Briefs | Newman captures pole at Lowe's

Auto racing

Newman takes pole: Ryan Newman captured his seventh career pole at Lowe's Motor Speedway in Concord, N.C., for Saturday night's Bank of America 500. Newman was clocked at 189.394 mph.

Jimmie Johnson, who has won five of the past 12 races at the track, will start second after a lap of 188.990. The race marks the halfway point in the Chase for the Nextel Cup championship.

Bobby Labonte qualified third, followed by points leader Jeff Gordon, Kasey Kahne of Enumclaw and Jamie McMurray. Matt Kenseth qualified seventh, followed by Kurt Busch, Casey Mears and Greg Biffle of Vancouver, Wash.

Tennis

Blake wins: Two-time defending champion James Blake beat Frank Dancevic 6-3, 6-2 at the Stockholm Open in Sweden, setting up a quarterfinal meeting against Jarkko Nieminen in a rematch of last year's final.

The top-seeded American improved his record to 12-0 at the Royal Tennis Hall, where he will attempt to become the first person to win the Stockholm Open three straight times.

Djokovic advances: Top-seeded Novak Djokovic beat Tomas Zib 6-4, 6-4 to advance to the quarterfinals of the BA-CA Tennis Trophy in Vienna, Austria.

Serena prevails: Serena Williams advanced to the quarterfinals of the Kremlin Cup in Moscow by defeating Tatiana Perebiynis 7-5, 6-4.

Venus wins twice: Venus Williams won two matches, moving into the quarterfinals of the Bangkok Open in Thailand. Williams finished a rain-delayed match against Caroline Wozniacki of Denmark 6-2, 6-2, before defeating Tamarine Tanasugarn of Thailand 6-4, 6-1 in the night session.

College basketball

Georgia suspends three players: Three Georgia men's players, including the Bulldogs' top two returning scorers, were suspended for violations of the school's new class-attendance policy for athletes. Guard Mike Mercer has been suspended for 15 games, forward Takais Brown for nine games and center Albert Jackson for six games.

Ball State boots two players: First-year Ball State men's coach Billy Taylor dismissed center Micah Rollin and guard Jarelle Redden from the team for separate violations of team policy.

Summitt to receive award: Tennessee women's coach Pat Summitt will receive the John R. Wooden Award's Legends of Coaching award in April, becoming the first women's basketball coach to be honored.

NCAA toughens bench enforcement: Cursing or venturing onto the court could draw coaches a quick technical foul this season. The NCAA is making bench decorum a point of emphasis for 2007-08 and warns coaches to expect a whistle without warning for a variety of unsportsmanlike actions.

Colleges

Fresno State to pay $3.5 million: Fresno State has agreed to pay $3.5 million to settle a sexual-discrimination lawsuit filed by former athletic administrator Diane Milutinovich.

Soccer

Chivas USA, FC Dallas draw: Brad Guzan made five saves for his MLS-leading 12th shutout of the season to help Chivas USA (15-6-7) play a scoreless draw with host FC Dallas (13-11-5).

Dida suspended: AC Milan goalkeeper Dida was suspended for two Champions League matches for pretending to be injured after being touched by a Celtic fan who ran onto the field last week in Glasgow, Scotland.

Horse racing

Teuflesberg has surgery: Teuflesberg, who finished 17th in the Kentucky Derby, was resting comfortably in Lexington, Ky., after successful surgery to fuse two broken bones in the 3-year-old colt's left front leg.

WNBA

Monarchs forward arrested: Sacramento Monarchs forward Rebekkah Brunson, 25, was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence.

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