Allmendinger drives down Victory Lane after long wait

AJ Allmendinger raced to his first NASCAR victory in five years Saturday in the Xfinity Series race on The Roval at Charlotte (North Carolina) Motor Speedway.

Allmendinger has transitioned this season from fulltime racing to the broadcast booth but agreed to drive a handful of Xfinity Series races for Kaulig Rac- ing. He’s been competitive in his five starts and delivered the win Saturday.

“The last few years were rough,” Allmendinger said of his firing at the end of last season from Jtgdaugherty Racing.

Allmendinger led 20 of the 67 laps in the win for Chevrolet. .

Golf

CHAMP RIDES WIND TO LEAD AT SILVERADO >> Cameron Champ shot a bogey-free 5-under 67 in windy conditions to take a three-shot lead into the final round of the Safeway Open at Napa’s Silverado Resort. Champ, who grew up in Sacramento, narrowly missed a sixth birdie on No. 17 after nearly driving the green. He had a 14-under 202 total.

Sebastian Muñoz (67), Adam Hadwin (67) and Nick Taylor (70) were 11 under, and Chez Reavie (69), Collin Morikawa (70), Justin Thomas (71) and Nick Watney (72) followed at 10 under.

Second-round leader Bryson Dechambeau was 8 under after a 76. Dechambeau bogeyed Nos. 3 and 10, double-bogeyed No. 13 then ran into big trouble after hitting his second shot on No. 18 over the grandstands around the green and into a patch of reeds.

Following a lengthy discussion with course officials, Dechambeau took a drop and flopped a shot back over the grandstands onto the green 10 feet from the pin. He two-putted for par.

FLESCH LEADS CHAMPIONS AT PEBBLE BEACH >> Steve Flesch shot a 4-under 67 at Poppy Hills to take the second-round lead in the PGA Tour Champions’ Pure Insurance Championship. After opening with a 68 on Friday at Pebble Beach, Flesch had five birdies and a bogey at Poppy Hills to reach 8 under.

Billy Andrade and Kent Jones were tied for second, two strokes back. Andrade had a 67, and Jones shot 69, both at Poppy Hills. The final round will be played at Pebble Beach today.

MI JUNG HUR GOES ON LATE BIRDIE RUN TO MAINTAIN 2-SHOT LEAD IN INDY >> Mi Jung Hur kept her twostroke lead in the Indy Women in Tech Championship, birdieing five of the final eight holes for a 6-under 66. Hur rebounded from an opening bogey with a birdie on the par-5 second. She added birdies on Nos. 9, 11, 13, 14, 16 and 18 to get to 17 under at Brickyard Crossing, the layout that features four holes inside the Indianapolis Motor Speedway oval.

Marina Alex was second after a 64. Maria Torres had a 66 to get to 13 under. She’s trying to become the first player from Puerto Rico to win on the tour.

PEREZ, SOUTHGATE LEAD DUNHILL LINKS AFTER 3 ROUNDS >> Victor Perez and Matthew Southgate are out in front on 20 under par after the third round of the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship in Scotland. Perez shot an 8-under 64 at Kingsbarns while Southgate returned a 7-under 65 at St. Andrews, leaving them two shots clear of Paul Waring after his 7-under 65 at Carnoustie.

Track and field

COLEMAN WINS 100 AT WORLDS >> Christian Coleman of the United States won the world championship gold medal in the men’s 100 meters, three weeks after avoiding a ban for missed drug tests. Coleman started well and extended his lead down the stretch to win in 9.76 seconds. Defending champion Justin Gatlin finished second in the marquee event of the championships. Andre de Grasse of Canada was third in the meet being held in Doha, Qatar.

• Deanna Price became the first U.S. woman ever to win a world championship throwing event with victory in the hammer. The two-time NCAA champion from Moscow Mills, Missouri, threw 77.54 meters, beating Poland’s Joanna Fiodorow and China’s Zheng Wang.

Soccer

EARTHQUAKES FACE MUSTWIN GAME AGAINST SOUNDERS >> The San Jose Earthquakes’ four-game losing streak has dropped them below the playoff line in the MLS Western Conference.

The Earthquakes (13-145, 44 points) will look to get back on track — and back into the postseason picture — when they host the Seattle Sounders today.

The Earthquakes are one point behind both FC Dallas and Portland in the chase for the conference’s seventh and final postseason spot.

The Sounders (14-10-8, 50 points) clinched a playoff berth Wednesday.

NBA

HEAT COACH SPOELSTRA REPORTEDLY AGREES TO 4-YEAR EXTENSION >> Miami Heat coach Erik Spoelstra agreed to a long-term contract extension with the franchise, according to published reports. According to the outh Florida Sun Sentinel, the extension is for four years and will take Spoelstra, who was set to enter the final year on his present deal, through the 202324 season.

NHL

CROSBY TAKES PUCK OFF SKATE >> Sidney Crosby left the Pittsburgh Penguins’ preseason finale against Buffalo in the first period Saturday after appearing to take a shot off his skate. Crosby played on 6:42 before leaving. Coach Mike Sullivan said Crosby was “being evaluated.”