Wallace Redeems Himself

Another Food City 500 meant another dominating performance by Rusty Wallace in Bristol, Tenn. Only this time, he closed the deal.

“It’s real nice to win them that way,” Wallace said after he started on the pole and led 425 of 500 laps on the way to victory Sunday at Bristol Motor Speedway.

His overpowering display was almost identical to what he had done the past two years at Bristol. But both times, it was Jeff Gordon who wound up in Victory Lane.

This time, the only trouble Wallace encountered was Mark Martin, who staged a furious 18-lap sprint and finished second.

Wallace celebrated career win No. 49 by doing a backward lap in tribute to his late friend, 1992 Winston Cup champion Alan Kulwicki, who was killed in a plane crash while traveling to this race in 1993.

Dale Jarrett, John Andretti and Winston Cup points leader Jeff Burton rounded out the top five.

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In a virtual replay of last year’s Formula One championship race, Mika Hakkinen won the Brazilian Grand Prix in Sao Paulo, Brazil, and Michael Schumacher was second.

Hakkinen averaged 119.656 mph on the 2.687-mile Jose Carlos Pace circuit, beating Schumacher by 4.925 seconds.

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Top-fuel driver Doug Herbert powered his dragster to a 4.657-second, 309.56-mph run and collected $150,000 for winning in his division of the NHRA’s O’Reilly Nationals at Baytown, Texas.

Other winners included John Force in funny car, Kurt Johnson in pro stock and Mark Osborne in pro stock truck.

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Rick Carelli came from out of the pack and averaged a near-record 76.331 mph to overhaul leaders Ron Hornaday and Kevin Harvick and win the California Truck Stop 300 NASCAR truck race at Mesa Marin Raceway at Bakersfield.

Carelli beat Harvick by .759 seconds and won $37,780. Hornaday faded to third behind Stacy Compton.