Duno wins Grand Am event at Homestead-Miami Speedway

HOMSTEAD, Fla. -- Milka Duno became the first woman to win a major North American sports car race when she co-drove a Pontiac-Crawford to victory Saturday in the Grand Am event at Homestead-Miami Speedway.

The Venezuelan teamed with Englishman Andy Wallace. After Duno drove the opening 43 laps, Wallace took the wheel for the remainder of the 109-lap race.

He was running third with eight laps to go when the cars of Max Papis and Jan Magnussen went off course while battling for the lead. Wallace passed both and crossed the finish line 1.9 seconds ahead of a BMW-Doran driven by Kelly Collins.

Oswaldo Negri Jr., of Brazil finished third in a Lexus-Doran.

The last woman to score an overall win in international sports car competition was the late Lella Lombardi, who co-drove in a pair of victories in her native Italy in 1979.

AP NEWS
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