ARAB TIMES, MONDAY, MAY 10, 2021 SPORTS 14 Earnhardt Jr. paces field in late father’s newly-restored Chevy Nova Allgaier holds off teammate to take Darlington Xfi nity race DARLINGTON, S.C., May 9, (AP): runs extremely deep,” Allgaier said. And then came the parade of JR Mo- Gragson led 40 out of 148 laps, the Dale Earnhardt Jr. took his late father’s To win this race in that atmosphere, he torsports drivers on top. most of any competitor. But his car newly restored Chevy Nova out for a said, “I don’t know if you can describe Allgaier said the restored Nova was was found to have broken a rule pre- spin on Darlington Raceway’s throw- those emotions.” at the team’s race shop for a while and venting cars from having suspension back weekend to pace the field before Allgaier didn’t move in front until he was excited to see his boss take it mounts that allow for “beyond normal the Xfinity Series race. the final 10 laps, when he passed Berry out for a spin. rotation or suspension and/or drive- Then his JR Motorsports drivers did for the lead. Then the race’s eighth and Not that victory came easily. He train travel, according to NASCAR. their part to honor the NASCAR lega- final caution five laps later set up the pushed past Berry on a restart with 10 The $100,000 bonus for winning a cy of their owner’s family. two-lap overtime shootout that Allgai- laps left and looked like he had opened a Dash-4-Cash promotion instead was Justin Allgaier held off teammate big enough lead to close things out. But awarded to AJ Allmendinger, who fin- Josh Berry in overtime to win the Xfin- the eighth caution set up the overtime. ished 12th. ity event at Darlington, becoming two CAR RACING Allgaier chose the outside line for Daniel Hemric moved up to fourth of three JR Motorsports racers to finish the last restart and, while Berry edged and Jeremy Clements was fifth, fol- in the top six. in front briefly, he powered past him to lowed by Michael Annett, Brett Mof- A fourth JRM driver, Noah Grag- er claimed for his first win at the track take the checkered flag. fitt, Ryan Sieg, Alex Labbe and Har- son, had crossed the finish line fourth nicknamed “Too Tough To Tame.” “We’re not surprised we’re in the rison Burton to round out the top 10. and appeared to win a $100,000 bo- “This place is truly special,” said top five really,” Berry said. “We’re Annett, another JR Motorsports nus. But he was disqualified after his Allgaier, 34. just trying to iron out our mistakes.” driver, moved up to sixth with his team- car failed inspection and he dropped to His victory capped a day filled with It was Allgaier’s second win in the mate’s DQ. Earnhardt Jr., who has 40th, last in the field. nods to the Earnhardts’ racing past. past four races and his 16th career retired from full-time racing, last com- It was about the only setback for the Allgaier’s Chevrolet featured a paint Xfinity victory. peted at Darlington in 2019 with a fifth- Xfinity team, owned in part by Dale Jr. scheme driven by the late Dale Earn- Defending Darlington Xfinity race place finish in an Xfinity race. He plans Justin Allgaier poses with his trophy in Victory Lane after winning the NAS- and his sister, Kelley. hardt in the 2000 Daytona 500. winner Brandon Jones finished third, on getting behind the wheel at Richmond CAR Xfinity Series auto race at Darlington Raceway, on May 8, in Darling- “Obviously, Dale’s history in this Before the race, Dale Jr. drove his just ahead of Gragson before his car for the Xfinity race on Sept. 11, honoring ton, S.C. (AP) sport, Dale Jr.’s history in this sport, father’s restored Nova to pace the field. failed inspection. victims of the 2001 terrorist attacks. O’Connor shines Alvarez adds another title with Reds top Brumbies to win Super Rugby Australia title eighth round TKO of Saunders BRISBANE, Australia, May 9, (AP): James O’Connor scored fi ve minutes into injury-time to lift the Queensland Sabalenka claims Reds to a 19-16 victory over the short- Soto defends WBO junior flyweight belt handed ACT Brumbies in a thrilling Super Rugby Australia fi nal. Madrid Open title O’Connor continued his resur- gence from troubled teenage tyro to MADRID, May 9, (AP): Aryna Sa- ARLINGTON, Texas, May an established leader as he scored all balenka is glad she changed her mind 9, (AP): Canelo Alvarez of the Reds’ 19 points including a try about