Two Losses for Skinner, One Victory for Gordon

Mike Skinner has seen better Sundays.

After NASCAR stripped him of his victory Saturday in the Yellow Freight 300 Busch Grand National race, the Winston Cup points leader had battery problems and finished sixth at the Cracker Barrel 500 at Atlanta Motor Speedway.

Meanwhile, Jeff Gordon won a duel with Bobby Labonte to record his second victory in four starts, earn $117,650 and move within 44 points of Skinner. Labonte is 32 behind Skinner.

The rule under which Skinner lost the Busch victory states: “All cylinder heads must be NASCAR approved and all modifications must be submitted to NASCAR before any proposed modifications will be eligible for approval.”

If Skinner’s appeal is rejected, second-year Busch Series driver Dave Blaney will be the winner.

“I’m really happy for Dave Blaney, but he didn’t win the race,” Skinner said. “We had a great engine and I’m sure there was no way they would have put anything in there that could be questioned because they knew we were likely to be looked at.”

Golf

Vijay Singh, helped by an early eagle, shot a final-round 69 and took advantage when Eric Booker’s game collapsed on the back nine to win the Honda Classic by two shots at Coral Springs, Fla.

Booker had led since Friday, and his margin was four shots with 10 holes to go. But the 35-year-old tour rookie had double bogeys on Nos. 10 and 16 and shot a five-over-par 77, including a 42 on the back nine.

Singh overcame another day of strong winds to finish at 277. Payne Stewart shot 70 to take second place, two shots back.

Booker tied for third at 280 with Mark O’Meara, Carlos Franco and Doug Dunakey.

Juli Inkster took her first lead in the Welch’s-Circle K Championship at Tucson, Ariz., with an eagle on the 13th hole of the final round and held on for the 18th victory of her career.

She punctuated the mistake-free round of seven-under 65 with the last of her five birdies on No. 16 and won by one stroke over Dottie Pepper with a final score of 15-under 273.

The title, Inkster’s first this year, left her six points from the 27 needed to qualify for the LPGA Hall of Fame.

Miscellany

German Interior Minister Otto Schily told a German business newspaper that a European boycott of the next Olympics is possible if the IOC doesn’t deal satisfactorily with the current bribery scandal. . . . . Samoan IOC member Paul Wallwork, who has been recommended for expulsion for his part in the Salt Lake City scandal, protested his innocence in New Zealand. Eight years ago, Wallwork’s wife was reported to have taken a $30,000 loan from the chief executive of the Salt Lake City bidding committee. . . . Canada avenged its Olympic loss by defeating the United States, 3-1, to win its fifth consecutive title at the Women’s World Hockey Championships at Espoo, Finland.

Three Gonzaga baseball players and a trainer were injured when a car plowed into the group as they walked to their game at Fresno State. Trainer Heidi Jill Peterson, 40, suffered a broken right leg in the Saturday afternoon accident, officer Julian Perea said. Brent Thomas Church was in serious but stable condition Saturday night, and two other players were treated and released. . . . Lawrence Lozzano scored three goals at Fresno as the Galaxy ended the exhibition season with a 5-1 victory over the Fresno Dragons.

Palestinian Nassim Handan won the first Palestinian international marathon in a race organized by international peacekeepers and in which Israeli Jews were barred because their government has refused to implement peace agreements. . . . Carolina Panther defensive end Jason Peter was charged with driving while impaired at Charlotte, N.C., after police pulled him over for speeding and took him to a patrol intake center, where he registered a .12 blood-alcohol level.