Auto Racing
AVONDALE, Ariz. — Joey Logano capped a day in the spotlight with a fast late lap Friday to claim the pole for the NASCAR Camping World 500.
With the temperature in the low 90s and the sun beginning to set, Ryan Blaney qualified second to give Ford the top two spots to start Sunday’s race.
Logano and Blaney bumped Dale Earnardt Jr.’s Chevrolet out of the top spot he had held through most of the final five-minute qualifying round on Friday.
The day began for Logano with a meeting with Kyle Busch and NASCAR officials about the crash and subsequent scuffle late in last Sunday’s race in Las Vegas.
Logano won with a top speed of 137.321 mph on the Phoenix International Raceway track made slick by the heat.
Golf
ORLANDO, Fla. — Charley Hoffman wasn’t expecting to be at Bay Hill until he didn’t qualify for a World Golf Championship next week.
The change in plans has worked out nicely so far.
In only his fourth appearance in the Arnold Palmer Invitational over the last decade, Hoffman made seven birdies in slightly warmer conditions Friday for a 6-under 66 that gave him a one-shot lead over Emiliano Grillo of Argentina.
Grillo made two eagles on his opening nine, holing a 35-yard bunker shot on the par-5 12th and chipping in from just off the green on the par-5 16th. He made birdies on the par 5s on the front nine that carried him to a 68.
Matt Fitzpatrick of England had four birdies on the back nine for a 69 and was two shots behind.
TUCSON, Ariz. — Fred Couples shot an 8-under 65 on Friday in the Tucson Conquistadores Classic, leaving playing partner Steve Stricker two strokes back is his PGA Tour Champions debut.
Coming off a victory last month in the Chubb Classic, the 57-year-old Couples birdied five of the first seven holes in hot conditions, and added four more on the back nine before bogeying the par-4 18th.
Stricker birdied his first three holes in his bogey-free round on Omni Tucson National’s Catalina Course. The 12-time PGA Tour winner turned 50 on Feb. 23. He will captain the U.S. Presidents Cup team in September.
PHOENIX — Michelle Wie is healthy and confident again. She’s in contention in the Bank of Hope Founders Cup, too.
Wie shot a 5-under 67 on Friday on another hot and low-scoring day at Desert Ridge to enter the weekend a stroke behind leaders Stacy Lewis and Ariya Jutanugarn.
Winless in 62 events since the 2014 U.S. Women’s Open, Wie is coming off a fourth-place tie two weeks ago in Singapore.
Soccer
CHICAGO — American midfielder Fabian Johnson will miss World Cup qualifiers against Honduras and Panama because of a right hamstring injury.
Sporting Kansas City’s Graham Zusi was picked Friday by coach Bruce Arena to replace Johnson on his 24-man roster.
Johnson, who figured to start in left midfield, was hurt Thursday in Borussia Moenchengladbach’s Europa League match against Schalke.
The Americans are trying to overcome an 0-2 start in the final round of World Cup qualifying in the North and Central American and Caribbean region.
Associated Press
