Wallace close to skid's end

By Compiled from Times wires
© St. Petersburg Times
published April 28, 2003

---

FONTANA, Calif. - Rusty Wallace feels like a winner, though it has been two years since he visited Victory Lane.

"We were so close," Wallace said after finishing third in Sunday's Auto Club 500 at California Speedway, the place he last won 73 races ago.

"I told my guys that we've got a winning team," Wallace said. "We just haven't won yet."

The 1989 Winston Cup champion, who has 54 wins, led twice for 54 of 250 laps.

Wallace led a restart on Lap 214 with Bobby Labonte, Jamie McMurray and eventual winner Kurt Busch close behind. The wild card was Dale Earnhardt Jr., who was trying to get past to regain a lost lap. Earnhardt made a strong start and caught Wallace.

"He got up underneath me and got me loose and I fell from the lead back to about fourth," Wallace said. "I would have been doing the same thing."

Wallace moved from 16th to 12th in the standings, nine points out of the top 10.

SOLID FINISH: Rookie Jamie McMurray had his best day of the season, leading six times for 41 laps and matching his best showing of the year, fifth.

McMurray led 34 laps from the end, but got shuffled back as Busch, Wallace and Labonte got into a battle for the win. Bill Elliott and Jimmie Johnson also got by in the last five laps but Johnson hit the wall on the last lap and limped across 16th.

"We just needed longer runs," McMurray said. "Our car just was not very good on the short go. We were too loose at the beginning and too tight at the end."

SPARK PLUGS: Roger Mears, father of Winston Cup driver Casey, accepted the Shav Glick Award on behalf of his brother, four-time Indianapolis 500 winner Rick. The award, named for the longtime Los Angeles Times motorsports writer, goes to Californians for distinguished achievement in racing. Mears could not attend because of a previous commitment. ... Tony Stewart went out with an engine failure after 128 laps and was 41st. It was the third DNF this season for the defending Winston Cup champ, who has slipped from second to 11th in the points in the last five races. ... An Internet petition has been set up supporting Steve Park and urging Dale Earnhardt Inc. to keep him in the No.1 Chevy. Recent speculation has suggested that he'll lose the ride soon. The site is www.petition- online.com/mod_perl/signed.- cgi?steve1 and had more than 1,400 signatures Sunday night.

Arena football

Storm regains top spot

Autos

Bernstein completes great week

Busch rallies to win at California

Wallace close to skid's end

Baseball

AL: Royals pen crumbles vs. Jays

Indians pitchers foil attempted purse snatching

NL: Cards outlast Marlins in 20

No more second fiddle

Golf

Couples holds on to halt drought

Putting helps Pak win in long playoff

In brief

Miami QB: Race decided starter

NBA

McGrady, Orlando put Detroit on brink

O'Neal dominant in win

NFL

5-year-old son of Dilfer dies

NHL

Flyers goaltender finds redemption

Outdoors

Daily fishing report

Preps

Mustang and two Gators ready for state tourney

Tennis

Agassi proves No. 1 rules

King back again at state tournament

Triathlon

And the winner isn't ...

Disabled skier has early debut

Rays

Rays tempt fate once too often

Rocco one shy of rookie hit mark

Bucs

A beautiful mind for drafted center

Buccaneers fall in line on Day 2 of draft

QB, QB, QB, QB, QB and QB

Saints trade Hand for pick

Sixth-round pick fills two holes

Lightning

Lecavalier continues to get star treatment

Slapshots