RICHMOND, Va. -- Denny Hamlin won the pole Friday for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race Saturday night at Richmond International Raceway.The Joe Gibbs Racing driver, racing about 20 miles from where he grew up in Chesterfield, turned a fast lap at 122.344 mph in the third round of qualifying to claim his first pole position of the year. Its the 24th pole position of his career and third in 21 tries on the 0.75-mile oval.It also marks the 24th consecutive race Hamlin will start from in the top 10.We were second and third so many times, it was crazy, Hamlin said about his consistently good qualifying but inability to win a pole. We actually looked at the rainouts and its like, Were going to start seventh because of a rainout and it hurts our average.Hamlin said his average starting position, 6.1, is the best since Jeff Gordon had a 5.0 average in 1995.That was a pretty cool stat to see, he said.The pole was somewhat unexpected, Hamlin said, because he had to run several laps in each round while others ran just one.I thought that for sure we had too many laps on our tires, he said. A lot of guys that we were challenging only had one lap per session. My car didnt really come in that quick, so I had to run multiple laps.Earning the pole regardless is promising, he said.Running that fast with so many laps tells us we have a good car for the long run, he said.Kyle Larson will start on the outside of the front row, with Matt Kenseth and Jamie McMurray in the second row, followed by Kurt Busch and Martin Truex Jr. in the third. The top 10 also includes Kasey Kahne, Austin Dillon, Kyle Busch and Jimmie Johnson.Dillon and McMurray are among the drivers hoping to cement a spot in the Chase for the championship that begins next week. Brooks Kriske Jersey . Louis Rams wide receiver Stedman Bailey last Sunday. The fine is the fourth this season for Goldson. He was fined $30,000 for a hit on the New York Jets Jeff Cumberland in Week 1. Jorge Posada Jersey . Jason Zucker and Matt Cooke also scored for Minnesota, which has won five of six. Kuemper made five saves in the first, nine in the second, and nine in the third. The rookies best save came with 2:17 left in the third period when he denied former Wild forward Matt Cullen from just outside of the crease on the right side. http://www.customyankeesjersey.com/custom-thurman-munson-jersey-large-424i.html . While hell be dialed in to that tournament on a course he loves, you can forgive him if his eyes glance down the calendar just a bit, towards April. Wholesale Custom Yankees Shirts .J. -- Marty Brodeur beat the Pittsburgh Penguins yet again. Randy Johnson Jersey . "No difference at all," chirped U.S. roommate and linemate James van Riemsdyk. "Its still the same cranky Phil. ALAMEDA, Calif. -- The Raiders plan to place cornerback DJ Hayden on injured reserve because of a hamstring injury, potentially ending the former first-round picks stay in Oakland.Although the team had yet to make an official announcement, coach Jack Del Rio told reporters on Friday that Haydens season was finished.Hes got a substantial hamstring (injury) so hes not going to be returning this year to us, Del Rio said. That was a big blow. Thatll happen either tonight or tomorrow. Its unfortunate. He was playing well for us but thats the case.Hayden was injured on the second play in the fourth quarter of last weeks win against the Carolina Panthers and did not return. That ended an up-and-down season for the fifth-year player who had been playing mostly in nickel situations.Its always a blow when we lose any type of player because every piece that we have is critical for our success on the field, said TJ Carrie, who is likely to replace Hayden as Oaklands nickel back. A lot of other guys are going to have to step up. A lot of the younger guys are going to have to step up and be on notice for whatever happens with us in the back end.It is also a potentially cruel ending to Haydens tenure in Oakland.The Raiders went 14-34 during Haydens first three seasons but are 9-2 and leading the AFC West heading into Sundays home game against the Buffalo Bills. General manager Reggie McKenzie declined to pick up the option year on Haydens contract this past offseason, however, making him a free agent at the end of this season.Hayden did not come into the locker room during the media access period Friday. Carrie, a close friend, said his teammate is trying to remaain upbeat.ddddddddddddDJs a big part of our success defensively, what weve been able to do, Carrie said. As a professional, your hopes are going to be down for a little bit but at the end of the day I think hes still very positive in the sense he can be around us and definitely teach us some of the things that he knows and allow us to see some of the things hes seen on the field. That will be critical for all of us.The 12th overall pick in 2013, Hayden has played only one full season due to a history of injuries after suffering a near-fatal heart injury prior to his senior year in college. Hayden missed eight games as a rookie because of a groin injury and sat out the first six games in 2014 with a foot injury.He has all the tools to go as high as he wants to go, Raiders cornerback David Amerson said. I just always knew when he gets there mentally he could do all these things, that he could play with the best of them. That he was going to be an important piece, of any team, of our team. It sucks, man.Game notes Quarterback Derek Carr (finger) was removed from the injury list. . Defensive tackles Stacy McGee (ankle), Darius Latham (ankle) and linebacker Shalique Calhoun (knee) did not practice and are out. Wide receiver Michael Crabtree (ankle), center Rodney Hudson (knee), running back Latavius Murray (ankle), left guard Kelechi Osemele (knee) and linebackers Malcolm Smith (hamstring) and Perry Riley Jr. (hamstring) were all limited and questionable.----Online:AP NFL website: www.pro32.ap.org and www.twitter.com/AP-NFL ' ' '