playing at the Madrid Open. jumped into his trainer’s fi ve minutes after the full-time siren Two weeks after nearly withdraw- to complete a remarkable comeback ing from the tournament because of a arms while Billy Joe Saun- for the hosts in front of 42,000 fans at muscle injury, Sabalenka was standing ders slumped in his corner Brisbane. on center court with the winner’s tro- with a towel draped over The Brumbies had Darcy Swain and phy in her hands. Luke Reimer sin-binned late in the Sabalenka defeated top-ranked Ash his head. match as they desperately tried to hold Barty 6-0, 3-6, 6-4 for her 10th WTA The wildly popular Mexican on to its 16-12 lead. title - and first on clay. fighter added another super middle- The victory, coming two weeks after weight title belt in front of a huge she was hurt in a loss to Barty in the crowd in another fight in Texas. Not RUGBY Stuttgart final, will move the Belarus only did Saunders have his first loss player to No. 4 in the world next week. as a pro, the English fighter might Despite the two-man disadvantage have a broken eye socket. the Brumbies withstood two scrums TENNIS Alvarez set up another victory in his near their goal line before the Reds latest Cinco de Mayo bout with a stag- eventually shifted the ball wide to O’Connor who cut through the defen- “To be honest, after the final in gering right hand in the middle of the Stuttgart I was injured, I couldn’t even eighth round, sending 73,126 already- sive line to seal the win and the Reds fi rst title in 10 years. move, I really wanted to withdraw screaming fans at the home of the Dal- from here,” she said. “And I don’t las Cowboys into a frenzy as we waved “I’m pretty blown away, it’s a surreal moment,” O’Connor said. “We are our know how, but my team ... the recov- his arms to encourage the noise while ery was really good. In four days they the round continued. worst enemies at times but when the game’s on the line (we fi nd a way).” made me feel much better. Somehow The Brumbies had the better of pos- I’m here standing as the champion of BOXING session and territory in the fi rst half but this tournament.” Sabalenka injured an only had a Tom Banks try to show for it. adductor muscle in the three-set loss in Germany to Barty, who had won all of Saunders’ corner waved in defeat Both teams traded penalties throughout the second half before her three previous finals this year. before the ninth while treating a cut It was the second title for Sabalenka under his right eye. Alvarez (56-1-2, the fi nal chaotic ten minutes saw the short-handed Brumbies camped on this year after winning the season- 38 knockouts) added Saunders’ WBO Canelo Alvarez, (right), connects against Billy Joe Saunders during a unified super middleweight world champion- opener in Abu Dhabi. She also lost to belt to his WBA and WBC straps in his ship boxing match, on May 8, in Arlington, Texas. (AP) their goalline trying to deny the Reds a match winning try. Barty in the Miami quarterfinals. third fight in less than five months, and second in Texas. after baseball’s Texas Rangers had tendance in heavyweight Tyson Fury, hand of the fight. It was the first loss in 31 fights for their home opener in the first full pro a vocal supporter during fight week of Still Alvarez was in control even be- the 31-year-old Brit, who was taken to sports stadium since the COVID-19 his fellow Brit Saunders, and welter- fore the devastating right in the eighth. the hospital with a suspected broken shutdown early last year, right next weight Errol Spence Jr., who lives in The crowd roared when he landed the orbital bone, fight spokesman Anthony door at Globe Life Field. the Dallas area. blow, prompting Alvarez to raise both Leaver said. The distinction shouldn’t last long Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones arms above his head, then waving his While the wild celebration dragged with the Indianapolis 500 planning for watched from his right arm before the round was over. on in the ring - to match a wild scene about 135,000, or 40% of the track’s suite in the $1.2 The only missing belt for Alvarez that included two fights in the crowd capacity, on May 30. But the pro- billion show- now in the 168-pound division is Ca- not far from it - Saunders eventually Mexico crowd enjoyed the moment, place that had the leb Plant’s IBF strap.