Tracy wins auto race at Cleveland
CLEVELAND, June 26 (UPI) -- Paul Tracy won the Grand Prix of Cleveland Champ Car race Sunday, crossing the finish line 3.113 seconds ahead of runner-up A.J. Allmendinger.
It was Tracy's second win of the season and the 30th of his Champ Car career. Tracy, the pole winner, took control after a caution flag late in the race.
Two-time Cleveland GP winner Sebastien Bourdais was third and rookie Andrew Ranger finished a solid fourth.
In a minor incident, Ryan Hunter-Reay and Bjorn Wirdheim that came together near the back of the pack near the end.
The next event in the series is July 10 at Exhibition Place in Toronto.
Helicopter forced to land near Grand Prix
CLEVELAND, June 26 (UPI) -- No one was injured when a privately charted helicopter was forced to land near the site of the Champ Car Grand Prix in Cleveland.
City Commissioner Khalid Bahhur said in a statement Saturday the pilot maintained control of the chopper and successfully landed without causing any injuries. The incident occurred shortly after noon at the western end of the Burke Lakefront Airport airfield.
"The landing of the aircraft posed no threat to the airport or any activities related to the Champ Car Grand Prix of Cleveland Presented by US Bank," Bahhur said. "The helicopter landed approximately one half mile from the Champ Car Grand Prix of Cleveland racetrack. There was no interruption of activities related to the race."
Bahhur said the Federal Aviation Administration was notified.
Paul Tracy circled the 10-turn course at 132.040 mph to win the pole position for Sunday's Grand Prix of Cleveland.
Shaq awarded master's in business admin
LOS ANGELES, June 26 (UPI) -- Miami Heat All-Star center Shaquille O'Neal has received his master's degree in business administration from the University of Phoenix.
O'Neal was among 2,200 graduates of the university honored Saturday at the Forum in Los Angeles.
"It's just something to have on my resume when I go back into reality," O'Neal said. "Someday I might have to put down a basketball and have a regular 9-to-5 like everybody else."
The 7-1 center began his college education at Louisiana State University, but left school early to pursue an NBA career. However, O'Neal had promised his family that he would graduate, which he did in 2000, and that he would eventually pursue an MBA.
"The degree solidifies that I'm a businessman," said O'Neal.
Escobar to have arthroscopic elbow surgery
ANAHEIM, Calif., June 25 (UPI) -- Pitcher Kelvim Escobar of the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim has decided to have arthroscopic surgery on his ailing right elbow.
The team said on its Web site that the procedure will cause him to be sidelined for at least eight weeks.
The injury caused Escobar to miss the first three weeks of the season. During the procedure, he will have a bone spur, the source of the pain, shaved down.
The hard-throwing, 29-year-old right-hander, who had bone chips taken out the elbow in 1997 when he pitched for Toronto, was 2-2 with a 3.54 ERA.
He has thrown only 40 2/3 innings this season, but has struck out 46 batters.
"It is frustrating. I want to get out there so bad," Escobar said. "We're having fun. I want to be a part of this team. I don't feel (like I'm) a part of it."
He has been on the DL since June 8.
