Busch Comes Out a Winner in Debut in the Busch Series

Add a Busch Series victory to Kurt Busch’s championship resume.

Already with a season title and 15 victories in NASCAR’s Nextel Cup series, Busch stepped down and drove in his first Busch Series race Saturday. He led the final 70 laps -- including an extra six after a flurry of late cautions at Texas Motor Speedway in Fort Worth.

Cup regulars have won all seven Busch races and led all but 55 laps this season. Busch, making his debut in the No. 39 Penske Dodge that Ryan Newman also drives, is the seventh different Busch winner.

“Man, I had no idea what to expect,” said Busch, who kissed the hood of his car before driving it to Victory Lane. “These guys are awesome. This is a farm team.”

Greg Biffle finished 0.266 seconds behind Busch.

Tony Schumacher led the top fuel field at 4.501 seconds and 327.35 mph, and Greg Anderson topped the pro stock qualifiers at 6.787 and 202.82 at the NHRA SummitRacing.com Nationals at Las Vegas.

OLYMPICS

USOC to Take a Look

at Potential 2016 Cities

Without formally committing to a bid for the 2016 Summer Olympics, the U.S. Olympic Committee took a step toward jumping into the race in announcing it intends to dispatch USOC officials around the nation in the next seven weeks to gauge political, financial and infrastructure readiness.

Los Angeles, San Francisco, Chicago, Philadelphia, Washington and Houston have signaled interest in staging the 2016 Games. It remains uncertain whether New York, the unsuccessful U.S. candidate for the 2012 Olympics, is under consideration for 2016.

“We look forward to the USOC’s visit to L.A.,” Barry Simon, head of the Los Angeles effort, said. “As the mayor and we announced in September, we are ready, willing and able to make a winning bid.”

The International Olympic Committee is scheduled to select the 2016 site in 2009. Rio de Janeiro and Tokyo are among those that could be in the international field. A U.S. candidate would figure to be a strong bidder after Games in Europe in 2012 (London), Asia in 2008 (Beijing), Europe in 2004 (Athens) and Australia in 2000 (Sydney).

USOC officials said they had not finalized itineraries for which U.S. cities would be visited, and when.

*

-- Alan Abrahamson

TENNIS

Petrova, Schiavone

Advance to Final

Nadia Petrova advanced to the final of the Amelia Island tournament with a 6-3 6-2 win over Lucie Safarova at Amelia Island, Fla.

Petrova fired five aces and dominated most of the match, hitting twice as many winners in securing her 22nd victory of the year as she looks to win her second title of the season. She will meet Francesca Schiavone in today’s final. Schiavone advanced after Svetlana Kuznetsova retired from their semifinal because of a groin injury.

SOCCER

Maradona Is Interested

in Coaching Argentina

Soccer legend Diego Maradona is considering the possibility of coaching Argentina after this year’s World Cup. Maradona made the comment shortly after arriving in San Paolo, Brazil, for an indoor friendly between former national team players from Brazil and Argentina.

“Yeah, I’m considering the possibility of coaching Argentina,” Maradona said. “But it’s hard to talk about this right now, when we have [Jose] Pekerman on the job and just before the Cup. This is something for the future.”

MISCELLANY

Landers Wins Pole Vault

at UCLA Invitational

UCLA’s Mike Landers cleared 17 feet 8 1/2 inches and won the pole vault competition at the Rafer Johnson/Jackie Joyner-Kersee Invitational at UCLA.

The Bruins’ Joel Tuosto won the long jump with an effort of 24-9. In women’s events, Chelsea Johnson won the pole vault by clearing 14-5 1/4.

John Dutton threw five touchdown passes to help the defending ArenaBowl champion Colorado Crush defeat the Grand Rapids Rampage, 73-48, at Grand Rapids, Mich.