Sports in brief

Times wires
Monday, May 2, 2011

AUTOS

POWER CONTROLS INDYCAR VICTORY

SAO PAULO — Will Power of Australia overcame a damaged car and a wet track to win IndyCar's Sao Paulo 300 on Monday, a day after the race was postponed because of heavy rain on the streets of South America's biggest city.

Graham Rahal was second and Ryan Briscoe third at the 2.5-mile, 11-turn temporary street circuit.

Power, who started from the pole, drove to victory for Team Penske after Takuma Sato had to pit for fuel with about 10 minutes left in what wound up being a timed race in the rain. Sato led 23 laps but finished eighth after his KV Racing team's fuel gamble failed.

Power defended his Sao Paulo title despite damage. He lost control exiting a turn early in the race and touched the wall with his left rear tire.

"I bent the rear suspension enough to make the steering wheel quite off to the left," he said. " … I adjusted to the imbalance in the car, and it was fine."

The weather forced a time limit, and the race went only 55 of the 75 scheduled laps.

HORSES

Watch Me Go works out quietly

Tampa Bay Derby winner Watch Me Go worked out on a sealed track, clocking 5 furlongs in 1 minute, 2 seconds under Fred Lenclud in preparation for Saturday's Kentucky Derby in Louisville. Trainer Kathleen O'Connell arrived at 4 a.m. at Churchill Downs, hoping to avoid overcast conditions, but it rained 15 minutes later. Watch Me Go galloped out 6 furlongs in 1:15 and 7 furlongs in 1:29.20. "My most important thing was the gallop out," O'Connell told a track spokesman. "I wasn't looking for speed." Rafael Bejarano drew the colt's riding assignment. Post positions will be drawn Wednesday.

KENTUCKY OAKS: Grade I winner R Heat Lightning was declared out of Friday's race for fillies after heat was detected in her right front leg.

Colleges

More trouble for Buckeye football

Ohio State linebacker Dorian Bell was suspended for the 2011 season for violating team rules. The Buckeyes will already be without five players for the first five games for accepting improper benefits, and coach Jim Tressel will sit out the same length of time for failing to report his knowledge of the players' actions.

OREGON: Linebacker Kiko Alonso was indefinitely suspended after his arrest on burglary and trespassing charges.

MORE SPORTS: A fundraising effort helped save the California men's gymnastics program, which was slated to be shelved in a cost-cutting move. … Former Georgia Tech coach Paul Hewitt was named coach at George Mason.

ET CETERA

TENNIS: Maria Shara-pova defeated Ekaterina Makarova 6-3, 3-6, 6-1 to reach the third round at the Madrid Open. On the men's side, American Sam Querrey lost to Michael Llodra 6-2, 6-3.

HOCKEY: Nick Palmieri scored twice and the United States had four third-period goals to top Norway 4-2 and reach the second round of the world championships in Slovakia. The Czech Republic and Finland also clinched spots in the second round with victories, and Sweden got its first victory, 3-0 over Austria.

VOLLEYBALL: Misty May-Treanor has a sprained MCL in her left knee but won't need surgery, said her agent, Thomas McCarthy. May-Treanor was hurt Sunday in China, forcing her and Kerri Walsh to withdraw from a beach event.

Don Jensen, Times correspondent; Times wires

Source: http://www.tampabay.com/sports/sports-in-brief/1167432

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