Auto Racing
Busch dominates Chicago; Busch dominates Nationwide
JOLIET, Ill. – Pole-sitter Kyle Busch dominated from start to finish, leading 195 of 200 laps en route to winning the NASCAR Nationwide Series Dollar General 300 at Chicagoland Speedway on Saturday.
Busch faced few serious threats, building his lead to seven-plus seconds to earn his 10th win in 20 Nationwide Series starts this season. It was Busch’s 61st career win in 264 career Nationwide starts and his 123rd overall win across all three of NASCAR’s top series.
Busch also won Friday’s Camping World Truck Series race and will go for a second career weekend sweep in Sunday’s opener of the 10-race Chase for the Sprint Cup championship playoffs.
Cycling
Horner’s epic Stage 20 ride all but clinches the Vuelta
ALTO DE L’ANGLIRU, Spain – Christopher Horner, an American cyclist who will turn 42 next month, closed in on the biggest victory of his career Saturday by building his lead in the next-to-last stage of the Spanish Vuelta.
Horner, who rides for RadioShack-Leopard, increased his lead from three to 37 seconds over Italy’s Vincenzo Nibali after the 20th stage. Horner shook off the Giro d’Italia winner on the final surge up the foggy peak to end the grueling, 88-mile mountainous ride.
All that awaits Horner is Sunday’s final stage and the traditional arrival in Madrid. He collapsed to the ground after pedaling across the finish line in second place, 26 seconds after winner Kenny Elissonde of France. Horner had to be helped to his feet by race officials.
Elissonde finished in 3 hours, 55 minutes, 36 seconds. The route started in Aviles and covered three major summits before ending at the Alto de L’Angliru peak.
Former winner Alejandro Valverde of Spain is set to finish third. The Movistar rider is 1:36 behind Horner, with Rodriguez a distant fourth at 3:22 back.
Golf
Furyk follows his 59 with 69 to lead by 1 at the BMW
LAKE FOREST, Ill. – Jim Furyk was 10 shots worse than his 59, though it still was enough for him to take a one-shot lead in the BMW Championship.
Furyk three-putted from 30 feet on the final hole Saturday at Conway Farms for a 2-under 69, giving him the lead over Steve Stricker going into the final round.
Winless since the Tour Championship in 2010, Furyk was at 13-under 200. Stricker holed out for eagle on the 15th hole and shot 64 to get into the last group.
ZANDVOORT, Netherlands – Joost Luiten mastered wet and windy conditions Saturday to shoot a 4-under 66 and take a one-shot lead after the third round of the KLM Open.
Luiten has a 10-under total of 200 going into Sunday’s fourth and final round at the Kennemer Golf & Country Club.
16-year-old amateur 1 back at LPGA’s final major
EVIAN-LES-BAINS, France – With teen amateur Lydia Ko of New Zealand in pursuit, Mika Miyazato of Japan held a one-stroke lead Saturday after two rounds at the Evian Championship.
Miyazato shot a 2-under 69 and was at 8 under with a round to go in the fifth and final women’s major of the year.
The four-round tournament was cut to 54 holes after rain left the greens soggy. The course dried out somewhat Saturday, but more showers are forecast for the final round.
Ko, who is 16 and plays with great composure, had four birdies in an error-free 4-under 67.
Suzann Pettersen of Norway bogeyed her two holes on the back nine but had four birdies – as did Miyazato – for a 69 to share second with Ko.
Stacy Lewis, ranked No. 2, is two shots back in fourth after a 67. The American is chasing her second major title this season after last month’s British Open.
Top-ranked Inbee Park faces an enormous task in her bid for golf history. The South Korean – 11 strokes off the lead – is trying to become the first professional to win four majors in a season.
Associated Press
