Show B2 — The Herald Journal Logan Utah Monday November 17 2003 Labonte wins race dominated by Elliott said shaking his head "Ealhack kept saying 'Keep going he'll make a mistake' Hut I told him Rill was just playing with me “The beginning of (he race was just terrible for me but the track ly Hal 6 degrees of hanking to 20 degrees Ins I)odge wiggled and slowed as his right mar lire came apart That sent pieces of sheet metal HOMESTEAD Ha iAP) - A Mown lire mi I he last lap cost Hill Ellioit a second straight victory and gave Rohhv Labonte l he win Sunday in the era ending Wiliston Cup race al Homestead Miami Speedway Elliott had a dominating victory a ' week ago at Rockingham and was lead-ineven stronger in the Eord40lf I ol' 267 laps on the reconfigured I 12 mile I jmiicstead oval He held olT I abonte on a restart in ne laps from the end and pulled iwa dri iiigjnto the first turn of the last lap leadin': Labonte by about five ear lengths and apparently on the' Way to im easy win As E llioti drove olT Jurn two on the trackncwly changed Ironi a near and rubber Hying and ignited a fire in the wheelwell Labonte who struggled early in ' the race and had not led a lap all day shot past Elliott on the hacksirelch Kevin Harvick to and beat runner-uthe finish line by 1749 seconds — half the front straightaway : Crew chief Michael "Ealhack" McSwain kept telling Labonte on the radio in (he final laps not to give up but Elliott’s' problem caught the winner by surprise '‘i)h man I couldn't believe it I just couldn't believe it" Labonte ' s: : Despite the disappointment Elliott appeared to spike the season-lon- g rumors that he will retire Asked how soon he might have a decision on whether to retire or race in 2004 Elliott said “I ain't got no decisions to make I'm ready to go" Elliott's was just the last of a series of tire problems in the race Goodyear spokesman Mike Stucker-sai“It's just the nature of a new repaved race track A new fresh asphalt black racetrack makes a lot of heat and we're seeing some blis- NASCAR came back to me and we finally got some luck” Elliott a former series champion held on to finish eighth and took the ' loss in stride V “Our Dodge ran so well today and it's just an unfortunate thing" he said "I don't know if I've ever won 'one-likthat hut I've sure lost them like that Obviously it wasn't bur 36-eve- nt This was the last race for RJ Reynolds Tobacco Co after 33 years as a major sponsor for NASCAR By 1 1 5-- 0) 1 - it is 1 head'' ' The Associated Press Oklahoma remained No: in The Associated Press college football Top 25 for the 3th straight poll the third longest run ever to begin the season The Sooners ( 10-- received all 65 first- place votes in balloting by the panel of sports writers and broadcasters Sunday one ' day after beating Bay lor 41-- 3 The rest of the top five remained the same with Southern California LSU Ohio State and Michigan following Oklahoma in ' ' ' 1 ' : overrated ' They remained unbeaten at home with a 0 record alter a 106-- 04 victory Sunday over the Golden Stale Warriors Hut unlike previous sea- sons Saeramenio is making fourth quarters fair- better 'than going out there and winning by 30' said Kings forward Brad Miller who j list mi ssed hi s first NBA triple- double w jih 1 points E assists and nine- - ' ' rebounds “It is nice in go out there and clean things iip by' the third quartcrvhut by having : close games it keeps us from getting a big - add to run at top spot Lopsided v ictories at home have not been the order of business this Season for- - the Sacramento Kjngs: Hut some' 'of the Kings think blowouts arg "I think that Sunday Jimmie Johnson was third in the ' race and easily held onto second place in the season standings finishing a deceptively close 90 points to Kenseth who led from the fourth race of the season Dale Earnhardt Jr finished 24th on Sunday and wound up third in the points 117 behind