NASCAR-KENTUCKY
Keselowski wins for 2nd time at Kentucky Speedway
SPARTA, Ky. (AP) — Brad Keselowski dominated the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race Saturday night to become Kentucky Speedway’s first repeat winner.
The Penske Racing driver and 2012 race winner followed his record-breaking pole effort to lead 199 of 267 laps and earn his second victory this season and 12th of his career.
Keselowski won from the pole for the first time, pulling away after chasing down and passing leader Kyle Busch on Lap 248.
Busch was second, followed by Ryan Newman, Matt Kenseth and Dale Earnhardt Jr., who rallied from a 29th-place start.
A night after dominating the Nationwide Series race before finishing second to Kevin Harvick, partly because of a pit-road speeding penalty, Keselowski saved his heavy foot for the bumpy, rough track.
NASCAR-KENSETH
JGR extends Kenseth, Dollar General sponsorship
SPARTA, Ky. (AP) — Joe Gibbs Racing has announced a contract extension for driver Matt Kenseth and Dollar General’s expanded sponsorship of his No. 20 Toyota Camry.
The discount store chain will sponsor the car for 30 races in 2015 including the season-opening Daytona 500. That’s up from 27 events this year and 17 in 2013.
Dollar General chairman Rick Dreiling said Saturday that Kenseth’s success with JGR and his appeal made it easy to expand the company’s involvement, calling him “great for our brand.” Both announcements pleased Kenseth, who said his relationships with the team and sponsor “has been a great fit for me.”
Kenseth entered Saturday night’s race at Kentucky Speedway winless this season but fourth in points. Last June’s win here was among seven en route to a runner-up points finish.
REDSKINS-GIBBS
Former coach Gibbs considers name ‘prideful’
SPARTA, Ky. (AP) — Count former Washington Redskins coach Joe Gibbs among those who has no problem with the team’s name.
The NFL team that Gibbs led to three Super Bowl titles in the first of two stints as coach has been heavily criticized for its nickname that’s viewed as derogatory toward Native Americans. A group of U.S. senators and President Barack Obama have suggested it should be changed, which team owner Daniel Snyder vehemently refuses.
Asked about the controversy before the NASCAR race Saturday at Kentucky Speedway, the Hall of Fame coach and racing team owner called the Redskins name “prideful” and said, “everything about that name has been positive for me.” Gibbs said he heard nothing negative during his time there and cited its fight song, “Hail to the Redskins.”
MLS-SOUNDERS-UNITED
Barrett scores in Sounders’ 1-0 win over United
WASHINGTON (AP) — Chad Barrett scored in the 39th minute to help the Seattle Sounders beat D.C. United 1-0 on Saturday night.
Seattle (11-3-2) won its third straight and extended its undefeated streak to five games.
Gonzalo Pineda lofted a cross and Barrett headed the feed from the penalty spot to inside the upper left corner of the goal past goalkeeper Bill Hamid. The goal was Barrett’s third goal in four games and his fourth of the season.
United (7-5-4) held a significant possession advantage but couldn’t find the net. In the 82nd minute, Eddie Johnson narrowly missed tying the game when his header fell wide.
Both teams played without their top scorers — Seattle’s Clint Dempsey is playing for the U.S. in the World Cup, and United’s Fabian Espindola is serving a suspension.
