Vickers captures another pole

Auto racing: There was little celebrating at Red Bull Racing after Brian Vickers won his second consecutive NASCAR Sprint Cup pole. Instead, team management was busy securing a deal to get rookie Scott Speed in the field.

Vickers claimed the top starting spot with a strong run Friday through the road course at Infineon Raceway in Sonoma, Calif., but his teammate missed the race when Speed ran off the course in Turn 10 and failed to qualify.

Vickers won his fourth pole of the season. His lap of 93.678 mph in a Toyota gave him the top starting spot for the second straight week. He also won the pole last weekend at Michigan.

Vickers edged defending race winner Kyle Busch, who ran a lap at 93.415 mph to qualify second. Marcos Ambrose qualified third to give Toyotas the top three qualifying spots.

Tony Stewart qualified fourth in a Chevrolet and was followed by Kasey Kahne in a Dodge.

Martin Truex Jr. was sixth and was followed by Ryan Newman, Elliott Sadler, Boris Said and Matt Kenseth, who was the highest qualifying Ford.

Three-time defending series champion Jimmie Johnson was 11th. Associated Press

Yao addresses Cavs rumor

Basketball: Houston Rockets center Yao Ming has called a possible move to Cleveland an “unknown” amid rumors that the Cavaliers’ new Chinese part owners want to sign him.

In a recent interview with his hometown Shanghai TV station, Yao said he continued to have “much affection” for the Rockets, the team that took him in the first round of the 2002 draft and with whom he has played all six of his NBA seasons.

Yao has not won a championship, but said Houston’s drive to the second-round of the playoffs this year had given him hope that the Rockets can contend next season.

Rumors of a possible move to Cleveland have swirled since a group of Chinese investors signed an agreement last month with the Cavaliers to become minority owners. The move is expected to boost the team’s popularity and marketing opportunities in China, where Cleveland star LeBron James is popular.

Associated Press

Akey scheduled for trip to Asia

Football: University of Idaho football coach Robb Akey will travel to southwest Asia next month to visit troops at U.S. military bases as part of a college football coaches’ tour organized by the U.S. Army.

Other coaches scheduled for the tour include David Bailiff of Rice, Rich Ellerson of Army and Bobby Hauck of Montana.

Associated Press