LOCAL NOTES

Gerry Tatrai of Australia increased his lead during the sixth day of Race Across America.

He was the first rider into Arkansas and passed through time station 33 in Pine Bluff at 7 p.m. He holds nearly a 120-mile lead on three-time winner Rob Kish of Port Orange, Fla.

Tatrai has a little less than 1,000 miles left in the race that concludes in Savannah, Ga.

Wolfgang Fasching of Austria, the defending champion, has pushed up to third place. He was three hours behind Kish.

Fasching was considered a strong favorite but was slowed by the desert heat during the first day and fell well back. He did nearly the same thing last year before coming on in the final 1,000 miles.

Seana Hogan of San Jose, the only solo women in the field, is in 16th place, about 400 miles behind the leader.

*

Paul Smolinski has been hired as the UC Irvine golf coach, school officials announced Tuesday.

Smolinski was the golf pro at Coto de Caza the last two years and assistant pro the previous three years. He qualified for the Western Region PGA Club Professional championships in 1997.

He replaces Jeff Johnston, who was named the director of golf in May.