MOTOR RACING ROUNDUP : Unser Jr. Wins Fastest 500-Mile Race Ever

Al Unser Jr. out-raced and had more luck than teammate Bobby Rahal on Sunday to win the fastest 500-mile race in history, the Marlboro 500 at Michigan International Speedway.

Unser and several competitors drove laps in the 224-m.p.h. range, and he won $172,684 for averaging 189.727 m.p.h. despite eight caution periods. That was faster than the previous 500-mile mark of 186.288 set by stock-car star Bill Elliott at Talladega in May 1985.

It easily outdid the Indy-car mark of 185.981 by Arie Luyendyk in May in the Indianapolis 500.

“I don’t think that’s fast enough,” Unser, 27, said. “I think we can go quicker.”

It was Unser’s first 500-mile victory, second victory in a row, fourth this season and 13th of his career. He dedicated the race to his father, a four-time Indy 500 winner who is recovering from injuries sustained here Thursday in a crash during practice.

“I was lying in bed last night, hoping we could do this,” Unser Jr. said. “This was for you, dad. I wish you were here.”

Rahal, who lost his chance at victory when Unser made his final fuel stop during the final caution period, finished second for the fifth time this season.

Engine problems eliminated several top challengers, including Luyendyk, pole-winner Emerson Fittipaldi, who dominated the first half of the race, Michael Andretti and Rick Mears.

Unser took the lead on a restart on lap 212 following the seventh caution period. Rahal regained the top spot on lap 216, lost it to Unser on 218, got it back on 219 and lost it to Unser for the final time on lap 235, just 16 laps from the end, when Rahal pitted for fuel.

The crowd, estimated at 55,000, was on its feet and screaming when Rahal drove onto pit road and took just 12.1 seconds to head back toward the track, a bit more than 31 seconds behind his teammate.

Just as Unser was ready for his fuel stop, rookie Jon Beekhuis blew his engine, bringing out the final caution period on lap 240.

Unser managed to overtake Rahal before the two reached the flag stand, putting a lap on Rahal and making it virtually impossible for him to win the race. He won by 25.459 seconds.

Mario Andretti, Michael’s father and teammate, finished third, a lap behind.

Dale Earnhardt led every lap in a victory at Michigan International Speedway that brought him the championship of the International Race of Champions series.

Earnhardt, from NASCAR, fought off challenges from fellow Winston Cup drivers Mark Martin and Terry Labonte, as well as two-time IROC champion and CART Indy-car star Al Unser Jr.

Martin Brundle of England, a road-racing specialist who came into the third and final IROC event of the season leading both Earnhardt and Unser by two points in the standings, fell from the lead at the start and lost a lap when he spun off the two-mile, high-banked oval on the 31st of 50 laps.

Earnhardt, who also won the IROC opener in May on the high banks at Talladega and finished fifth in the road race last month at Cleveland, wound up the series with 60 points and the winner’s share of $175,000. He averaged 153.316 m.p.h.

Gary Ormsby spoiled Chris Karamesines’ chances of becoming the oldest Top Fuel driver in history to win a NHRA Winston Series event by winning the Northwest Nationals at Seattle International Raceway in Kent, Wash.

Karamesines, 61, was appearing in his second final of the year. He lost to Ormsby at the Grandnational in Montreal in June. This time, Ormsby’s Castrol GTX dragster covered the quarter-mile in 5.098 seconds at 282.39 m.p.h. Karamesines’s chances ended when his dragster’s engine exploded.

Bob Glidden earned his first Pro Stock title in six months, his 78th overall and second of the season. He drove his Motorcraft Ford Probe past Mark Pawuk’s Oldsmobile in the finals, 7.388 at 187.14 m.p.h. to 7.435 at 185.18.

Mark Oswald, driving a Ford Probe, got his second 1990 Funny Car victory, running 5.401 seconds at 275.98 m.p.h., while Ed McCulloch’s Oldsmobile trailed, 5.492 at 261.55 m.p.h.

Kevin Schwantz of Paige, Tex., edged world leader Wayne Rainey of Downey to win the British 500cc Grand Prix motorcycle race at Castle Donington, England.

Starting the race 30 points behind Rainey, Schwantz, on a Suzuki, won by two seconds with former world champion Eddie Lawson of Upland, third.

Rainey, riding a Yamaha, still has a 27-point lead in the overall standings with four races left.