The Hart football team is ranked No. 1 in the CIF Southern Section Northern Division preseason poll.

The Indians are one of four teams from the Foothill League in the top 10.

Valencia is ranked No. 4. Canyon is No. 5 and West Ranch is No. 10.

Hart went 8-4 and lost in the quarterfinals of the Northern Division playoffs to Palos Verdes last year. Palos Verdes, the reigning Northern Division champion, is ranked No. 3 in the preseason poll.

Hart opens against Santiago Corona, ranked No. 6 in the Inland Valley Division poll, on Friday night.

The Santa Clarita Christian football team is ranked No. 10 in the Northeast Division poll. Mission Prep is No. 1 in the Northeast Division.

In auto racing, Canyon High graduate Greg Pursley won the NASCAR K&N Pro Series West race at Spokane County Raceway in Washington. It was his third win of the season.

He won the opener at Phoenix International Raceway and was the highest-finishing driver from the West Series at Iowa Speedway.

Pursley is in fourth place in the K&N Pro Series West standings, 31 points behind leader Derek Thorn.

In the Izod IndyCar Series, JR Hildebrand, driving for the Barracuda Racing team owned by Valencia’s Bryan Herta, was 16th in the GoPro Grand Prix of Sonoma.

Hildebrand was making his debut for the Barracuda Racing team. Luca Filippi from Italy will be in the driver’s seat for Barracuda Racing in the next race, the Grand Prix of Baltimore.

A couple of football notes, defensive end Jason Paul-Pierre, who played on the College of the Canyons football team, was taken off the physically unable to perform list by the New York Giants.

He has been sidelined since having back surgery on June 4. The team said he might be ready to play in the Giants season opener against the Dallas Cowboys.

Defensive end Marquis Jackson, who played at College of the Canyons, was released by the Minnesota Vikings.

In baseball, the Dodgers beat the visiting Chicago Cubs, 6-2. Zack Greinke won his 13th game. Yasiel Puig and Hanley Ramirez each hit solo home runs.

The Dodgers and Cubs continue their series tonight at the Ravine. Listen to the game on AM 1220, KHTS. First pitch is at 7:10 p.m.

NORTHERN DIVISION

RANK  SCHOOL                                   2012                      

1.           Hart                                           8-4

2.           Palmdale                                 10-1

3.           Palos Verdes                          11-3

4.           Valencia/Valencia                9-4

5.           Canyon/C.C.                           8-3-1

6.           West Torrance                      10-4

7.           Atasacdero                             6-7

8.           St. Joseph/Santa Maria     8-3

9.           Arroyo Grande                      8-3

10.        West Ranch                            2-8