South Florida Sun Sentinel from Fort Lauderdale, Florida • 45

SPORTS NWS FRIDAY, AUGUST 4, 2006 13C Gordon chasing sixth, not 1st HINTON EARNHARDT SR. VS. GORDON Seasons competing for championship: Earnhardt 22, Gordon 13 Championships: Earnhardt 7, Gordon 4 Career wins: Earnhardt 76, Gordon 75 Starts: Earnhardt 676, Gordon 457 Winning percentage: Earnhardt 1 1.2, Gordon 16.4 Span of years in which championships won: Earnhardt 1 5 (1 980-94), Gordon 7 (1995-2001) Age winning first championship: Earnhardt Age winning last championship: Earnhardt 43, Gordon 30 Championship winning percentage (titles won divided by seasons competed): Earnhardt 32, Gordon 31 Top-five finishes: Earnhardt 281 Gordon 206 Top-10 finishes: Earnhardt 428, Gordon 278 Brickyard 400 starts: Earnhardt 7, Gordon 12 Brickyard 400 wins: Earnhardt 1, Gordon 4 Brickyard 400 winning percentage: Earnhardt 14.3, Gordon 33.3 Daytona 500 wins: Earnhardt 1, Gordon 3 Daytona 500 starts: Earnhardt 23, Gordon 14 Daytona 500 winning percentage: Earnhardt 4, Gordon 21 Career money won: Earnhardt $41,41 1,551, Gordon $78,486,326 ff? rT" I if In SCHEDULESLEADERS with media, from small-town papers to national magazines to TV networks. He would sit for hours on pit walls after races, not only signing autographs but talking sincerely with the fans, making them feel "like I was somebody," as one mesmerized admirer once said after meeting The King. Not only does Petty have more than twice as many wins as anyone other than Pearson, but Earnhardt's now-revered seven season championships only tied Petty's career total of titles.

And Petty's record seven Daytona 500 wins likely will never be equaled. "I never claimed to be the best driver," Petty says. "I just want to be remembered as one of the best racers." That is, he was a brilliant strategist, usually winning by thinking rather than by brute force. FIGHT FOR FINAL SPOTS With six races left until the Chase for the Championship, all three of NASCAR's biggest names are iffy to make the playoffs. Going into Sunday's Allstate 400 at the Brickyard (the second-year commercial mouthful for the erstwhile Brickyard 400 at Indianapolis), Gordon, Stewart and Dale Earnhardt Jr.

are ninth, 10th and 1 1th, respectively, in the standings. Tenth is the cutoff point for the Chase. Last year Gordon and Earnhardt missed the Chase, but Stewart took up the slack with all of his mercurial pizzazz, and by winning his second championship expanded NASCAR's Big Two names into the Big Three. This time it's more likely that one of the three won't make the Chase. They're fighting for the last two playoff spots.

Stewart's recent lapse from control of his temper makes him the primary candidate for odd man out. Stewart's latest split-second outburst, when he intentionally wrecked Clint Bowyer and the entirely innocent Carl Edwards, came at Pocono on July 23. Stewart had a carthat could have won just as he did in the season-opening Daytona 500, when he robbed himself of a fabulous shot at victory by intentionally wrecking Matt Kenseth. MISLEADING HONOR Seldom has there been a more misleading statistic in racing than this: A.J. Foyt, Al Unser Rick Mears (all in the Indy 500) and Gordon (Brickyard 400) are "tied for second" in most wins at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, with four, behind Formula One's Michael Schumacher with five.

Schumacher's fourth "win," in the 2005 farce that was passed off as a U.S. Grand Prix, deserves the biggest, blackest asterisk to splotch a record book. TWO OF THE BEST: NASCAR drivers Richard Petty, left, and Bobby Allison talk in September of 1 973 during time trials in North Wilkesboro, N.C.AP file photo CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1C "Because he's here, now," Petty said. In NASCAR's explosion of popularity, new fans didn't know what real dominance was. Even with seven championships, tying Perry's record, "He's done everything but what the people come to see win races." That of course was relative.

Petty remains far and away NASCAR's winningest driver, with 200 victories. Lest we forget, here is a countdown of the ones who won more races than either the Ihtimidator or the driver he dubbed Wonder Boy. 5. Cala Yarborough, 83 wins The little bulldog was arguably the gutsiest, most relentless NASCAR driver. He never gave an inch, even when he was several laps down, because he never gave up on the possibility of winning.

