Dixon gets his fourth top-fuel victory

Larry Dixon earned his fourth top-fuel victory of the season Sunday at the NHRA Nationals at Summit Motorsports Park in Norwalk, Ohio, and moved up to second in the points standings.

Jack Beckman took the funny car title, Jason Line won the pro stock and Andrew Hines raced to a win in pro stock motorcycle.

Dixon used a run of 3.981 seconds at a top speed of 294.05 mph to easily beat Brandon Bernstein.

Beckman raced to victory against Bob Tasca III with a run of 4.315 seconds and 277.54 mph. The victory helped Beckman rise to fourth in the standings.

Line (6.665 seconds and 207.30) edged Mike Edwards (6.747 seconds) in the final. Line moved up to third in the standings.

Hines moved into second place in the standings by beating teammate and leader Eddie Krawiec. Hines finished in 7.024 seconds.

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FOOTBALL

Roper confirms his transfer to Montana

Former Oregon quarterback Justin Roper has confirmed that he will transfer to Montana.

Roper started for Oregon last season until he injured his knee in Week 3.

He confirmed his decision to play for Montana on Saturday in an interview with the Missoulian newspaper of Missoula, Mont.

By transferring from a major-college program to one in a lower tier of Division I, Roper is eligible to play this season.

Officials say North Carolina State junior linebacker Nate Irving has been charged with careless and reckless driving after a crash that broke his leg and collapsed a lung.

Capt. Everett Clendenin, a State Highway Patrol spokesman, said the one-vehicle crash occurred about 4:40 a.m. Sunday on Interstate 40 in Johnston County, N.C. He said Irving’s vehicle ran off the road twice before striking two trees.

Clendenin said troopers think Irving may have fallen asleep at the wheel. The school said Irving was expected to undergo surgery Sunday night at WakeMed Trauma Center in Raleigh.

Irving had 84 tackles last season, despite missing time with injuries.

Hundreds of people waited for hours in lines that stretched for blocks to attend the visitation for a slain Iowa high school football coach.

A funeral is planned today for Ed Thomas, following the visitation Sunday. Thomas, who coached at Aplington-Parkersburg High, was fatally shot Wednesday during a team workout. Authorities have charged 24-year-old Mark Becker, who had played for Thomas, with first-degree murder.

Thomas coached for 34 years in the community about 80 miles northeast of Des Moines and had guided several players to the NFL.

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SAILING

Transpac Yacht Race begins today

Forty-eight vessels in various classes will set sail this week to begin the fabled Transpacific Yacht Race from Los Angeles to Honolulu.

The 2,255-mile biennial competition will feature 1 p.m. starts today, Thursday and Sunday from Point Fermin on the Palos Verdes Peninsula.

Notable entries include Ragtime, which is owned by Chris Welch and competing for a record 15th time; Roy P. Disney’s Pyewacket, and Challenged America’s BQuest II, skippered by Urban Miyares, who is blind.

The larger, faster boats, which will start Sunday, will be gunning to break the fastest elapsed-time record for a monohull: 6 days 16 hours 4 minutes 11 seconds by Morning Glory in 2005.

-- Pete Thomas

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BASEBALL

Lake Elsinore beats High Desert, 33-18

The Lake Elsinore Storm and High Desert Mavericks combined for 51 runs and 57 hits in a California League game won by the Storm, 33-18, in Adelanto.

Lake Elsinore, a Class-A affiliate of the San Diego Padres, had 33 hits and five home runs, including two by Matt Clark, who went five for six.

High Desert, a Seattle Mariners affiliate, hit five homers.