Truex avoids wreck, fists to win
LAS VEGAS — Martin Truex Jr. passed Brad Keselowski with two laps to go and avoided a last-lap wreck that led to a pit-road brawl and left Kyle Busch bloodied in a wild finish to the NASCAR Cup race Sunday.
An aggressive Joey Logano got into Busch, sending him spinning down pit road at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Moments later, Busch and Logano tangled, with crew members pulling Busch away as blood ran down his forehead.
“There wasn’t much talking, just a lot of swinging,” Logano said. “I was racing hard there at end.”
Asked if any blows were landed, Logano said, “None to me.”
Busch was pulled up off the ground by crew members and taken to the infield care center to get his forehead looked at. He was quickly treated and released.
“I got dumped. He flatout just drove straight in the corner and wrecked me,” Busch said. “That’s how Joey races, so he’s going to get it.”
The fight overshadowed a tough-luck finish for Keselowski, who appeared to be pulling away after a restart and on his way to his second win in as many weeks when he ran into mechanical problems.
Truex passed him and held on to become the first driver to win all three segments in NASCAR Cup’s new stage racing.
Kyle Larson was second, followed by Chase Elliott, Logano and Keselowski.
In other motor sports news:
• Sebastien Bourdais pulled off a major upset by driving from last place to win the IndyCar seasonopener at St. Petersburg, Fla. Bourdais made an offseason move to Dale Coyne Racing, convinced he could help turn around the small team. . Team Penske was seeking its fourth consecutive victory in the event. A problem in qualifying meant Bourdais started last in the 21-car field.
BASEBALL U.S. advances to second round
Nolan Arenado and Buster Posey each homered and drove in three runs to help the United States earn a berth in the second round of the World Baseball Classic with an 8-0 victory over Canada at Miami.
The Americans finished 2-1 in pool play and bounced back from a tough loss Saturday, when they blew a five-run lead and were beaten by the Dominican Republic 7-5. The U.S. team failed to reach the final in the three previous WBCs.
The Dominicans advanced to the second round at San Diego by beating Colombia 10-3 in 11 innings. The Dominicans, who won the 2013 tournament, finished 3-0 in the first round. Canada went 0-3.
GOLF Hadwin wins Valspar crown
Adam Hadwin of Canada overcame a late double bogey to win the Valspar Championship at Palm Harbor, Fla., for his first PGA Tour title and a trip to the Masters.
Hadwin had a two-shot lead with three holes to play when he hit his tee shot into the water on the 16th hole and made double bogey to fall into a tie with Patrick Cantlay.
Down to the final hole at Innisbrook, Hadwin went just over the green against the collar and used the leading edge of his wedge to putt the ball down to within a few feet to finish with a 71. Cantlay came up short into the bunker, blasted out 15 feet short and missed the par putt for a 68.
TENNIS Nadal gets win at Indian Wells
Rafael Nadal began his bid for a fourth title at the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells, Calif., with a 6-3, 6-2 victory over Guido Pella.
The No. 5-seeded Nadal is in a tough section of the draw at the hardcourts tournament, facing possible matchups against Roger Federer in the fourth round and Novak Djokovic in the quarterfinals. All three had firstround draws and were in second-round action Sunday.