Most notorious for his post-Day-tona 500 fight with brothers Bobby and Donnie Allison in 1979, Yarborough remains the only driver to win three Cup championships in a row, 1976-78. His four Daytona 500 wins are second only to Perry's seven. Racing presented no new fears for the Timmonsville, S.C., kid whose youth had been dotted with dangerous encounters. He'd been bitten by a rattlesnake (and swore he later found the snake under a bush, dead) was shot in a confrontation with young toughs at a drive-in restaurant; struck by lightning; and saved from death by a field of tall grass after skydiving out of a plane and finding that the parachute wouldn't open until a few hundred feet from the ground. 3.

(tie) Darrell Waltrip, 84 wins His current Fox TV buffoonery and the tragicomical end of his career notwithstanding, this was one spectacular race driver in his prime arguably the best in NASCAR until a bad crash at Daytona in 1983 altered his style. After that, he adopted the philosophy that "I want to win as many races as I can, going as slow as I can." Pre-'83, Waltrip was every bit as ruthless and daring as Earnhardt, but disguised his dirty moves beautifully, while Earnhardt was blatant. In that era, the Intimidator was very much the Intimidated Waltrip got under Earnhardt's skin with regularity. Never has there been a bigger, brasher mouth than Waltrip in his youth. "I am the show," he used to say.

He was dubbed "Jaws" by Yarborough. "Darrell is like Muhammad Donnie Allison once said. "He brags and then backs it up." 3. (tie) Bobby Allison, 84 wins "I've got 85 wins," he'll tell you to this day, in a controversy he will not let die. In 1971, he won a Cup race in a lighter Grand American car, but NASCAR won't count it, and Allison won't stop arguing.

NASCAR's pre-eminent historian, Greg LWr" si Pearson Waltrip NASCAR NEXTEL CUP SCHEDULE Sunday Allstate 400 at the Brickyard, Indianapolis Aug. 13 tba, WatkinsGlen, NY. Aug. 20 GFS Marketplace 400, Brooklyn, Mich. Aug.

26 Sharpie 500, Bristol, Tenn. STANDINGS 1 Jimmie Johnson 2,939 2. Mart Kenseth .2,842 3. Jeff Burton .2,621 4. KyleBusch Zb82 5.

Kevin 2,563 6. Mark 2,557 7KaseyKahne 2,515 8. Denny Hamlin 5,514 9. Jeff Gordon 2,512 10. Tony Stewart 2,477 11.

Dale Earnhardt, Jr 2,462 12. Greg Biffle 2,433 13. KurtBusch 2,311 14. Carl Edwards 2,242 1 5. Casey Mears 2.

1 85 16. Brian Vickers 2,134 17. Jamie McMurray 2,088 18. Ryan Newman. .2,080 19.

Clint Bowyer 5,064 20. Elliott Sadler 4035 NASCAR BUSCH SCHEDULE Saturday Kroger 200, Indianapolis Aug. 12 Zippo 200, Watkins Glen, N.Y. Aug. 1 MichiRan 250, Brooklyn Aug.

25 Food City 250, Bristol, Term. -STANDINGS 1. Kevin Harvick 2. Carl Edwards 3,119 3. Clint Bowyer 3,050 4.

Denny Hamlin 3,007 5. J.J. Yeley 5 826 6. Paul Menard 2,563 7. KyleBusch 2,556 8.

Greg Biffle 5,510 9. Johnny Sauter 5.484 10. Kenny Wallace 2,402 NASCAR TRUCKS SCHEDULE Today Power Stroke Diesel 200, Indianapolis. Aug. 12 Toyota Tundra 200, Lebanon, Tenn.

Aug. 23 O'Reilly Auto Parts 200, Bristol, Tenn. STANDINGS LToddBodine 2,161 2. David Reutimann 2,044 3. Johnny Benson 1,998 4.

Rick Crawford 1,930 5. Ted Musgrave 1,913 6RonHornaday 1,905 7. JackSprague 1,898 8. David Starr 1,872 9. Terry Cook 1,864 10.

Dennis Sctzer 18J5 FORMULA ONE SCHEDULE Sunday Hungarian Grand Prix, Budapest Aug. 27 Turkish Grand Prix, Istanbul STANDINGS 1. Fernando Alonso, Renault 100 2. Michael Schumacher, Ferrari 89 3. Felipe Massa, Ferrari 50 4.

