Clint Bowyer's first victory of the season gave Richard Childress Racing a much-needed boost.

Bowyer won the Nationwide Series race at Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Fla., last night, holding off Kyle Busch and Carl Edwards in a green-white-checkered finish.

"These guys never give up, the guys at RCR and the ladies," Childress said. "They just dig and dig. We've been a little bit off, and when you get a little bit off, everybody wants to kind of kick you. We just take that lick and come on back."

Bowyer, the defending series champion, was the leader when a multi-car accident brought out the caution with six laps to go in the Subway Jalapeno 250. That set up a final two-lap overtime sprint, and Bowyer lined up inside of Edwards for the double-file restart.

With Busch pushing him from behind, Bowyer raced to the front. He didn't have to deal with a challenge from Busch because an accident in the fourth turn brought out a race-ending caution, giving RCR its first win of the year.

STEWART ON CUP POLE

Tony Stewart will start from a familiar spot tonight at Daytona International Speedway.

The Sprint Cup points leader was awarded the pole for the Coke Zero 400 when rain washed out qualifying yesterday at Daytona Beach, Fla.

It was Stewart's third pole — all in rainouts — in the past five races. He also started up front at Pocono last month and New Hampshire last week.

"It really doesn't matter anyway," he said. "In a Cup race, if your car is good enough to get to the front, you can do it from dead last, so it really doesn't matter if you start from the pole or not."

BASKETBALL

TAURASI CITED FOR DUI

Phoenix Mercury star Diana Taurasi said yesterday that she's embarrassed after being cited for drunken driving a few hours after she helped lead her team to victory over the Seattle Storm.

An officer stopped Taurasi early Thursday in Phoenix for speeding, police spokesman Luis Samudio said. The officer smelled alcohol and gave the player several field sobriety tests, according to a police statement.

Taurasi, the WNBA's leading fan vote-getter for the July 25 All-Star game, was then driven to a mobile DUI van, where she gave a blood sample, then was cited and released.

FOOTBALL

UFL'S EYES ON VICK

When the United Football League debuts in October, Michael Vick could be one of its players.

Michael Huyghue, the commissioner of the new four-team league, says the UFL is willing to give Vick a place to play — provided there are no pending legal issues. His rights belong to the Orlando franchise.

"One of the things that is important in our premiere season is to showcase the quality of talent and the coaches, and to be able to show outstanding players who find themselves in this quagmire the NFL creates," Huyghue said. "Michael Vick might be that kind of player because he is ... a phenomenal talent, but he needs transitioning back into the NFL."

SOCCER

CANADA WINS OPENER

Ali Gerba scored in the 75th minute to give Canada a 1-0 victory over Jamaica in the opening game of the Gold Cup last night in Carson, Calif.

Osael Romero scored two goals, including the winner in the 86th minute, to give El Salvador a 2-1 victory over Costa Rica in the second game of a doubleheader.

The 12th-ranked U.S. opens tonight in Seattle against Grenada, a tiny island nation ranked 88th in the world.