NFL

State police, dogs search Hernandez’s home Saturday

NORTH ATTLEBORO, Mass. – State police officers and dogs searched the home of New England Patriots tight end Aaron Hernandez again Saturday as they continue to investigate the killing of a semi-pro football player whose body was found about a mile away.

The search of Hernandez’s sprawling home and vehicle in North Attleboro began in the afternoon and lasted for more than three hours. Locksmiths and several officers were involved, including one with a crowbar.

Detectives and uniformed officers who searched the home, its backyard and playhouse did not comment to reporters on what they were looking for or what caused them to return to the house located not far from where the Patriots practice and about a mile from where a jogger found the body of Odin Lloyd on Monday.

Auto Racing

McMurray is Sprint Cup’s surprise Sonoma pole-sitter

SONOMA, Calif. – Jamie McMurray was the surprise pole-winner Saturday at Sonoma Raceway.

McMurray topped favorite Marcos Ambrose with a fast lap around the 1.99-mile course. NASCAR for the first time used group qualifying, and McMurray and Ambrose were together in the final group.

Allmendinger slides past Allgaier to win Nationwide

ELKHART LAKE, Wis. – AJ Allmendinger slid past Justin Allgaier with seven laps to go, then defended his lead through a late restart and a pair of nerve-testing green-white-checkered overtime finishes to win Saturday’s NASCAR Nationwide Series race at Road America.

For Allmendinger, it was another step toward rebuilding his racing career after sitting out part of last season because of a violation of NASCAR’s substance-abuse policy. It also was a return to victory lane at Road America for Allmendinger, who won at the four-mile road course in Central Wisconsin in the Champ Car Series in 2006.

Allgaier finished second, followed by Parker Kligerman, Owen Kelly and Sam Hornish Jr.

Castroneves leads in Iowa from start to finish to pole

NEWTON, Iowa – IndyCar points leader Helio Castroneves won the final qualifying heat race on Saturday to claim the pole for Sunday’s race at Iowa Speedway.

It’s the first pole of the season for Castroneves, who led all 50 laps.

Castroneves earned nine championship points by winning the top heat and extended his lead over defending champion Ryan Hunter-Reay to 25 points.

Will Power, Castroneves’s teammate at Team Penske, was second, followed by James Hincliffe, Marco Andretti and Scott Dixon.

Danish driver dies in 24 Hours of Le Mans race

LE MANS, France – Danish driver Allan Simonsen died Saturday following a crash at the 24 Hours of Le Mans.

The 34-year-old Simonsen was taken to the hospital Saturday after his Aston Martin No. 95 crashed about 10 minutes into the race.

Simonsen spun at high speed and his car skidded into the barrier at the Tertre Rouge corner. He died at the hospital soon after arrival “due to his injuries,” organizers said.

Golf

Bubba’s three bogeys create a three-way tie at Travelers

CROMWELL, Conn. – Bubba Watson made three bogeys in his last six holes Saturday to help create a three-way tie after three rounds at the Travelers Championship.

Watson, Graham DeLaet, who tied for the low round of the day with a 65, and Charley Hoffman are all at 10-under par heading into today’s final round at the TPC of River Highlands. Watson shot an even-par 70.

Justin Rose, less than a week after his U.S. Open victory, sits at 7-under par and in a tie for seventh place after a second 68 in a row.

Associated Press