Auto Racing
Rain puts Sprint Cup rookie on the Richmond, Va., pole
RICHMOND, Va. – Sprint Cup rookie Kyle Larson will start from the pole position Saturday night in the NASCAR race at Richmond International Raceway after a thunderstorm arrived just in time to wash out qualifying.
The field was set based on the fastest laps run in the first practice Friday. The top starting spot comes in just the 13th Sprint Cup Series race for Larson. Larson’s top lap of 126.880 mph came on the third of 70 laps in the session.
Brad Keselowski will start on the outside of the front row, with Clint Bowyer and Kasey Kahne in the second row. Defending race winner Kevin Harvick will start fifth, and points leader Jeff Gordon will start 25th.
Harvick snaps Elliott’s 2-race Nationwide win streak
RICHMOND, Va. – Kevin Harvick pulled away on a restart with 47 laps to go and ended Chase Elliott’s two-race winning streak in NASCAR’s Nationwide Series with a dominating victory early Saturday at Richmond International Raceway.
Harvick led 202 of the 250 laps in a race delayed nearly 3½ hours by rain Friday night. The victory was the 41st of his career in the series, and his record-extending seventh at 0.75-mile Richmond.
Elliott, the Georgia high-schooler and son of racing great Bill Elliott, was looking to win his third consecutive race and pad his points lead, but he only managed to do the latter when Harvick was too fast.
The pair finished nearly seven seconds ahead of third-place finisher Kyle Busch.
College Basketball
Boatright remains at UConn; Daniels declares for NBA
STORRS, Conn. – National champion UConn is losing one junior star to the NBA draft, while another has announced he is staying with the Huskies.
The school announced Friday that forward DeAndre Daniels has filed the necessary paperwork with the NBA and will forgo his senior season of eligibility.
The school said guard Ryan Boatright will return next season.
Daniels averaged 13.1 points and 6.0 rebounds but 16.0 points and 7.2 rebounds during the Huskies’ NCAA Tournament run. Boatright averaged 12.1 points, 3.5 rebounds and 3.4 assists.
Aaron and Andrew Harrison will return to Kentucky
LEXINGTON, Ky. – Kentucky twin freshmen guards Aaron and Andrew Harrison will return for a second season to a stocked Wildcats squad coming off an NCAA championship appearance.
The Harrisons rejoin 7-foot centers Willie Cauley-Stein and Dakari Johnson and forwards Marcus Lee and Alex Poythress in returning to the Wildcats.
Julius Randle and James Young announced last week they would turn pro.
One-year NCAA ban decides McGary’s fate at Michigan
ANN ARBOR, Mich. – Michigan sophomore Mitch McGary is entering the NBA draft, saying he had little choice after testing positive for marijuana during an NCAA Tournament he couldn’t play in because of an injured back and because he was facing a one-year ban.
McGary, Glenn Robinson III and Nik Stauskas all are leaving early for the pros. McGary averaged 7.8 points and 6.6 rebounds in his two-year career at Michigan, and he averaged 14.3 points and 10.7 rebounds in NCAA Tournament games.
NFL
The ultimate backup QB dies at age 79 in Miami
MIAMI – Earl Morrall stepped in when the 1972 Miami Dolphins needed him most. And then he willingly stepped aside, earning enduring admiration from head coach Don Shula and his teammates.
Morrall, who started 11 games during the Dolphins’ perfect season and spent 21 years as an NFL quarterback, died Friday at age 79.
Morrall also played for the Colts, Giants, 49ers, Lions and Steelers, winning three Super Bowl rings.
Associated Press
