Barron Holds Off De Ferran for Victory in IRL Race

Alex Barron outran Gil de Ferran over the final two laps after a restart, winning the Firestone Indy 200 Saturday night at Gladeville, Tenn., for his first Indy Racing League victory.

Barron, making his 11th IRL start, led only the final 11 laps to become the fourth first-time winner in the last five series races. His best finish had been fourth in the Indianapolis 500, where he earned co-rookie honors.

“I was actually calmer being in front than I was behind,” said Barron, who had not won a race since picking up five victories and the Atlantic Series season title in 1997. “Once we went green, the car handled beautifully, and we were flat out until the end. We showed some really good speed.”

For de Ferran, it was his fourth second-place finish of the season, and it moved him into the points lead by 10 ahead of Team Penske teammate Helio Castroneves.

Scott Sharp finished the race third, but he was penalized a lap for blocking Sam Hornish Jr. after the final restart. Sharp was dropped to eighth.

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Juan Pablo Montoya, aiming to spoil Michael Schumacher’s shot at sealing this year’s Formula One title at the French Grand Prix, won his sixth pole of the season in qualifying for today’s race at Magny-Cours, France.... Greg Biffle raced to his third NASCAR Busch Series victory of the year, holding off Ron Hornaday in the Charter Pipeline 250 at Madison, Ill.... Doug Kalitta raced to his sixth career No. 1 qualifying position in the Top Fuel division in the NHRA’s Mopar Parts Mile-High Nationals at Morrison, Colo.... Terry Cook won the NASCAR truck series race at New Hampshire International Speedway at Loudon, N.H., after leader Jason Leffler crashed into the lapped truck of Tom Carey Jr. with 38 laps to go in the New England 200.

Tennis

Monica Seles breezed past Tzipi Obziler, 6-4, 6-2, and Lindsay Davenport overpowered Anna Smashnova, 6-3, 6-3, to lead the United States in the opening Fed Cup matches against Israel at Springfield, Mo.

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Defending champion Carlos Moya and qualifier David Ferrer advanced to the finals of the Croatian Open at Umag.... French Open champion Albert Costa and Juan Ignacio Chela reached the final of the clay-court Energis Open with three-set victories at Amersfoort, Netherlands.... Guillermo Canas beat top-seeded Jiri Novak, 6-4, 6-0, to earn a berth in the Mercedes Cup at Stuttgart, Germany. Canas will face Mikhail Youzhny of Russia.

Miscellany

Milwaukee Buck forward Glenn Robinson was arrested at Chicago Heights, Ill., and charged with domestic battery, assault and illegal possession of a firearm.

Robinson remained in custody waiting for a bond hearing today, Chicago Heights Police Department Sgt. David Wierzbicki said.

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Former NFL kick returner Fulton Walker has pleaded guilty to distributing marijuana at Martinsburg, W.Va. Walker, 44, faces up to five years in prison when sentenced Oct. 14.

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An unidentified man died after a fall during an open house for fans at the Seattle Seahawks’ new stadium at Seattle.

Early reports indicate the fall was accidental.

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Arkansas has extended football scholarship penalties for two years after acknowledging to the NCAA that a booster’s overpayment to players he employed was more serious than previously stated.

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Nikoloz Tskitishvili, selected fifth overall in the NBA draft, signed with the Denver Nuggets.