OCR Text |
Show Sunday, March 5, 2006 006 DAILY HERALD Road-specailist Said wins pole for Busch race in Mexico Will Weissert PRESS MEXICO CITY — Boris Said, @ road-course specialist born in New York, won the pole and two Mexican driversplaced in the top five Saturday for the Telcel-Motorola 200, the second race southof the borderin NASCAR's BuschSeries. Said averaged | minute, 28.295 seconds while reaching a top speed of 102.665 mph. Most ofthe top finishers from md Friday's practice took the track after him but wereunable to th postfaster times. It was Said’s secondpole in sed six Busch Seriesstarts. His first cameduring his Busch debut in June 1998 at another road course, Watkins Glen. Saidfinishedfifth in Mexico Givea year ago during the jusch Series’first race in Mexos Hesaid he didn’t think his time would be good enoughfor the pole, but that Mexico City’s tricky Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguezplayed role. “How big and heavy these cars are, with 43 guys,it’s difficult,” he said. “The S (curves) aredifficult, the last turn is dif- ficult.” Second was Denny Hamlin whofinished 0.134 seconds behind Said with a speed of 102.509 mph.He finished fifth in the points last year, his first full season. “This track, | loveit,” Hamlin said.“I like short-track racing, road courses andflat tracks andthis is a combinationofall three of those.” Johnny Sauter went around the 2.518-mile course just once but his time of 1:28.449 was good enough forthird place. Mexico's Adrian Fernandez, an open-wheel racing veteran who knowsthe Mexico City course better than almost anyone else, took fourth. He was followed by Mexico's Jorge Goeters, who took the pole last year. “{ wantedto makesureI got into Turn | verygood,” Fernandez said. “I did all that very good so from there to the end I needed to makesurethatI didn’t make mistakes.” straightaway to reduce’ac- cidénts aroundthe first turn. That's the fastest part ofa track that was originallybuilt for open-wheelracing. Stacy Compton shredded the back endof his No. 59 Ford after careening into the grass and spinninginto a wall on the seventh turn. “This was a greatrace car,” Wood lamented. “But they can put somethings on the other race car to make it just as DARIO LOPEZ-MILLS /Ass Boris Said of the lingersoll-Rand Dodge team drives his car arox snda ood.” curveduring the qualifiers for theNASCAR BuschSeriesraceat Officials used a group qualify- Saturday’s times were slower than the 1:27.696 posted by Goeters, who set a track record of 103.366 mph in winning the pole. the Hermanos Rodriguez racetrack in MexicoCity, Mexico, on Saturday. Said wonthepoleposition for today’s race. ing format associated with road courseraces, but not in place for several yearsin the Busch Series. Jon Wood, whofinished first group qualifying meant the fast- several times by crashes, many coming in curves NASCAR in practice, had trouble keeping insertedinto the long front daylater, settling for 17th. The Saturday, encountering atrack that wasespecially hot and slippery. Qualifying was inecrinted est cars from Friday started last his No.47 Ford on the course a urn- Americans dominate Ses DSwvirrs at America’s Cup Think. Feel. Drive: wt PHILADELPHIA — Jonathan Horton capped his high bar routine with a perfect landing and a mutedthud. Then,the University of Oklahoma sophomorethrust his armsin the air, confident he'd given the crowd the high-flying show it wanted and secured his first major gymnasticstitle. y high barroutine,people love,” Hortonsaid. “I have a high-flying release routine, and peoplelove it. I just going to keepon doing it. Horton edged Olympian Hisashi Mizutori of Japanin the men’s competition, and Nastia Liukin held off fellow American Shayla Worley to capture the women’s eventat the American Cup onSaturday. The American Cup was the first meet to use gymnastics’ newscoring system. After sev- on eral judgingerrors at the Ath- ttle ens Olympics, the International Gymnastics Federation did away with its 10.0 score. rr on mp. The changein scoring had some gymnasts wondering howtheir routines wouldrate. But Hortonrelied onhis train- ing at Oklahomato get through oneofthe top international ig competitions. He won the rings with a scoreof15.6, including a 9.7outof 10 for execution, and finished second on the floor and pic vault for 92.5 pointsand the biggestvictory ofhis career. “The NCAAseason prepares meforsituations likethis,” Horton said. “I've been doing routines over and over in com- petition, so I comeinto a highpressuresituationlike this and feel very confident.” Mizutori wonthefloor exercise and was second with 92.25 points. American David Durante took the pommel horse and parallel bars on the way to a third-placetotal of 91.35. ‘ Hortonfinishedthird in the all-aroundatlast year’s NCAA championships, but he ranksthis victory above that performance. “This meetisn't big because of the numberofathletes they bring in,it's prestigious because of who theybring in,” Hortonsaid. Liukin, the world champion on the unevenbarsand balance beam,was fifth following the opening vault. She overcame SUBARU. GYMNASTICS SWING INTO SPRING! 