Da Matta Makes Sure It’s a Very Big Day for Brazil

Cristiano da Matta had his silly moments Sunday, leading CART’s contingent of Brazilian drivers in a spontaneous decision that produced some outrageous haircuts in celebration of their country’s World Cup victory.

Then Da Matta made it one more win for Brazil, fighting off the challenge of countryman Bruno Junqueira to win the Chicago Grand Prix for the second time in three years.

Still jubilant about Brazil’s 2-0 victory over Germany earlier in the day, Da Matta raced to his third consecutive victory, his fourth of the year and sixth in nine races.

Da Matta arrived at the track early enough to watch the soccer match, celebrated with his fellow Brazilian drivers and joined them in getting haircuts just like Brazil’s soccer star Ronaldo--with the whole back of their heads shaved to stubble.

“After the game, I met with my engineers and you just start to get into your work and forget about it,” Da Matta said. “The happiness is in the back of your mind all the time but, for me, driving is a lot more important than soccer.”

Da Matta proved his focus was back on track, leading a race-high 82 laps, including the final 16 of 250 on the 1.039-mile Chicago Motor Speedway oval.

Junqueira followed his longtime competitor and friend’s Toyota-powered Lola across the finish line by 0.639 seconds--about five car-lengths. Dario Franchitti, who started from the pole and led the first 68 laps, finished third.

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Greg Biffle won the NASCAR Busch Series GNC Live Well 250 for the second year in a row after leading for much of the way.

Biffle, who took the lead for the final time after pulling past Scott Wimmer on Lap 132, has won three times at The Milwaukee Mile in West Allis, Wis. Biffle held off Jason Keller for much of the race, finishing ahead of him by 0.438 of a second. Wimmer finished third.

Jim Sauter raced his three sons, Jay, Tim and Johnny, in the race to mark only the second time in NASCAR history that four family members competed together.

Tim finished ninth, Johnny 12th and Jay 13th. Jim pulled out after 200 of the 250 laps because of brake trouble.

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Kenny Bernstein earned his first victory at the home track of his sponsor, winning the top fuel division at the NHRA Sears Craftsman Nationals in Madison, Ill.

Bernstein turned in a 5.056-second pass at 293.22 mph in his Budweiser King Dragster to beat Andrew Cowins’ 5.291 run at 263.87 in the NY Yankee Dragster.

John Force won the funny car division and Jeg Coughlin won the pro stock category.

Miscellany

Doug Stewart of Malibu has proven himself at every level of the USTA Southern California junior sectional tennis tournament over the years.

He proved he’s ready for the next one with a 6-0, 6-2 victory over Derrick Bauer of Marina del Rey in the boys’ 18 division championship match at Los Caballeros Racquet and Sports Club in Fountain Valley.

Lee Singer of Laguna Niguel won the boys’ 16 title with a 3-6, 7-5, 6-3 victory over Sergy Vagramian of Glendale. Cosmina Ciobanu of Brea, a 13-year-old who will be a freshman at Fullerton Troy in the fall, defeated Alli Krasnopolsky of Los Angeles, 6-1, 6-3, to win the girls’ 16 championship.

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Tomislav Primorac scored an extra-man goal with two seconds left to give Croatia a 10-9 winover the United States before 1,375 in a FINA World League water polo match at the National Aquatic Complex in Los Alamitos.

Igor Hinic scored his second goal of the game halfway through the fourth quarter to give Croatia its first lead, 9-8. With 11 seconds left, Layne Beaubien was ejected, giving Croatia a man-advantage opportunity. Primorac then scored the winning goal.

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An 11-year-old boy who collapsed and died while waiting to bat at his ballgame Saturday in Berea, Ohio, died of heart failure, according to preliminary autopsy results.

Jason Mallone, of Berea, was taken to Southwest General Health Center where he was declared dead, Fire Capt. Jim Clancy said.

Witnesses at the Berea Baseball Assn. game said the boy was in the on-deck circle waiting to bat when he collapsed, according to Clancy.

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Joseph Fendt of Germany retained his position as president of the International Luge Federation, beating American Dwight Bell. Fendt was re-elected to a third four-year term during the organization’s 50th annual congress at St. Wolfgang, Austria.