GiancarloFisichella, Renault 49 (tie) K. Raikkonen, Mercedes 49 6. J. Pablo Montoya, Mercedes 56 7. Jenson Button, Honda 21 8.

Rubens Barrichello, 16 9. Ralf Schumacher, Toyota ......13 (be) Nick Heidfek). 13 11. David Coultnard, (tie) Jarno Trulli, Toyota 10 13. Jacques Villeneuve, Sauber-BMW 7 14.

Mark Webber, williams-Cosworth 6 1 5. Nico Rosberg, Williams-Coswiorth 4 IRL SCHEDULE Aug. 13 Kentucky Indy 300, Sparta Aug. 27 indy Grand Prix of Sonoma, Calif. STANDINGS 1.

HelioCastroneves ..:..........376 2. SamHomishJr 368 3. DanWheldon 4. Scott Dixon 345 5. VitorMeira 320 6.TonyKanaan 7.

Maico Andrew i 250 8. Dario Franchltti 249 9. Tomas Scheckter ...539 10. Danica Patrick 236 11. Scott Sharp ....235 12.

Bryan Herta 234 13. KosukeMatsuura 225 14. Buddy Rice 15. Ed Carpenter .......185 CHAMP CAR SCHEDULE Aug. 13 Denver (street course) Aug.

27 Montreal, Circuit Gilles Villeneuve (road course) STANDINGS 255 2. Justin Wilson 3. A.J. Allmendinger 10 4. Mario ...141 5.

Paul Tracy ,,...,.....137 6. Andrew Ranger 7. Cristianoda Matta 134 (WOriolServia 9. Nelson Philippe 178 (tie) Alex Tagliani I ...128 11. Will Power ....123 12.

Bruno lunqueira 112 13. Dan Clarke 98 14. Katherine Legge .96 15. Cranes Zwolsman ...90 NHRA SCHEDULE Aug. 13 Lucas Oil Nationals, Bramei Minn.

Aug. 20 O'Reilly Mid-South Nationals, Memphis, Tenn. STANDINGS Top Fuel LDougKalitta 1,105 2MelanieTroxel 1,023 3. Tony Schumacher ......979 4. Brandon Bernstein 925 5.

DadGrubnic ......881 Funny car 1. Ron 1,139 2. John Force 1,069 3. Tony Pedregon 4EricMedlen ..............978 5. Robert Hight 913 Pro Stock 1.

Jason Line ,...1,052 2. Greg Anderson 988 3. Dave Connolly 4. Jim Yates 5. Kurt Johnson 800 Pro Stock Motorcycle 1.

Andrew Hines .....678 2. Angelle Sampey 3. Chip Ellis 4. Antron Brown 617 5. Ryan Schnitz Yarborough son was voted "Driver of the Century" in 1999 in balloting by 40 experts, from NASCAR czar Bill France Jr.

to Earnhardt himself, conducted by Sports Illustrated. In stock-car racing's greatest rivalry, Pearson and Petty finished one-two a phenomenal 63 times. Pearson won the final tally of duels, 33-30. Ask Petty himself who was the best ever: "Pearson," he always replies. "Pearson could beat you on a short track, he could beat you on a superspeedway, he could beat you on a road course, he could beat you on a dirt track.

It didn't hurt as bad to lose to Pearson as it did to lose to some of the others, because I knew how good he was." 1 Richard Petty, 200 wins He was NASCAR's Arnold Palmer, almost single-handedly bringing the sport out of the boondocks and into national attention. He was entirely comfortable and accommodating Fielden, credits Allison with 85. So we'll give Allison breaking the tie for third with Waltrip, who still ranks No. 1 on Allison's list of most-despised drivers. Controversy and grudges were the essences of Allison's career.

He started the '79 Daytona fight with Yarborough (brother Donnie actually never threw a punch) There are theories that Allison was gunning to wreck Waltrip on the day in 1988 that Allison suffered near fatal, career-ending injuries at Tony Stewart lately has opined that if Earnhardt were around today as an enforcer, rough tactics by young drivers would be summarily stopped. Stewart has the wrong legend. It was Allison who was the enforcer on the tracks, and Earnhardt never dared mess with him. 2. David Pearson, 105 wins Widely considered the best pure NASCAR driver of all time, Pear- Ed Hinton can be reached at ehintontribune.com.

