Biffle Drives to Dominating Win

Stuck in one of the unluckiest ruts in recent NASCAR history, Greg Biffle was in serious danger of missing the playoffs.

Although it seemed his season was slipping away, he never panicked, even after empty gas tanks, flat tires and blown engines sabotaged every good run his team put together.

His patience is paying off.

Biffle broke through Saturday night, racing to his first victory of the season by holding off a late charge from Jeff Gordon in the Dodge Charger 500 at Darlington Raceway in South Carolina.

“I think positive,” Biffle said. “I never let myself get too down, and I knew that we were going to be able to snap out of it sooner or later.”

It came in the form of a second consecutive victory at Darlington, and in dominating fashion. Biffle led 170 of the 367 laps.

Earlier, Dale Jarrett became Toyota’s first big-name driver, agreeing to drive a Camry next season when the Japanese automaker makes its NASCAR debut.

Jarrett, a former series champion, will drive one of Michael Waltrip’s two cars. Waltrip will drive the other and has not ruled out fielding a third entry.

Also, Darlington Raceway President Chris Browning said NASCAR had agreed to return to the track in 2007.

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Sebastien Bourdais held off Paul Tracy by 1.238 seconds to win the Champ Car Grand Prix of Houston.

Bourdais overcame a No. 5 starting position and a slow early pit stop to win for the seventh time in nine starts and the second time this year.

Bourdais also won the season-opening race in Long Beach on April 9.

Bourdais led the final 33 laps on the 1.69-mile course set up in the 345-acre parking lot next to the Astrodome and Reliant Stadium, home of the NFL’s Houston Texans.

The 27-year-old Bourdais took another step toward becoming the first driver since Ted Horn in the 1940s to win three consecutive Champ Car titles.

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Fernando Alonso, trying to become the first Spaniard to win the Spanish Grand Prix, won the pole for today’s race in Barcelona.

Alonso completed his lap in 1 minute 14.648 seconds. Teammate Giancarlo Fisichella was next in 1:14.709, giving Renault a 1-2 qualifying finish.

Michael Schumacher, the seven-time world champion who beat Alonso in the last two races, was third in 1:14.970, with his Ferrari teammate Felipe Massa next at 1:15.442.

American Scott Speed was 17th in 1:17.361.