ekansekans's blog: "df"

MONZA, Italy -- McLaren driver Lewis Hamilton thrust himself back into the title race with a maiden Italian Grand Prix victory on Sunday, while a "dream" race for Formula One leader Fernando Alonso saw the Ferrari driver finish third to extend his overall lead. [url=http://www.ravensproshop.com/haloti-ngata-jerseys]Haloti Ngata Jersey[/url] . Speculation about Hamiltons future and a possible switch to Mercedes dominated the weekend, but the 2008 champion put the focus firmly back on his driving with his first victory at Monza and the 20th of his career. "Its a fantastic win in front of the best crowd. Im happy for the team. Its been the best day," said Hamilton, who started on pole and led almost from start to finish. "It was pretty trouble-free, I dont think I had any problems throughout the race and the guys did a great job through the pit stop. And I got a good start for once, so very, very happy with that." Hamilton made it three wins in a row for McLaren and moved past defending champion Sebastian Vettel to take second place in the drivers standings, 37 points behind Alonso. It could have been a perfect day for McLaren, but Jenson Button -- who started second and looked on course to finish right behind Hamilton -- was forced to retire on the 35th lap. Alonso started from 10th on the grid after he had technical difficulties during Saturdays qualifying. However, the Spaniard took advantage of a wretched day for Vettel and the Red Bull team to storm his way through the field, much to the delight of the fans at Ferraris home track. "It was a perfect Sunday for us," Alonso said. "After the problem yesterday it was not easy to think about victory. So if you are not going to win the podium is the next target. "All the simulations and predictions said we would never finish on the podium. So it was much better than expected and Jenson was out of the race and so were the two Red Bulls, so the perfect Sunday ... the race went like a movie for us, like a dream." Vettel had to retire because of a mechanical problem when wisps of white smoke started to emerge from his car with six laps to go. He was joined on the sideline by Red Bull teammate Mark Webber, who retired at the end of the penultimate lap. Sergio Perez, who revealed he had been feeling sick all weekend, was second on Sunday, 4.3 seconds behind Hamilton after starting 12th. The Mexican finished strongly, moving through the field in the closing stages and cutting into Hamiltons lead, after leaving it until lap 29 to pit and change to softer tires. "That was a great race for me for my team. Its unbelievable to get a podium in Monza. Its really special," Perez said. "It was really enjoyable. One of those races where you have the pace and you are the one attacking. "To go that long (before pitting) and to be able to keep the pace was not easy at all. I did quite a lot of laps on those tires. Then in the second stint we managed to go maximum attack and I was able to have good fighting with some drivers. It was just a great race." Alonso made up three places on the first lap from 10th, and was up to sixth by the second lap. "Yeah, the start was good," he said. "Obvious we didnt have maybe the best start but it was enough to overtake two or three cars, good first corner and then those two first laps were, I think, making the difference of our race. "We overtook di Resta, Kimi, Michael very quickly. And that gave us the opportunity to follow Sebastian and the quick cars that were there in the first five positions. So, when you find yourself sixth after two or three laps, the race improves a lot." A tremendous tussle with Vettel halfway through the race forced Alonso onto the grass adjacent to the track to avoid a collision, with the German later being issued a drive-through penalty. Ferrari driver Felipe Massa finished fourth after starting third. The Brazilian got off to a strong start, overtaking Button and almost moving past Hamilton on the outside just before the first chicane. Hamilton managed to hold his old rival at bay, only losing the lead briefly to Perez, who only pit-stopped once. Button overtook Massa to regain second position shortly before their pit stops and it seemed as if a McLaren 1-2 was on the cards after the team had achieved a record 62nd front-row sweep in qualifying. One week after giving himself an outside shot at the title with victory at the Belgium GP, however, Button endured a fuel pressure problem and had to quit the race. That allowed Massa to move into second place but, with Alonso catching him, he allowed his teammate to overtake. A new threat soon appeared as Perez put in a number of lightning-fast laps. He overtook the Ferrari duo to claim his third podium