ON THE tracks Sunday’s other events

IRL

WATKINS GLEN, N.Y. — Scott Dixon’s bid for a fourth straight victory on the road course at Watkins Glen ended Sunday with an uncharacteristic mistake that gave Ryan Hunter-Reay the opening he needed to earn his first IndyCar Series victory.

Dixon, preparing to make a run at leader Darren Manning after a long caution period, spun out under yellow and was hit from behind by contender Ryan Briscoe. That gave the runner-up spot to Hunter-Reay, who easily passed Manning on the restart and drove away with the fourth series win for Rahal Letterman Racing.

It is the third open-wheel victory for Hunter-Reay, a Texas-born driver who won twice while driving in the now-defunct Champ Car World Series.

Formula One

SILVERSTONE, England — Lewis Hamilton has won the British Grand Prix for the first time, leading his rain-soaked home race from the fourth lap to take the lead in the Formula One drivers championship.

The McLaren driver lapped all but two cars in the field Sunday and finished more than a minute ahead of Nick Heidfeld’s BMW Sauber in a race at Silverstone that was full of spinouts and near misses. Honda’s Rubens Barrichello was third.

Hamilton’s third victory of the season gave him 48 points in the standings, tied with Ferrari’s Felipe Massa. Hamilton leads the Brazilian based on their head-to-head finishes in other races.

Massa, who spun at least five times in the race, was last of the 13 finishers and failed to pick up a point.

Associated Press