Calgary Herald from Calgary, Alberta, Canada • 9

pt 21 1 not. AUTO RACING Tracy triumphs at Milwaukee Mile Canadian driver back on track with victory in Miller Lite 225 V- tires and fuel during a caution period on Lap 124, with rookie sensation Montoya, winner of three of the first seven races this season, taking the lead from Vasser with a quick stop. But it was quickly apparent to everyone that it was going to be a major gamble to try to get to the checkered flag without a bit more fuel Montoya's team was the first to blink, bringing in the 23-year-old Colombian for a fast stop on Lap 210. That put Vasser in the lead. The fourth caution of the day came out on Lap 212 after Roberto Moreno spun and Vasser took advantage to make his quick stop on Lap 213, giving up the top spot to Tracy.

The victory was not assured until P.J. Jones, who spun early in the race, did it again on Lap 218, bringing out the fifth and final caution and giving Tracy just enough fuel to make it to the end. "I cost our guys the race today, no question about it," said Ganassi team manager Tom Anderson. "With that last yellow, we certainly could have made it to the end." Greg Moore of Maple Ridge, B.C., who never led and was never really a factor, also made it to the end without refuelling and finished second, trailing Tracy across the line by 5.880 seconds nearly a full straightaway. "It's fantastic to be back on the podium," said Moore.

"Towards the end of the race, I didn't think we'd make it on the fuel "I kept asking (engineer) Steve Chal-lis if we'd make it and he kept answering that we would, but we should keep on conserving it (fuel)." Tracy averaged 129.029 rapJi. The rest of the top 10 was not determined until four hours after the race ended. Patrick Racing protested that two drivers passed Adrian Fernandez under the caution flag on Lap 210. CART eventually penalized Patrick Carpentier of Joliette, Que and Montoya, who were initially fourth and sixth, one lap each. Gil de Ferran, who finished third, also was under review for a possible passing violation, but the decision was deferred for further review.

That left Vasser fourth, followed by Fernandez, Christian Fittipaldi, Franchitti, Mauricio Gugelmin, Carpentier and Montoya. Pending disposition of de Ferran's finish, the penalty cut Montoya's series lead over Franchitti to two points from four. Moore is third, trailing by four points. Meanwhile, for the second successive CART race, a crewmen's helmet may have saved him from serious injury. Ty Manseau, the vent man for Michael Andretti, suffered a possible cervical spine injury when he was run over by Andretti during a pit stop early in Sunday's Miller Lite 225.

race and lost control on cold tires during a restart, spinning off the track to his great embarrassment "To be brutally honest, my mind kind of reverted to Fontana (on the last five laps)," Tracy said. "I just said to myself, 'You've got to put together five clean, easy Fortunately, there was nobody close behind me. "It's a rejuvenation of a career. Two years is a long time to go without winning. You just keep scratching your head.

You're doing everything right, trying to make the right decisions on every single lap and, all of a sudden, everything falls apart." It continued right up to last week in Madison when Tracy and Team Kool Green teammate Dario Franchitti collided while battling for second place. A team meeting here Friday morning cleared the air, but Tracy was determined to turn things around on track. "Dario has had a string of luck going and I've just had the short end of the stick for a long time," Tracy said. "But the crew stuck with me and it was good to reward them." The second half of the 225-lap race was dominated by Target-Chip Ganassi Racing teammates Juan Mon-toya and Jimmy Vasser, the defending race winner. But both got caught by the fuel situation.

All the cars on the lead lap pitted for MIKE HARRIS The Associated Press WEST ALUS, WIS. Bad luck has become such a part of Paul Tracy's racing career that he couldn't believe his good fortune on Sunday. With five laps remaining in the Miller Lite 225 at the Milwaukee Mile, the Canadian driver was in the lead and the fuel warning light on the console of his Reynard-Honda was burning bright. "The light came ALSO SEE on on the last More results restart," said en Tracy of Toronto. "Usually, when it comes on, you've only got two laps of fuel left.

But we got to the end and we were still running. "I don't know how dry it is right now." Tracy had stayed on the oval while several other leaders dived into the pits for a splash of fuel in the waning laps. Tracy was rewarded with his 14th victory and first since May 1997 in Madison, 111. It was sweet redemption for the 30-year-old bad boy, who was on probation part of last season for rough driving and was barred from the 1999 season opener because of an on-course incident late last year in Australia. In the final race of 1998, in Fontana, Tracy was winning late in the PCL BASEBALL Spurs bound for big show with sweep over Blazers 80 PORTLAND San Antonio on record roll MITCH LAWRENCE New York Daily News PORTLAND, ORE.

