LOEB TAKES SECOND WIN OF WRC SEASON.(Citroen star Sebastien Loeb wins)

Citroen star Sebastien Loeb extended his championship lead with another win on the asphalt Catalunya Rally-though this time Loeb was not the quickest man behind the wheel. Ford's Marcus Gronholm led the first four stages before a detached turbo wastegate cost him nearly three minutes. After dropping to 10th overall at the end of day one, the Finn powered his way back to third by the finish, setting 10 fastest stage times en route.

"Marcus did a fantastic job. I know that he will push us all the way again over the rest of the year,'' admitted Loeb. The turbo problem also affected Gronholm's teammate Mikko Hirvonen, who lost the chance to repeat his podium of last year.

In second place was another Citroen driven by local hero Dani Sordo-on only his fourth rally with a World Rally car. It could have been a Citroen 1-2-3, but Xavier Pons slid off on the second day, allowing former Skoda works driver Alex Bengue into third. But Bengue's Peugeot was no match for Gronholm's charging Focus WRC, and he slipped back to fourth on the final day.

Nonetheless Bengue and Skoda privateer Jan Kopecky beat the entire works Subaru squad, which struggled with a consistent lack of grip on the slippery Spanish asphalt. Petter Solberg could only manage a frustrated seventh, commenting, "We've made no real mistakes, we're just not quick enough.''

The rally was overshadowed by the death of German co-driver Jorg Bastuck on the opening day. Bastuck climbed out of the Junior World Championship Citroen C2 he shared with Aaron Burkart after a minor accident, but he was struck by another car that went off in exactly the same place.

Rockenfeller, Long win Grand-Am Miami Grand Prix

Alex Job Racing/Emory Motorsports co-drivers Patrick Long and Mike Rockenfeller earned their first career Grand American Rolex Sports Car Series victories at Homestead-Miami Speedway, giving Porsche its first Rolex series overall win in two-and-a-half years.