Kahne Keeps His Hot Start Going at Atlanta

Kasey Kahne showed early signs of being a championship contender by winning at Atlanta Motor Speedway on Monday while Bill Lester finished way back in becoming the first black driver to race in NASCAR’s top series since 1986.

Lester accomplished one of his stated goals, staying out of trouble and racing to the end of the Golden Corral 500, which had been postponed Sunday because of rain. But it was not the kind of performance he hoped for, as he finished six laps off the pace in 38th at Hampton, Ga.

“It was a very significant learning experience for me,” said Lester, the first black driver in NASCAR’s top series since Willy T. Ribbs. “It was fun to be out there with them. This is just the beginning and we have two more [Nextel Cup] races to go.”

The top Cup rookie in 2004, Kahne slumped last year. But he’s started this season with four strong performances, including an 11th-place run at the Daytona 500 and two fourth-place finishes before earning the second victory of his career.

“We had momentum,” said Kahne, who also finished second to Jeff Burton in Saturday’s Busch Series race. “We’ve had momentum all weekend long. Man, to win at Atlanta, one of my favorites racetracks, is so cool.”

It was the first victory at Atlanta for a Dodge in 29 years, since Richard Petty won in 1977.

Mark Martin made a late run at Kahne, driving his Ford alongside and nosing ahead of Kahne’s No. 9 Charger 12 laps from the end of the 325-lap event. But Martin had to back off when his car began to slide and he was not able to challenge the leader again.

Kahne, who led 85 laps including the final 80, finished 1.929 seconds -- about 20 car lengths -- ahead of Martin.

SOCCER

MLS Wants to Expand to Philadelphia Suburb

Major League Soccer announced plans to put an expansion team in a stadium that Rowan University hopes to build on its new auxiliary campus, located in a fast-growing Philadelphia suburb of Glassboro, N.J.

The MLS team would begin play in 2009 if a stadium plan is approved.

Dean Ashton scored twice to lead West Ham over Manchester City, 2-1, and put the Hammers in the FA Cup semifinals for the first time since 1991.

TENNIS

Mauresmo Takes Over Women’s No. 1 Ranking

Amelie Mauresmo took over the No. 1 spot in the WTA rankings from Kim Clijsters.

Justine Henin-Hardenne is third in the rankings, followed by Maria Sharapova, who won at Indian Wells last week.

Lindsay Davenport of Laguna Beach pulled out of this week’s Nasdaq-100 Open tournament, citing an injured back. After losing in the quarterfinals of the Pacific Life Open last week, Davenport revealed she has a bulging disc in her lower back, which has been bothering her since late February.

The fifth-ranked Davenport has not played in Miami since 2003.

-- Lisa Dillman

GOLF

Wie Accepts Invitation to Play in Palm Desert

Michelle Wie accepted an invitation to the Samsung World Championships, filling out the eight LPGA Tour events the 16-year-old is allowed to play this year.

This year’s tournament will be played Oct. 12-15 at Bighorn Golf Club in Palm Desert, where Wie’s family recently bought a house.

The PGA Tour’s decision to move the Booz Allen Classic to the fall is costing the tournament its title sponsor.

Booz Allen Hamilton chairman Ralph Shrader said that his company will not renew its sponsorship contract when it expires after this year’s tournament.

MISCELLANY

Lambiel Easily Wins His Qualifying Group

Defending champion Stephane Lambiel shook off a knee injury and the post-Olympic blahs to easily win his qualifying group in the World Figure Skating Championships at Calgary, Canada.

Although American Evan Lysacek struggled with 138.70 points, he was second to Lambiel’s 160.90.

The later group was won by 2005 world junior champion Nobunari Oda of Japan with 144.90 points, just ahead of Canada’s Jeffrey Buttle and Brian Joubert of France. Three-time U.S. champion Johnny Weir was fourth.

Zhang Dan and Zhang Hao of China, the Olympic runners-up best remembered for her horrific fall on a throw quad salchow, won the pairs short program ahead of countrymen Pang Qing and Tong Jian.

A police investigation into the Garden Grove Pacifica softball booster program and its former coach, Rob Weil, has been dropped after an Orange County deputy district attorney said the burden of proof could not be met.

Weil was among three subjects of interest in a nearly year-long criminal investigation for theft of funds, perjury and the false representation of fundraising efforts, according to police spokesman Mike Handfield.

-- Martin Henderson

Mac Weakley of Carlsbad caught a 25-pound, 1-ounce largemouth bass at Dixon Lake in Escondido, and if the catch is approved by the International Game Fish Assn. it would strike from the books a world record that has stood since 1932, when George W. Perry pulled a 22-pound, 4-ounce bass from Lake Montgomery near Jacksonville, Ga.

Weakley, however, does not hold high hopes as the fish he caught was “foul-hooked” in the side rather than in the mouth, likely removing it from record consideration.

-- Pete Thomas

Leisel Jones broke her own world record in the 100-meter breaststroke at the Commonwealth Games, finishing in 1 minute 05.09 seconds at Melbourne, Australia. Jones, 20, had the previous mark of 1:05.71.