Auto racing
NASCAR EYES N.Y.: NASCAR is thinking about building a speedway in a city better known for traffic jams and taxicabs than for motorsports.
Racing promoters have held preliminary discussions with city economic officials about constructing a NASCAR track on Staten Island, the mayor's office said Friday.
NASCAR has looked at various locations in the region since plans to build a speedway at the Meadowlands in New Jersey foundered, said David Talley, a spokesman for the International Speedway Corp., which owns 13 tracks nationwide.
"Staten Island is one we're looking at," Talley told The New York Times. "We're looking at a couple of sites in New Jersey as well."
BIFFLE WINS POLE: Greg Biffle sped to his second Busch Series pole of the season, outrunning youngsters Kyle Busch and Kasey Kahne on Friday in qualifying for the Carquest Auto Parts 300 at Lowe's Motor Speedway in Concord, N.C. Biffle clocked in at 183.545 mph, about 0.015 seconds better than Busch. Kevin Harvick, Joe Nemechek and Tony Stewart followed Kahne; all also are running the Coca-Cola 600 this weekend.
Basketball
'CRYBABY' HONORED: A New Jersey middle school honor student who was humiliated when his basketball coach gave him a "Crybaby Award" last month was feted at a school assembly Friday with applause from his peers and an apology from the coach.
Ousted Pleasantville Middle School coach James Guillen presented Terrence Philo Jr. with a certificate, a trophy and the first-ever Terrence Philo Jr. Award.
"I would like to extend a special apology to the Terrence Philo family," Guillen told the boy in front of about 250 of his cheering classmates. He blamed his error last month on "my lack of experience as a coach and as a teacher."
St. Joseph's basketball coach Phil Martelli also was on hand to see the boy honored.
Philo, an eighth-grade honor student, was a guard on the team, which went 12-3 and won its division championship.
Guillen, a teacher in his first year as coach, had told him to be sure to attend the team's April 24 banquet to accept an award. But when he showed up, Guillen gave him a Crybaby Award trophy for always pleading to get into games.
The boy's family was irate, and Guillen was removed as coach, suspended from his teaching job for five days and lost a scheduled pay raise.
The boy's determination to participate was the impetus behind the new award, which will go each year to a student who demonstrates dedication and team spirit. Philo said he was pleased.
"How they did it this way, it's better," he said.
Martelli, who guided the Hawks to a surprising run at the national championship this past season, said the assembly would help everyone involved learn from what happened.
"It's an unfortunate situation that I think has ended in a positive vein," he said.
LESLIE CONCERNED: Lisa Leslie is paying close attention to security while getting ready to play in her third Olympics.
"It's definitely a concern," Leslie said of possible terrorist attacks at the Athens Games. "When I get to that point when it's time to go and I don't feel safe, I'm not going to go. But I think that our country will definitely make a decision based on whether it's safe for us to go prior to that point."
Another team member, Diana Taurasi, said she's not overly concerned. "I know this is the Olympics, but I'm not worried," the Phoenix rookie said last week. "That's life. There are dangers every day."
Football
BLAKE SIGNS WITH EAGLES: Quarterback Jeff Blake signed a one-year contract with the Philadelphia Eagles on Friday. Blake, who was released by Arizona in February, gives the Eagles insurance should starter Donovan McNabb or backup Koy Detmer get injured. He replaces A.J. Feeley, who was traded to Miami for a second-round pick in next year's draft.
EX-STEELER DIES: Gary Ballman, a Pro Bowl player for the Pittsburgh Steelers in the 1960s, is dead at 63. Ballman died May 20 as he mowed his lawn in Aurora, Colo., family members said.
GIANTS SIGN ALEXANDER: Veteran safety Brent Alexander has signed with the New York Giants. To make room for Alexander, the Giants waived safety Ryan Clark, 32.
COACH REPRIMANDED: Kentucky's offensive coordinator was reprimanded and won't receive a scheduled pay raise after a university investigation found he was "careless" with four complimentary tickets last season.
Athletic director Mitch Barnhart recommended the punishment for Ron Hudson and university President Lee Todd accepted it. The punishment came after a two-week inquiry into a claim that complimentary tickets to football games were used as payment to a contractor for work done at Hudson's home.
Track
PENTATHLON MARK: American Vahktang Iogarishvili dominated his qualifying group with 4,292 points Friday at the modern pentathlon world championships in Moscow. China's Zhenhua Qian led all qualifiers with 4,336 points. Though Iogarishvili is among 38 athletes who already have qualified for the Athens Games, there are Olympics spots up for grabs. The top nine men and women finishers earn spots for the games.