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DARLINGTON, S.C. -- Martin Truex Jr. has already won two of NASCARs most coveted races. Now, hes seeking a much bigger honor.Truex led the final 28 laps and held off Kevin Harvicks powerhouse car to win the Southern 500, closing the summer season with a second of Sprint Cups crown jewel races on Labor Day weekend. He began things by winning at Charlotte Motor Speedway on Memorial Day weekend.Truex stamped himself as a contender to be reckoned with when the Sprint Cup playoffs start in two weeks.Were hungry. Were working hard, Truex said. This is just the beginning for us, I think.Many others think that, too, especially after Truex patiently stayed in the top 10 throughout and pounced when the opportunity struck, moving past leader Ryan Newman and never surrendering the top spot.It was Truexs fifth NASCAR win and first in 11 career Darlington races.Crew chief Cole Pearn said winning two crown jewel races in a season is something special, but the teams focus is on the championship Chase that starts at Chicagoland Speedway in two weeks.Youve got to take the highs when theyre here and then get back to work, he said.Truex pulled up to the inside wall to greet his crew after the win, then taking off for some celebration donuts at the track Too Tough To Tame.Harvick, who led 214 of 367 laps, had some words for his crew, too -- much angrier and pointed about its poor performance in the pits. During one 16.6-second stop, Harvick fell from first to 12th, and while he got to back to second, correctly said on the radio after that stop, Its pretty much over at this point.The 2014 Sprint Cup champion said it was time for the crew to perform. Im over being a cheerleader. Those guys get paid a lot of money to perform on pit road and cheerleading really hasnt been working, he said. Youve got to get after it on pit road and do your job.Last weeks winner at Michigan, Kyle Larson, finished third and Denny Hamlin was fourth. Joey Logano was fifth, followed by Matt Kenseth, Kasey Kahne, Newman, Brad Keselowski and Chase Elliott.Its the second time in the past six Southern 500s that single-car Furniture Row Racing wound up in victory lane. Regan Smith stunned the Sprint Cup garage in 2011 with his win here.Truex, among the four finalists in last years championship Chase, is locked in again this year and has stamped himself a significant contender for the Sprint Cup crown.It was definitely worth the wait, he said.WHOS HOT: Larson followed up his win at Michigan last week with a third-place at Darlington. The Chip Ganassi Racing driver led 45 laps and felt good about running up front for a second straight race.WHOS NOT: Jimmie Johnson had his troubles at Darlington where hes won three times. He was called pass-through penalty after his crew made a modification on pit road NASCAR didnt like, then fell two laps down. On lap 214, Johnson spun out and slid into the inside wall. His crew brought the No. 48 Hendrick Motorsports machine behind the wall. It was Johnsons ninth finish outside the top 10 in his last 12 races, not the form his team hoped to have in chasing a seventh Sprint Cup title.THEY SAID IT: Its kind of like an out of body experience, Tony Stewart on the radio while watching his old, Home Depot-style paint scheme being driven by Carl Edwards in the Southern 500.THE BIG ONE: That involved Stewart, too. The three-time series champ making his final run at Darlington was trying to get out lapped car Brian Scott. When that didnt work at first, Stewart looked like he nudged Scotts bumper and sent him spinning. Scott thought Stewart was mad at him and ran into him on purpose. Im not sure if he thought I was trying to hold him up. I wasnt, Scott said. The move also piqued NASCARs interest. Officials called Stewart and crew chief Mike Bugarewicz to their hauler at the end. When told of NASCARs demand, Stewart said, Hey man, made it 25 races, Id say thats pretty good.UP NEXT: Richmond International Raceway, Richmond, Virginia, Sept. 10. Matt Kenseth is the defending champion. Chris Pronger Jersey . LeBron James and Chris Bosh didnt need any more. Williams scored 11 points in 10 minutes, Alan Anderson scored 17 points, and the Brooklyn Nets finished the exhibition season with a 108-87 win over the Miami Heat on Friday night. Teemu Selanne Jersey . -- Bryant McKinnie came out of his stance and lowered his shoulder into a practice squad player, causing a crisp thud to reverberate in the Miami Dolphins practice bubble. https://www.cheapducks.com/737c-patrick-eaves-jersey-ducks.html . The quest begins with what is supposed to be an easy one, although Germany has traditionally been a stubborn opponent to Canadian teams at international tournaments. Max Comtois Jersey . General manager Jarmo Kekalainen told Aaron Portzline of The Columbus Dispatch on Friday that he wants to see Gaboriks contributions go beyond the scoresheet before considering a long-term deal for the soon-to-be unrestricted free agent. Paul Kariya Jersey . MLS Commissioner Don