Schumacher loses pole position
Michael Schumacher was stripped of the pole position at the Monaco Grand Prix after stewards ruled he deliberately stopped his car on the track during qualifying Saturday in Monaco, Monte Carlo.
The seven-time world champion will start from the back of the field in today’s race, while Fernando Alonso will start from the pole.
Mark Webber of Williams moved up to second.
After setting the fastest lap of 1 minute, 13.898 seconds early in the final section of qualifying, Schumacher appeared to lose control of his Ferrari on his final lap and stalled out on the track on the last turn.
Others, including defending world champion Alonso, were behind him trying to set a fastest lap.
Alonso had looked as though he was about to do it, but had to slow down to avoid Schumacher’s car and ended up second.
The stewards ruled there was “no justifiable reason” to stop “with such undue excessive and unusual pressure at this part of the circuit and therefore left (us with) no alternative but to conclude that the driver deliberately stopped his car on the circuit.”
Edwards wins Busch race
Carl Edwards grabbed the lead away from Casey Mears on a restart with six laps to go and pulled away to win the Busch Series Carquest Auto Parts 300 at Lowe’s Motor Speedway in Concord, N.C.
Kurt Busch finished second, J.J. Yeley was third and Mears fourth.
Greenwell 26th in debut
Ron Hornaday Jr. won the City of Mansfield (Ohio) 250 for his Craftsman Truck Series-record 28th career victory, while ex-baseball star Mike Greenwell started 20th and finished 26th in his NASCAR debut.
Hornaday held off challenges from Jack Sprague and David Starr and ended up finishing 0.961 seconds ahead of Sprague.
Women lead qualifying
Top Fuel points leader Melanie Troxel and Pro Stock driver Erica Enders led qualifying for the O’Reilly Summer Nationals in Topeka, Kan., the first time two female drivers have been No. 1 qualifiers in NHRA history.
Stateline event canceled
The Physical Therapy Associates 100 race for the INSSA Series and Outlaw Compacts at Stateline Speedway in Post Falls was canceled because of rain.