Sports: Rudd was geared up yet patient in victory

"When I went to put it in third gear it wasn't there," he said. "I said, "Man, that's pretty typical. That's the way our season is going; leading, out front, that's just typical Ricky Rudd luck, I guess.'

"But I pulled it back in high gear and then I finally messed around and got it in third gear. Then I was afraid to take it out."

So his 88-race drought ended in a car that had just enough transmission left to turn a couple of doughnuts after crossing the finish line.

"Today sort of went for us," said Rudd, who won for the 21st time in his career.

The victory, his first since the NAPA 500 in 1998 at Martinsville, moved Rudd to third in the Winston Cup standings, 130 points behind leader Jeff Gordon and 94 behind Robert Yates Racing teammate Dale Jarrett.

"I think, just like most everybody, we're amazed it's been this long for them to win," Jarrett said. "It's just been circumstances, but if you keep putting yourself in that position enough, it's gonna happen.

"I wouldn't be surprised to see him win quite a few now, but they've got a really good race team and Ricky does a great job."

CLOSING FAST: The distance between first and second in the CART standings is closing faster than Helio Castroneves with his eye on a chain-linked fence.

The 26-year-old, who was born in Brazil but lives in Miami and loves to scale fences after wins, trimmed 18 points off Kenny Brack's lead with his victory in the Detroit Grand Prix on Sunday.

Castroneves earned 22 points for winning the race and pole and leading all 72 laps.

Thirteen races remain.

"If Brack did not finish, that would have been a good one," said Castroneves, who drives for Team Penske. "But it's still a long championship race, a lot of races to come. And we just have to keep going with the same strategy: collect points. And if we don't have a car to win, finish second.

"But if you don't have a car to win, try to lead, get the pole and try to make the most points possible. Because it's going to make a difference at the end of the championship."

STILL A FORCE: That he earned his fourth straight final round appearance and seventh this season at the Pontiac Excitement Nationals wasn't as important to John Force as who he beat for his 95th career win on Sunday.

"That (Del) Worsham kid has been whipping me lately, so it was nice to get one back today," Force said. "It's hard racing him. I've known him since he was 2 feet tall and he used to tug on my leg and tell me he was going to beat me.

"Now he's doing it on a regular basis. I had to get mad to beat him because he's so nice. So the guys hit me in the head right before I got in the car and said, "Hey, this guy's beaten you twice this year. Wake up.' "

Force, a 10-time champion in NHRA, extended his lead in the Funny Car standings to 268 points over Worsham, who has beaten Force twice this season.

ODDS AND ENDS: The Pocono 500 was Rudd's first victory ever from the pole. Gordon has led 610 of 800 laps completed in the past three races. ... Three NHRA classes -- Pro Stock, Pro Stock Truck and Pro Stock Bike -- saw new drivers take over the lead in the points standings. Warren Johnson took over from Jim Yates in Pro Stock, Bob Panella Jr. passed Greg Stanfield in Pro Stock Truck and Antron Brown overtook Matt Hines in Pro Stock Bike. ... Jackie Stewart became just the third Formula One driver to be awarded knighthood in the Queen's Birthday Honours List. He joins Stirling Moss and Jack Brabham. The 63-year-old, from Scotland, won 27 races and three championships (1969, 1971, 1973).

-- Information from other news organizations was used in this report.

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