The Atlanta Constitution from Atlanta, Georgia • D6

Filename: D6-SPORTS-AJCD0510-2TWO created: May 10 2008 Username: SPEED2 Saturday, May 10, 2008 SPORTS 6 2DOT 6 Cyan Magenta Yellow Black D6 Saturday, May 10, 2008 2 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution ajc.com 6 Cyan Magenta Yellow Black 2DOT File name: D6-SPORTS-AJCD0510-2TWO created: May 10 2008 Username: SPEED2 NASCAR REPORT Stewart earns rst Darlington victory ASSOCIATED PRESS Darlington, S.C. Tony Stewart must have needed a new surface to break through at Darlington Raceway. The two-time Sprint Cup champion had never won here in 19 previous races, four of them Nationwide events, dating to 1996. Yet, Stewart was dominant throughout in gliding to victory in the race on slicker, repaved surface Friday night. He was about the only one who got away unscathed, with Sprint Cup stars Carl Edwards Kyle Busch Matt Kenseth and Mark Martin all wrecking.

had an awesome race car Stewart said. telling you, this thing was head-and- shoulders better than it in practices. Stewart made it through eight cautions, two off the Darlington record, and a green-white-checkered for his fourth series victory this year, and Joe Gibbs sixth straight victory. After David Ragan hard crash on the backstretch, Stewart easily moved forward on the restart three laps from the end. Right behind, however, was chaos as second-place machine failed to get up to speed.

The stall collected other cars and brought out the second stoppage. It took more than 15 minutes to clean up. sets pace, wins pole spot On a fast new surface, 41 of 44 drivers broke the qualifying record at Darlington Raceway. But it was Greg who set the pace, turn ing a blistering lap of 179.442 mph Friday night to win the pole at Darlington. He shattered the previous record of 173.797 mph set by Ward Burton in 1996.

has talked about how the track is really fast, but the same old said. will bite you as soon as you let your guard down, especially with the speeds now. You can get in trouble in a hurry, and been close to getting that lap in a Ford beat Hendrick Motorsports teammates Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Jimmie Johnson who second and third for race in their Chevrolets. Earnhardt ran a NEXT FOR SPRINT CUP Race: Dodge Challenger 500 When; where: 7:20 p.m.

today; Darlington, S.C. TV: Fox BRETT FLASHNICK Associated Press Greg (left), with crew chief Greg Erwin (right), won the pole for race. CHALLENGER 500 LINEUP Car number in parentheses. Pos (No.) Driver Car MPH 1. (16) Greg Ford 179.442 2.

(88) Dale Earnhardt Jr. Chevrolet 179.357 3. (48) Jimmie Johnson Chevrolet 179.206 4. (20) Tony Stewart Toyota 179.076 5. (2) Kurt Busch Dodge 178.965 6.

(18) Kyle Busch Toyota 178.809 7. (19) Elliott Sadler Dodge 178.129 8. (24) Gordon Chevrolet 178.071 9. (66) Scott Riggs Chevrolet 178.064 10. (43) Bobby Labonte Dodge 177.775 11.

(29) Kevin Harvick Chevrolet 177.736 12. (31) Burton Chevrolet 177.659 13. (22) Dave Blaney Toyota 177.307 14. (40) Sterling Marlin Dodge 177.134 15. (6) David Ragan Ford 177.109 16.

(01) Regan Smith Chevrolet 177.109 17. (78) Joe Nemechek Chevrolet 177.077 18. (00) M. McDowell Toyota 177.070 19. (42) J.

Pablo Montoya Dodge 176.822 20. (21) Bill Elliott Ford 176.778 21. (11) Denny Hamlin Toyota 176.638 22. (1) Martin Truex Jr. Chevrolet 176.606 23.

(77) Sam Hornish Jr. Dodge 176.581 24. (28) Travis Kvapil Ford 176.568 25. (26) Jamie McMurray Ford 176.498 26. (84) AJ Allmendinger Toyota 176.473 27.

(8) Mark Martin Chevrolet 176.359 28. (83) Brian Vickers Toyota 176.283 29. (5) Casey Mears Chevrolet 176.170 30. (44) David Reutimann Toyota 176.126 31. (96) J.J.

Yeley Toyota 175.848 32. (12) Ryan Newman Dodge 175.666 33. (38) David Gilliland Ford 175.578 34. (17) Matt Kenseth Ford 175.528 35. (45) Kyle Petty Dodge 175.172 36.

(99) Carl Edwards Ford 174.494 37. (55) Michael Waltrip Toyota 174.253 38. (07) Clint Bowyer Chevrolet 174.241 39. (41) Reed Sorenson Dodge 173.644 40. (7) Robby Gordon Dodge points 41.

