Truex grabs pole, a season-best 3rd
Martin Truex Jr. won the pole yesterday for the NASCAR Cup Series race tonight at Richmond Raceway in Richmond, Va.
The pole is the series-best third of the season for Truex, the 18th of his career and his first at the 0.75-mile oval. It’s also a nice turnaround after finishing 37th and 30th in the past two races. Before that, he’d had five straight top-five finishes.
“Definitely a good way to start the weekend,” said Truex, who is seeking his first career short-track victory. “I’d say out of all the short tracks, this is probably the one we’ve probably been consistently the best at and definitely had the most chances to win here.”
Truex’s winning lap clocked in at 123.859 mph.
Chase Elliott, who finished second to Truex, is coming off a 29th-place finish at Bristol. Elliott is 23rd in the points standings and still seeking his first career victory. Defending race winner Joey Logano will start third, followed by Denny Hamlin.
Colleges: Off to the NBA
Michigan standout Charles Matthews is entering the NBA draft. The 6-foot-6, 200-pound guard helped the Wolverines advance to the NCAA finals. He started all 41 games and averaged 13 points, 5.5 rebounds and 2.4 assists in his first season at Michigan after transferring from Kentucky . . . .
Kentucky forward Jarred Vanderbilt will enter the NBA draft. The 6-foot-9 Vanderbilt averaged 5.9 points and a team-high 7.9 rebounds in an injuryshortened 14 game season. Vanderbilt is Kentucky’s sixth underclassman to enter the June 21 draft . . . .
Syracuse’s Tyus Battle will put his name in the NBA draft. Battle, a sophomore guard, led the Orange in scoring (19.2) . . . .
Kansas center Udoka Azubuike is declaring for the NBA draft. The 7-foot, 280-pound Azubuike missed most of his freshman season with a wrist injury.
All four players did not hire an agent, meaning they could return to school before the May 30 deadline.
Misc.: Karolyis did not know
Former USA Gymnastics women’s national team coordinator Martha Karolyi and husband Bela Karolyi tell NBC they were unaware of the sexual abusive behavior by a former national team doctor now serving decades in prison.
Martha Karolyi led the national team for 15 years before retiring after the 2016 Rio Olympics. She said in “no way” did she suspect Larry Nassar was sexually abusing athletes under the guise of treatment”
The Karolyis have been named as co-defendants in several civil lawsuits filed against Nassar, who is serving decades in prison for molesting women and girls and for possessing child pornography . . . .
Former Ohio State football coach Earle Bruce died at his home in Columbus. The College Football Hall of Fame member was 87. Bruce followed Woody Hayes as coach and compiled an 81-26-1 record. His teams won or shared in four Big Ten titles in between 1979 and 1987 . . . .
Rafael Nadal quickly advanced to the Monte Carlo Masters semifinals in Monaco with a 6-0, 6-2 victory against Dominic Thiem. The topranked Spaniard is on course for a record 11th Monte Carlo title. Nadal will face No. 4 Grigor Dimitrov, who beat No. 6 David Goffin 6-4, 7-6 (5).