Unser Jr. Uses Help to Fuel Victory

Racing with the leaders, leading laps and winning--it was just like old times for Al Unser Jr. on Sunday.

But it took a perfect fuel strategy by team owner Rick Galles to give Unser the victory in the Indy Racing League’s inaugural Gateway Indy 250 at Madison, Ill., his first victory in 16 months.

The longtime open-wheel veteran earned his second IRL victory and the 33rd of his career with a fuel strategy that allowed him to stay on the track while series leader Sam Hornish Jr. was forced to pit with 10 laps remaining on the 1.25-mile Gateway International Raceway oval.

With the help of a late caution flag, Unser ran the last 67 laps without pitting and defeated runner-up Mark Dismore to the finish line by 1.18 seconds--about 10 lengths.

“I saw Sam pull in the pits and I looked on my wheel and saw what I had left,” Unser said. “Rick definitely made the right decision. That’s why he’s the strategist in the pits and I’m the driver.”

Hornish, who pitted for fuel on lap 191 after Donnie Beechler’s crash brought out the last of four caution flags, finished third, followed by Eddie Cheever Jr., the only other driver on the lead lap at the end of the 200-lap, 250-mile event.

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Greg Biffle gave Ford its first victory of the year in the NASCAR truck series with a virtually perfect performance in Chevy Silverado 200 at Nazareth (Pa.) Speedway.

Biffle, who won the 200-mile race two years ago, erased his own record in leading the final 192 of 200 laps over the triangular one-mile layout.

Biffle, the 2000 Craftsman series champion and leader for rookie of the year on NASCAR’s Busch Series, averaged 108.778 mph.

Terry Cook finished second--about three lengths behind.

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Dan Wheldon took the lead when Townsend Bell retired because of fuel pump failure and led the final 10 laps to earn his first Indy Lights series victory at Madison, Ill.

Wheldon, a rookie from England, crossed the finish line 23.822 seconds ahead of PacWest Racing Group teammate Mario Dominguez. Rookie Matt Halliday finished third.

Wheldon averaged a record 140.081 mph for the 80-lap race at Gateway International Raceway.

Bell, the points leader with 131, led the first 69 laps and appeared headed for an easy victory before the mechanical failure. He failed to finish a race for the first time this season.

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Motorcycle racer Will Davis died after crashing in the first lap of a race in the AMA’s Grand National Championship at Sedalia, Mo.

Davis, 36, was involved in a crash with five other riders on the fourth turn at the State Fairway Speedway on Friday.

He died at Bothwell Regional Health Center, the American Motorcyclists Assn. said.

Davis, ranked seventh in career Grand National victories with 32, had his first national victory in 1989. He was a five-time champion of the MARS Asphalt Motorcycle Racing Series.