Johnson, Gordon start first

Rain washed out qualifying Friday at Bristol Motor Speedway in Tennessee for Sunday’s NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Food City 500, giving Hendrick Motorsports drivers Jimmie Johnson and Jeff Gordon front-row spots when the field was set by last season’s points.

“I’ll take it any way I can get it,” said Johnson, the two-time defending Sprint Cup champion who is off to an uncharacteristically slow start this season.

Johnson finished second at Auto Club Speedway in Fontana but was 27th, 29th and 13th in the three other races. He’s currently 13th in the points.

It took only one quick practice session for Tony Stewart to assess the tires Goodyear brought to Bristol Motor Speedway.

“I thought it was good,” Stewart said after Friday’s rain-shortened practice.

It was the first positive remark Stewart has had about tires since his blistering rant against Goodyear following Sunday’s race in Atlanta.

The two-time series champion said he’s happy with the tire compound at Bristol, where he had no issues navigating the 0.533-mile track.

McLaren has fired Mike Couglan, the designer at the center of the Formula One spy scandal last season. He had been under suspension since July when a technical dossier on Ferrari cars was found at his home, resulting in a $100-million fine for McLaren.

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TRACK AND FIELD

Northridge’s Cole wins

NCAA long jump title

Reindell Cole, a freshman from Cal State Northridge, won the men’s long jump at the NCAA Division I indoor championships at Fayetteville, Ark.

Cole follows DaShalle Andrews, who was the 2007 NCAA outdoor champion, to give the Matadors back-to-back NCAA long jump titles.

Cole posted the fifth-best mark in the world on his first attempt (26-7 3/4 ). Washington’s Norris Frederick came in second at 26-2 3/4 .

Arizona State sophomore Ryan Whiting won the shotput, setting a collegiate indoor record with a distance of 71-3 1/2

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COLLEGE FOOTBALL

LSU’s Miles to earn

$3.75 million a year

Louisiana State will make Les Miles the highest-paid head coach in the Southeastern Conference under a renegotiated five-year contract agreement. He will earn at least $3.75 million plus $1,000 a year in a deal that puts him ahead of Alabama Coach Nick Saban.

West Virginia University and ex-coach Rich Rodriguez will get their day in court. Judge Robert Stone set an April 3 hearing date when he will hear several motions and counterclaims filed in the school’s lawsuit over a $4-million buyout clause in Rodriguez’s contract.

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SOCCER

FIFA accepts proposal

for standard size pitches

FIFA accepted a proposal to standardize the size of international soccer fields at all new stadiums.

The governing body’s executive committee adopted a new rule from the International Football Assn. Board to fix the field size at 105 yards by 68 yards. The rule will not apply to existing stadiums.

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JURISPRUDENCE

Vick dogfighting

trial is delayed

The trial of suspended NFL quarterback Michael Vick on state dogfighting charges has been delayed.

Vick was scheduled to stand trial on April 2. The Surry County Commonwealth Attorney’s office says no new date has been set. The trial will be rescheduled on March 25.

Vick is serving a federal 23-month prison term in Leavenworth, Kan.

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HOCKEY

Injured Crosby will

be out another week

Pittsburgh Penguins star Sidney Crosby says he’ll be sidelined another week because of a high ankle sprain. The Penguins are 12-6-4 without him this season.