Johnson tering" Associated Press y interesting ar ' Lakers roll to easy victory over Miami By The Beginning in 2004 NASCAR's top stock car series will he sponsored by Nextel Communications and will be known as the Nextel Cup It was not a good day for Matt Kenseth who wrapped up the last Winston Cup championship at Rockingham He had an engine failure field and finished last in the 43-c- day” ' ' the poll : There will bd some change next because the Buckeyes and Wolverines play with the ' outright Big Ten title on the line ' The only teams to be No I in mine polls to start the season than Oklahoma arc Florida State which went V wire-to-wiin 1 999 and Nebraska which had a run of 15 straight No I rankings in 1983 until losing the Orange Bowl to ' V Miami V Army and Notre Dame went wiit-to-wiin 1945 and 1943 respectively when the ' polls'didn't begin until October : con-secuti- ve - re iVja Stirjakovie scored 33 points and Bohby ' with 504 seconds " cntilead Sacramento to its 5th remui ning-tsecutive v reiorv over Golden State ' Jackson- has never hist fo Golden Staic since ! arriving in Sacramento three yeursago But he' say s tl)e task is getting more difficult for the Kings w ho had won the previous 4 games by ah average of 175' points''' had never thought about how many times we had beaten them (inarowi" Jackson said "That is agiKKl team they tire playing extreme- jy well Thcy 'play hard every night regardless they are playingVfs-v-- J loping nr break a streak thaldaleshaek id- 'Dee 201999 Golden State nearly did it ihe ' hard way winning in Sacramento — whereat ' 1 has ldsi straight giimes:Hut disappointment overcomes'effurl' ho nuilter how great V “There isn’t really any moral victories'’ " Mike Dunlcavy said “Yeah it fell good Ur ' ciime Close against the Kings dr the Lakers oC whoever it may he We want hi win”" After Cliff Rohinsbn made a lolie the game at 0 Jackson responded with a 3 from-thdeep ciirner putring Sacramento ahead 04: () I A follow shot by Erie' Datiipier pulled the with'33 seconds left ' Warriors ro 104-10- 3 Stojakovic who also had I I rebouhds made two free throws with 1 3 seconds left to secureof 12 free ' thcvwin He iiiade Tour throw s ahdaisofiad four assists ' “I’cja was terrific tonight" Kings cimeh Rkk5 Adel man said “We' need hi i'fi' in games like-iihi- s He really had it giiod ganicV' Jason Richardson led the Warriors with 31 :l points and eighi rebounds hut missed a driving lay up with live seconds left and Mi Her grabbed ' r the rebound "That's a shot you know ou can make” ' Richardson said “It goes in dr it goes put And just didn't put it high enough I usually make that shot" ' Stojakovic: who also had 11 rebounds made two free throws with 13 seconds left to secure ' the win Jackson scored 12 of his 6 points in the fourth quarter Mike Bihby had 13 points Ger- -' aid Wallace had i 1 points and eight rebounds " Jackson hit a 1 re - V ’ 1 " : the maximum 1625 Oklahoma-receive- points beating out USC which had 1559 JeoigiaTexa Washington State nessee and TCU round out the top Homed Frags are the only undefeated team in majpr college football other than Okla- -' - j homaV ad-wh- nets " 1 1 e v 1 1 - 1 1 By The Associated Press Andrew Cassds scored w ith 419 seconds left in regulation to rally the Columbus Blue Jackets to a 2-- 2 tie with the Phoenix Coyoteson Sunday ' night The Covotes went to overtime for the fifth Consecutive game Davmond Langkow had a goal and an assist and Ladislav Nagy added a goal for Phoenix each stretching their points streaks to five : games Rick Nash scored his KXh goal to end a Columbus scoring drought early in the second period Columbus goaltendcr Marc renis who had 29 saves slopped Jan Hrdma in the slot early in the final period with Phoenix trying to lead Landon Wilson extend a 2-- 1 ' : win ' APphoto- Sacramento Kings forward Peja Stojakovic celebrates with' teammates after being fouled