(15) Paul Menard Chevrolet points 42. (9) Kasey Kahne Dodge points 43. (10) P. Carpentier Dodge 175.166 lap at 179.357, while Johnson clocked in at 179.206. Crash sidelines Hamlin on Friday Sprint Cup star Denny Hamlin who won the past two Nationwide Series events at Darlington Raceway, hit the wall during qualifying and did not make Friday Nationwide race.

Hamlin still planned to compete in race. GEORGIA TECH wrist needs no rest By MIKE KNOBLER Kristi left wrist have any tape on it. It even have a tan line from where the tape used to be. That might have been the most important sight Friday afternoon as Miller and Georgia Tech opened defense of their NCAA tennis championship with a 4-0 victory over Alcorn State. wrist is healthy.

no remaining evidence of the torn cartilage that made last trip through the NCAA tournament a painful one for the winningest singles player in school history. A year ago, she hit a topspin backhand from the round through her match. All she could do was slice the ball, or run around it and hit a forehand. Somehow, she still won two of her matches at No. 1 singles and lost only once, with the other three ished because her teammates already had clinched the victories.

This year, she have to play hurt. She said she felt while helping the Jackets win the doubles point, then taking a 6-1, 3-1 lead in a singles match that did not because Tech clinched the team victory. The Jackets, who face visiting Tennessee in a second-round match today, are seeded third nationally. quite a few teams this year that can win it, but one of Miller said. a major reason, and not just because a six-time All-American, the No.

10 singles player in the country and with Kirsten Flower No. 17 in doubles. Teammates say they draw strength from her example. They might joke about her swagger or laugh at her off-court but they respect the way she acts and the way she plays. The career singles record of 14938 her total impact on the team.

can just feel her fellow senior Whitney McCray said. always has a smile on her face. always ready to get it. a great leader, one of the greatest leaders ever met in my Miller is no longer the highest-ranked player. Sophomore Amanda McDowell is three spots higher, at No.

7. But Tech coach Bryan Shelton has been playing Miller at No. 1 singles and says he will do that throughout the tournament, because of the way playing and because of her experience and leadership. sets the right tone from the warm-up to the match and all the way Shelton said. have to have her win every match for us to be successful, but it certainly helps for her to lead the team the right Miller showed that in last tournament, especially in the championship match against UCLA.

Tech dropped the doubles point, and Shelton was trying to out what to say to lift his team heading into the singles. He never had to say anything. We can do this, Miller told her teammates. going to do this. This championship is ours.

all go out there and erase that doubles point and win our own matches. Miller recalls it as few strong Shelton remembers it as something more. just took he said. exactly what we needed at the time. one thing to hear it from the coach.

another thing to hear it from one of your leaders on the Miller won her match in straight sets over No. 15- ranked Riza Zalameda, three of teammates won, too, and Tech earned its NCAA title in any sport. GEORGIA Recovering Dogs ready for regionals By CHIP TOWERS Athens Last year, not long after Georgia a 32-0 season and won its national championship in tennis, a group of rival coaches gathered on the outskirts of New Orleans, where they met with a voodoo priestess. At the request, a spell was cast on the Bulldogs that would ensure their team much toil and trouble in 2008. Georgia coach Manual Diaz swear the voodoo thing happened, we have had a lot of things happen to he said with a laugh.

Law has been in effect virtually all season. Two players were stricken with mononucleosis this season. Josh Varela had it through December and January; Javier Garrapiz had it March through April. In March, No. 1 player Travis Helgeson went down with a strained Achilles tendon that kept him out of four matches and limited him in several others.

Luis Flores won the SEC Indoors singles championship only to out later his right foot was sore because it was broken. He underwent surgery for a stress fracture. Less than two weeks after surgery, Flores slipped while going down some stairs on his crutches. He broke his other foot in the same place the metatarsal and he has to undergo a second surgery. just believe Flores said.

was like, you kidding Everything seemed to be going was crazy there for a Diaz said. faced more adversity than ever before, and they still went out there and found a way to Despite the health problems, the Bulldogs (21-3) earned a No. 4 national seed for regional seminal match against Radford (15-1). The winner will play the winner of Wake Forest (17-10) and Auburn (10-12) for the right to advance to the NCAA championships in Tulsa next week. promise Diaz said, wants to play us in this COLLEGE SPRING SPORTS UGA women serve up decisive win over Yale FROM NEWS SERVICES The second-ranked Georgia tennis team advanced to the second round of the NCAA tournament with a 4-0 win over Yale on Friday at the Dan Magill Tennis Complex.

The Bulldogs (21-4) play the Carolina winner at 4 p.m. today for a berth in the NCAA championships in Tulsa, Okla. Georgia won at Nos. 3, 4 and 5 singles. Cameron Ellis clinched it at No.

