Auto Racing
Winless in 2014, Johnson wins the Coca-Cola pole
CONCORD, N.C. – Jimmie Johnson is hoping he’s on the verge of turning around a disappointing season. The six-time Sprint Cup champion won the pole Thursday night for the Coca-Cola 600, turning a lap at 194.911 mph at Charlotte Motor Speedway in the third round of NASCAR’s knockout qualifying format.
It was the first pole of the year for Johnson, who has yet to win a race this season.
Brad Keselowski qualified second and will start on the front row for the seventh time this season. Kasey Kahne was third, followed by Danica Patrick and Clint Bowyer.
College Football
The late great Tide’s Thomas headlines next Hall class
The late great Derrick Thomas grew up in Miami and played his entire 11-year NFL career in Kansas City. In between he spent four years at the University of Alabama, dominating on defense as few players ever have done in college football history.
It took longer than Crimson Tide fans would have liked, but Thomas was elected Thursday to the College Football Hall of Fame, highlighting a class of 14 players that also includes Tony Boselli, Sterling Sharpe and LaDainian Tomlinson.
The rest of the players who will be inducted during the National Football Foundation’s awards banquet in December are: North Carolina cornerback Dre Bly; Purdue defensive tackle Dave Butz; Penn State linebacker Shane Conlan; Georgia Tech quarterback Joe Hamilton; Maine linebacker John Huard; Stanford running back Darrin Nelson; Louisiana Tech tackle Willie Roaf; UCLA quarterback John Sciarra; McNeese State defensive back Leonard Smith; and Mississippi tight end Wesley Walls.
The two coaches who will join the Hall of Fame are Mike Bellotti, who led Oregon from 1995 to 2008, and Jerry Moore, who coached at Appalachian State, North Texas and Texas Tech.
Cycling
Uran wins Stage 12 of Giro and takes the pink jersey
BAROLO, Italy – Rigoberto Uran won the 12th stage of the Giro d’Italia and took the overall lead Thursday.
The Colombian was 57 seconds behind Cadel Evans going into the stage, then won the 26-mile individual time trial from Barbaresco to Barolo in less than an hour, and Evans finished 1 minute, 34 seconds behind in third.
Uran took the pink jersey off Evans to lead the Australian by 37 seconds.
Hockey
Sweden will play Russia, and Czechs will play Finland
MINSK, Belarus – Canada lost in the quarterfinals at a fifth consecutive ice hockey world championships when Finland scored late to win 3-2 on Thursday.
Defending champion Sweden edged Belarus 3-2 and set up a semifinal against Russia, which blanked France 3-0.
Finland will play the Czech Republic in the other semifinal Saturday. The Czechs scored three second-period power-play goals in beating the United States 4-3.
NBA
Carter-Williams a unanimous all-rookie first teamer
NEW YORK – Michael Carter-Williams unanimously was chosen to the NBA’s all-rookie team. Chosen 11th overall in the draft, the Philadelphia 76ers guard was the only unanimous selection to the first team, which also included Utah’s Trey Burke, New York’s Tim Hardaway Jr., Orlando’s Victor Oladipo and Brooklyn’s Mason Plumlee.
Carter-Williams averaged 16.7 points, 6.3 assists and 6.2 rebounds, joining Magic Johnson and Oscar Robertson as the only rookies in NBA history to average at least 16.0 points, 6.0 rebounds and 6.0 assists.
The second team was Oklahoma City’s Steven Adams, Milwaukee’s Giannis Antetokounmpo, Minnesota’s Gorgui Dieng, Boston’s Kelly Olynyk and Charlotte’s Cody Zeller.
Associated Press
