Auto Racing
Kyle Busch wins 3 in a row for Nationwide history
AVONDALE, Ariz. – Kyle Busch became the first driver to win three consecutive Nationwide Series races at Phoenix International Raceway, dominating his way through a rain-shortened race Saturday.
Busch took an early lead and still was out front when the race was halted with 32 laps left in the 200-mile race around Phoenix’s odd-shaped mile oval. After a delay of more than two hours, the race was called, giving Busch his series-record 64th victory.
Kevin Harvick finished second, and pole sitter Brad Keselowski was third, followed by Kyle Larson and Matt Kenseth.
Cycling
Brit beats the Dutchman in Ghent-Ghent classic
GHENT, Belgium – Ian Stannard of Britain beat Dutch rider Greg Van Avermaet in a two-way sprint finish Saturday to win the Ghent-Ghent Nieuwsblad race, the opening classic of the Belgian spring season.
In a 124-mile race in cold, rainy and windy conditions, Stannard started the sprint from some 300 meters out and survived a late surge from the Belgian to win the biggest one-day classic in the career of the 26-year-old cyclist.
Stannard’s Team Sky teammate Edvald Boasson Hagen took third overall, winning the sprint ahead of Belgian Sep Vanmarcke.
Stannard finished in 4 hours, 49 minutes, 54 seconds.
Golf
Woods climbs Honda ranks, but McIlroy leads after 3
PALM BEACH GARDENS, Fla. – Rory McIlroy did just enough to keep the lead Saturday in the Honda Classic.
McIlroy avoided a big number early in his round and narrowly missed birdie chances late. He wound up with a 1-under 69 for a two-shot lead over Russell Henley going into the final round. The 24-year-old from Northern Ireland is going for his first PGA Tour win in 18 months.
Tiger Woods moved up 49 spots on the leaderboard with a 65 playing in the second group of the day. He finished two hours before McIlroy started and wound up in a tie for 17th, though he still was seven shots behind.
Tennis
Federer wins his sixth Dubai and 78th career title
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates – Roger Federer won a record sixth Dubai Championships – and 78th career title – by beating Tomas Berdych 3-6, 6-4, 6-3 in the final Saturday.
Federer’s win, his sixth here in the last 12 years, extends his record of winning at least one title a year to 14 consecutive years. This is Federer’s first tournament win since winning in Halle, his only title of 2013, last spring.
FLORIANOPOLIS, Brazil – Klara Zakopalova of the Czech Republic won her third WTA singles title by coming from the brink of defeat to beat Garbine Muguruza of Spain 4-6, 7-5, 6-0 in the Brazil Cup final Saturday.
World Cup Ski Racing
Canadian feels right at home in Kvitfjell, Norway
KVITFJELL, Norway – Erik Guay of Canada won the fifth World Cup race of his career Saturday on one of his favorite courses in the resort of Kvitfjell. He clinched his second downhill win this season, finishing ahead of Frenchman Johan Clarey and Olympic champion Matthias Mayer of Austria.
American Travis Ganong, who was third Friday, narrowly missed out on another podium, finishing 0.62 back in fourth. Bode Miller, a bronze medalist in the super-G at the Sochi Olympics, was eighth.
Two of Guay’s career five wins and four of his 22 podiums have been in Kvitfjell, where there is a super-G scheduled for Sunday.
Women’s downhill canceled; super-combined bumped
CRANS-MONTANA, Switzerland – The women’s World Cup downhill in Crans-Montana was called off Saturday and moved to Sunday, with the scheduled super-combined event cancelled.
Associated Press