SCORES GOLF Inkster regains that old magic A SWINGING TIME IN ENGLAND: Juli Inkster cards a 6-under-par 66 to build a three-shot lead after the first round of the Women's British Open. AP photoMatt Dunham AnjaMonke 3 Camona Matthew 35-4075 3 Stephanie Louden 35-4075 3 MartaPrieto 34-4175 3 Patricia Meunier-Lebouc 3441 75 3 Iben Tinning 36-3975 3 Sophie Giquel 334275 3 Ursula Wikstrom 75 3 KameWebb 39-37-76 4 Sophie Gustafson 364076 4 MineaBlomqvist 4 Lee Ann Walker-Cooper 76 4 VirginieAuffret 37-3976 4 Nikki Garrett 37-3976 4 Diana D'Alessk) 35-4176 A Gloria Park 36-40-76 4 Louise Stahle 36-4076 4 Angela Stanford 354176 4 RiikkaHakkarainen 38-3876 4 Becky Brewerton 38-3876 4 Helen Alfredsson 4 a-AmyYang 364076 4 Usetottfi Neumann 354176 4 Michele Redman 76 4 V. Nirapathpongporn 354176 4 ShaniWaugh 37-3976 4 BnttanyLang 3640-76 4 Linda Wessberg 37-39-76 4 Sun Young Y00 38-3876 4 Joanne Mills 38-3977 5 MegMallon 364177 5 Cecilia Ekelundh ..374077 5 Jackie Gallagher-Smith 5 GiuliaSergas 354277 5 LauretteMaritz 364177 MeenaLee ......354277 5 Becky Morgan 38-3977 5 Midori Yoneyama 38 3977 5 Stacy Prammanasudh 38-3977 5 AreeSong 5 AnnaHighgate 364177 5 Marie-Josee Rouleau 364177 5 SuzannPetlersen 364177 5 BirdieKim ...364177 5 a-Ashleigh Simon 39-3877 5 Tina 5 FredehqiieSeetiolzer 364278 6 340-78 6 JeongJang 6 Stephanie Arricau 6 KirstyS Taylor 3840-78 AnnaKnutsson 39-3978 6 Pat Hurst 35-43-78 MiHyunKim 38-4078 6 SeRiPak 6 AsaGottmo 6 a-JadeSchaeffer .....384179 7 Jessica ReeseOiayte ...384179 7 MMCGi 3940-79 Rebecca Stevenson 354479 7 Kirsty Taylor 374279 7 MarcyHart 364480 8 Reilley Rankin 384280 8 Hee-WonHan i 36-44--) 8 Johanna Head 3644-80 8 Ana Sanchez 394180 8 AntonellaCvitan 364480 8 LottaWahlin 3842-80 8 Laura Cabanillas 394180 8 Young )0 3842-80 8 LudivineKreutz 384381 9 Amy Hung 9 Young Kim 3942-81 9 Rebecca Coakley .404181 9 DorotiiyDelasin 374582 10 KarinSjodin 10 Rebecca Hudson 3745-82 10 a-HeatherMacRae 3B44--82 10 Eleanor Pilgnm 43-3982 10 Mhairt McKay 36-46-82 10 Sophie Sandok) 384482 10 MikaelaParmlid 3943-82 10 Soo Young Moon 394483 11 KarenWeiss 4247-89 17 NATIONWIDE COX CLASSIC i At Champions Run Omaha, Neb. Purse: $650,000 Yardage: 7.145; Par 71 (35-36) First Round DougLaBellell Michael long 32-3163 Ryan Armour 31-33-64 Peter TomasuJo 30-34-64 MattHendrix 33-31-64 Scott Dunlap: 31-33-64 Bradley Hughes 32-3264 Kevin Johnson 31-33-64 ChezReavie 30-34-64 Tom Carter 31-34-65 David Moriand IV 32-33-65 BrendondeJonge 31-3465 BryceMolder 31-34-65 Michael Sim 32-33-65 Steve Lanck 33-3265 Chris TkJIand 32-33-45 Chris Anderson 33-3265 Andrew Johnson 31-34-65 KimFelton 32-34-66 GlenHnatiuk 34-32-66 Danotsen 31-35-66 Johnson Wagner ll-Mab Jason Buna 31-35-66 BobHeilltZ FranQuinn 33-33-66 PaulClaxton. 31-35-66 Tom Johnson 33-33-66 ErikCompton 333.3-66 JohnMallinger 32-34-66 Steve Fnesen 32-3466 SCANDINAVIAN MASTERS At Barseback Coif and Country Club course Loddekopinge, Sweden Purse: $2,04 million Yardage: Par 72 First Round Man: Warren 32-35-67 Nicolas Colsaerts 34-33-67 BennBamam 35-32-67 Tom Whitehouse 34-34-68 Michael Campbell 36 32--6B Raphael Jarqurtin 34-3468 Frednk Andersson Hed ...36 32-8 AlastM Forsyth 35-33-68 Gregory Bourdy 34-35-69 Peter Hanson Hennk Stenson 36-33-69 JannoSaixlolin -69 David Bransdon am -69 Frednk Jacobson 36-83-69 Andrew McLardy 3435-69 Mark Roe 35-34-69 David Lynn 34-35-69 johanEdtors 36-34-70 NidasFasth 34 37 -71 Jesper Pamevik 36-36-7? Mark Hensby 36-36- 77 Cat Pettersson 35-33-73 joakim HaeRgman 38 36-74 GabnelHjwtslfXit 37-37-74 Robert Karlsson 37 38-75 Todd 99-37-76 BUICK OPEN At Warwick Hill Golf Country Club Grand Blanc, Mich.

