WATKINS GLEN, N.Y. — Justin Wilson passed polesitter Ryan Briscoe early, then dominated the IndyCar Series race Sunday at Watkins Glen International to give team owner Dale Coyne his first victory after 25 years of trying.
Penske and Target Chip Ganassi drivers had won the previous eight races this season, including 10 straight and 15 of 16 dating to last year. Coyne’s victory came in his 558th entry as an owner-driver.
It was Wilson’s second IndyCar win. His first came at Detroit on Labor Day weekend last year, making him the only driver to break through against the Penske and Ganassi juggernaut in that span.
Wilson started on the front row of the Camping World Grand Prix alongside Briscoe and had the strongest car from the outset.
Hideki Mutoh brought out the fourth caution of the race with seven laps remaining to give Briscoe a chance, but he was no match for Wilson, losing by nearly five seconds.
Ganassi’s Scott Dixon was third, followed by Penske’s Helio Castroneves and Marco Andretti. Series points leader Dario Franchitti was involved in an early crash and finished 15th. That dropped him into a second-place tie with Briscoe, 19 points behind Dixon.
Fever is turning up the heat
INDIANAPOLIS — Tammy Sutton- Brown had 22 points and nine rebounds, leading the Indiana Fever past the Atlanta Dream 78-74 for its franchise-best eighth straight WNBA victory.
Tamika Catchings added 19 points, nine rebounds and six steals, and Katie Douglas scored 10 for the Fever (8-2), which avenged a season-opening loss to Atlanta to remain the WNBA’s best team.
• Cappie Pondexter scored 21 points and Diana Taurasi had 20, leading the Phoenix Mercury to a 104-89 victory over the host Los Angeles Sparks.
• Erin Phillips scored six of her 19 points in overtime, leading the visiting Connecticut Sun to a 95-92 victory over the Detroit Shock.
Wallace appears Boston-bound.
reported the Boston Celtics have reached an agreement with free agent Rasheed Wallace.
The 34-year-old forward/center called off plans to meet with the Orlando Magic, San Antonio Spurs and Dallas Mavericks.
Wallace played the last six seasons with the Detroit Pistons, where he won an NBA championship in 2004. He has averaged 15 points and 6.9 rebounds in 14 NBA seasons.
• The Knicks’ pursuit of Jason Kidd came to an abrupt end Sunday when Kidd sent word that he would stay with the Dallas Mavericks. , citing unnamed sources, reported that Kidd, 36, had given an oral commitment to the Mavericks on a three-year deal worth more than $25 million.
Footnotes.
Luis Miguel Noriega scored his first international goal on a penalty kick in the 45th minute of his national team debut, and Mexico defeated Nicaragua 2-0 in Oakland, Calif., in the first round of Gold Cup play in Group C. Earlier, Guadeloupe defeated Panama 2-1.
• Gozzip Girl burst through a gap at the top of the stretch to win the $700,000 American Oaks by 3 1/4 lengths at Hollywood Park in Inglewood, Calif.
Denver Post wire reports