No contest. Then again, it's been all one-sided for the San Antonio Spurs in the playoffs. They're clearly the best team in the NBA right now. And they're making a strong case that they're one of the best in recent years, too. With relative ease, they recorded their second straight sweep, blowing out the Trail Blazers 94-80 Sunday night at the Rose Garden to make their first trip to the NBA finals.

"What's it going take to beat them?" asked Portland's Brian Grant. "It's going to take a lot. Whoever plays them is going to have to come out with some secret weapons. I don't know if anyone can, at this point." The Blazers certainly weren't any match for the Spurs, who started the season at 6-8 but now have won 42 of their last 48 games. "I was never worried when we were 6-8," said San Antonio owner Peter Holt.

"For 26 years, we've been trying to get here and now we're here. It's beautiful." It's also a little scary how overwhelming the Spurs have become. They're the plays is have come with Trail Brian Quotable iffit I Aw 111 I II IIHMl fnnll IMl llll Ill III. Ml 1 Morry Gash, Associated Press CART driver Paul Tracy holds up the winner's trophy at the Milwaukee Mile on Sunday. CART officials said Manseau was awake, alert and had no head injury, no broken bones or paralysis.

The crewman was transported by ambulance to a Milwaukee hospital where he underwent a CAT scan and X-rays of his neck. Officials said he had some bruises and was released. why their celebration was subdued. David Robinson, much maligned in his first nine seasons as a player who could put up great stats but would never get a ring, did the talking. "There's four more wins we need," he told his teammates, with a large 4 adorning the blackboard.

"There's more work to be done." Ever since losing to Minnesota in the second game of the first round, they've been making short work of everyone. "Right now, we can't be beat," said Mario Elie. "We swept two of the greatest teams in the NBA this season, in the Blazers and Lakers. They were very talented. But unity and chemistry beats talent all the time.

We're always on the same page." It also doesn't hurt to have Robinson and Tim Duncan, who combined for 38 points, 18 rebounds and four blocks in Sunday's game. This was still very much a game at the start of the fourth period. The Blazers, who quit in Game 3, cut the Spurs' lead to 64-63. But in a span of only 6:30, the Spurs scored on 10 of their next 12 possessions, working off Portland's double-teams of Duncan and hitting all their outside shots. When the Blazers looked up, they were down, 86-71, and dead.

"I don't know if anybody can beat them now," said Portland's Isaiah Rider. "Not to be rude, but it's not my problem." No matter whose problem it turns out to be, it's already officially a big one. One killed inBaja500race ENSENADA, MEXICO A Baja 500 desert racer crashed into a crowd of spectators after losing control of his vehicle Saturday, killing a man and injuring eight other people, according to broadcast reports. Luis Alberto Valdez died shortly after he was struck by the car during the 30th Tecate SCORE Baja 500 Desert Race, a 740-kilometre course in the northern part of the Baja California peninsula, KFMB-TV reported. Jason Baldwin lost control of his vehicle less than 16 kilometres into the race, his father told the television station KGTV.

Baldwin was taken by helicopter to hospital in San Diego, where he was listed in serious condition. Spokesmen for Ensenada police and the 30th Tecate SCORE Baja 500 Desert Race did not return phone calls seeking comment. The event drew more than 200 drivers and motorcycle racers from the United States, Japan and Mexico. The race consists of pickup trucks, cars, motorcyles and all-terrain vehicles. Whoever them going to to out some secret weapons.

99 Blazers' Grant 94 SAN ANTONIO IN Brief From Herald News Services Doyle wins Senior playoff CLIFTON, N.J. Allen Doyle overcame painful back spasms to win the $1.1 million Cadillac NFL Golf Classic, beating Joe Inman in a four-hole playoff Sunday. Despite limping all day and seeing his four-shot lead evaporate, Doyle picked up his third win of the year and became the first Senior PGA Tour player to pass the $i-million mark in earnings by rolling in a five-foot par putt. The putt came after Inman, who had forced the playoff by shooting a 6-un-der 66, lipped out an eight-foot par putt on the 215-yard, par-3 No. 17.

Doyle then gingerly bent over his putt and rammed it in the middle of the cup to end his painful five-hour round at the Upper Montclair Country Club. Bruce Fleisher is the only other player on the senior tour with three wins this year. Cannons catch outfield help GYLE KONOTOPETZ Calgary Herald The Calgary Cannons rolled out the welcome mat for Jerome Walton Sunday. And then pulled the rug out from under the newest Cannon, ushering in their new teammate with a display of obscene baseball. But at least Walton, the former National League rooMe-of-the-year, got plenty of exercise.

