Red Wing Pair Are Emerging From Comas

Detroit Red Wing defenseman Vladimir Konstantinov and the team masseur of the Stanley Cup champions are emerging from their comas, but they will require months of rehabilitation, doctors said Sunday.

Konstantinov and Sergei Mnatsakanov have been upgraded to serious condition. They had been listed in critical condition since June 13 when the limousine they were riding in after attending a charity event crashed into a tree. The accident occurred six days after the Red Wings won their first Stanley Cup in 42 years.

“It would be appropriate to say they are emerging from comas,” said Dr. James Robbins, a trauma surgeon at William Beaumont Hospital in Royal Oak, Michigan.

Motor Racing

Tony Stewart finally won an Indy Racing League event, dominating the inaugural Samsonite 200 at Pikes Peak International Raceway at Fountain, Colo.

Stewart, leading a pack of five finishers who drove Oldsmobile Aurora-powered G Force cars, averaged 100.128 mph and finished 0.222-seconds--about five car lengths--ahead of runner-up Stephan Gregoire of France on the one-mile oval. He won $161,500.

Michael Schumacher drove his Ferrari to a second consecutive victory, winning the French Grand Prix at Magny Cours. He completed 72 laps of the 2.64-mile Nevers circuit in 1 hour, 38 minutes, 4.92 seconds, averaging 115.37 mph.

Mike McLaughlin, driving a Chevrolet, averaged 90.225 mph to win the only road course stop in the NASCAR Busch Grand National Series, winning the Lysol 200 at Watkins Glen, N.Y.

McLaughlin took the lead for the first time on lap 58 of 82 laps, and defeated Todd Bodine and his Pontiac by .431 seconds on the 2.45 mile course. He earned $36.987.

Ron Capps, driving a Chevrolet Camaro, won his first Funny Car title, defeating Cruz Pedregon with a quarter-mile run of 5.165 seconds with a top speed of 268.81 mph in the NHRA Sears Craftsman Nationals at Madison, Ill. Joe Amato won the Top Fuel race in 4.739 seconds at 306.43 mph. Warren Johnson drove a Firebird to win the Pro Stock event in 7.064 seconds at 196.16 mph.

Jack Sprague, driving a Chevrolet, won his second consecutive NASCAR Craftsman truck circuit races at Nazareth (Pa.) Speedway, edging Joe Ruttman’s Ford by 0.761 seconds to win the NAPA AutoCare 200. Sprague’s average speed on the one-mile speedway, despite 53 laps of caution, was 92.308 mph. He won $47,300.

Miscellany

All-Star guard Mitch Richmond has asked to be traded by the Sacramento Kings and has threatened not to attend training camp. . . . Damion Walker, a 6-foot-7 sophomore forward, has signed to play at New Mexico after getting a release from his scholarship at Texas Christian.. . . Donovan Bailey ran 15.01 seconds to defeat Ian Mackie and Linford Christie in a 150-meter outdoor race, collecting the winner-take-all prize of $82,500 during the Securicor Games at Sheffield, England.. . .