Park Taken to Hospital After Crash at Darlington

Steve Park was cut out of his car and airlifted to a hospital after a wreck under caution Saturday in the South Carolina 200 at Darlington Raceway.

Park was being held overnight at Carolina’s Hospital System in Florence. He suffered a concussion and may have broken his collarbone.

Park’s car was running at about 45 mph behind the pace car on the backstretch when it veered suddenly to the left after coming out of Turn 2.

Park’s car cut directly in front of Larry Foyt, who was accelerating to move up to the head of the line of lapped cars on the inside lane for the restart. Foyt’s car hit Park’s just behind the door on the driver’s side, sending it spinning into the inside wall.

Jeff Burton won the Busch Series race by holding off Elton Sawyer over the final 10 laps.

*

Shawn Gann won the $15,000 Holley Dominator Duel for Pro Stock Motorcycles, and Whit Bazemore clocked the quickest and fastest funny car run in NHRA history, a 4.756 at 325.69 at Clermont, Ind. Bazemore’s performances are eligible for national record status, under NHRA’s one-percent certification rule. To set the records, Bazemore needs to log a time quicker than 4.803 and a speed faster than 322.44 mph today or Monday.

*

Jaques Lazier, who changed teams two weeks ago, sped around the Chicagoland Speedway’s 11/2-mile oval at 221.740 mph to win the pole position for today’s Indy Racing League’s Delphi Indy 300 at Joliet, Ill.

It is the second pole of the season for Lazier, who won the qualifying at Richmond in late June driving for Sam Schmidt Motorsports.

Lazier now drives for owner John Menard.

*

Juan Montoya bounced back from a bad crash to win the pole position for the Formula One Belgian Grand Prix at Spa-Francorchamps, Belgium. Montoya, who wrecked his car in Friday’s practice, edged Williams BMW teammate Ralf Schumacher in qualifying.

Golf

Annika Sorenstam posted her third consecutive round in the 60s and stretched her lead to five strokes after three rounds of the LPGA State Farm Classic at Springfield, Ill. Sorenstam offset three bogeys with eight birdies in a five-under-par 67 that gave her an 18-under 198 total.

Padraig Harrington of Ireland shot a 10-under-par 62 to take a one-shot lead over John Daly after the third round of the BMW International Open at Munich, Germany.

*

Larry Nelson and Jim Thorpe each shot a five-under-par 65 to tie for the lead after one round of the Kroger Senior Classic, which has been reduced to a 36-hole event because of an opening-round rainout at Mason, Ohio.

Joel Edwards shot a three-under-par 68 and held a three-shot lead in the Air Canada Championship at Surrey, Canada.

Pro Football

Matt Hasselbeck passed for two touchdowns in his first two series and the Seattle Seahawks completed their exhibition schedule with a 28-14 victory over the New Orleans Saints at Seattle. Deuce McAllister, New Orleans’ first-round pick from Mississippi, rushed for 108 yards in 19 carries, all in the first half as Ricky Williams sat out the game.

*

Cleveland defensive end Courtney Brown, the first player chosen in last year’s NFL draft, sprained a ligament in his right knee and will miss the Browns’ opener next Sunday against Seattle.

Miscellany

The state Court of Appeals may weigh in on whether Indiana University improperly fired basketball coach Bob Knight.

In a ruling Friday, special judge Cecile Blau granted the university’s motion to let the higher court decide what triggers the law’s requirement for an open meeting.

A group of 46 Indiana basketball fans claim university President Myles Brand broke Indiana’s Open Door Law by holding two secret meetings with four university trustees the day before Knight was fired last September.

Former world champion Chris McCormack and defending champion Loretta Harrop gave Australia a sweep of the men’s and women’s triathlon at the Goodwill Games today in Brisbane, Australia.

Italian distance runner Andrea Longo blames contaminated nutritional supplements for a positive drug test in June that might lead to a long suspension. He also urged Italy’s track and field governing body to clear him.