10/24/2008 - Hampton, GA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - For the third straight week and the 10th time this season, rain washed out Sprint Cup Series qualifying and forced NASCAR officials to set the field by owner points for Sunday's Pep Boys Auto 500 at the Atlanta Motor Speedway.
Jimmie Johnson will start on the pole position for the third consecutive race and once again has the first pit stall. After winning last Sunday's race with a dominating performance at the Martinsville Speedway, Johnson extended his points lead to 149 with four races remaining in the season.
"It's great to have that guaranteed pit stall and starting position, but at the same time, everybody else is right there," Johnson said. "There are certain guys that I am racing right now in the points that are very good in qualifying and other guys that are not...When you start up front at a big track like (Atlanta) and the air is so important these days, the track position is really everything. If you can start in the top-five, it's much easier to stay in the top-five than it is to start 15th and find your way into the top-five."
Johnson scored the victory in last year's fall race at Atlanta as part of his four-race winning streak en route to his second consecutive series title.
Greg Biffle, currently second in the standings, will start on the outside pole.
"We certainly don't want to see Jimmie get that first pit box every single week, but at the same time, you could make a little mistake qualifying and not be able to start up front," Biffle said. "I'm not complaining about starting up front. Everybody tried just so hard to get this qualifying in, but it's just still raining."
Jeff Burton and Carl Edwards will start on the second row, while Clint Bowyer and Kevin Harvick will make up row three.
The remaining Chase contenders - Jeff Gordon, Tony Stewart, Dale Earnhardt, Jr., Matt Kenseth, Denny Hamlin and Kyle Busch - will start seventh through 12th, respectively.
Bryan Clauson and Joey Logano did not make the field. Clauson was hoping to make his first career Sprint Cup start for Chip Ganassi Racing, while Logano was attempting to put a fourth Joe Gibbs Racing entry in the field.
Sprint Cup teams got less than 10 minutes of practice in before the session was halted. Practice is scheduled for Saturday morning.
The weather outlook looks much better for the remainder of the weekend with partly cloudy skies forecasted for Saturday and then mostly sunny for Sunday.
The green flag is scheduled to drop Sunday around 2:00 p.m. (et).
<< James takes early one-shot lead in San Antonio
San Antonio, TX (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Mark James fired an eight-under 63 Friday
to take a one-stroke lead after one round of the AT&T Championship.
James is a three-time winner on the Champions Tour with his last win coming
at the 2007
<< Patriots thin at running back for Sunday tilt with St. Louis
Foxboro, MA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The New England Patriots could be extremely
thin in the backfield for Sunday's home matchup with the St. Louis Rams, with
both Sammy Morris and LaMont Jordan listed as doubtful.
Morris injured his knee
<< Confusion over possible overdose at Isiah Thomas' home
New York, NY (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Police were reportedly sent to the home of
former New York Knicks head coach and president Isiah Thomas early Friday
morning in response to a call that someone had overdosed on sleeping pills.
WCBSTV
<< Zenyatta hits right note in Breeders' Cup Ladies' Classic
Arcadia, CA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Leading female thoroughbred Zenyatta came from
the back of the pack to capture Friday's $2 million Ladies' Classic at Santa
Anita to conclude the first day of the 25th Breeders' Cup World Thoroughbred
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Panthers D Allen to have surgery >>
Sunrise, FL (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Florida Panthers defenseman Bryan Allen
will undergo knee surgery Monday in Colorado and will be out indefinitely.
Allen had arthroscopic surgery in the offseason to clean out the knee and
missed
NFL fines Burress >>
New York, NY (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The NFL fined New York Giants wide receiver
Plaxico Burress $45,000 for verbally abusing an official and tossing a ball
into the stands during last weekends game against San Francisco.
Burress was fine
South Carolina extends baseball coach Tanner >>
Columbia, SC (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - University of South Carolina baseball coach
Ray Tanner had a one-year contract extension approved Friday by the school's
board of trustees.
The extension keeps Tanner under contract through the 2013 seaso
Van dismissed from Central Michigan basketball >>
Mount Pleasant, MI (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Central Michigan center Marcus Van was
dismissed from the men's basketball team due to a violation of team rules,
head coach Ernie Zeigler announced Friday.
"Playing Division I basketball is a
El Duque expected to throw Tuesday
PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. -- New York Mets pitcher Orlando Hernandez, sidelined at spring training because of arthritis in his neck, is expected to resume throwing on Tuesday.
Hernandez received a cortisone shot Thursday after leaving camp and returning to New York to have his neck examined. The 41-year-old right-hander is penciled in as the team's No. 2 starter behind Tom Glavine.
El Duque's health is a major issue for the Mets, who won the NL East in 2007 and came within one victory of the World Series. Their aging and unsettled rotation is a big question mark this year.
MySportsbook.com has the Mets as -110 favorites to repeat as NL East champions odds.
Hernandez went 11-11 with a 4.66 ERA last season, including 9-7 with a 4.09 ERA in 20 starts after the Mets acquired him from Arizona in late May. But he missed the playoffs because of a torn calf muscle.
New York already is without Pedro Martinez, out until at least midseason following rotator cuff surgery. Among those competing for starting jobs are prospects Mike Pelfrey, Philip Humber and Jason Vargas, plus veterans Chan Ho Park, Jorge Sosa and Aaron Sele.
Notes: Mets manager Willie Randolph is excited about two new utility players he could have on his bench: Damion Easley and David Newhan. ''Their value is really all over the place,'' Randolph said. Easley can play anywhere in the infield and could be used as an emergency outfielder, though Randolph said he would prefer to keep the veteran in the infield. Newhan, meanwhile, can play second base, third or any outfield position for the Mets. ''I love versatility,'' Randolph said. ''I love guys that can give me options when I need them to step in.''
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