Harvick sets track record to win pole

Harvick sets track record to win pole

KANSAS CITY, Kan.

Kevin Harvick set a track record to win the pole at Kansas Speedway.

Harvick posted his record time of 194.658 mph Friday in the second round of NASCAR’s knockout qualifying format. Harvick then hit 194.252 in the third round to win his second pole of the season. Joey Logano joins Harvick on the front row Saturday for the first night race in Kansas history.

Brad Keselowski, Carl Edwards and Kyle Larson round out the top five. Harvick has two wins this season and won from the pole at Darlington.

NFL draft shatters viewership record

NEW YORK

Johnny Football may not have appreciated the excruciating wait until he was drafted by the Cleveland Browns with the 22nd pick, but ESPN sure did.

The Nielsen company said Friday that the first round of the NFL draft drew 9.9 million viewers to ESPN Thursday night, shattering the previous record for the event that the network has telecast since 1980. The previous high was 7.3 million viewers in 2010. Viewership Thursday was 60 percent higher than last year’s 6.2 million.

Dick Parsons to be Clippers interim CEO

The NBA has chosen Dick Parsons, a former Citigroup chairman and former Time Warner chairman and CEO, as interim CEO of the Los Angeles Clippers.

Parsons will oversee the franchise while the league tries to force owner Donald Sterling to sell it following his lifetime ban for making racist remarks. NBA Commissioner Adam Silver says Friday in a statement that Parsons “will bring extraordinary leadership and immediate stability to the Clippers organization.”

Pirates recall infielder Brent Morel; option P

PITTSBURGH

The Pittsburgh Pirates recalled infielder Brent Morel from Triple-A Indianapolis on Friday.

Claimed off waivers from the Toronto Blue Jays in February, Morel hit .215 with one home run in 25 games for Indianapolis. The 27-year-old spent part of the last four seasons with the Chicago White Sox, hitting .229 with 13 homers in 194 games. The Pirates had an open roster spot after optioning right-hander Phil Irwin to Indianapolis on Thursday.

Pitch, Hit & Run competition set

The Pitch, Hit & Run competition, hosted by Youngstown Parks Department and Glacier Baseball, is this Monday at Pemberton Park.

All participants must provide a copy of a valid birth certificate for age verification and a parent or guardian must sign a registration/waiver form (available at www.mlb.com/phr) to compete.

Girls will use a softball and follow the girls softball division guidelines, and all boys will use a baseball and follow the boys baseball division guidelines. No metal spikes will be allowed.

Registration is at 5:30 p.m. with the competition beginning at 6. Contact Robert Burke at 330-207-9826 or rburke@cityofyoungstownoh.com for questions.

Mooney girls lax team to host playoff game

The Cardinal Mooney Girl’s Lacrosse team finished the regular season 7-4-1.

They will be hosting Sylvania Southview in the first round of the playoffs on Monday at 7 p.m. at Cardinal Mooney.

Tickets are $6 at the gate.

Wire/Staff reports