Busch, Burton win Daytona qualifiers
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla., Feb. 17 (UPI) -- Kurt Busch captured the pole for the Daytona 500 Thursday by winning the first of two qualifying races leading to Sunday's running of NASCAR's biggest event.
Jeff Burton claimed the second of the two 150-mile races, setting the stage for a Daytona 500 that should be unlike any seen before.
Drivers quickly learned after practicing at the newly-resurfaced Daytona International Speedway that the quickest way to get around the track was to hook up in two-car tandems. Fans used to seeing a large group of cars racing bumper to bumper and side to side will now see groups of two cars working together.
Busch moved into the pole position after original pole setter Dale Earnhardt Jr. was involved in a wreck during practice this week. Earnhardt had won the pole during the one-lap qualifying session, but because he will have to use a different car than the one in which he qualified he must start at the back of the pack.
Busch held off Regan Smith to win first qualifying race and Burton edged Childress Racing teammate Clint Bowyer by .005 seconds to win the second.
Bill Elliott, Michael Waltrip and Brian Keselowski were among those who raced their way into the Daytona 500 Thursday after beginning the qualifying events without a guaranteed spot in the field.
Busch won Saturday in the Budweiser Shootout, which unveiled the special kind of racing that will be seen Sunday.
"This has been incredible and I just don't want it to end," Busch said. "I want to make sure we keep doing everything right."
Haas part of nine-way tie for the lead
PACIFIC PALISADES, Calif., Feb. 17 (UPI) -- Bill Haas, who lost in a playoff at the Bob Hope Classic last month, became part of a huge tie for the lead Thursday after one round of the Northern Trust Open.
The best anyone could do at the famed Riviera Country Club course in the tournament's opening round was a 4-under 67, but nine players were able to do so and there could be another co-leader before the first round is complete.
Officials suspended play because of darkness with five groups still on the course.
Among those who could not complete the round was Peter Tomasulo, who -- when the action resumes Friday -- will be looking at a 13-foot birdie putt on his closing hole that would move him into a share of the lead.
Joining Haas at 67 were John Senden, Martin Laird, Robert Allenby, Spencer Levin, Aaron Baddeley, Ben Martin, Carl Pettersson and J.B. Holmes.
Haas ranks eighth on this year's money list, having come close to capturing the Hope before falling to rookie Jhonattan Vegas in a sudden death playoff.
Among those a shot out of the lead were Padraig Harrington and Fred Couples. Geoff Ogilvy, Stuart Appleby, Matt Kuchar and Corey Pavin were among those two shots back.
Phil Mickelson and Mark Wilson, a two-time winner this year, both had an even-par 71. There were 90 players within five shots of the lead.
NFL, players agree to mediated talks
WASHINGTON, Feb. 17 (UPI) -- The Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service announced Thursday it would oversee negotiations between NFL owners and players.
Although there is no guarantee a mediated settlement can be reached, both sides say they hope the presence of a mediator during negotiations can help in solving the current labor impasse.
The current NFL collective bargaining agreement expires March 3. Talks broke down last week after the players had proposed a 50-50 split of revenues and the league then filed an unfair labor practice suit against the NFL Players Association.
"I have had separate, informal discussions with key representatives of the NFL and NFLPA during the course of their negotiations for a successful collective bargaining agreement," FMCS Director George H. Cohen said in a statement released Thursday. "At the invitation of the FMCS, and with the agreement of both parties, the ongoing negotiations will now be conducted under auspices in Washington, D.C. commencing Friday, Feb. 18."
The owners and players must determine how to divide the $9 billion worth of revenue that comes into the league each year. Owners have said they must have a rollback in salaries. Also at issue is a proposal by the owners to expand the regular season to 18 games and cut the exhibition campaign to two games.
"The NFL Players Association has always focused on reaching a fair collective bargaining agreement through negotiations," the union said in a statement. "We hope that this renewed effort, through mediation, will help the players and owners reach a successful deal."
Owls win seventh straight game
PHILADELPHIA, Feb. 17 (UPI) -- Juan Fernandez scored five points in a 16-point second-half run Thursday that sent No. 25 Temple rolling over Richmond 73-53.
Temple won its seventh straight game and has captured 20 in a row at home. The Owls (20-5, 10-2 Atlantic-10) went into the game tied with Richmond in the league race and moved within a half game of front-running Xavier.
Ramone Moore led the Owls with 24 points and Fernandez hit 9-of-10 from the field while scoring 20 points.
Temple had a five-point lead in the early moments of the second half when it ran off 16 straight points over the course of 5 minutes. Fernandez finished the surge with a 3-pointer that gave Temple a 54-33 lead with 13:52 to play.
Scootie Randall added 10 points for the Owls before leaving with a foot injury. Kevin Anderson led Richmond (20-7, 9-3) with 15 points. The Spiders had won four straight.
