MOTOR SPORTS
Montoya wins in Florida
Juan Pablo Montoya gave Team Penske a victory Sunday in the season-opening race at St. Petersburg, Fla., where the driver showed how far he has come a year after returning to the IndyCar Series. Montoya grabbed the lead away from teammate Will Power during a cycle of pit stops and held off one strong challenge from Power to win for the second time since he left NASCAR after the 2013 season. Montoya, who won last year on the oval at Pocono in his first season driving for Roger Penske, won an IndyCar race on a road or street course for the first time since Vancouver in 1999. Power, the reigning IndyCar champion, settled for second after leading 75 laps. He lost the lead to the Colombian driver when Montoya made a routine pit stop one lap before Power’s scheduled stop. The Australian chased his teammate for several laps before seizing what he believed was his only shot to reclaim the lead. Power dipped inside of Montoya as they entered the 10th turn with 11 laps remaining, but Montoya quickly closed the opening. The two Chevrolets made contact, which broke off a piece of Power’s wing. The Penske organization swept the top four starting spots for Sunday’s race. Tony Kanaan broke up the Penske party with a third-place finish Chip Ganassi Racing, and but he was followed by Helio Castroneves and Simon Pagenaud as Penske put all four drivers in the top five.
m Jack Beckman topped the Funny Car field Sunday in the NHRA Four-Wide Nationals in Concord, N.C., to end a 54-event winless streak. Beckman powered his 10,000-horsepower machine to the quickest run of the weekend, beating Del Worsham, Chad Head and Tommy Johnson Jr. Beckman with a 3.983-second run at 308.78 mph in his Dodge Charger R/T. He won for the first since St. Louis in his 2012 championship season. It was his second victory in the event, third win at the track and 16th overall. Antron Brown won in Top Fuel, Larry Morgan in Pro Stock, and Andrew Hines in Pro Stock Motorcycle in the unique event that features racing in a four-lane configuration. Brown and Beckman gave team owner Don Schumacher his 44th multiple-title event. In Pro Stock Motorcycle, world champion Hines raced to his first victory of the season and 39th of his career.
FOOTBALL
Alabama dismisses Taylor
Alabama Coach Nick Saban has dismissed Jonathan Taylor from the team following the second domestic violence arrest of the defensive lineman’s college career. Saban announced the decision on Sunday, a day after Tuscaloosa, Ala., police arrested Taylor when a woman reported she was assaulted by her boyfriend. Taylor signed with the Crimson Tide about six months after his dismissal from Georgia following his arrest in a girlfriend’s assault. University spokesman Deborah Lane said Sunday that Taylor has been referred to judicial affairs. Taylor has been charged with domestic violence third-degree assault and domestic violence third-degree criminal mischief, police said. A police news release said the woman had injuries to her neck. The 6-foot-4, 335-pound lineman was dismissed from Georgia in July 2014 following his arrest on aggravated assault and family violence charges. Taylor played last season at Copiah-Lincoln Community College in Mississippi. He was also one of four Georgia players arrested in March 2014 for receiving double payments for checks of $71.50 issued by the school’s athletic department.
BASKETBALL
DePaul hires Leitao
Dave Leitao, who coached DePaul from 2002-05, was brought back to lead the men’s basketball program on Sunday. Leitao, who led the Blue Demons to three postseason appearances and the NCAA Tournament in 2004 in his first stint, left DePaul to take over at Virginia. He was there for four years and was Atlantic Coast Conference coach of the year in his second season. He was an assistant to Frank Haith the past three seasons at Missouri and Tulsa. Before coaching DePaul, Leitao was associate head coach to Jim Calhoun at Connecticut for six seasons, including the 1999 NCAA championship. He was head coach at Northeastern from 1994-1996. In nine seasons as a head coach, Leitao holds a record of 143-129, including 58-34 in his first time at DePaul. The Blue Demons were 30-18 in Conference USA during his tenure but have been in decline since then, struggling in the Big East. Leitao replaces Oliver Purnell who resigned this month after leading the Blue Demons to a 54-105 record in his five seasons, including a 15-75 mark in the Big East. DePaul hasn’t been to the NCAA tournament since 2004 and last made the NIT in 2007.
BASEBALL
Alvarez starting opener
Henderson Alvarez has been picked to start the Miami Marlins’ opener against the Atlanta Braves on April 6. Alvarez went 12-7 with a 2.65 ERA for Miami last season. The right-hander, who turns 25 on April 18, was the favorite because Jose Fernandez is recovering from elbow ligament replacement surgery. Alvarez pitched a no-hitter against Detroit on the final day of the 2013 season.
m Left-hander pitcher Roenis Elias has been optioned by the Seattle Mariners to Class AAA Tacoma, a decision that likely means right-hander Taijuan Walker will be the Mariners’ fifth starter. Seattle made the roster move with Elias on Sunday. But Manager Lloyd McClendon would not confirm that Walker has earned the spot as the fifth starter, saying there are still six in camp. The other option is righty Erasmo Ramirez. Walker has been outstanding this spring training, allowing zero runs in 18 innings, striking out 19 and walking four. Meanwhile, Ramirez has allowed nine earned runs in 13 innings this spring. Elias had a strong rookie season last year, going 10-12 with a 3.89 ERA, but had options remaining giving Seattle the flexibility to have him start the season in the minors.
TENNIS
Serena moves on
Fifteen-year-old Californian CiCi Bellis lasted only 41 minutes against American Serena Williams, losing 6-1, 6-1 in the third round at the Miami Open. While Williams, 33, moved a step closer to her eighth Key Biscayne title, Rafael Nadal again came up short. He was eliminated by fellow Spaniard Fernando Verdasco, 6-4, 2-6, 6-3. Nadal, who was seeded second, has never won the tournament in 11 appearances. It’s the only event he hasn’t won in so many tries. Bellis made headlines by winning a match at last year’s U.S. Open, but she couldn’t stay with the world’s No. 1 player. Williams won 51 of the 65 points and lost only two points in seven service games. Williams advanced to today’s round of 16 against 2006 champion Svetlana Kuznetsova, seeded No. 24. She eliminated No. 13 Angelique Kerber 6-3, 3-6, 6-3. Andy Murray, seeded No. 3, reached the fourth round by beating Santiago Giraldo 6-3, 6-4. In other women’s play, two-time champion Victoria Azarenka lost to No. 15 Flavia Pennetta 7-6 (5), 7-6 (6). Azarenka, mounting a comeback from injuries, was playing at Key Biscayne for the first time since 2012. No. 3 Simona Halep, who won Indian Wells a week ago, reached the women’s fourth round by beating No. 30 Camila Giorgi 6-4, 7-5.
HORSE RACING
Chrome to England
Kentucky Derby and Preakness winner California Chrome is heading to England after being confirmed as a runner in the prestigious Royal Ascot meeting in June. The 4-year-old American colt was second to Prince Bishop in the Dubai World Cup, the world’s richest horse race, on Saturday and will be taken directly to Britain as early as next week. A statement by Ascot racecourse on Sunday said California Chrome will be based at Newmarket in preparation for Royal Ascot, where he will race in the Prince of Wales’ Stakes on June 17. Trainer Art Sherman will travel over periodically to see the horse. California Chrome could race in the Lockinge Stakes at Newbury on May 16 ahead of Ascot.