Johnson 1st to sweep Daytona since 1982 Johnson 1st to sweep Daytona since 1982 ADVERTISING DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — Jimmie Johnson became the first driver in 31 years to sweep Daytona International Speedway, accomplishing the feat with a dominating run
Johnson 1st to sweep Daytona since 1982
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — Jimmie Johnson became the first driver in 31 years to sweep Daytona International Speedway, accomplishing the feat with a dominating run Saturday night for his fourth win of the season.
The Daytona 500 winner is the first driver since Bobby Allison in 1982, and the fifth overall, to win both races in a season at Daytona.
The five-time NASCAR champion was the leader on the restart for a two-lap sprint to the finish in overtime Saturday night. He held off Kevin Harvick on the restart, and then pulled out front to a sizeable lead. Tony Stewart moved into second and may have been timing his attempt to make a pass for the lead when a caution in the middle of the pack froze the field.
Stewart was second, followed by Kevin Harvick in a Chevrolet sweep. Both thought Johnson’s fast car, once able to get out front, was untouchable. He led 94 of the 161 laps.
Wagner ahead
by 2 at Greenbrier
WHITE SULPHUR SPRINGS, W.Va. — Johnson Wagner shot a 6-under 64 Saturday to take a two-stroke lead after the third round of the Greenbrier Classic.
Wagner was 14 under overall on the Old White TPC course in West Virginia. Jimmy Walker also shot a 64 and was second at 12 under.
McDowell, Sterne share lead at French
SAINT-QUENTIN-EN-YVELINES, France — Graeme McDowell of Northern Ireland and Richard Sterne of South Africa share a one-stroke lead after three rounds of the French Open.
McDowell shot a 1-under 70 while Sterne had a 71 on the tough Albatross course of Le Golf National, leaving both at 5-under 208.
Bernd Wiesberger of Austria (68), David Howell of England (69) and Richard Green of Australia (70) were at 209. Soren Kjeldsen of Denmark and Simon Dyson of England were at 210.
Messi scores 4, leads all-star team to win
CHICAGO — Lionel Messi gave fans a show with four goals to lead his all-star team to a 9-6 victory in Saturday night’s Messi & Friends vs. the Rest of the World soccer exhibition.
Messi played into the 69th minute and left the game to a mixture of cheers and boos from the 25,000 fans at Soldier Field.
The game was the only U.S. appearance in a series of fundraisers for Messi-affiliated charities.
Originally a four-game series, two games were played in South America, but Wednesday’s contest in Los Angeles was canceled after Messi declined to play in a dispute with promoters.
Jeter goes 0-for-2
in rehab start
MOOSIC, Pa. — Derek Jeter finished 0 for 2 with a walk and played five innings at shortstop in a rehab game for the Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders in Saturday night’s game against Lehigh Valley.
Jeter hadn’t played in a game since spring training for the Yankees after being sidelined with a broken ankle suffered in last year’s ALCS loss to Detroit.
The Yankees’ captain fielded one grounder at shortstop, but showed good movement to his left side on his surgically repaired left ankle.
Butler hires Miller
to replace Stevens
INDIANAPOLIS — Butler found its next basketball coach the same place it usually does — inside the family.
The Bulldogs announced Saturday that they were promoting recently hired assistant Brandon Miller to replace Brad Stevens. The decision came three days after Stevens surprised everyone by taking the head job with the Boston Celtics.
But like Stevens and his predecessors Todd Lickliter and Thad Matta, the Bulldogs didn’t have to look far to find the next coach.
Only two candidates’ names were seriously bandied about — Miller, a former Butler star who was just rehired by Stevens as an assistant coach in April, and Michigan assistant LaVall Jordan, another Butler alum and former Bulldogs assistant.
Miller met with athletic director Barry Collier on Wednesday and Thursday before meeting with Collier and Butler President James Danko on Friday. He was officially offered the position Saturday.
Skiing legend hospitalized in Utah
PARK CITY, Utah — Ski racing legend Stein Eriksen has been hospitalized for more than a week in Utah with what has been described as “neurological symptoms.”
Deer Valley Resort spokeswoman Coleen Reardon said the 85-year-old Eriksen was flown to Intermountain Medical Center in Murray on June 26 from his home in Park City, near Salt Lake City.
Eriksen won the gold medal in giant slalom and the silver medal in slalom at the 1952 Winter Olympics in his hometown of Oslo, Norway.
Shaq: LA spotlight too bright for Howard
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — Shaquille O’Neal says the Los Angeles spotlight was too bright for Dwight Howard.
Speaking at Daytona International Speedway on Saturday, Shaq hammered his former colleague as if they were battling in the post.
O’Neal opened his mouth agape when asked about Howard, who chose to leave the Lakers for the Houston Rockets late Friday, and joked about cheering on Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Danica Patrick in Saturday’s race.
A few seconds later, he threw an elbow Howard’s way.
“It was expected,” Shaq said. “We’ve all been in LA, and not a whole lot of people can handle being under the bright lights. Everybody wants to do it, but when you get there, there are certain pressures. I think it was a safe move for him to go to a little town like Houston. That’s right, little town. I said it.”
From wire sources
