Truex slams brakes on Harvick run
Martin Truex Jr. cruised to victory at Fontana yesterday in Fontana, Calif., claiming the first win of the season for last year’s NASCAR Cup Series champion.
After Kevin Harvick’s quest for a fourth consecutive victory essentially ended with an early smack into the wall, Truex dominated his 16th career victory. He easily held off defending Fontana champ Kyle Larson, who was 11 seconds behind in second.
Colleges: Clarkson again
Elizabeth Giguere scored 7:55 into overtime and Clarkson won its second straight NCAA Division 1 womens’ hockey title and third in five years with a 2-1 win over Colgate in Minneapolis.
Cassidy Vinkle also scored for the Golden Knights (36-4-1), playing its third straight tournament overtime game. Shea Tiley had 27 saves against Colgate (34-6-1), which was in the tournament for the first time in school history.
MLB: Twins SS suspended
Minnesota Twins shortstop Jorge Polanco has been suspended 80 games after testing positive for a performance-enhancing substance. Polanco tested positive for Stanozolol and became the sixth player to be banned this year under the major league drug program — one more than last year . ...
The Royals signed right-handed reliever Justin Grimm to a $1.25 million, one-year deal that includes up to $300,000 incentives after he was released by the Chicago Cubs last week . . . .
New York Mets left-hander Jason Vargas is expected to miss 4-6 weeks after fracturing a bone in his right hand.
Misc.: Farmer key to gold
Declan Farmer carried Team USA to a stunning comeback in the sled hockey gold medal game at the Paralympic Winter Games.
Farmer tied the score against Canada in the waning seconds then scored early in overtime for a 2-1 victory in Gangneung, South Korea.
Farmer’s goal with 38 seconds remaining was the first allowed in five tournament games by Canada. He hit the post early in overtime before scoring the winner 3:30 into the 15-minute period.
Farmer had a tournament high 11 goals and a tournament-high 17 points. Not surprisingly, he was named the tournament’s MVP . . . .
Weldon Kirui of Kenya pulled away in the 24th mile to win the Los Angeles Marathon for the second time in three years. Sule Utura Gedo of Ethiopia won the women’s race.
Ben True became the first American men’s open division winner at the 2018 United Airlines New York City Half marathon. The women’s race was captured by 24-year-old Ethiopian Buze Diriba . . . .
Juan Martin del Potro rallied from three match points down in the third set and beat top-ranked Roger Federer 6-4, 6-7 (8), 7-6 (2) to win the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells, Calif., and hand the Swiss superstar his first loss of the year.
Federer’s 17-match winning streak — the best start of his career — ended.
Naomi Osaka routed Daria Kasatkina 6-3, 6-2 to win the women’s title in a matchup of 20-year-old rising stars and earn the first title of her career.