Earnhardt Pulls It Out at Talladega

Dale Earnhardt Jr. charged by Bobby Labonte on the last lap, leaving Labonte and a 16-car wreck behind while racing to victory Sunday in the EA Sports 500 at Talladega, Ala., Superspeedway.

Labonte shot into the lead on Lap 184 of the 188-lap event on the 2.66-mile oval and Earnhardt, who had been in or near the lead throughout the race, slid to fourth place before mounting one last charge.

Earnhardt moved his Chevrolet into second place on Lap 186 and stayed there until he shouldered his way under Labonte’s Pontiac as the leaders drove into Turn 1 on the final lap.

As Earnhardt pulled away, Labonte drove high on the banked track to block Bobby Hamilton, who was racing for position. They bumped and Labonte’s car slammed into the concrete wall near the exit of Turn 2 and turned over. There were no injuries.

Tony Stewart, the center of attention because of his reluctance to wear a head and neck restraint, drove a strategic race. He was far back in the field of 43 until the last 50 laps, then charged into contention and finished second.

John Force won a record 11th NHRA Funny Car title with a second-place finish in the O’Reilly Fall Nationals at Ennis, Texas.

Force had been tied with former Pro Stock driver Bob Glidden for the most championships in the sport. It was Force’s unprecedented ninth consecutive championship. He clinched the title despite losing to teammate Gary Densham in the final round.

Tennis

Third-seeded Lindsay Davenport defeated fourth-seeded Jelena Dokic, 6-3, 6-1, to win the Swisscom Challenge at Zurich, Switzerland.

It was the sixth title this season for Davenport. She won titles in Zurich in 1997 and 1998, and her record at the tournament is 15-1, losing only to Martina Hingis in last year’s final.

Tommy Haas, seeded 15th, won his second title in two weeks, defeating Max Mirnyi of Belarus, 6-2, 6-2, 6-2, in the final of the $2.95-million Stuttgart Masters in Germany.

Fourth-seeded Rita Grande of Italy defeated qualifier Martina Sucha of Slovakia, 6-1, 6-1, to win the $110,000 Eurotel Slovak Indoor tournament at Bratislava, Slovakia.

Pete Sampras pulled out of this week’s event in Basel, Switzerland, and appears to be through for the season. Sampras said last week he had a “dead arm,” a condition that has occurred late in the season throughout his career.... Venus Williams withdrew from this week’s Generali Ladies tournament in Linz, Austria, because of an irritated left wrist.

Olympics

About 300 people who signed up to volunteer or work for next year’s Winter Olympics at Salt Lake City have been rejected during criminal background checks. Utah’s Bureau of Criminal Identification said about 3% of applicants are failing background checks.

Miscellany

Anthony Mundine, an Australian Aborigine and Muslim who will challenge for the IBF super middleweight boxing title in December, said the U.S. brought the Sept. 11 attacks on itself.

Mundine told Channel Nine television in Australia that the attacks were in part due to religion and questioned if they were an act of terrorism.

“They call it an act of terrorism, but if you understand the religion and our way of life, it is not about terrorism,” Mundine said. “It is about fighting for God’s laws and America brought it on themselves [for] what they have done in the history of time.”

Mundine’s comments are in direct contrast with those of former heavyweight champion Muhammad Ali, a convert to Islam, who told a U.S. telethon audience last month that Islam is a religion of peace.

Tuffy Rhodes hit a three-run homer in the eighth inning in the Kintetsu Buffaloes’ 9-6 victory over the Yakult Swallows at Osaka, Japan. The Buffaloes evened the best-of-seven Japan Series, 1-1.

Saudi Arabia defeated Thailand, 4-1, and qualified for its third consecutive World Cup. Bahrain defeated Iran, 3-1, at Manama, Bahrain, forcing Iran into an Asian playoff with United Arab Emirates. The winner will play Ireland for a spot in next year’s World Cup at Japan and South Korea.

Lee Brandon of Los Angeles drove a golf ball more than 291 yards Saturday at Mesquite, Nev., to win the women’s world long drive championship.