In brief: Drivers’ time runs short for Indy qualifying
Time is running out for Milka Duno, John Andretti and other drivers still looking for enough speed to make the Indianapolis 500.
Today is the last full day of practice in Indianapolis before the final qualifying sessions this weekend for the May 27 race.
Duno’s top speed, which came on the first day of practice, was just less than 220 mph, about 1.5 mph slower than the slowest of the 22 who qualified last weekend. The final 11 spots will be filled Saturday and Sunday, leaving Duno in a shaky position unless she can find and fix what’s ailing her car, a 4-year-old Dallara that has been updated to 2007 specifications.
Others who have not yet qualified included Roger Yasukawa, who landed a ride with Dreyer & Reinbold Racing on Tuesday and jumped to more than 217 mph in his first extended practice, and Andretti, who joined Panther Racing on Wednesday and quickly reached 216 mph in his first appearance in an Indy car since 1994.
Golf
Lee tops leaderboard
Had it not been for been Sarah Lee, defending champion Lorena Ochoa would be atop the leaderboard again at the Sybase Classic in Clifton, N.J.
Lee shot a bogey-free, 6-under-par 66 to take a two-stroke lead over Ochoa and four others after the first round of the $1.4 million Sybase Classic.
Tracy Hanson, formerly of Rathdrum, shot an opening-round 72 while Wendy Ward of Edwall, Wash., opened with a 76.
“Kevin Sutherland shot a 7-under 65 in favorable scoring conditions to take a two-stroke lead after the first round of the AT&T Classic in Duluth, Georgia.
Japan’s Ryuji Imada eagled his final hole to join Stephen Marino, Tommy Armour III, Bob May and Craig Kanada at 67 on the Greg Norman-designed TPC Sugarloaf.
Basketball
Camby declines offer
Marcus Camby, the NBA’s defensive player of the year, declined an invitation from USA Basketball managing director Jerry Colangelo to participate in the team’s camp in Las Vegas this summer because of a pressing family matter.
Earlier this month, Camby’s wife delivered the couple’s second child.
“The Internal Revenue Service said Chris Cohan, owner of the Golden State Warriors, owes more than $160 million in back income taxes and penalties from the 1998 sale of cable TV company Sonic Communications to Charter Communications for more than $200 million.
Miscellany
Titans eye Johnson
The Tennessee Titans need an experienced receiver to help Vince Young, and said they are interested in veteran Keyshawn Johnson.
Johnson will visit the Titans today. His relationship with coach Jeff Fisher goes back to Southern California, when the coach played for the Trojans and Johnson was a ball boy.
“In Hamburg, Germany, Rafael Nadal cruised past the last man to beat him on clay two years ago, downing Igor Andreev 6-4, 6-1 at the Hamburg Masters for his 79th straight win on the surface.
Top-ranked Roger Federer also advanced to the quarterfinals with a 6-2, 6-3 win over Juan Carlos Ferrero.
“Robert Forster won the flat, 108-mile fifth stage of the Giro d’Italia in Frascati, Italy and Danilo Di Luca retained the overall lead. Forster won in 4 hours, 17 minutes, 2 seconds for Gerolsteiner.
“Dale Mitchell was hired as Canada’s soccer coach, inheriting a team that is ranked 94th and has not been to the World Cup since 1986.
“In Newark, N.J., former boxing champion Bobby Czyz Jr. is recovering from injuries sustained in a fiery car crash more than a month ago.
The 45-year-old Czyz was pulled unconscious from the back seat of a burning Mercedes in Millstone Township early April 13 after the car went off the road and struck a tree.