Hamlin has pole, eye on Johnson

NASCAR: Denny Hamlin has won the pole for Sunday’s NASCAR Sprint Cup race at Martinsville (Va.) Speedway.

Hamlin turned a fast lap of 97.018 miles per hour on the 0.526-mile oval Friday.

Hamlin is 41 points behind Jimmie Johnson in the series standings with five races remaining. He says this is the first time his team has used Friday practice to focus solely on qualifying in his career, and the move clearly paid off.

The pole-sitter gets the first pit stall selection, and Hamlin’s will be at the front of pit road, giving him a clear path onto the track after stopping for service.

Johnson qualified 19th and Kevin Harvick, who is third in points, will start 36th.

Associated Press

Red Deer visits Chiefs tonight

WHL: Another Central Division hockey team visits the Arena tonight but don’t expect a game similar to the Spokane Chiefs’ 8-1 whippin’ of Calgary on Wednesday.

The Hitmen (4-6) are in last place while the Red Deer Rebels (8-4) are first in the division with twice as many points, 18 more goals and 12 fewer goals allowed. And unlike Calgary just ending a U.S. Division swing, the Rebels are starting theirs, although they played at Kootenay on Friday.

“We’re trying to develop a mentality that we play our game, our style and make the other team play with us,” Chiefs coach Don Nachbaur said of the contrast. “If we try to get in a run-and-gun style like some of the Central or Eastern teams we won’t have success.”

The Chiefs (4-5) have won consecutive games for the first time this season.

“I thought our guys were structured,” Nachbaur said after the win. “We didn’t get trapped, give away breaks, two-on-ones, we were solid defensively. ”

Dave Trimmer