Garber and Miami-Dade County Mayor Carlos Gimenez also will attend the session, which was announced Monday. The league has discussed placing its next two expansion teams in Miami and Atlanta. MINNEAPOLIS -- Nneka Ogwumikes short jumper with 3.1 seconds left gave the Los Angeles Sparks a 77-76 victory over the defending champion Minnesota Lynx for their first title in 14 years in the deciding game of the WNBA Finals on Thursday night.The league MVP joined her teammates in celebration as a stunned crowd slowly filed out after finishing with 12 points and 12 rebounds. Candace Parker had 28 points and 12 rebounds to earn MVP honors of the Finals. It was Parkers first WNBA title.Shes been through so much, Ogwumike said of Parker. Shes probably the most misunderstood person in the league. I told her I wanted her to get one. She had an awesome game tonight. Shes been our leader.Parker said she listened to one of Pat Summitts speeches before the game and that motivated her. Her former coach at Tennessee died in late June.She would have been proud of our rebounding. It came down to rebounding and defense, Parker said. I could hear her voice telling me to keep going. She was definitely present tonight.Rebekkah Brunson made one of two free throws with 23 seconds left to give the Lynx a 74-73 lead. Parker answered with a layup on the other end that Maya Moore countered with a jumper with 15 seconds remaining. Ogwumikes first try for the win was off the mark, but she worked her way over to the loose ball for another attempt that she coolly swished.Lindsay Whalens final shot from just inside halfcourt wasnt close, setting off Los Angeles celebration as Parker and Sparks owner Magic Johnson embraced in a long hug.Johnson spoke to the team after the loss at home in Game 4 on Sunday. His presence in Minnesota was all the more impressive considering the Dodgers, the other pro club hes invested in, were playing baseball in Los Angeles at the same time in Game 5 of their National League championship series.I told them the series wasnt over and that there was still a Game 5 to be played. They had to believe they could do it on a tough home court. This team Minnesota is tremendous, Johnson said. We just beat the champions so I give them a lot of credit to. Our leaders led us and we had a great coach in Brian and they believed all season long. I told them this was their year. I wanted them to do it for Candace Parker. She deserves to be a champion. Great group of ladies.Moore had 23 points and 11 assists for the Lynx, who fell short of matching the WNBA record of four championships. The Houston Comets won four straight titles from 1997-2000.The Lynx played in thhe finals for the fifth time in the last six years.dddddddddddd They won three.Parker finally had help with the scoring when reserve Chelsea Gray reeled off 11 consecutive points for the Sparks. Gray capped that run with a smooth up-and-under layup to put them in front 60-59 early in the fourth quarter. Parkers putback with 3:06 left gave L.A. a 71-63 lead, putting the Lynx in trouble.But Moore seized the moment with a 3-pointer that brought Minnesota within four points, and Parker forced an off-balance 3 on the other end.Whalen stole the ball from Kristi Toliver and finished the fast break with a layup to tie the game at 71, setting up the final flurry.On the next play, Ogwumike hit a jumper that appeared to come after the shot clock expired. The officials signaled for a review, but never looked at the basket and Los Angeles led 73-71 with just over a minute left.The WNBAs new postseason format with the field ordered by overall record regardless of conference sure worked well, leading to this classic matchup between the two teams that fought all summer for the top seed and featuring several of the leagues biggest stars.The game was remarkably close, with 11 lead changes and six ties in the first half alone. Moore gave Minnesota its biggest lead of the first 20 minutes with a pair of free throws in the closing seconds of the second quarter to make it 34-28.The Sparks had an opportunity for a surge when Sylvia Fowles exited with an injury to her right hand, scoring on a fast break while Fowles was wincing in pain by the bench and out of the play and then picking up a bonus point on a free throw for Lynx coach Cheryl Reeves technical foul.Augustus and Renee Montgomery knocked down 3-pointers from the top of the key down the stretch of the third quarter, though, and Fowles soon re-entered the game. She made her presence felt with a powerful take to the rim for a layup and a 53-47 lead.FOUL TROUBLEOgwumike joined Toliver and Essence Carson with three fouls in the first half and played less than 4 minutes in the second quarter.UNDER CONSTRUCTIONIf the finals return to Minnesota next year, the Lynx could have yet another place in which to try to pop the corks with a major renovation set for Target Center next summer. Theyll play across the Mississippi River in St. Paul at Xcel Energy Center, the hockey home of the Minnesota Wild. ' ' '