Kahne edges Johnson for Sonoma pole

Autoracing Betting Lines

06/18/2010 - Sonoma, CA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Kasey Kahne will start on the pole for Sunday's Toyota/Save Mart 350 after posting the fastest lap during qualifying at Infineon Raceway.

Kahne, who won his first road-course race in the Sprint Cup Series last year at Sonoma, turned a lap of 93.893 m.p.h. for his first pole of the season and the 17th of his career. His last pole came at this 1.99-mile course in Northern California two years ago.

"We've had a pole here before, and now we have another one," Kahne said. "This whole team did a real nice job today. We showed up with a great car and then made a few adjustments. It felt really good. We haven't had a pole in a long time."

Kahne, currently 21st in points, is in the last year of his contract with Richard Petty Motorsports. Earlier today, he confirmed that his plans for next season remain uncertain before he replaces Mark Martin in the No.5 Chevrolet at Hendrick Motorsports in 2012.

"I actually talked with Mr. Hendrick this morning, and we just chatted," Kahne said. "We stay in touch every week, and we didn't even cross that path. I didn't even ask anything about next year, and he didn't bring it up either. We were just talking about other stuff, so I would say there is no new news."

Kahne finished a season-best second last weekend at Michigan.

Jimmie Johnson qualified 0.07 seconds behind Kahne to claim the outside pole. Johnson, the four-time defending series champion, has yet to win a road-course event.

"We didn't expect that; I knew that we didn't have a clean lap in practice," Johnson said. "I'm definitely impressed with the lap in qualifying that we had today. From inside the car, I didn't think it was going to be all that quick. It had great forward bite, but I just wasn't turning."

Kurt Busch took the third spot, followed by Kevin Harvick, the points leader, and Jeff Gordon, who holds the record for most victories at Sonoma with five.

"For us, it was a great run today in qualifying," Busch said. "I was slipping and sliding on banana peels all through practice."

Marcos Ambrose, Tony Stewart, Bobby Labonte, Greg Biffle and Martin Truex Jr. completed the top-10.

Harvick currently holds a 22-point lead over Kyle Busch, who qualified 27th.

Denny Hamlin, winner of the last two races, will start 12th.

Michael Waltrip, Brian Simo and Brandon Ash failed to qualify.

Sunday's race at Sonoma is scheduled to start just after 3:00 p.m. (et).

Wwpogo Autoracing Betting News

<< Steinhauer grabs early lead in New Jersey
Galloway, NJ (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Sherri Steinhauer fired a seven-under 64 Friday to grab a one-stroke lead after the opening round of the ShopRite LPGA Classic. Steinhauer, an eight-time winner on the LPGA Tour, shared second place in

<< Saints' Moore signs tender
Metaire, LA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Saints announced Friday wide receiver Lance Moore has signed his one-year qualifying offer. Moore caught 14 passes for 153 yards and two touchdowns in an injury-plagued year for the defending Sup

<< Titans top pick Morgan arrested
Nashville, TN (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Defensive end Derrick Morgan, the first-round draft pick of the Tennessee Titans, was arrested Wednesday afternoon for speeding and driving with a suspended license. Morgan, the No. 16 overall draft

<< Report: Ravens, S Hamlin agree to deal
Owings Mills, MD (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Baltimore Sun is reporting that the Ravens and safety Ken Hamlin have agreed to a one-year deal. Hamlin was released by the Dallas Cowboys in April and, according to the report, impressed the

<< Rockies' Tulowitzki hits DL with wrist fracture
Denver, CO (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Colorado Rockies placed shortstop Troy Tulowitzki on the 15-day disabled list Friday with a fractured left wrist. Tulowitzki was hit by a pitch from Minnesota's Alex Burnett in the eighth inning o

Smith remains in front at Fort Smith Classic >>
Fort Smith, AR (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Nathan J. Smith managed only an even-par 70 on Friday, but it was enough for him to keep his lead after two rounds of the Fort Smith Classic at Hardscrabble Country Club. Smith completed 36 holes at nine-u

Mariners activate Sweeney from DL >>
Seattle, WA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Seattle Mariners activated designated hitter Mike Sweeney from the 15-day disabled list on Friday. Sweeney had been battling lower back inflammation and has not played since June 2. His offense

Encarnacion lifts Blue Jays over Giants >>
Toronto, ON (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Edwin Encarnacion blasted the game-winning home run leading off the bottom of the eighth inning to push Toronto past San Francisco, 3-2, in the opener of a three-game interleague set at Rogers Centre.

Howard, Utley power Phillies past Twins >>
Philadelphia, PA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Ryan Howard homered twice and finished a single short of the cycle, as the Philadelphia Phillies got on a roll with a 9-5 defeat of the Minnesota Twins in the opener of a three-game interleague set.

Strasburg's record overshadows White Sox win over Nats >>
Washington, DC (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Stephen Strasburg fanned 10 more batters and set a major league record in the process, but an infield single by Alex Rios scored Mark Kotsay with the go-ahead run in the 11th inning as the Chicago White S

Mayweather picked to beat De La Hoya
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA -- Golden Boy Oscar De La Hoya and his rival Floyd Mayweather Jr. arrived at the MGM Grand here Wednesday amid the pomp and pandemonium befitting two of the biggest stars in the sport who are about to duke it out for the WBC super welterweight crown this Saturday (Sunday in Manila).

As of Wednesday, MySportsbook.com closed its book with Mayweather a favorite to defeat De La Hoya at -170 (a $100 bet wins $70), while De La Hoya is a +140 underdog (a $100 bet wins $140).

Mayweather arrived at about 11:30 a.m. on a big truck with his face and a big "World's Best Pound-for-Pound" sign scribbled across the vehicle. He was accompanied by his entourage made up of rappers and his training team.

A crowd of close to 3,000 eager fans packed the MGM Grand lobby, with their cameras in tow, all trying to vie for position to get a good angle at Mayweather, who is acknowledged as the world's best fighter pound-for-pound.

Eric Gomez, Golden Boy Promotions vice-president, described the fan turnout as "amazing" and swore he had never seen anything quite like this event.

"The crowd was fantastic. Everybody was just too eager to see the two fighters," said ALA manager Michael Aldeguer, who was among those who waited at the lobby together with his ward Rey "Boom Boom" Bautista and AJ Banal.

De La Hoya made his own grand entrance at the hotel lobby at around 12:30 p.m. accompanied by GBP chief executive officer Richard Schaefer and trainer Freddie Roach.

The same group of fans who trooped to see Mayweather also lingered around to get a close look at De La Hoya, who has been secretly working out at a Las Vegas gym for days after arriving from his main training camp in Puerto Rico.

The golden boy then took part in a closed-door afternoon workout with Bautista and Banal. The two, along with Aldeguer and wife Christine, as well as an HBO crew were the only ones allowed inside the gym.

De La Hoya and Mayweather take part in today's final press conference before the official weigh-in this Friday.

Ring Magazine, the acknowledged bible of boxing, reported in its June 2007 issue that 12 out of 20 boxing experts it interviewed have favored Mayweather to defeat De la Hoya, with only 8 favoring the latter.

But Filipino ring icon Manny Pacquiao said in a recent interview with The Freeman's Emmanuel Villaruel that De La Hoya will win by unanimous decision over Mayweather.

To visit this online sportsbook got to MySportsbook.com for all your bet on boxing needs.