Racing: NASCAR: Dario Franchitti wins by a rainstorm at Indy 500 classic event, favored Kanaan flushes out

Associated Press via FoxNews.com carries a great report, "Scottish Driver Dario Franchitti wins Indianopolis 500"(May27,2k7); it details Franchittii's deliberate gamble on the weather that day at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, and his strategem to beat his best friend, racer Tony Kanaan of Brazil. Kanaan was long well in the lead, Sam Hornish Jr was second, and Franchitti third; but Kanaan and Hornish stopped to refurbish in the pit. Losing time, Kanaan and the whole pack of other racers got cawt in a rainstorm only halfway thru, the race being called for some 3 hours. "The race was interrupted by rain for three hours shortly after the halfway point and then, after a restart, was stopped after 166 of the scheduled 200 laps." Also AP's Cliff Brunt's write-up of the NASCAR Indy race last week, "Franchitti Sees $1.6M Purse for Indy 500" (May28,2k7).

Kanaan also received the Scott Brayton Award, named for the late driver who was killed in practice after winning the pole in 1996 and given to the racer best exemplifying the character and spirit of Brayton.

Franchitti's share was part of a record purse of nearly $10.7 million that was announced at the victory dinner. The previous record was $10.5 million last year.

Second-place finisher Scott Dixon's $719,067 and third-place finisher Helio Castroneves' $646,303. ...

The smallest prize from Sunday's race was $193,305 for 32nd place by Jon Herb. The prize money is distributed in a formula that includes race finish, qualification outcome and various performance awards.

Kanaan made up for his non-win more recently, "Kanaan wins IRL race at Milwaukee Mile" (Jun3,2k7) by AP's Mike Marris.

Racing: Marathon: Rain, snow, driving winds forecast Boston Marathon

Breitart.com has the weather forecast regarding expected conditions for the 111th annual Boston Marathon: "heavy rain and sub-freezing cold plus blustery winds gusting as high as 50 mph, often forcing the runners to battle into a severe headwind." Yech!

The article's headline, "Furious storm forecast for Boston Marathon" (Apr14,2k7) gives way to the lead info on the footrace, which is about the human factor, bad weather or good. Deena Kastor "will try to become the first American in 22 years to win the Boston Marathon here Monday [Apr16,2k7]...."

Kastor, 34, won last year's London Marathon with a career-best time of 2 hours, 19 mins, 36 secs. Kastor also captured the 2005 Chicago Marathon and took the bronze medal in the women's marathon at the 2004 Athens Olympics.

"For the 22 years I have been running I have promised myself to keep setting loftier goals in this sport. Boston is my next lofty focus."

She hopes to become the first US man or woman to win a Boston Marathon since Lisa Larsen Weidenbach in 1985, but she will be challenged by defending champion Rita Jeptoo of Kenya and Latvia's Jelena Prokopcuka. ...

Also back to defend a Boston Marathon crown is Kenya's Robert Cheruiyot, who set the race record last year with his triumph in 2:07:14. ...

Kenyans have won 14 of the past 16 men's titles at Boston and six of the past seven Boston women's crowns.

I'm rooting for the Latvian lady this round.