Truex wins NASCAR playoff opener
Martin Truex Jr. raced his way into the second round of NASCAR’s playoffs with a victory Sunday at Las Vegas Motor Speedway in the opening round of the postseason.
The win is Truex’s series- best fifth of the season and again cemented Joe Gibbs Racing as the team to beat in the 10- race playoff series. Truex chased down Kevin Harvick and made the pass for the win with 20 laps left. Truex, who was followed by Harvick and Brad Keselowski, earned an automatic berth into the second round.
Modified stock car great Michael Stefanik was killed in a single- engine plane crash. He was 61. Connecticut state police say the crash happened Sunday in Sterling. ... Jack Beckman raced to his first funny car victory of the season in the Countdown- opening Mopar Express Lane NHRA Nationals in Mohnton, Pa., to take the points lead. Richie Crampton won in top fuel, Jason Line in pro stock and Jerry Savoie in pro stock motorcycle. 35- 3 late Saturday over Montana ( 2- 1) in Eugene, Ore. ... John Hightower returned a kickoff for a touchdown and caught a touchdown pass as thenNo. 22 Boise State ( 3- 0) prevailed 45- 10 over Portland State ( 1- 2) late Saturday in Boise, Idaho. ... Khalil Tate accounted for 314 yards, and Arizona ( 2- 1) grinded out a 28- 14 win over Texas Tech ( 2- 1) late Saturday in Tucson.
Suzann Pettersen holed a sevenfoot birdie putt on the 18th hole as Europe won the last three matches to defeat the United States and capture the Solheim Cup, 141⁄ 2- 131⁄ 2, in Gleneagles, Scotland. When it was over, the 38- yearold from Norway announced her retirement from pro golf. ... Joaquin Niemann, 20, became the first player from Chile to win on the PGA Tour, closing with a six- under- par 64 for a six- stroke victory at The Greenbrier in White Sulphur Springs, W. Va. ... The Boston Bruins signed defenseman Charlie McAvoy to a three- year, $ 14.7- million contract. ... Former ski jumper Primoz Roglic of Slovenia comfortably won the Spanish Vuelta for his first Grand Tour cycling title.