Concord, N.C. — It took 75 races and three rain delays for David Reutimann to earn his first Sprint Cup Series victory.

When a fluke finally put him in position for a victory in Monday’s rain-delayed Coca-Cola 600, the journeyman driver nervously paced around his car on pit road at Lowe’s Motor Speedway.

Two hours later, he was declared the winner of one of NASCAR’s crown jewel events when the race was stopped once and for all.

“It wasn’t the prettiest win, but somebody has to win,” he said. “When you envision yourself winning your first Sprint Cup race, you envision it different. But it’s so hard to win these deals, we’ll take it any way we can.”

Reutimann didn’t lead a single lap under green-flag racing. He had a mid-pack car as teams jockeyed for position just past the halfway point of the gloomy race, which was washed out Sunday and carried over to Monday for the first Memorial Day running in its 50-year history.

When rain brought out the caution 22 laps past the halfway point, leader Kyle Busch led a parade of cars down pit road. But Reutimann, Ryan Newman and Robby Gordon didn’t follow, and the three moved to the top of the leaderboard.

They led the field for five laps under caution before NASCAR called the cars back to pit road for the third rain stoppage.

Newman, the pole-sitter, finished second, and Gordon was third. Carl Edwards, who had changed into street clothes by the time the race was called, finished fourth, followed by Brian Vickers and Busch.

Tennis

Sharapova back at French

Paris — Those unmistakable shrieks punctuating point after point on Court 1 at the French Open on Monday trumpeted Maria Sharapova’s return to the Grand Slam stage.

Sharapova’s tennis is not yet back to her lofty standards, as one might expect after shoulder surgery in October and four singles matches in the past 10 months. The 64th-ranked Anastasiya Yakimova of Belarus is not the sort of opponent who would normally trouble a top-of-her-game Sharapova, yet there was trouble Monday.

Still, a win is a win, and Sharapova’s first match at a major tournament in nearly a year ended with a 3-6, 6-1, 6-2 victory over Yakimova and a spot in the French Open’s second round.

The pressure to produce has not affected Rafael Nadal in the least, and he extended his French Open winning streak to a record 29 matches Monday by beating Marcos Daniel of Brazil, 7-5, 6-4, 6-3, in the first round.

More noteworthy, perhaps, was Andy Roddick’s 6-2, 6-4, 6-2 victory over French wild-card entry Romain Jouan, the American’s first victory in the tournament since 2005.

Freshmen win titles

College Station, Texas — Mississippi’s Devin Britton and fellow freshman Mallory Cecil from Duke won singles titles Monday at the NCAA tennis tournament.

Baseball

Maddon signs extension

St. Petersburg, Fla. — Joe Maddon wasn’t looking to leave, and Tampa Bay had no intention of letting him go.

The Rays rewarded their manager for leading them to last season’s World Series, announcing a three-year contract extension Monday that runs through 2012.

“This is where I belong. This is where I want to be,” Maddon said during a conference call.

Manny works out

Los Angeles — Manny Ramirez worked out at Dodger Stadium on Monday for the first time since he was suspended 50 games for violating Major League Baseball’s drug policy 21/2 weeks ago.

Ramirez took batting practice at the empty stadium, team spokesman Josh Rawitch said.

Struggling Ortiz on bench

Minneapolis — David Ortiz’s possible drop in the Red Sox lineup has been delayed.

Boston’s struggling designated hitter was on the bench Monday at Minnesota, with Twins left-hander Francisco Liriano on the mound. Manager Terry Francona said before the game he wanted as many right-handed hitters in the batting order as possible.

Rays’ Iwamura finished

Cleveland — Tampa Bay Rays second baseman Akinori Iwamura will miss the rest of the season due to a torn ligament in his left knee.

Yankees reliever on DL

Arlington, Texas — New York Yankees right-handed reliever Brian Bruney is back on the disabled list because of a recurring right elbow strain.

NFL

Player’s son still in hospital

Pittsburgh — The agent of Steelers linebacker James Harrison says the player’s young son is doing fine after an attack by a pit bull, but may remain in a Pittsburgh hospital another day or two.

Jet not target in rape case

New York — New Jersey police are investigating a woman’s claim that she was raped by two men at the home of Jets safety Kerry Rhodes, although the Morris County prosecutor said the player is not a suspect in the case.

Golf

Love, seven others qualify

Plano, Texas — Former PGA champion Davis Love III secured a spot in his 23rd consecutive British Open, putting together rounds of 67-65 to earn one of eight spots in the U.S. qualifier Monday.

Matt Kuchar led all qualifiers with a 13-under 129 at Gleneagles Country Club. Jeff Overton, the medalist in this qualifying event last year at the TPC of Michigan, was two shots behind.

James Driscoll, a playoff loser at the Texas Open two weeks ago, joined Love, Richard S. Johnson, Martin Laird, Fredrik Jacobson and Tim Wilkinson at 10-under 132.

Cycling

Sastre wins key stage

Monte Petrano, Italy — Tour de France champion Carlos Sastre of Spain won the 16th stage of the Giro d’Italia on Monday, a grueling route made even tougher by 100-degree heat.

Horse racing

Rachel Alexandra works out

Louisville, Ky. — It’s still a waiting game for Rachel Alexandra and jockey Calvin Borel to see if one or both will be in the Belmont Stakes.

Preakness winner Rachel Alexandra worked a half-mile at Churchill Downs on Monday, but the filly’s owner says it may be another week before he decides whether to enter her in the final leg of the Triple Crown on June 6.

Lacrosse

Syracuse rallies for title

Foxborough, Mass. — Cody Jamieson scored his second goal of the game just 80 seconds into overtime as Syracuse rallied from a three-goal deficit in the final 3:37 of regulation to beat Cornell, 10-9, on Monday and win its second straight NCAA lacrosse championship.

Boxing

Tyson’s child on life support

Phoenix — Boxer Mike Tyson’s 4-year-old daughter is on life support after she was found with her neck on a treadmill cable Monday, police said.

The girl’s 7-year-old brother found her on a treadmill with her neck on a cable attached to the exercise machine at their Phoenix home, police Sgt. Andy Hill said, calling it a “tragic accident.”