ALSO SEE Walton started Boxscore first in right field in the nightcap of a dou-bleheader in Tucson, and the Sidewinders had the 33-year-old campaigner doing wind sprints chasing a barrage of hits in a humiliating 15-3 romp over the Cannons. That gave the Sidewinders, who had won the opener 9-0 to snap Calgary's four-game winning streak, a clean sweep of the doubleheader. Long-term, Walton should bolster a weak Cannons' outfield, but the wheels fell off the team Sunday after the Independent League product signed a Triple-A contract. The Cannons starting pitchers, who had been on a roll, came crashing back to earth at Tucson Electric Park. In the first game, Cannons starter Erik Hanson, who flounders at high altitude (Tucson is 740 metres above sea level), was rocked for seven runs on 12 hits in five-plus innings against one of the PCL's weakest lineups.

Hanson desperately needed a quality start but, in falling to 1-6, the former major-league all-star was no match for young Sidewinder Nelson Figuero. Figueroa fashioned a spectacular two-hit shutout in the seven-inning game. Figueroa, a gangly right-hander from Brooklyn, N.Y., was perfect for 3', innings before Chris Clapinski slapped a bloop single to left to break up his no-hit bid. The only other batter to reach base against him was Lionel Hastings, who singled in the sixth. Figueroa struck out five and did not issue a walk.

He also aided his cause with two singles, his only two hits of the season. In the nightcap, Tucson batted through their lineup in each of the first three innings. Jose Alberro, a reliever pressed into starting duty, had the first six Sidewinders reach base and left with one out in the second with nine runs on his tab and his first loss as a Cannon. Hanley Frias wielded the bat for Tucson, going 6-for-8 in the twinbill. Walton, a veteran of 598 major-league games who was rookie of the year for the Cubs a decade ago, was hitless in his debut.

To make room for Walton, former Montreal Expo DaRond Stovall, who had struggled with a .189 batting average, was released. And with Cliff Floyd slated to come off the Marlins disabled list this week, the Cannons may get another outfielder from them as early as today. Cannons right-fielder Jaime Jones, a former first-round pick who appeared over-matched at Triple-A, started Sunday but was scheduled to return to the Double-A Portland Seadogs today. The Cannons have a day off today to travel to Edmonton where they begin a four-game series against the Northern Division-leading Trappers on Tuesday. Mike Blake, Reuters Portland Trail Blazers Arvydas Sabonis walks off the court during Game 4 of the Western Conference final against San Antonio on Sunday in Portland.

The Spurs defeated the Blazers 94-80 to advance to the NBA final. first team to record sweeps in the conference semis and finals since the 1989 Lakers, and only the third team in history to accomplish the feat. Their run of 10 straight playoffs victories is one shy of the NBA record, set by that same Lakers team. Even the 1996 Bulls, the team that ignited a debate as to whether they were the best ever, won "only" nine straight. Whether it's the New York Knicks or Indiana Pacers, the Spurs expect to break the Lakers' mark.

Perhaps that's Dowler fastest at CASCAR SASKATOON Kevin Dowler won the second CASCAR Castrol Super Series West race of the season Sunday. Dowler, from Edmonton, took the lead in his Ford Taurus on Lap 51 of the 150-lap stock car race in front of a capacity crowd at Bridge City Speedway. Local driver Dan Shirley finished second and Steve Jefferson of Prince George, B.C., was third. Aquabelles golden The Calgary Aquabelles' junior team has won gold at the French Junior National synchronized swimming championships in Aries, France. Locals at the competition were Morganne Bayley, Ashlee Chalack, Sandra Coward, Stephanie Do-browolski, Jennifer Holmquist, Lynda Prusakowski, Leah Schachar, Danielle Sherman and Alexis Ward.

The team was chosen to represent Canada after they placed second at the Nationals in April. Labonte races to victory DOVER, DEL. Bobby Labonte won the MBNA Platinum 400 thanks to a smart call by his crew chief. And Jeff Gordon was again lamenting about how his team manages fuel. Labonte, who set a Dover Downs International Speedway qualifying record, benefited from a decision Sunday by crew chief Jimmy Makar and went the final 107 laps at the Monster Mile for his first victory of the season.

Makar brought in Labonte to top off the tank of his Pontiac just before the end of the final caution period on lap 293. It was just enough to get him to the end. Gordon was forced to stop for a splash of gas with five laps remaining. Last year, he stopped with eight to go, giving the victory to Dale Jarrett. Labonte, who earned $144,820 for the eighth victory of his career, said he wasn't worried about Makar's decision or the consequences had the crew chief erred on his mileage estimate..