Blowout Benefits Alonso

Fernando Alonso recovered from a first-corner bump Sunday and then was handed a gift -- a spectacular tire blowout by Kimi Raikkonen on the last lap in a riveting finish to the European Grand Prix at Nuerburgring, Germany.

It was the fourth victory of the season for Alonso, the Formula One leader, driving a Renault.

Raikkonen’s tire began to bend with two laps left in the race, which Raikkonen led from the first curve. But as he gunned across the line to start the last lap, the tire flew into the air and bounced on his hood as Raikkonen spun and hit a retaining wall in his McLaren.

“We were very lucky today, but we were very strong also,” Alonso said.

Nick Heidfeld, on the pole, was 16.5 seconds behind in a Williams-BMW, his second runner-up finish in a row. Rubens Barrichello was third in a Ferrari, 18.5 seconds back, his first top-three result since the season opener.

Michael Schumacher was fifth in a Ferrari, his second-best finish this season.

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Australia’s Dave Grubnic became the first driver from outside North America to win an NHRA top-fuel event, beating Larry Dixon in the final of the O’Reilly NHRA Summer Nationals at Topeka, Kan.

John Force (funny car) and Greg Anderson (pro stock) each raced to their third victory in a row. Force, the funny-car points leader, beat Tommy Johnson Jr. for his NHRA-record 118th victory.

Anderson edged Dave Connolly to pull within 13 points of leader Warren Johnson in the pro-stock standings.

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Ricky Carmichael won the second round of the AMA 250cc Motocross Championship at Mount Morris, Pa., becoming the first rider in the 28-year history of the race to win four consecutive times.

Earlier, 17-year-old Mike Alessi raced to his first AMA 125cc Motocross victory.