of the season -- and his career. Alonso finished 20.6 seconds behind Hamilton. Massa was a further 9 seconds behind, just ahead of Kimi Raikkonen and five-time Monza winner Michael Schumacher. [url=http://www.ravensproshop.com/vonta-leach-jerseys]Vonta Leach Jersey[/url] . Brackman, who was released by the New York Yankees, will receive US$500,000 if hes in the major leagues, The 26-year-old would get $480,000 if hes in the minors. [url=http://www.ravensproshop.com/torrey-smith-jerseys?women=18]Torrey Smith Womens Jersey[/url] . Bosh remained sidelined by a lower abdominal strain for Friday nights Game 3 and Spoelstra says "his return is indefinite." Game 4 is Sunday in Boston. Spoelstra says Bosh will be re-evaluated daily. Bosh was hurt in Game 1 of the second round against Indiana, but the Heat have recovered from his absence behind a string of dominant performances from LeBron James and Dwyane Wade. [url=http://www.ravensproshop.com/ed-reed-jerseys]http://www.ravensproshop.com/ed-reed-jerseys[/url] . Hudson has bone spurs in his left ankle and said Saturday he had a cortisone shot Friday after his attempt to throw in the bullpen "wasnt too good. [url=http://www.ravensproshop.com/terrell-suggs-jerseys]Terrell Suggs Jersey[/url] . -- Ricky Santoss stay with the Toronto Argonauts was a short one. [url=http://www.ravensproshop.com/justin-tucker-jersey]Justin Tucker Jersey[/url] . The future Hall-of-Fame tight end is in the midst of his best season in Atlanta, catching 79 passes for 867 yards and seven touchdowns heading into Sundays regular season finale against Tampa Bay. WATKINS GLEN, N.Y. -- When push came to shove, Carl Edwards got the best of Brad Keselowski. Edwards, making his first Nationwide start of the season, beat Keselowski on a two-lap dash to the checkered flag on Saturday and won the Zippo 200 at Watkins Glen International. Austin Dillons blown right front tire brought out the final stoppage of the 82-lap race around the 11-turn, 2.45-mile layout, and Edwards beat his long-time nemesis on a restart for the second straight time in the race. It was the 38th career victory for Edwards, breaking a tie with Kevin Harvick for third on the career series list. "This is huge for us," Edwards said after making his celebratory back flip. "This win means a lot." Pole-sitter Sam Hornish Jr. finished third, followed by Ricky Stenhouse Jr. and Ron Fellows. Despite a spirited drive from the back of the field, Kyle Busch faded late and finished sixth in his No. 54 Toyota. Elliott Sadler finished 12th and holds a 13-point lead over Stenhouse in the standings. Edwards pulled away on the final restart speeding up through the esses before Keselowski began to close. Edwards missed a shift and Keselowskis Dodge pulled alongside Edwards No. 60 Ford as the two banged in the turn at the top of the front straightaway heading to take the white flag. Edwards then pulled ahead and sped away to a 1.1-second triumph. "He came up the track and hit me, put me in the wall there," Keselowski said. "That kind of took away all of my momentum. I didnt have a chance after that." The two had passed eacch other for the final lead change in a race six times, with Keselowski getting the better of Edwards four times before Saturday. [url=http://www.ravensproshop.com/torrey-smith-jerseys]Torrey Smith Jersey Elite[/url]. Keselowski, who watched last years race from the television booth with a broken left ankle and bruised back, started fourth and showed right away hed be a factor. He took the lead in the chicane on lap 12 from teammate Hornish, outbraking him entering the quick four-turn section. A crash entering the chicane involving Cole Whitt and Victor Gonzalez Jr. had forced the previous stoppage on lap 70. The race restarted with 10 laps to go with Keselowski and Edwards on the front row. "Hell be coming and its just a matter of whether we can hold him off," Jeremy Bullins, crew chief for Keselowski, said of Edwards. Keselowski couldnt as Edwards took the lead with a powerful pass to the outside going uphill through the esses. Busch, battling shifter and throttle problems, dropped to sixth on lap 76. Danica Patrick, who had a strong run at Road America in the first road course of the season before getting wrecked by Jacques Villeneuve and finishing 12th, didnt even get the chance to race in her first NASCAR start at The Glen. She was taken out on the first turn of the first lap by Ryan Truex. Truex slid across the grass on the inside of the 90-degree right-hander, came back onto the track in front of Patricks No. 7 Chevy, and she had nowhere to go. "I just feel so bad," said Patrick, who had to retire from the race and finished last. "Thats the sport. Its out of your control." ' ' '