Puree: S4.8 million yardage: 7,127 yards; Par 72 partial First Round Note: 80 goiters Old not finish due to unplayable conditions. Mikeweir J2-31-63 -9 Viay Singh 32-32-64 -8 JoeOurant 33-32-65 -7 Brett Quigley 33-32-65 -7 Woody Austin 31-34-65 -7 TigerWoods 35-31-66 -6 AmmOberholser 34-32-66 -6 RobertAllenby -5 Vaughn Taylor 33-34-67 -5 Lucas Glover 33-3467 -5 Scott Verplank 34-34-68 -4 SeanO'Har 35-33-68 -4 Steve Lowery 34-34-68 -4 David McKenzie 33-35-68 -4 KhsCOX 34-34-68 -4 Stephen Leaney 35-34-69 -3 Stephen Ames 36-3369 -3 35-34-69 -3 John Daly 34-35-69 -3 Bart Bryant 35-34-69 -3 Fred Funk 34-35-69 -3 EricAxtey 36-33-69 -3 BobEstes 35-35-70 -2 Ryujilmada 36-3470 -2 J.P.Hayes 36-3470 -2 NkWatney 35-35-70 -2 BnanBateman 35-3570 -2 TomGlllls 35-35-70 -2 David Branshaw 34-3670 -2 37-33-70 -2 AlexCeJka 35-36-71 -1 Charles Warren 37-3471 -1 MarkO'Meara 35-36-71 -1 Dicky Pride 38-33-71 -1 PaulATinger 36-35-71 -1 Jason Bonn 37-3471 -1 Duffy -1 BenCurus 37-34-71 -1 Jonathan Kaye 37-3471 -1 Jerry Smith 37-34-71 -1 DJ.Trahsn -1 James Driscoll 36-35-71 -1 Daniel Chopra 34-3771 -1 MathlasGronberg 36-35-71 -1 Matt Hansen 38-33-71 -1 BubbaDJckerson 37-3471 -1 AlexAragon 35-3671 -1 TroyMatteson 37-35-72 Brent Geiberger 36-3672 Steve Flescn 36-36-72 Heath Stocum Ben Crane 38-34-72 Neal Lancaster 35-37-72 BnanMcCann 35-37-72 37-3673 1 Jon Mills 36-37-73 1 Bill Haas 37-37-74 2 LenMattiace 37-37-74 2 Bnan Davis 39-3574 2 TlmPetrovIc 37-37-74 2 Tommy Armour III 37-37-74 2 Boh 2 Brendan Jones 2 Roger lambellini 36-38-74 2 Tag Ridings 37-38-75 3 Doug Barron 38 3775 3 JeffBrehaut 37-3875 3 BIIIGIasson 37-38-75 3 RyanHietala 37-38-75 3 Leejanzen 4 Darron Stiles 39-3877 5 Steven Bowditch 40-3777 5 lanziska 39-40-79 7 WOMEN'S BRITISH OPEN At Royal Lytham 8. St. Annas Golf Club Lytham St Annet, England Pure: SI 8 million Vardaga: Par 72 (35-37) First Round (aamateur) Juli inkster -6 Silvia Cavalleri 34-35-69 -3 Maria H0rth 32-37-69 -3 Allison Hanna 33-37-70 -2 NMftefe -2 GwladysNocera 34-36-70 -2 ChiekoAmanuma 36-3571 -1 Julieta Granada 35-36-71 -1 Christina Kim 35-36-71 -1 36-35-71 -1 CristieKerr 35-36-71 -1 Wendyward 3338-71 -1 NoraAngehm 36-3571 -1 Rachel Hetherington 33-3871 -1 Lindsey Wright 3971 -1 Jee Young Lee 35-3772 Heather 34-38-72 Isabella MacOnl 35-37-72 SakuraYokomine 35-3772 LauraDavies 36 J6-72 Natalie Gulbis 33-39-72 Akanelijima Young-AYang 38-3472 Sarah Lee 37 35-72 32-40-72 Candie Kung 32 10-72 Annika Sorenstam 33-3972 Paula Creamer 35-3772 KrisTamulis. 33 39-72 II Mi Chung 37-35-72 Beth 36 37-73 1 LynnetteBrooky 36-3773 1 JOoMlKim 34-39-73 1 a-BelenMozo 1 Lonekane 34 3973 1 Nicole Castrate 34-3973 1 BethBader 34-39-73 1 Karen Stupples 36-3773 1 Sherri Steinhauer 73 1 KyeongBae 34-3973 1 Joanne Morley 35-38-73 1 ElisaSenamia 31-4273 1 Teresa Ul 33-40-73 1 Seon-HwaLee 36-18-74 2 MKheMeWie 37 J7-74 2 Veronica Zora 35-3974 2 37 1774 2 Lorena Ochoa 33-4174 2 BnttanyLincicome 36-3874 2 Helena Alterby 39 15 74 2 Tracy Hanson 37-3774 2 Hilary Lunke 36-3874 2 ShiHyun Ahn 37-38 75 3 Nicole Perrot 36-39-75 3 Nikki Campbell 38-37-75 3 Morgan PressH 38 17 75 3 LauraDia 37J8 75 3 MansaBaena 36-1975 3 Tama FJosegui Mayor 37-3875 3 Amanda Mottke-Leth 34-4175 3 UsaHS) 36-39-75 3 Karen MargretheJuul 37-3875 3 vtckiGoefe-Ackerman 3 Saiahkemp 3540-75 3 Candy Hannemann 34-4175 3 MinamNagl 37-38-75 3 WIRE REPORTS LYTHAM ST.

