Kahne edges Montoya for Bristol pole

Autoracing Betting Lines

08/24/2007 - Bristol, TN (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - In one of the closest qualifying sessions of the season, Kasey Kahne captured the pole for Saturday night's Sharpie 500 Nextel Cup race at the Bristol Motor Speedway short track. The No.9 Gillett Evernham Motorsports Dodge circled the 0.533-mile high-banked half mile in 16.016 seconds (119.805 m.p.h.).

The pole victory was Kahne's second of the season and 14th of his "Cup" career.

"It felt good to get a couple of Dodges on the front row," said Kahne, who has yet to win in 2007 after winning six times the previous year. "A great start to the weekend, we need stuff like this to go on, it's been kind of a rough season."

Starting alongside Kahne, in just his second start at Bristol, will be Juan Pablo Montoya who posted a time of 16.064 seconds.

Jamie McMurray (16.103) and David Ragan (16.105) will make up row two. A total of 13 drivers were within 0.020 seconds of the pole winner.

Other drivers of note at their starting positions: Carl Edwards (sixth), Ryan Newman (seventh), Jimmie Johnson (ninth), Dale Earnhardt Jr. (17th) and points leader Jeff Gordon (18th).

Kurt Busch, who owns the 12th and final position in the "Chase for the Nextel Cup," has built his lead to 163 points over 13th-place Earnhardt Jr. and 171 over his Penske Racing teammate Newman. His second win in the last three races also means that should he make the "Chase" he would start with the fourth- highest total. Only Gordon (four wins), Johnson (four) and Tony Stewart (three) would begin the 10-race "playoffs" with more points.

In 13 career starts at BMS, Busch has one pole, five wins and eight top-10s. Between the spring of 2002 and the spring of 2004 he won four of five races and has led a total of 560 laps.

As always when you try and shoehorn 43 cars onto the high-banked, Bristol Motor Speedway track, expect to see plenty of bent sheetmetal and frustrated drivers. It makes for great racing.

The race is scheduled to drop the green flag on Saturday at 8 p.m. (et).

Diamondclubcasnio Autoracing Betting News

<< Fish moves into Pilot Pen final
New Haven, CT (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Unseeded American Mardy Fish booked a spot in Saturday's final at the $650,000 Pilot Pen Tennis event, a final U.S. Open tune-up. The 25-year-old wild card Fish ousted 6-foot-10 11th-seeded Croat Ivo Karl

<< Reds' Ross on rehab assignment
Cincinnati, OH (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Cincinnati Reds sent catcher David Ross to Triple-A Louisville on a rehab assignment Friday. Ross went on the 15-day disabled list August 13, after suffering a concussion when San Diego outfielder Mik

<< Tigers activate P Miller
Detroit, MI (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Detroit Tigers recalled the injury rehabilitation assignment of pitcher Andrew Miller on Friday and plan to start him against the New York Yankees. Miller started two games for Triple-A Toledo and

<< Crew aim to improve playoff position at Houston
Houston, TX (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Columbus Crew are trying to hang on to the final playoff position on Saturday when they travel to Robertson Stadium in a meeting with the Houston Dynamo. The Crew have lost two straight matches, but s

<< Yankees distance themselves from gang-related apparel
Bronx, NY (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The New York Yankees responded to a group of concerned East Harlem parents who called for the team and Major League Baseball to stop selling hats from a cap manufacturer that adds gang colors and sym

Gomez returns for defending champion Stuttgart >>
Stuttgart, Germany (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Defending Bundesliga champion Stuttgart, which is still searching for its first win, gets a boost Saturday when injured striker Mario Gomez returns from injury. Gomez led Stuttgart with 14 goals last y

Fielder's suspension reduced >>
San Francisco, CA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Major League Baseball reduced the suspension of Milwaukee Brewers first baseman Prince Fielder from three to two games on Friday. Fielder was originally suspended for three games

Razzano, Dulko land in Forest Hills final >>
Forest Hills, NY (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Top-seeded Frenchwoman Virginie Razzano and third-seeded Argentine Gisela Dulko reached Saturday's final at the $74,800 Forest Hills Sony Ericsson WTA Tour Classic. Razzano leveled Russian E

Around the FCS: N.C. Central excited about first D-I game >>
Philadelphia, PA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - While most of the Football Championship Subdivision is eagerly anticipating season-opening games next week, one team is ready to get a head start on Saturday evening. And it is a game of historical importa

Leffler wins Busch pole at BMS >>
Bristol, TN (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Jason Leffler won the pole for Friday night's Food City 250 Busch Series race at the Bristol Motor Speedway. The No.38 Great Clips Toyota driver circled the 0.533-mile short track in 15.947 seconds (120.32

Marlins could start season without No. 2 starter Johnson

JUPITER, Fla. -- The Foorida Marlins are preparing for the likelihood that right-hander
Josh Johnson won't be ready when the season starts April 2.

Grapefruit League action starts Wednesday, but Johnson, penciled in as the No. 2 starter, hasn't even thrown off a mound at full speed since September. He's experienced some soreness in his right forearm.

MySportsbook.com have the Marlins listed with baseball betting lines at +800 to win the NL East this season .

''You guys know the math. If he's not on the hill then he becomes an opening day roster issue,'' manager Fredi Gonzalez said Saturday. ''We're borderline now.''

Johnson, who finished 12-7 with a 3.10 ERA in 2007, was supposed to throw on flat ground Saturday. That was canceled when he woke up with pain.

He played catch on Wednesday with no pain but felt discomfort in a throwing session on Thursday. He's expected to try again Sunday.

''Like we always said from the very beginning, we're going to take it easy on him,'' Gonzalez said. ''He didn't feel right, so we shut him down. We're going to take it back to step one and see where we're at.''

Among the candidates to take Johnson's spot in the rotation are left-hander Chris George and right-handers Yusmeiro Petit and Jose Garcia.

Right-hander Sergio Mitre, who missed most of last season with arm and shoulder problems, also is behind.

With Johnson's status doubtful, Gonzalez said right-hander Ricky Nolasco will stay in the rotation and no longer will be considered a candidate for closer.

Additional basbeall odds can be found at: www.MySportsbook.com

To visit this online sportsbook got to MySportsbook.com - this sportsbook accepts credit cards.