MOTOR RACING ROUNDUP : Earnhardt Wins First on Road Course

Seven-time Winston Cup champion Dale Earnhardt won on a road course for the first time Sunday in the Save Mart Supermarkets 300 at Sears Point Raceway in Sonoma, Calif.

Mark Martin, going for his second consecutive victory in the elite stock car series, led for most of the race in his Ford Thunderbird until Earnhardt, in a Chevrolet Monte Carlo, stole the lead with only two laps to go.

Earnhardt, who finished about a car’s length in front of Martin, got his only other victory in the series this season at Wilkesboro, N.C. With Sunday’s victory, Earnhardt moved to the top of the Winston Cup standings with 1,494 points.

Martin, who won the Winston Select 500 last week at Talladega, Ala., took the lead in the sixth lap of the 2.52-mile, 11-turn road course and led until Earnhardt started to turn up the pressure in the final laps.

Earnhardt, bumped on the last lap at Talladega to finish a disappointing 21st last week, ended up leading only two laps for his 65th career victory. He earned $74,869.

Martin was followed to the finish line by Jeff Gordon, who has three victories this season and came in second behind Martin at Talladega.

The Save Mart 300 was the first race featuring new car modifications imposed by NASCAR in response to the Monte Carlo’s dominance of the Winston Cup series this season.

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Cory McClenathan, Gary Clapshaw and Mark Pawuk claimed NHRA Winston Drag Racing Series victories at the Mid-South Nationals in Millington, Tenn. McClenathan, of Irvine, claimed the top fuel victory by covering a quarter-mile distance in 4.810 seconds at 307.48 m.p.h. Clapshaw won the funny car final in 5.339 seconds at 286.89 m.p.h. Pawuk took the pro stock title in 7.195 seconds at 192.80 m.p.h.

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Spain’s Alberto Puig won the 500cc division of the Spanish Grand Prix motorcycle race in Jerez after world defending champion Michael Doohan of Australia fell with seven laps to go.