Blundell Captures Marlboro 500

Auto racing

Greg Moore’s misfortune was Mark Blundell’s break in Sunday’s Marlboro 500 at the new California Speedway in Fontana, Calif.

Moore took the lead on lap 232 of 250 when Mauricio Gugelmin ran out of fuel and coasted to the pits.

That left Moore just over 1 second ahead of 1996 series champion Jimmy Vasser, and those two appeared ready to battle to the finish when Moore’s engine suddenly blew, belching smoke and flames on lap 240.

The slowing Moore went up the banking and Vasser stayed low and braked. Blundell, who had been lurking close behind in third place, remained on the throttle and passed Vasser before they caught Moore. No caution flag was shown and the Englishman kept Vasser in his mirrors, driving his Mercedes-powered Reynard across the finish line 0.847-seconds - about 10 car-lengths - ahead of Vasser’s Reynard-Honda. The Englishman averaged 166.575 mph.

Formula One

Jacques Villeneuve captured the Luxembourg Grand Prix and seized the lead in the Formula One standings, benefiting from Michael Schumacher’s collision with his brother and the blown engines of the two McLaren cars that had led for two-thirds of the race in Nuerburgring, Germany.

Mika Hakkinen of Finland, who had started from the pole position for the first time in his 94-race career, seemed headed for an easy victory on his 29th birthday. But the engine of his McLaren-Mercedes blew on lap 43, giving Villeneuve the lead.

NHRA

John Force, the defending NHRA Winston Funny Car champion, won the Sears Craftsman Nationals in Topeka, Kan., beating rookie Randy Anderson with a quarter-mile run of 4.988 seconds at 308.74 mph.

NASCAR

Rain at Martinsville, Va., forced postponement of the Hanes 500 Winston Cup until today.