Busch Outruns Gordon in Bumpy Win at Glen

Kurt Busch held off Robby Gordon in a stirring last-lap duel Saturday to win the NASCAR Busch Series Zippo 200 at Watkins Glen International in New York.

It was Busch’s second victory and fifth top-five finish in only his sixth career start in the series, all this year, and Gordon made it one he won’t soon forget.

Busch, who won the pole earlier in the day and led the first 16 laps of the 82-lap race, led Gordon on a restart with two laps to go after the final caution of the race and pulled away by several car lengths.

Undeterred, Gordon, in only his second Busch race of the year, rallied midway through the 11-turn, 2.45-mile layout and hit the back bumper of Busch’s No. 39 Penske Dodge. Busch held on and gained a two car-length lead entering the final lap.

Gordon wasn’t finished yet. He again pulled up to Busch’s back bumper, and this time he drove through the grass in a last-ditch effort to make the pass, slamming the side of Busch’s car and also sending it sliding through the grass.

“We knew we were better than him there,” said Gordon, who also finished second here a year ago to Busch’s Penske Racing teammate, Ryan Newman. “I just tried to move him. I had him sized up. I knew I was going to lay into him and that’s what I did. I just didn’t go far enough.”

That allowed Busch to maintain control as Gordon briefly inched in front, and he then slammed Gordon back and regained the lead.

Jamie McMurray finished third despite overheating problems, Greg Biffle was fourth and John Andretti fifth, his best finish in the series.

Johnny Benson, driving a Toyota, took advantage of a dustup between race leaders Todd Bodine and Mike Skinner to win the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Toyota Tundra 200 at Nashville Superspeedway.

Jack Sprague was second, followed by Marcos Ambrose, the highest finishing rookie.

Ted Musgrave was fourth, giving him six top-five finishes in as many starts at the Superspeedway.

Helio Castroneves overtook Sam Hornish to earn the pole position for today’s Meijer Indy 300 at Kentucky Speedway in Sparta. Castroneves’ top speed of 218.328 mph bested Hornish’s 218.307 for the IndyCar race. Dan Wheldon was third at 217.003.

Sebastien Bourdais earned the pole for today’s Champ Car Grand Prix of Denver with a lap of 100.941 mph. A.J. Allmendinger was second at 100.509 and Justin Wilson third at 99.623.

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SOCCER

Ronaldinho Stars in Barcelona Win

Brazilian superstar Ronaldinho scored two goals and Lionel Messi added a goal and two assists as FC Barcelona defeated the New York Red Bulls, 4-1, in an exhibition match in front of 79,002 at East Rutherford, N.J.

Barcelona got its first goal in the 13th minute, when Red Bulls defender Marvell Wynne pulled down Samuel Etoo in the penalty area. Ronaldinho’s penalty kick beat goalkeeper Tony Meola.

Ruud van Nistelrooy scored on a penalty kick and assisted on another goal in the second half as Real Madrid beat namesake Real Salt Lake, 2-0, in an exhibition game match at Salt Lake City.

Robinho also scored for Madrid off a touch pass from Van Nistelrooy.

American goalkeeper Kasey Keller made a winning debut as captain of Borussia Moenchengladbach, leading his team past Energie Cottbu, 2-0, at Berlin.

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TENNIS

Federer, Gasquet to Meet for Title

Top-ranked Roger Federer won the first five games of the match and went on to defeat Fernando Gonzalez, 6-1, 5-7, 6-3, in the semifinals of the Rogers Cup, and will meet Richard Gasquet in today’s final at Toronto.

Gasquet defeated Andy Murray, 6-2, 7-5, to become the first unseeded finalist at the tournament in three years.

Andre Agassi pulled out of the upcoming Cincinnati Masters because of back pain.

The tournament starts Monday. Agassi, 36, intends to end his 20-year pro career at the U.S. Open, which begins Aug. 28 in New York.

Top-seeded Anastasia Myskina and third-seeded Zheng Jie won in straight sets to reach the final at the Nordic Light Open at Stockholm.

Myskina beat fourth-seeded Sofia Arvidsson, 6-2, 6-4. Zheng topped Tsvetana Pironkova, 6-2, 7-6 (4).

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MISCELLANY

Mayo Set to Announce He Will Attend USC

Point guard O.J. Mayo, considered the best prep player in the class of 2007, is expected to commit to USC today during a news conference at the Marina del Rey Marriott, according to a source with knowledge of the situation.

Mayo, a 6-foot-4 senior from Cincinnati North College Hill High, cannot sign a binding letter of intent until November.

Mayo attended USC football practice Saturday with friend Aaron Pogue, a 6-9 senior center from Dayton Dunbar High who is also considering the Trojans’ basketball program. Football players chanted “O.J., O.J., O.J.” at the end of practice.

Senior guard Lodrick Stewart has attained the summer school grades he needed to retain his eligibility for the fall semester, USC Coach Tim Floyd said, and sophomore forward Jeremy Barr will return after telling the coaching staff last spring that he planned to transfer.

-- Ben Bolch and Gary Klein

Dirk Nowitzki scored 18 points to lead Germany to a 76-75 win over Brazil in a world championships warmup at Nanjing, China.

Jerry Rice, a standout receiver at Mississippi Valley State before setting records in the NFL, is now recognized for other talents. Rice said wherever he goes these days, he hears people talk about the fact that he reached the finals of “Dancing with the Stars.”

“All those touchdowns, and they remember the dancing,” said Rice, one of 20 players, along with former USC tailback Anthony Davis, who was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame at South Bend, Ind.

Evgeni Malkin, the star forward and Pittsburgh Penguins draft pick who has said he wants to play in the NHL, left his Russian pro team during a training camp in Finland, Russian news services reported.

The 6-foot-3 Malkin is regarded in hockey circles as the best player in the world not playing in the NHL.

Yelena Isinbayeva cleared 15 feet 9 inches and won the pole vault at the European Championships in Goteborg, Sweden.