.
The Maloof family finalized the sale of the Kings and Sleep Train Arena to a group led by TIBCO Software chairman Vivek Ranadive on Friday, the NBA confirmed. Ranadive’s group acquired a 65-percent controlling interest in the team at a total franchise valuation of more than $534 million, topping the NBA record of $450 million that Joe Lacob and Peter Guber bought the Golden State Warriors for in 2010.
The Kings have an agreement in place with Warriors assistant Mike Malone to become their head coach, but Ranadive has yet to hire a general manager.
Associated Press