60.050 points. Worley, competingin herfirst senior level meet, was nextat 59.775. “I had so much fun going out Brand New susaru Impreza 2.5i Seda n 2006 and performing onfloor,” said Worley, who won the beam witha scoreof 15.35, including AWD, Alloys, AM/FM CD, PW,PL, Keyless. MSRP $18,920 a 9.05 for execution. “It was amazingat this competition, the i Discount Off MSRP|_ energy was amazing. Aisha Gerber of mn was third at 57.650,followed by Lais | Garcia of Mexico (57.050), Zhuoru Zhou of China (56.325) and Daria Bijak of Germany (56.0). Two-time Olympic champion Elena Zamolodchikova of Russia fell during her routine on the uneven barsandfinished seventh among eight competitors on the beam andfloor. She was or by mouse Hambuechenof Germany(89.1), Nathan Gafuik of Canada(88.55), Junhao Li of China (86.85) and Florent Maree of France (84.3). Brand New Suparu Forester 2.5% si sia AWD,Cruise, AM/FM CD, PW,PL, Keyless. MSRP $22,553 * Residual $10,374, 48 mo., Build your own ads online at fora final score. Mostof the competitors agreed they now have a better 215 heraldextra. on a maximum start valueof 10.0, One markrepresents the artistry marks are then added Brand New suBparu Legacy 2.5ispecial Edition 2006 www. theprevious single score based technique. Thedifficulty and com stk# 603781 SHY 52155T AWD, PowerSeat, All Weather Pkg. MSRP $26,634 orcall the Herald Classified Ad Department at 373-6450. $2 G4> $279) *3,642 * Residual $11,985, 48 mo., idea of what is expected. /per mo.* 12,000 milesa year. Brand New susaru Tribeca BO ‘Comingin, I wasn't sure what stk# 600111 2006 a 15 ora 14score was,it was hard to tell,” Worleysaid. “This set the bar for other competitions.” Liukin was in favor of keeping the previous scoring method, but added skills to her routine to keep pace with the new code. “I kind of wanted the perfect 10 to stay,” Liukin said, “Butit was a good change.I'll get used to it and understandit more. Comingin, I wasn't sure what the concept was, but now I have AWD,5 Pass VDC, Moonroot, Front & Rear AC, 18° Alloys, 3.0L V6 250 HP. Tinted Glass, All Power, Cruise Control. MSRP $31,808 2,714: Or Lease For Only f 299) /per mo.* * Residual $18,448, 36 mo., 12,000 miles a year. COSTCO MEMBERS WELCOME! * Plus Sales Tax. ** All lease payments computed with $2000 trade equity or cash down,plus first paymentandlicensing. All discount prices include purchase rebate. a better idea.” Loy 501} Wi Main) » American) Fork Fra!) 492-0100 my beam mount,” Liukin said. “It wasa little nerve-racking falling so early in the routine, butI had to come back andhit wyw:DougSmithAutoplex.com) (it). That fall wasjust a fluke.” SUBARU. Liukin wasnearly flawless onthefloor exercise, earning ascoreof 15.125, including an event-leading 9.325 out of 10 for execution. Shefinished with nd QED) ferme Brand New sugaru Out back 2.5i 2006 anear-costly fall on her aerial Worleyenteringthefinal event. “I tried a little too hard on aaa Cole Lta * Residual $10,656, 48 mo., 12,000 miles a year. mounton the beam to finish secondin the event and maintain a one-tenth ofa pointlead over 12,000 miles year. » AWD, Moontoot,Alloys, Pwr Seat, AM/FM CD, PW, PL, Keyless. MSRP $23,783 to give a truer representation of the worth ofa routine replaced for presentation,artistry and stk# 603721 Discount Off MSRP|_Or Lease For Onl A two-markformat intended difficulty of a gymnast’s routine, combining the preset value of the 10 highest elements and adding points for connections or required skills. The second markis for execution, with judges starting at 10.0 and taking deductions LO” | 2006 eighth overall at 40.525. Amongthe men, Sergey Khorokhordin of Russia was fourth at 89.2, followed by Fabian OrLease For Only $9,415) 8949) jperno | * Residual $9270, 48 mo., 12,000 miles year. Souzaof Brazil (57.525), Elsa TAOANOD/ADEITAR SH) BobLentz THE ASSOCIATED PR “I don't knowhowthis qualifying stuff is going to work.” Wood said before taking the track. “I'ma little confused aboutthat.” Sa tlds Sspciial 1 Register Now lay Limited Time , Olympic Savings!! = m in e ad ‘ic to E CONSTI Children with Dreams, 4: Our Greatest Strength Skating Hockey no- Lessons : Lessons $20 $20 . ied ntl + Americas#)Worromy ODO8ore : | -a6e-NoaTTACKs WWW.NOATTACKS.ORG ee 1. (801)377-8777 ‘ ’ Losie} Dow’ ueT vouR cuuo FEEL Chrysler/DodgelJeep LINE AF Suzuki j RaeDoug sraith Se Habla peer | } ’ |