Dixon makes amends by winning opener

Scott Dixon took the lead after Tony Kanaan crashed and went on to win the first race of the new era of American open-wheel racing Saturday night.

Dixon, who lost the Indy Racing League championship when he ran out of fuel on the last lap of the 2007 season, got off to a great start with a victory in the Gainsco Indy 300 at Homestead-Miami Speedway.

Kanaan came out of the last round of green flag pit stops in the lead and appeared well on the way to victory until Ernesto Viso, a rookie driving for one of the former Champ Car World Series teams that just joined the IRL, spun on the 193rd of 200 laps.

As Viso slid across the track, Kanaan tried to duck around him but made contact. Kanaan stayed in front for several laps behind the pace car but went into the pits as the green flag waved on Lap 197, giving up the lead to Dixon.

Dennis Setzer took the lead when Kyle Busch had to brake to avoid a crash in front of him, then held on through numerous restarts to win the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Kroger 250 at Martinsville, Va., Speedway.

The victory was the first for Dodge since the late Bobby Hamilton won at Mansfield in 2005.

Andrew Myers and Nick Joanides waged a side-by-side battle in the final laps of the NASCAR Auto Club Late Model Division 40-lap feature at Toyota Speedway in Irwindale with Myers beating Joanides by a 0.049 of a second.

TENNIS

Davenport advances at Key Biscayne

Lindsay Davenport, playing at Key Biscayne, Fla., for the first time in five years, had no problem advancing to the third round of the Sony Ericsson Open.

Seeded 32nd, Davenport lost only six service points -- none in the second set -- and defeated Camille Pin, 6-2, 6-1.

Seventh-seeded Daniela Hantuchova also reached the third round by defeating Milagros Sequera, 6-2, 6-1.

The UCLA women’s tennis team gave Coach Stella Sampras the 200th dual-match victory of her 12-year career, beating Oregon at the L.A. Tennis Center, 7-0.

GOLF

Ochoa takes charge with a four-under 68

Lorena Ochoa moved into position for her second consecutive Safeway International victory and second win in three starts this year, shooting a four-under-par 68 to take the third-round lead at Superstition Mountain, Ariz.

She is at 16-under 200, one shot ahead of Angela Stafford and Jee Young Lee. Stafford shot a 70. Lee shot her third consecutive 67.

Woody Austin, Nicholas Thompson, Peter Lonard and Briny Baird topped the Zurich Classic leaderboard at eight under when rain, lightning and thunder forced the suspension of third-round play at Avondale, La.

Play was stopped at 1:48 p.m., then called off for the day at 5:35 p.m. The 46 players unable to finish will try to complete the round this morning.

John Senden was the leader in the clubhouse at seven-under 209 after a six-under 66.

Bernhard Langer birdied his first two holes and was one of only two players without a bogey, shooting a six-under 66 to take the lead in the Champions Tour’s Ginn Championship at Palm Coast, Fla. He is at 11-under 133.

Langer is two strokes ahead of career club pro Lonnie Nielsen (69). Fred Funk (69), tied with Langer with three holes to play, made a double bogey at No. 17 to fall into third at eight under.

SOCCER

United stays six points in front of Arsenal

Wayne Rooney scored twice and Cristiano Ronaldo scored his 34th goal of the season to lead Manchester United to a 4-0 victory over Aston Villa, keeping the Red Devils six points ahead of Arsenal (76-70) in the English Premier League.

The Gunners rallied from two goals down to beat Bolton, 3-2. William Gallas scored in the 62nd minute, Robin van Persie tied it with a penalty kick in the 68th, and an own-goal by defender JLloyd Samuel in the final minute.

BOXING

Abraham stops Ayala to retain IBF title

Arthur Abraham knocked out Elvin Ayala with 30 seconds left in the 12th-round at Kiel, Germany, to successfully defend his International Boxing Federation middleweight title for the seventh time.

Abraham (26-0, 21 knockouts) also knocked down Ayala (18-3-1) in the fifth round -- the first time the American had been off his feet in his career.

Juanito Garcia’s unbeaten streak ended when he was knocked out by Cornelius Lock in the fourth round of their super-featherweight main event Friday night at the Industry Expo Center.

Garcia fell to 14-1. Lock (17-3-1) sent him to the canvas with a left hook-right uppercut combination.

-- Lance Pugmire

COLLEGE SWIMMING

Arizona wins first NCAA men’s title

Arizona won its first NCAA Division I men’s championship, totaling 500.5 points at Federal Way, Wash. Texas was a distant second with 406 points, followed by Stanford at 344.