NASCAR-NATIONWIDE
Brendan Gaughan wins at rainy Road America
ELKHART LAKE, Wis. (AP) — Brendan Gaughan took the lead after a green-white-checkered restart, then held on to win the rain-soaked and wild NASCAR Nationwide series race at Road America on Saturday.
Alex Tagliani was second, followed by Kevin O’Connell, Chase Elliott and J.J. Yeley as NASCAR drivers got a rare opportunity to race in the rain. It was a disappointing finish for Tagliani, who led in the closing stages of regulation but ran out of gas after a late caution flag came out.
It was the third time in Nationwide history that grooved rain tires have been used in a race; the previous two were in Montreal. NASCAR only uses rain tires on road courses, not on oval tracks.
WOMEN’S OPEN
Wie holds share of lead at US Women’s Open
PINEHURST, N.C. (AP) — Michelle Wie steadied herself over the last four holes on a wild Saturday at the U.S. Women’s Open. Now the former teen prodigy from Hawaii is one round away from winning her first major.
Wie salvaged a 2-over 72 on crispy Pinehurst No. 2 and shared the lead with Amy Yang, who had six birdies in a round of 68.
They were the only two players under par at 2-under 208.
The big surprise was Juli Inkster, the 53-year-old Hall of Famer who posted a tournament-best 66. She was tied for third and will be in the penultimate group, just four shots behind in what she said will be her 35th and final Women’s Open.
Lexi Thompson had back-to-back double bogeys and shot 74. She was five shots back.
NASCAR-SONOMA
McMurray wins pole for road course race at Sonoma
SONOMA, Calif. (AP) — Jamie McMurray has won the pole for Sunday’s race at Sonoma Raceway with a new track record that bumped AJ Allmendinger from the top starting spot.
Allmendinger appeared to have the pole locked down until McMurray turned a lap at 96.350 mph in the final minute of Saturday’s qualifying session. It broke the record of 95.262 mph set by Marcos Ambrose in 2012.
It’s the first pole of the season for McMurray, 10th of his career, and third at Sonoma.
Allmendinger wound up second and, in a surprise, Kyle Larson was third to give Chip Ganassi Racing two cars in the top three. Larson doesn’t have a ton of road course experience, and the rookie is admittedly still learning how to shift.
NASCAR-ROAD AMERICA-CUP DATE
Road America interested in Cup series race
ELKHART LAKE, Wis. (AP) — In its fifth year on the NASCAR Nationwide series schedule, Road America has proved it can put on a pretty good — and, at times, pretty wild — show with stock cars.
Now track president George Bruggenthies is after a Sprint Cup series race.
Bruggenthies says improvements have been made to the track with an eye toward landing a Cup date, adding, “Will it happen? All I can tell you is, I hope so. But we’re certainly aware that the schedule is the challenge.”
The possibility of changes to the 2015 schedule has been debated since NBC Sports signed on to broadcast the second half of the NASCAR schedule beginning next season.
NASCAR officials have not ruled out changing race dates, but there’s been little talk of adding new venues to the calendar.
