NEWTON, Iowa (AP) — A victory at Iowa Speedway isn’t exactly a curse. But for the third year in a row, the IndyCar Series winner from the previous season at Iowa has finished just one spot short defending their title. Ryan Hunter-Reay’s second-place finish Sunday at the IndyCar race at Iowa Speedway was the third straight time that the defending champion was second in their return to the track.

Tony Kanaan was second in 2011 after winning in 2010. Marco Andretti was second last season after besting Kanaan two years ago, and Hunter-Reay battled back from last to finish second behind teammate James Hinchcliffe on Sunday in Iowa. “We had a tough weekend. To come second out of this thing, I’m pretty pleased with that. Good job to James (Hinchcliffe),” Hunter-Reay said.

It was the third win of the year for Hinchcliffe, who had the strongest car of the weekend at Iowa. If form holds true, Hinchcliffe’s car will be just off the mark in Iowa in 2014.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – Tyson Gay completed the 100-200 sprint double Sunday at U.S. track championships, winning the 200 meters in 19.74 seconds Sunday and holding off Isiah Young. It’s the fastest time in the world this season. Gay beat Justin Gatlin in the 100 on Friday in a season-leading time of 9.75.
 
Kimberlyn Duncan upset Olympic champion Allyson Felix in the women’s 200. Duncan finished in 21.80, with Felix 0.05 seconds behind. Jeneba Tarmoh was third. Gay built a lead after the curve and then fended off the hard-charging Young, who finished in 19.86. Curtis Mitchell was third and Wallace Spearmon, a three-time U.S. outdoor champion, wound up fourth.
 
His hip fully healed, Gay looked sharp throughout nationals, setting up a matchup with Usain Bolt at the world championships in Moscow this summer.

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) – UCLA’s Adam Plutko says he has confidence his teammates will give him enough run support to win in the College World Series finals against Mississippi State.  The Bruins (47-17) go into the best-of-three finals Monday night in Omaha, Neb., after having produced just eight runs in their last three games.
 
Plutko (9-3) said Sunday he’ll go to the mound for Game 1 worried only about his performance. He said he doesn’t feel pressure to hold down the opponent because of the Bruin’s difficulty scoring runs. Mississippi State coach John Cohen said he would start Trevor Fitts (0-0), who’ll be making only his sixth start of the season in 18 appearances.
 
The Bulldogs (51-18) have been the best-hitting team at the CWS, with a .297 average. Wes Rea is batting .462.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – Shot putter Adam Nelson took his long-awaited victory lap as the 2004 Olympic gold medalist during a ceremony Sunday at the U.S track and field championships. Nelson was officially elevated to Olympic champion last month, taking the gold that was stripped from a Ukrainian rival for doping. Nelson finished second in Athens behind Yuriy Bilonog, whose gold medal was removed by the International Olympic Committee in December after his reanalyzed sample tested positive for steroids.
 
Nelson stood on the top step with a laurel wreath resting on his head. Then, he listened as the national anthem played over loud speakers.  And, finally, he got to do what he wanted most – taking his two young kids with him on a celebratory lap.