Earnhardt Jr. Continues Tradition at Talladega

Dale Earnhardt Jr. narrowly avoided an early crash and charged from behind Sunday to win the NASCAR Winston Cup Series Aaron’s 499, becoming the first driver to win four consecutive races at Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway.

Earnhardt, who led nine times for 34 laps in his Chevrolet during a race in which there were 43 lead changes among 16 drivers, fought off challenges at the end from Jimmie Johnson, Ward Burton and Matt Kenseth.

He fought his way into the lead twice in the last four laps, once with a controversial pass below the yellow line on the track apron.

The 28-year-old son of the late Dale Earnhardt, the career leader at Talladega with 10 Winston Cup victories, came up with his first win of the season and the eighth of his career.

It broke the record of three in a row on the 2.66-mile oval, set by Buddy Baker in 1975 and 1976.

A deflated tire sent Ryan Newman’s Dodge into the fourth-turn wall on the fourth lap around the high-banked oval and ignited a 27-car accident in the second turn.

There were no injuries, but the crash took out or damaged the cars of a number of possible contenders, including Earnhardt, who started at the back of the 43-car field after his DEI team changed his engine after Saturday’s final practice.

Kenseth, the series points leader, took the lead in his Ford on Lap 186, but Earnhardt pushed back in front on Lap 187 and kept the lead, beating Kevin Harvick’s Chevrolet to the finish line by 0.125 seconds -- about 1 1/2 car lengths.

*

Kimi Raikkonen won a shortened Brazilian Grand Prix after the Formula One race on a rain-soaked track at Sao Paulo was stopped because of spinouts and crashes.

Only 10 of the 20 drivers finished the race, which normally runs 71 laps.

The race was halted during the 55th lap with Giancarlo Fisichella in front. But officials declared the race over with a red flag at the end of the 53rd lap, when Raikkonen was leading in his McLaren-Mercedes.

Fisichella celebrated with his Jaguar crew moments after the race was stopped, then learned he came in second.

Rubens Barrichello, on the pole, was forced out because of engine trouble. He drove his Ferrari off the track during the 47th lap after taking the lead in the 44th.

Raikkonen finished in 1 hour 29 minutes 53.179 seconds. Fisichella was 0.831 of a second behind. Renault’s Fernando Alonso was third.

The race was stopped shortly after Alonso went out of control and crashed in debris that littered the track following Mark Webber’s crash.

Alonso was removed on a stretcher and gave a thumbs-up sign as he was carried away.

He was taken by helicopter to a hospital and was “out of danger,” race spokesman Marcio Fonseca said. A hospital statement said he was conscious and in stable condition.

*

Larry Dixon beat top qualifier Doug Kalitta in the final round to win the top-fuel division in the NHRA SummitRacing.com Nationals at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

Dixon finished in 4.608 seconds at 312.57 mph to hold off Kalitta, who was clocked at 4.695 and 314.39.

Tony Pedregon won the funny car division and Greg Anderson won the pro stock division.

Arena Football

Will Pettis scored on a two-yard run with 22.3 seconds left and the Dallas Desperados (6-4) ended the San Jose SaberCats’ six-game winning streak with a 67-64 victory in an Arena League game at Dallas. Mark Grieb threw seven touchdown passes for San Jose (7-3).... John Kaleo threw for 281 yards and five touchdowns and the Tampa Bay Storm (8-2) won its seventh in a row with a 58-39 victory over the Georgia Force (6-4) at Tampa, Fla.... Chris Sanders threw five touchdown passes to lead the Buffalo Destroyers (4-6) to a 46-39 victory over the New York Dragons (3-7) at Uniondale, N.Y. ... Sherdrick Bonner threw six touchdown passes and the Arizona Rattlers (5-5) beat the Orlando Predators (6-4), 62-36, at Phoenix.

Tennis

Switzerland reached the Davis Cup World Group semifinals for only the second time, eliminating France at Toulouse, France, behind Roger Federer’s 6-1, 6-0, 6-2 victory over Fabrice Santoro.

Santoro was a late replacement for Sebastien Grosjean, who had a thigh injury.

Switzerland won the best-of-five match, 3-2, beating France for the first time in 11 years. George Bastl lost the final reverse singles match to Nicolas Escude, 7-6 (5), 5-7, 7-6 (3).

The Swiss will play at Australia on Sept. 19-21. In the other semifinal, Spain plays host to Argentina.

*

Jennifer Capriati has withdrawn from this week’s WTA Family Circle Cup in Charleston, S.C., because of strep throat.

Miscellany

The Long Beach Ice Dogs (22-46-4) concluded their West Coast Hockey League season with a 6-2 loss to the San Diego Gulls (45-22-5) at San Diego. The Ice Dogs will miss the playoffs for the first time in their seven-year history.

Passings

Bob Allen, an all-conference center at Kansas in the early 1940s and the son of coach Phog Allen, died Thursday in Mission Hills, Kan. He was 83.