Torres and world records highlight trials
OMAHA, July 4 (UPI) -- Michael Phelps and Aaron Peirsol equaled world records Friday and Dara Torres qualified for her fifth Olympics at the U.S. Swimming Trials in Omaha.
Ryan Lochte, meanwhile, swam two races within less than half an hour and finished second in both to two of the sport's most dominating performers.
Peirsol defeated Lochte by .02 of a second to win the 200-meter backstroke. Peirsol tied Lochte's world record time of 1:54.32, setting up another duel at the Beijing Olympics next month.
Phelps followed by tying his own world record of 1:54.98 in the 200-meter individual medley. It was his fourth victory of the trials with one more event remaining on his schedule.
If Phelps does compete in five individual events in Beijing, he will have a chance at a record eight gold medals because he will also be on three relay teams.
Lochte finished second to Phelps in the individual medley in the time of 1:55.22.
Torres, at age 41, then became the oldest American swimmer to earn an Olympic berth by winning the women's 100-meter freestyle in 53.78. She will become the first swimmer from the United States to compete in five Olympics, having already won nine medals.
Menard wins first career pole at Daytona
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla., July 4 (UPI) -- Paul Menard won the first pole of his Sprint Cup career Friday, turning in the best qualifying time for the Coke Zero 400.
Menard traveled two and a half miles around the Daytona International Speedway in 48.409 seconds, or 185.916 mph. His first pole came in his 57th race. Menard had never qualified better than 13th in his career.
It is the second straight event on the Sprint Cup circuit in which a driver has won his first career pole. Patrick Carpentier did the same thing last week in New Hampshire.
Qualifying second was veteran Mark Martin, who earlier in the day announced he would drive a full schedule next year for Hendrick Motorsports. He had announced his retirement from full-time racing two years ago.
Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Joe Nemechek will make up the second row for Saturday night's race.
Points leader Kyle Busch qualified ninth.
Pernice, Overton share lead at AT&T
BETHESDA, Md., July 4 (UPI) -- Tom Pernice shot the low round of the tournament so far Friday to grab a share of the lead after 36 holes at the AT&T National in Bethesda, Md.
Pernice fired a 7-under 63 over the Congressional Country Club course for a two-day total of 131. Jeff Overton matched that 36-hole total by shooting a 65.
Cliff Kresge and Anthony Kim shared third at 134. First-round leader Steve Marino was one of seven players at 135.
Pernice, with two PGA Tour victories to his credit, played a bogey-free round.
"I hit a lot of iron shots in there close and I had a couple of 20 footers that were the bonuses," Pernice said.
Marino was joined in fifth place by Rod Pampling, Steve Stricker, Nick O'Hern, John Merrick, Jeff Maggert and Billy Mayfair.
Defending champion K.J. Choi was at 139.
It took a score of 143 to make the cut. Among those missing it was Masters champ Trevor Immelman (144).
Tampa Bay wins fifth straight
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla., July 4 (UPI) -- Carlos Pena knocked in five runs Friday, three with a fifth-inning homer, to lead the Tampa Bay Rays' 11-2 rout of Kansas City.
The veteran first baseman also hit an RBI single in the first and a sacrifice fly in the third.
Carl Crawford had three of the Rays' 12 hits along with two RBI and three runs scored.
It was the fifth consecutive victory for the surprising Rays, who are the first team other than Boston or the New York Yankees to lead the AL East in July since Toronto did so in 2000.
Coming off their three-game sweep of Boston, the Rays maintained a three-game lead over the Red Sox.
With New York losing its third in a row to Boston earlier Friday, the Yankees fell into fourth place in the division -- nine games behind Tampa Bay.
Edwin Jackson (5-6) picked up the win for the Rays, giving up two runs -- one earned -- and four hits in eight innings in his best start this season.