and sent to the ! line late second half against the Golden State Warriors Sunday night in Sacramento Calif and VIadc Divac addcd l l points antj seven' reNiunds Robinson scored 16' points Dunleavy had 14 Eric pampicr had 1 points and 15 rehciunds and Brian Cardinal added 11 points for Golden State Raptors 10L Rockets 97 20Ts Chns ibish forced overtime with his first career and scored 10 of his season-- 1 high 25 points in the extra periods id lead Lakers 99 Heat 77 ' TorontoBosh the fourth overall pjck in the draft hit a with 72 seconds remaining in rcgula-tidn to force overtime- and'added four points in the first extra period and sjx in the second as lhe at home and 5 over-- " Raptors improved to - 5-- 5-- all Vince Cairter scored 1 8 points for Toronto and teammates Lamond Murray- and Antonio each added 13 Steve Francis scored 25 points and Yao Ming added 20 points and l2rahounds for Houston - imii — : Chris Simon scored midway ' - beating MiamL The wjn was tlto third in a row for the Lakers (8-vie- and their 20th straight regular-seaso- n TheHeaf(2-8had won two ) tpryathomc ' straight ' It was also the 784th regular-seaso- n victory for Lakers coach Phil Jackson moving him into a tie for 11th on the NBAs career list with Gene 2) ' Shiie ' Bryant got the bulk of his points from the foul line going l The Lakers made 33 of 46 ' free throws Gary Payton had 13 points and eight assisLs and Karl Malone added 1 1 points and 10 rebounds for the Lakers despite sitting out the fourth quarter : Lamar (Xkim led Miami with 18 points and nine rebounds over HOUSTON ( AP) — By the end Roger Fedcrer had Andre Agassi shaking his head ' Put simply Federer served trio well' ' returned too wejl and stnick too well Even Agassi was moved to say his opponent was “ds good as it gels out - ground-stroke- there” Capping a perfect tournament with another sublime performance Federer beat Agasfinal si 3 0 4 in a g the to win Tennis Sunday Masters Cup for his ' h seventh title 6-- 6-- 6-- season-endintour-hig- of 2003 ' ' “I really overaebieved” Federer said “F ve worked very hard this year and it :’ really paid off' Federer earned $1520000 and moved tip to No 2 in the rankings behind Andy Roddick The Wimbledon champion went 0 against ah elite field including torics over the other reigning Grand Slam champions: Agassi (Australian Open) Roddick (US Opcn) and Juan Carlos Fertero (French Open): 5-- through the third period to lift New : - York into a tie Simon beat goalie Michael Leighton with a quick shot from 25 feet at 10:18 of the third He ' pounced on a loose puck after ' piicago rookie JgorRadulov could- n't handle si pass: Mighty Ducks 4 Blues 3 Steve Rucchin scored twice including the goal on a power play early in the third period as Anaheim ended Si Louis' five- game winning streak Anaheim got off to a quick start when Jason Krog and Vitaly Vish- nevski scored 69 seconds apart in the first period for a lead Vish- nevski also had two assists Peter Cajanck Paved Demitra and Eric Nickulas scored for the Central go-ahe- ad streak Shawn McEachern and Daniel Tjamqvist added their first goals of the season for the Thrashers Pasi Nurmincn stopped 26 shots ' Trailing 2-- 0 after two periods Honda tied the game on goals by Niklas Hagman and Vaclav Nedorost in the first 1:45 of the third Bbdtkawks 2 Rangers 2 ' Kobe Bryant scored 27 points Shaquille O’Neal had 14 poinLs and six rebounds in only 24 minutes and Los Angeles led all the way in 1 rocketed a shot off the post with 6:30rcmaming and Denis denied Brian Savage on a breakaway w ith 1:12 left ' Thrashers 5 Panthers 2 Francis Lessard and Tommi Santa- la scored their first NHL goals and ' Atlanta ended a three-gam- e losing j— ’ Ten- 10 The -“ 1 ' : 2-- 0 Division-leadin- g Blues APpiwo Columbus Blue Jackets' Marc Dsn (30) makes a on a shot by PTioanix Coyotes’ Branko Radwojevic (29) in tie first period of Sundsy’s geme im 1 |