MOTOR RACING ROUNDUP : Senna Seals Formula One Title on the First Turn in Japan

Victory for race driver Ayrton Senna came suddenly Sunday at Suzuka, Japan. Even before he turned the first corner, he was the Formula One driving champion.

The Brazilian’s rival, Alain Prost of France, crashed his red Ferrari into Senna’s McLaren-Honda, sending parts flying only seconds after the start of the Japanese Grand Prix.

Because neither driver could finish, Senna walked away with the title. His points lead is big enough that even if Prost wins the season’s final race at Adelaide, Australia, on Nov. 4, he can’t overtake Senna.

It was a turnabout. Prost won his third Formula One championship in the Japanese race last season when Senna was disqualified after a crash between the two. Winning Sunday’s race, the 15th of the 16-race Formula One season, was Brazil’s Nelson Piquet, a three-time champion who prevailed in a Benetton-Ford. Piquet averaged 123.077 m.p.h. for 53 laps of the 3.64-mile Suzuka layout.

Prost blamed Senna for the crash. Senna said it could have been avoided if the pole position had been changed from the right to the left side of the track as he had requested before the race.

Senna argued that the right side was dirtier and more difficult for a right turn soon after the start.

Alan Kulwicki, taking advantage of a last-minute caution flag, outlasted Bill Elliott to break a two-year winless streak and capture the AC-Delco 500 NASCAR race at Rockingham, N.C.

In the race for the season driving championship, second-place Dale Earnhardt gained only four points on leader Mark Martin, who leads, 4,120-4,075, with two races to run.

Earnhardt was 10th Sunday and Martin was 11th.

Kulwicki won $53,300 and averaged 125.378 m.p.h. for the 492-lap race.