LEXINGTON, KY. ? John Calipari wants Kentucky fans to settle down and enjoy the summer.

The Kentucky men’s basketball coach repeated Friday that he’s not going anywhere.

His athletic director, Mitch Barnhart, says Calipari is not leaving Kentucky.

But the speculation continues that Calipari will leave Kentucky after one season and jump to the NBA.

Calipari sent a message on Twitter on Friday morning that said, “I want to address this with the Big Blue Nation one last time, I will be coaching at Kentucky next year. Now let’s finish what we started!”

He added that, “I’ve said many times that I’ve got the best job in the country. Still the speculation runs wild and I can’t stop that.”

The speculation revolves around Calipari’s friendship with LeBron James and gained additional heat Thursday night when James’ Cleveland Cavaliers were eliminated from the NBA playoffs.

James becomes a free agent this summer and can now focus all his energies on determining for which team he will plot his future.

The coach’s name has been linked to both James and to the Chicago Bulls, who are led by former Calipari player Derrick Rose.

On his Facebook page last week, Calipari addressed a report that said he had shown interest in the Chicago job.

“Every year you will hear my name mentioned for NBA jobs because I coached in the league before,” Calipari posted. “I’m very happy at Kentucky.”

That statement coincided with an announcement from Barnhart saying Kentucky was working on a contract extension for the coach.

Barnhart reiterated Thursday that he thinks Calipari wants to be here.

“I’m very confident he’s going to be our head coach next year,” Barnhart said after a Kentucky Athletics Association Board of Directors meeting. “. . . and I feel very confident good times are ahead.”

AUTO RACING

Almirola wins truck race

Dover, Del. — Aric Almirola survived a wild end at Dover International Speedway to earn his first NASCAR Trucks victory in a green-white finish on Friday. Kyle Busch led most of the race, 172 laps overall, and was in third heading into the final restart. But he made an unexpected pit stop when he ran out of fuel and finished 16th.

Almirola took control and held on for the win. He just wished Busch was around for the finish. Busch left the No. 51 truck at the end of last season to start his own team and Almirola took his spot.

James Buescher was second, and Justin Lofton finished third at Dover. Ricky Carmichael and Todd Bodine rounded out the top five.

Truex takes Dover pole

Dover, Del. — Martin Truex Jr. has been first to finish at Dover International Speedway and now he’ll be first to start. Truex turned a lap of 157.315 mph and won the pole on Friday — nearly three years after he won his only career Cup race at Dover. Truex won his first pole of the season and first since last November at Phoenix.

Kasey Kahne was second and Mark Martin third in Friday’s qualifying. Points leader Kevin Harvick was 30th.

NBA

Hawks fire Woodson

Atlanta — Mike Woodson is out as coach of the Atlanta Hawks after the team was swept in the second round of the playoffs by the Orlando Magic.

Hawks general manager Rick Sund said Friday they will not offer Woodson a new contract. Woodson coached the team for six seasons, and improved its record every season after managing just 13 wins his first year.

This season, Atlanta won 53 games, its most since 1996-97, and captured the No. 3 seed in the Eastern Conference. But that wasn’t enough to save Woodson’s job.

GOLF

Pak up by one at Mobile

Mobile, Ala. — Se Ri Pak shot a 6-under 66 on Friday to take a one-stroke lead over Brittany Lincicome and Wendy Ward in the Bell Micro LPGA Classic.

Pak, who opened on the 10th tee, had five birdies in a six-hole stretch on her final nine holes to top the second-round leaderboard at 9 under on The Crossings course at the Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail’s Magnolia Grove complex.

Many of the players wore purple ribbons and wristbands with “EB” and a heart honoring Erica Blasberg, a 25-year-old tour player who was found dead in suburban Las Vegas on Sunday.

Rain plagues Texas Open

San Antonio — Rain washed out play in the Texas Open and PGA Tour officials said more bad weather this weekend could push the tournament into Monday.

More than three inches of rain soaked the Oaks Course at TPC San Antonio, where leader Matt Jones and the rest of the field never got on the course. They’ll try again today, when Jones will start with a one-stroke lead over Paul Stankowski. Jones opened with a 6-under 66 on Thursday.

Four share Regions lead

Hoover, Ala. — Joey Sindelar, Bobby Clampett, Russ Cochran and Peter Senior shot 7-under 65s on Friday in the Regions Charity Classic to share the lead after the record-setting opening round.

The 77 players in the field had a scoring average of 69.519 on the Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail’s Ross Bridge course, breaking the tournament record of 70.397 set in 2002 when the Champions Tour event was played at Greystone.

TENNIS

Federer, Nadal reach semis

Madrid — Defending champion Roger Federer rallied from a set and a break down to beat Ernests Gulbis, 3-6, 6-1, 6-4, on Friday and secure a place in the Madrid Masters semifinals. Earlier Friday, Rafael Nadal was close to his clay-court best in beating Gael Monfils, 6-1, 6-3.

NFL

McNabb apologizes to fans

Philadelphia — Donovan McNabb apologized to the fans of Philadelphia for not winning a Super Bowl title for them.

“I look back — the things that I set out that I wanted to accomplish and bring back to Philadelphia, I wasn’t able to, and I apologize more than anything to the people of Philadelphia, not bringing that Super Bowl to them,” McNabb told Philadelphia radio station 97.5 The Fanatic.

McNabb was traded to division rival Washington last month after 11 seasons with the Eagles, who drafted him third overall in 1999.

He led the Eagles to five appearances in the NFC championship game and a spot in the Super Bowl after the 2004 season. The Eagles lost that game, 24-21, to New England.

COLLEGE FOOTBALL

Tech seeks dismissal

Lubbock, Texas — Attorneys for Texas Tech asked a judge Friday to essentially throw out a lawsuit by former football coach Mike Leach, saying it has legal immunity under state law.

State District Judge William C. Sowder said he would issue a decision later and expected an appeal to the 7th Court of Appeals in Amarillo in any event.

“The sooner we get it up there the sooner we’ll resolve things,” Sowder told the attorneys.

The university fired Leach on Dec. 30, two days after he was suspended following a claim from the family of receiver Adam James that the coach mistreated the player after he got a concussion.

Leach, who is now living in Key West, Fla., has denied that he mistreated James and said he suspects an $800,000 bonus he was to have received Dec. 31 was the reason he was fired one day earlier.

BASEBALL

Uecker improving

Milwaukee — Brewers Hall of Fame broadcaster Bob Uecker said he might resume calling home games next month after his recent heart surgery.

“I’m doing unbelievably well — strong — and hopefully I’ll be able to get back in the booth before too much longer,” he said Friday. “That’s what I really want to do.”