INDIANAPOLIS — Vitor Meira is off his pain medication, walking one mile a day and hoping to return to racing in time for the IndyCar season finale in October.
The Brazilian driver broke two bones in his back in a crash during the Indianapolis 500 on May 24. He told The Indianapolis Star he hopes to return by the end of the season “unless the doctor says it’s a real stupid idea.”
A.J. Foyt‘s team said Friday that Ryan Hunter-Reay will replace Meira for the rest of the season and drive in a second Foyt car in the season finale if Meira is back. Paul Tracy and A.J. Foyt IV filled Meira’s seat the past two races.
• Brian Vickers has won the pole for the LifeLock 400 at Michigan International Speedway in Brooklyn, Mich.
It was the eighth pole of his Cup career and third of the season for the Red Bull Racing driver. Vickers posted a lap of 189.110 mph on the 2-mile Michigan oval that will host Sunday’s race.
Runner-up Kyle Busch wasn’t close at 188.536. Three-time reigning Cup champion Jimmie Johnson was third at 188.299.
Roddick advances to semis
LONDON — Andy Roddick stayed on track for his fifth title at Queen’s Club by defeating Ivo Karlovic 7-6 (4), 7-6 (5), advancing to the semifinals of the Aegon Championships.
In today’s semifinals, Roddick will face James Blake, who downed Mikhail Youzhny 7-6 (5), 6-3.
• Second-seeded Novak Djoko- vic overwhelmed Jurgen Melzer 6-1, 6-4 to reach the semifinals of the Gerry Weber Open in Halle, Germany.
Djokovic will next play qualifier Olivier Rochus of Belgium, who came from a set down to defeat Benjamin Becker of Germany 6-7 (4), 6-3, 6-3.
Former Kansas AD dies in bike accident
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Former Kansas athletic director Bob Frederick, who took criticism for hiring an obscure assistant named Roy Williams as basketball coach and later helped create the Big 12 Conference, died following a bicycling accident. He was 69.
An accomplished cyclist, Frederick was riding on a city street in Lawrence, Kan., near the campus Thursday evening when he hit a pothole, flew over the handlebars and struck the pavement, causing massive head injuries.
Footnotes.
Robert Karlsson of Sweden has withdrawn from the U.S. Open next week at Bethpage Black because of an eye infection which has left him with no depth perception in his left eye.
Andrew Svoboda will replace him.
• Trainer Chip Woolley of Kentucky Derby winner Mine That Bird says the horse will run in the West Virginia Derby (Aug. 1) before heading to the Breeders’ Cup Classic (Aug. 29) later this year.
• The Rose Bowl will be televised on ESPN beginning in January 2011, giving the network broadcast rights to all Bowl Championship Series games.
• Two-time Tour de France winner Laurent Fignon says he has cancer in his digestive system and is undergoing chemotherapy.
The Associated Press
