Hamlin sitting on pole for Charlotte Cup race
CONCORD, N.C. — Denny Hamlin won the pole for Sunday’s NASCAR Monster Energy Cup playoff race at Charlotte Motor Speedway.
Hamlin turned a lap at 191.598 mph on the 1½-mile oval Friday for his first pole of the season. He will share the front row with Joe Gibbs Racing teammate Matt Kenseth.
Dale Earnhardt Jr., who is racing for the final time at Charlotte, qualified 23rd in a backup car after he crashed just moments into practice.
GYMNASTICS American Hurd tops all-around
American Morgan Hurd won the all-around title at the world championships at Montreal, spoiling Ellie Black’s bid to become the first Canadian winner.
The 16-year-old Hurd edged Black by 0.101 points, finishing with 55.232 points in her world championships debut. Russia’s Eremina Elena was third at 54.799.
American Ragan Smith, the favorite to win the gold medal, was forced to withdraw from the final after injuring her ankle during the vault warmup at Olympic Stadium.
On the men’s side, China’s Ruoteng Xiao is the new all-around champion. He finished with a score of 86.933 points, ahead of compatriot Chaopan Lin (86.448) and Kenzo Shirai (86.431) of Japan.
COLLEGE BASKETBALL Louisville places aides on leave
The University of Louisville placed associate basketball coach Kenny Johnson and assistant Jordan Fair on paid administrative leave while the school handles its involvement in a national federal investigation of the sport.
Fair and Johnson didn’t participate in practices conducted this week by interim coach David Padgett, who was named Sept. 29 as Rick Pitino’s replacement. Pitino is on unpaid administrative leave and facing dismissal after 16 seasons.
Johnson is in his fourth season with the Cardinals, while Fair is starting his second season on staff
Ten people have been arrested in the federal probe of the sport, including four college assistant coaches at different schools and an Adidas executive.
SOCCER Spain has spot in World Cup
Spain secured its 11th consecutive World Cup appearance that was aided by Italy’s disappointing home draw against Macedonia, while Serbia missed on its chance to make it to next year’s finals in Russia after a loss at Austria.
Spain comfortably defeated Albania 3-0 in a match in which defender Gerard Pique, an outspoken defender of Catalonia’s move to independence, received a mixed reaction from the home fans at Madrid.
Italy practically secured a playoff spot but was jeered by fans after drawing with Macedonia 1-1 at Turin
Serbia needed a win against Austria to clinch its spot from Group D but lost 3-2 at Vienna, while Wales kept its chance alive by beating Georgia 1-0.
Iceland stayed on the path to becoming the smallest nation to qualify for the World Cup after beating Turkey 3-0 in Group I.
GOLF Duncan snares Safeway lead
Tyler Duncan chipped in from the fringe for eagle on the par-5 18th hole to take the second-round lead in the season-opening Safeway Open.
Duncan shot a 6-underpar 66 for a one-stroke lead over defending champion Brendan Steele (67) at Silverado Resort and Spa in Napa, Calif.
Duncan, the Web.com Tour graduate who shared the first-round lead with Steele and Tom Hoge, also had seven birdies and three bogeys to reach 13-under 131.
Chesson Hadley, who began the second round seven shots behind the leaders, broke the course record with a career-best 61 to get within two strokes.
TENNIS Nadal advances at China Open
Top-ranked Rafael Nadal moved into the semifinals of the China Open at Beijing by beating sixth-seeded John Isner 6-4, 7-6 (0).