5 with a 7-5, 6-1 win over Lauren Ritz Softball Georgia Tech 5, Virginia 3: Brittany Barnes hit a solo home run in the second and had an RBI single in a four- run fourth to help Tech stay alive in the ACC tournament in College Park, Md. The Jackets play at 3 p.m. today against the loser of Virginia State. Georgia State postponed: Georgia State will play Towson at 12:30 p.m. today in the CAA tournament in Hempstead, N.Y.

Golf UGA women tied for UGA with a 12- over 300 in the second round of the NCAA East Regional on its home course with a 599 SPORTS NCAA TENNIS ATLANTA REGIONAL Where: Georgia Bill Moore Tennis Center Today: Georgia Tech vs. Tennessee, 1 p.m. NCAA TENNIS ATHENS REGIONAL Where: Dan Magill Tennis Complex Today: Wake Forest vs. Auburn, 10 a.m.; Georgia vs. Radford, 1 p.m.

Sunday: Finals, 2 p.m. total. UGA is 14 shots behind Florida, seven ahead of Virginia. Georgia State is tied for 13th. Baseball Georgia Tech 5, Clemson 1: David Duncan allowed one run in eight innings, and Charlie Black mon and Tony Plagman had three hits apiece to lead host Georgia Tech (35-14, 1312 ACC).

Vanderbilt 13, Georgia 7: Dominic de la Osa and David Macias knocked in four runs each to lead host Vandy. The two teams will play at 3 p.m. today. DIAMOND HILL PLYWOOD 200 RESULTS Starting position in parentheses. Fin.

(PP) Driver Car Laps 1. (3) Tony Stewart Toyota 149 2. (2) Clint Bowyer Chevy 149 3. (21) David Reutimann Toyota 149 4. (15) Todd Bodine Toyota 149 5.

(25) Steve Wallace Chevy 149 6. (4) David Stremme Chevy 149 7. (29) Jason Keller Chevy 149 8. (16) Chase Miller Dodge 149 9. (19) Jason Toyota 149 10.

(20) Marcos Ambrose Ford 149 11. (12) Sam Hornish Jr. Dodge 149 12. (22) Brad Coleman Ford 148 13. (17) Kevin Harvick Chevy 148 14.

(7) Mike Bliss Chevy 148 15. (13) Brad Keselowski Chevy 147 16. (28) Morgan Shepherd Dodge 147 17. (27) Kenny Wallace Chevy 147 18. (11) Bryan Clauson Dodge 146 19.

(23) Stanton Barrett Chevy 146 20. (33) D.J. Kennington Dodge 146 21. (6) Burton Chevy 145 22. (39) Brad Teague Chevy 145 23.

(14) Mark Martin Chevy accident 24. (10) Kelly Bires Ford accident 25. (24) Mike Wallace Toyota accident 26. (36) Kevin Lepage Ford 142 27. (9) David Ragan Ford accident 28.

(8) Matt Kenseth Ford accident 29. (37) Kertus Davis Chevy accident 30. (18) Bobby Hamilton Jr.Ford engine 31. (5) Kyle Busch Toyota accident 32. (30) Derrike Cope Chevy accident 33.

(42) Eric McClure Chevy brakes 34. (26) Burney Lamar Ford brakes 35. (38) Danny Chevy brakes 36. (34) Kenny Hendrick Chevy handling 37. (43) Mike Harmon Chevy overheating 38.

(32) Johnny Chapman Chevy vibration 39. (41) Andy Ponstein Chevy trans. 40. (35) Carl Long Dodge handling 41. (31) Terry Cook Ford vibration 42.

(40) Ruben Pardo Dodge handling 43. (1) Carl Edwards Ford accident Race Statistics Average Speed of Race Winner: 107.139 mph. Time of Race: 1 hour, 53 minutes, 59 seconds Margin of Victory: .814 seconds. Caution Flags: 8 for 36 laps. Lead Changes: 11 among 8 drivers.

Lap Leaders: C.Bowyer 1-13; T.Stewart 14-52; K.Busch 53-58; M.Kenseth 59; D.Ragan 60; J.Burton 61; K.Bires 62-63; M.Ambrose 64; T.Stewart 65-86; M.Kenseth 87-120; T.Stewart 121-149. Top 10 in Points: 1, C.Bowyer, 2, K.Busch, 3, C.Edwards, 4, D.Reutimann, 5, M.Bliss, 6, D.Ragan, 7, Bra.Keselowski, 8, J.Le±er, 9, M.Wallace, 10, D.Stremme, 1,327. 9.:9 678-291-6909 www.HealthSpaAtlanta.com 5966 Goshen Springs Road Norcross, GA 30071 Off of Jimmy Carter Blvd. From I-85, Exit 99 West 9am-9pm 7 Rejuve Spa First Time Clients Mention This Ad for $10 off One Hour Massage Colon Hydrotherapy Detox Services available Massage Spa Services.