ANNES, ENGLAND Juli Inkster has a daughter the same age as Michelle Wie and the 46-year-old won her first two majors six years before the 16-year-old from Hawaii was even born. On Thursday, the woman seeking to become the oldest golfer to win an LPGA Tour major was much more impressive than the teenager trying to become the youngest to accomplish the feat. Inkster shot a 6-under-par 66 to take a three-shot lead over Sweden's Maria Hjorth and Italy's Silvia Cavalleri after the first round of the Women's British Open. "I played very well all day. It's a tough golf course.

If someone had offered me a 66 1 would have gone to the bar and watched," Inkster said. "I'm very happy with the way I played. "I did a lot of good things out there." Wie began her first visit to the Royal Lytham links with three bogeys and finished at 2-over 74, eight shots off the lead. "My first few tee shots weren't the greatest," Wie said. "But it's long gone.

I felt like I played well the back nine although I struggled a bit. I made a great birdie at the last hole." Annika Sorenstam had a double bogey on 17 and a bogey on 18 to go from 3 under to par 72; Karrie Webb had an 8 and two 6s on her card to finish with a 76; and Lorena Ochoa, who was 2 under at the turn, wound up with a 74. If Inkster wins her first British Open title, she will have the longest span between her first major victory and her last in women's golf 22 years. WEIR LEADS BUICK OPEN GRAND BLANC, MICH. Mike Weir matched his best round of the season with a 9-under 63 to take the lead in the suspended Buick Open, one shot ahead of two-time defending champion Vijay Singh and three in front of Tiger Woods.

Joe Durant, Brett Quigley and Woody Austin were two shots back at 65. The tournament was de layed 2 hours, 16 minutes in the morning because of stormy weather. A second delay lasted 1 hour, 36 minutes in the afternoon before play was suspended for the day because of unplayable conditions. Just over half of the field was unable to complete the first round. ELSEWHERE SCANDINAVIAN MASTERS: Scotland's Marc Warren, England's Benn Barham and Belgium's Nicolas Colsaerts shot 5-under 67s to share the first-round lead in Loddekopinge, Sweden.

New Zealand's Michael Campbell, the 2005 U.S. Open champion, birdied his final hole to top a five-player group at 68..