Keselowski’s crushes track record to win Kentucky pole

SPARTA, Ky. – Brad Keselowski had a track-record speed of 188.791 mph in a Ford to win the pole for Saturday night’s NASCAR race at Kentucky Speedway.

A day in which 23 drivers broke Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s year-old mark of 183.636 mph in the first round of knockout qualifying alone ended with the 2012 winner of the 400-mile race shattering it by more than 5 mph. Keselowski overtook Penske Racing teammate Joey Logano, who turned a lap of 187.175 after leading the first two rounds.

Jeff Gordon will start third in a Chevy, salvaging a session in which Hendrick Motorsports teammates Earnhardt and Jimmie Johnson didn’t make it past the first round.

Harvick hammers the gas pedal on final Nationwide lap

SPARTA, Ky. – Kevin Harvick passed Kyle Busch on the final restart and held off Brad Keselowski to win the NASCAR Nationwide Series race Friday night at Kentucky Speedway.

After failing to pass Busch on an earlier restart, Harvick succeeded with another chance on Lap 196. His Chevy gained enough space from Keselowski, who rallied from 17th following a pass-through penalty with 50 laps left to finish second in a Ford.

Before the pit road speeding penalty, Keselowski seemed headed for a second straight victory at the track in leading 138 laps.

Harvick led twice for 14 laps. He has two series victories this season and 42 in 309 career starts. He also won at the track in 2001.

Busch was third, and Paul Menard fourth.

IndyCar race at Houston can only improve from last year

HOUSTON – Grand Prix of Houston promoter Mike Lanigan has spent almost $1 million to improve the temporary street course at Reliant Park after a rough IndyCar return last year.

Lanigan said Friday that $700,000 was spent on safety improvements alone. The fence that Dario Franchitti hit when his car went airborne has been fortified and the grandstands were removed.

Another $300,000 was spent on work to the pavement. Last year, a bump in the track altered the championship race.

IndyCar will run a doubleheader this weekend, with races on Saturday and Sunday.

Cycling

Former champion Wiggins shown the door by Team Sky

PARIS – Team Sky has confirmed 2012 champion Bradley Wiggins is not in its team “carefully constructed” to help Chris Froome successfully defend his Tour de France title.

Sky boss Dave Brailsford says on Friday the selection “inevitably led to some very tough decisions,” and Wiggins is “still a key member of Team Sky and a great champion.”

Four teammates who helped Froome to victory last year are back, including Australia’s Richie Porte. American veteran Danny Pate also joins the squad.

Hushovd, a winner of 10 stages at Tour de France, quits

HELSINKI – Thor Hushovd of Norway says he will retire from professional cycling after the world championships in September because he’s struggling to be in form.

The 2010 world champion, known as a strong sprinter, says on Friday he needs “a bit of a holiday.”

The worlds are in Spain.

The 36-year-old BMC rider began professional racing in 2000. He rode the Tour de France from 2001-11, winning 10 stages.

UCI finds another way to combat PED use in riders

AIGLE, Switzerland – The International Cycling Union has signed a partnership with Antidoping Switzerland to help it combat doping.

As part of the agreement, the UCI and Antidoping Switzerland will share information collected about riders who are part of the biological passport program, as well as collaborating about their anti-doping programs.

Associated Press