Motorsports

Hamilton gets best of two-lap shootout

MANSFIELD, Ohio - Bobby Hamilton edged defending race-winner Jack Sprague in a two-lap shootout Sunday in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck series' UAW/GM Ohio 250 at Mansfield Motorsports Speedway.

Hamilton, the defending series champion, became the first two-time winner this season and recaptured the points lead. The 47-year-old Hamilton's Dodge beat Sprague's Chevrolet by 0.169 seconds after the 13th caution extended the scheduled 250-lap distance by four laps. Hamilton averaged a track record 65.907 mph.

Shane Hmiel finished third in a Chevy, a few feet behind Sprague, with rookie Todd Kleuver fourth in a Ford and Rich Bickle fifth in a Chevrolet. Rick Crawford was sixth, followed by Dennis Setzer, Ricky Craven, David Starr and Butch Miller.

Hamilton, who started 26th in the 36-truck field, took the lead on Lap 184 after leader Ron Hornaday was black-flagged for jumping a restart. Hornaday, who led 119 laps, finished 11th.

"I wasn't even paying attention to him," Hamilton said about Hornaday's penalty. "I felt like I was a little better than him, but you hate to see that happen to anyone.

Hamilton took a 45-point lead over Ted Musgrave, who entered with a 13-point advantage. Musgrave finished 12th after his Dodge caromed off Deborah Renshaw's spinning Dodge. Craven is third, 73 points behind Hamilton.

NHRA: John Force raced to his NHRA-record 116th victory, beating teammate and son-in-law Robert Hight in the Funny Car final in the rain-delayed Southern Nationals in Commerce, Ga.

Force, who took the Funny Car points lead, edged Hight by 0.0021 seconds with a quarter-mile run of 4.772 seconds at a top speed of 325.61.

Top Fuel leader Doug Kalitta, Greg Anderson (Pro Stock) and first-time winner GT Tonglet (Pro Stock Motorcycle) also won their categories.

RICHMOND, Va. - Tony Stewart was unusually happy with his second-place finish late Saturday at Richmond International Raceway.

That was because he had a front-row seat for Kasey Kahne's first career Nextel Cup victory.

"I'm pretty honored that when they tell this story for the next five or six years about his first win, I was the guy that ran second to him," Stewart said after Kahne captured the Chevrolet 400, his first win in 47 races on the tour. "It's been long overdue and he deserved to win."

Stewart was among those who visited with Kahne in Victory Lane, sharing in the moment and offering the driver a bit of encouragement.

"I told him the second one won't take that long," he said.

For Kahne, 25, - who started on the pole for the sixth time and was runnerup in six of his first 46 races - holding off his good friend Stewart on several late restarts made it more special.

"It was awesome to be able to race with him all night long, and to be able to beat him," Kahne said. "He's as good as they get."

Kahne's victory was the first for a Dodge Charger since 1977, and car owner Ray Evernham said he expects it will be the first of many.

"He's really going to do big things in this sport," Evernham said.

Stewart led eight times for 143 laps, but once Kahne produced the 21st lead change by passing Stewart with 106 laps to go, the 2004 rookie of the year overcame several cases of rattled nerves and proved repeatedly that he had the best car.

The race also jumbled and tightened the point standings after pace-setting Hendrick Motorsports teammates Jimmie Johnson and Jeff Gordon had brutal nights, finishing 40th and 39th, respectively. Defending series champion Kurt Busch also struggled, finishing 17th and a lap down.

[Last modified May 16, 2005, 01:22:06]