LEXINGTON, Ohio -- AJ Allmendinger led 73 of the 94 laps and survived a late challenge after a restart to win the inaugural NASCAR Nationwide Series race at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course. Allmendinger improved his record to 2 for 2 this year in the Nationwide Series, adding a victory to the one he picked up for Penske Racing in his only previous start at Road America. The 31-year-old Allmendinger, rebounding after being suspended a year ago for failing a random drug test, took the lead for good on the 64th lap, then had to weather a late sprint when a car spun out just before his final lap on the twisting road course. Pole-winner Michael McDowell was second, with native Ohioan Sam Hornish Jr. third, Max Papis fourth and Brian Vickers fifth. Hornish took over the season points lead, 13 points ahead of Elliott Sadler. The race was plagued by spin-outs and fender benders. The last one almost changed the outcome. With everyone racing to the finish and Allmendingers Discount Tire Ford comfortably ahead of McDowell by a couple of seconds, the car driven by Kenny Habul spun out on Turn 11. Out came the yellow flag, with Allmendinger and most of the other leaders having to conserve fuel to prevent running out before the re-start. When the pace car finally pulled off, Allmendinger sped away to the lead and held it throughout the final lap to take the checkered flag. Absolutely no one was surprised there were lots of caution flags, with 40 large, powerful cars racing around a layout with a variety of elevations and hairpin curves that is a maximum of 40-feet wide. The first 18 laps were clean but then things started getting messy. Justin Allgaier -- who would bounce back to briefly challenge for the lead later -- found the sand off Turn 9 for the first yellow. Trevor Bayne and Regan Smith were among the drivers who had their cars spun, either through contact, aggressive driving or in the heat of the race. By then, however, with just 15 or so laps left, the top two had separated themselves, several seconds ahead of third-place Hornish. Almendinger held onto the lead -- not pulling away but not losing any ground -- as they made it a two-car race. The late caution almost erased what had taken place for the previous 30 or so laps. The victory served as a payback from Allmendinger to team owner Roger Penske, who stood by the driver throughout his suspension and filled out his schedule with drives. Rounding out the top 10 were Sadler in sixth, Marcos Ambrose, Allgaier, Bayne and Jeremy Clements. It was only the second Nationwide Series pole of McDowells career, following Road America in 2011. The Sprint Cup driver, ninth at the 2013 Daytona 500, hadnt finished better this year than a 22nd at Richmond. That was also the only other time in his four previous races that he had cracked the top 10 on the starting grid. Two drivers raced at Mid-Ohio and also planned on being in the middle of the action at Sundays NASCAR Pure Michigan 400 at Michigan International Speedway. Ambrose was set to start 26th in Brooklyn, Mich., with Austin Dillon set to start a notch behind him. Both were expecting to helicopter between the two tracks. Dillon came into Mid-Ohio leading the Nationwide drivers standings but is now tied for third with Smith. The race was contested under perfect conditions: no rain, light wind, temperatures around 80 and an overcast sky. A dozen or more injured, ill or sick kids from the events namesake hospital in Columbus were represented in the paintwork on cars and some were introduced along with the drivers before the start. Bob Gainey Canadiens Jersey . Catch all the action on TSN2 and TSN GO at 9pm et/6pm pt. San Antonio took the series lead Monday night with a 122-105 home victory in Game 1. The Spurs used a balanced scoring attack and clamped down defensively late in the third quarter to claim the win. Tomas Tatar Canadiens Jersey . Louis Cardinals. He was 48. The commissioners office said Bell died in his home state of Ohio. Bell had not been feeling well over the weekend and had been scheduled to see doctors later Monday at the Cleveland Clinic. http://www.canadienssale.com/authentic-dominic-moore-canadiens-jersey/ . -- The Los Angeles Clippers chose not to speak publicly about owner Donald Sterling before they faced the Golden State Warriors for Game 4 of their first-round series Sunday. Pierre Turgeon Jersey .C. -- Ryan Sproul scored the winner late in double overtime to lift the Grand Rapids Griffins to a 2-1 win over the Abbotsford Heat on Friday in Game 1 of their American Hockey League playoff series. Jeff Petry Canadiens Jersey . Rodriguez, who has steadfastly denied using banned substances while with the New York Yankees, made the decision nearly four weeks after arbitrator Fredric Horowitz largely upheld the discipline issued last summer by baseball Commissioner Bud Selig. "I think its a good move for him," former Commissioner Fay Vincent said.OKLAHOMA CITY - Without Kevin Durant, the Thunder seamlessly shifted to their alter ego.Russell Westbrook scored 18 points, Serge Ibaka added 13 points and a season-high 19 rebounds, and Oklahoma City gutted out a 92-84 victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves on Monday night.Durant sat out after spraining the big toe on his left foot Sunday against the Cleveland Cavaliers. The normally explosive Thunder adjusted and fell back on the the grind-it-out, defence-first approach that kept them competitive while Durant was out for the first 17 games of the season with a broken bone in his right foot. The Thunder won, despite shooting just 42 per cent from the field.I thought we did a good job of playing defence for 48 minutes and not letting our offence dictate our defence, Westbrook said.Westbrook shot just 7 for 22 from the field, but was 4 for 6 and scored 11 points in the fourth quarter to help the Thunder remain in control. Ibaka played one of his best games of the season. He made 6 of 13 shots and had two blocks and two steals.Reserves Anthony Morrow and Reggie Jackson each added 14 points to help Oklahoma Citys bench outscore Minnesotas 45-21. The Thunder reserves are used to coming up big because Durant has missed 24 games this season.I think what is the case now is we dont have that shock factor, Thunder forward Nick Collison said. We understand that were capable of playing and were fine.Andrew Wiggins scored 23 points, Thaddeus Young had 22 and Gorgui Dieng had a season-high 18 rebounds for the league-worst Timberwolves, who shot a season-low 34.1 per cent from the field.One thing I love about the guys is we continue to fight and scrap and find ways to get stops, Thunder coach Scott Brooks said.Oklahoma City led 25-19 at the end of the first quarter, then pushed the lead to 15 in the second. In the closing seconds of the first half, Nick Collison threw a pass the length of the court. Perry Jones caught the ball off the bounce in front of everyone and scored a reverse layup with 0.5 secconds remaining to give the Thunder a 48-40 lead at the break.ddddddddddddWiggins scored 13 points in the first half to help the Timberwolves stay in the game.Back-to-back baskets by Young cut Oklahoma Citys lead to 57-54 midway through the third quarter.With the Thunder leading 62-56 late in the third quarter, Minnesota coach Flip Saunders was issued a technical foul for loudly disagreeing with a call against Wiggins. Jackson made all three free throws to bump Oklahoma Citys lead to nine heading into the fourth.Saunders never expected an easier road when he learned Durant wouldnt play.How are you going to take advantage? he said. They have got Westbrook, one of the top five players (in the league) and eight guys that have been to the conference finals. They are still a good team.TIP-INSTimberwolves: F Robbie Hummel is out indefinitely with a broken finger on his right hand he suffered Sunday against Atlanta. ... Kevin Martin missed his 34th consecutive game with a fractured right wrist. He was listed as questionable, but did not dress.Thunder: C Steven Adams, who missed Sundays game against Cleveland with a migraine, started. ... Jones, who didnt play at all Sunday against Cleveland, started against Minnesota. He finished with six points in 25 minutes. ... C Kendrick Perkins was issued a technical foul with 4:16 left in the second quarter.ON THE RISEWiggins, the No. 1 pick in the 2014 draft, played solid defence on Westbrook. Saunders said he felt Wiggins had potential to be a great defender when the Timberwolves made the deal to get him from Cleveland.I thought that he could be a great two-way type of player, and I still believe that, Saunders said. He showed signs of that tonight.QUOTE OF THE NIGHTBrooks opening statement to the media at his postgame press conference, given the ugliness of the game: Im surprised you guys stayed.UP NEXTTimberwolves: Host Boston on Wednesday.Thunder: At New York on Wednesday.___Follow Cliff Brunt on Twitter: www.twitter.com/CliffBruntAP. ' ' 'before Sundays game. "If I keep progressing I think the way I have the past two days it shouldnt be too long," said Santos. "I played catch today and it felt okay." The Blue Jays will make a corresponding roster move in time for Monday nights series finale with the Angels. ' ' '