Busch gets truck win; Skinner’s series lead reduced

Kyle Busch led the final 42 laps in a Chevrolet to win the NASCAR Craftsman Trucks Series Casino Arizona 150 on Friday night at Phoenix International Raceway.

Championship contender Ron Hornaday finished second in a Chevrolet, and series points leader Mike Skinner was eighth in a Toyota. Skinner, who won the pole earlier in the day, started with a 57-point lead over Hornaday, but the margin was trimmed to 29 heading into next week’s finale in Homestead, Fla.

Skinner was irritated with teammate Johnny Benson, who passed him for seventh place during the closing laps. The difference in position cost Skinner four points.

Four-time champion Sebastien Bourdais said he came to Mexico to win the Grand Prix and leave the Champ Car World Series on a high note.

Bourdais, who next season will race for Scuderia Toro Rosso in Formula One, set a track record at Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez with a lap time of 1 minute 24.698 seconds in the first qualifying session for Sunday’s race.

Bourdais, who won in Mexico in 2004 and 2006, broke the record of 1:24.801 set in 2006 by Justin Wilson to clinch a spot on the first row.

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TENNIS

Sharapova wins to avoid match against Henin

Maria Sharapova defeated Ana Ivanovic, 6-1, 6-2, at the WTA Tour championships in Madrid and avoided a semifinal matchup with defending champion and top-ranked Justine Henin. Instead, Ivanovic will play Henin today, and Sharapova will play Anna Chakvetadze.

Marion Bartoli, the mid-tournament replacement for injured Serena Williams, won when Jelena Jankovic retired during the second set because of a virus. Daniela Hantuchova defeated second-ranked Svetlana Kuznetsova, 7-6 (7), 6-0, to complete group play.

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GOLF

Creamer shoots 65 to take lead at Mobile

After birdieing the final seven holes Thursday for a share of the lead in the Tournament of Champions at Mobile, Ala., Paula Creamer shot a seven-under-par 65 to take a five-stroke lead at 12-under 132.

Jin Joo Hong was second at seven under after a 67. Annika Sorenstam (67) and Pat Hurst (69) were six under, and Karen Stupples (67) was another stroke back in the event limited to tournament winners from 2004-07 and active Hall of Famers.

Kevin Stadler led two-time Masters champion Phil Mickelson by one shot at the HSBC Champions in Shanghai, carding a three-under 69 for an 11-under 133 total. Mickelson shot a 66. Ross Fisher (68) and Simon Yates (66) were three behind.

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BASEBALL

Guerrero, Martin win Silver Slugger Awards

Vladimir Guerrero of the Angels and Russell Martin of the Dodgers won Silver Slugger Awards as the best offensive players at their positions in their respective leagues.

For Guerrero, the Silver Slugger was his fourth in a row and seventh of his career. Guerrero batted .324 with 27 home runs and 125 runs batted in. The right fielder had a slugging percentage of .547 and an on-base percentage of .403, and his 28 intentional walks topped the American League.

Martin, who was honored for the first time, also won his first Gold Glove Award this week. The 24-year-old led all major league catchers in average (.297), home runs (19), hits (157), steals (21), on-base percentage (.380) and slugging (.477). Balloting for the award is conducted among managers and coaches.

Also, Dodgers right-hander Chin-hui Tsao was out-righted to triple-A Las Vegas.

-- Dylan Hernandez

Omar Vizquel got his wish to return to the San Francisco Giants. The 11-time Gold Glove shortstop agreed to terms on a $5.3-million, one-year contract.

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MISCELLANY

Wotherspoon sets world speedskating record

Jeremy Wotherspoon set the world record for 500 meters, and Erben Wennemars tied the record for the 1,500 in a World Cup meet at the Utah Olympic Oval in Kearns.

Skating against Shani Davis in the next-to-last pairing, Wennemars matched the mark of 1 minute 42.32 seconds Davis set in Calgary, Canada, on March 4. Davis finished in 1:42.92, finishing third behind Denny Morrison, who was timed in 1:42.79 in the final pairing.

In the 500, Wotherspoon was timed in 34.03 seconds and broke the mark of 34.25 set by Kang-Seok Lee on March 9, 2007, also at Kearns.

Logan Tom scored 18 points as the U.S. defeated the Dominican Republic, 25-16, 20-25, 25-16, 25-18, to improve to 6-0 in the volleyball Women’s World Cup at Kumamoto, Japan.

There will be an informal tribute to Shav Glick, the longtime motorsports writer for The Times who died last month at 87, on Wednesday at 5:30 p.m. The tribute, on the eve of the Los Angeles Auto Show, will be in Room 515 in the L.A. Convention Center upstairs in West Hall. Members of the media and general public are invited.