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CONCORD, N.C. – Jimmie Johnson is returning to his dominant ways at the perfect time. His latest accomplishment: the fastest qualifying lap of the NASCAR season.
The three-time defending Sprint Cup champion and points leader looked the part Thursday, earning the pole at Lowe’s Motor Speedway with a blistering lap of 192.376 mph.
Johnson’s No. 48 Chevrolet had the best grip in the rain-delayed qualifying in unseasonably cool conditions.
Mark Martin, sitting second in points, will start second after a lap of 191.816 mph. Kasey Kahne qualified third.
Bob Knight is moving to a bigger stage with ESPN. The network said the Hall of Fame coach will serve as the analyst for the weekly “Big Monday” Big 12 game during the college basketball season. He will also call some non-conference games. Knight will team with play-by-play announcer Brent Musburger.
Snider’s first-round Class 5A sectional game against undefeated Kokomo will be played Oct. 23 at Wayne Stadium. The two tenants of Spuller Stadium, the Panthers and Northrop, both drew home games, so the Panthers moved their game to Wayne (which plays at Marion). The kickoff will be at 7 p.m. Also, Bishop Dwenger will play DeKalb in a 4A sectional game at 7 p.m. Oct. 24 at Zollner Stadium.
Conservative radio talk show host Rush Limbaugh is blaming others for being dropped from the group trying to buy the St. Louis Rams. Limbaugh said he believes he has been made an example by a players’ union seeking leverage in talks over a new collective bargaining agreement. And he said he believes what happened to him was an illustration of “Obama’s America on full display.”
Detroit Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford has been held out of practice for the third time in four days, leaving his availability in question for Sunday’s game at Green Bay. … Cleveland Browns Pro Bowl nose tackle Shaun Rogers missed his second consecutive day of practice because of an excused non-injury related absence. The team expects him to return today and to play Sunday at Pittsburgh.
Champions Tour winner Tom Pernice Jr. shot a bogey-free 9-under 62 for a share of the lead with Troy Matteson and Spencer Levin in the PGA Tour’s Justin Timberlake Shriners Hospitals for Children Open in Las Vegas. Bob Heintz and Martin Laird were a stroke back, and Jim Furyk matched Scott Piercy at 64. Furyk made bogeys his first two holes.
Forward Jimmy Bonneau was recalled by Rochester of the American Hockey League. The Komets don’t expect the enforcer to return. The Komets placed forward David Hukalo (shoulder) and defenseman Brandon Warner (hip) on injured reserve, bringing their roster to the requisite size of 20 in time for tonight’s season opener at Dayton. Forward Travis Whitehead won’t play tonight because of a death in the family but should play Saturday at Port Huron, Mich. Goaltender Tyler Sims, who was cut this week by his father, Komets coach Al Sims, has signed with Mississippi of the Central Hockey League. He played there last season, under former Komets player Kevin Kaminski.
Tonya Vojtkosky (aka Minx) has been nominated as a “Breakthrough Woman” on CNN’s Headline News with Robin Meade and will appear in a segment at 6 a.m. Friday on Comcast Channel 15 and Dish Network Channel 202. Vojtkosky was nominated for her contributions within the Fort Wayne community.
