Motor Racing Roundup : Prost Wins Fourth French Grand Prix

France’s Alain Prost won his fourth French Grand Prix Sunday with a 44-second margin over Britain’s Nigel Mansell, a victory that boosted Prost into a solid lead in the world driving standings.

Ayrton Senna of Brazil, Prost’s main rival and McLaren-Honda teammate, lasted briefly in the second start after an accident.

Prost has 39 points after seven races with Senna 11 points behind.

Prost toured the 80 laps in 1 hour 38 minutes 29 seconds, an average of 115.34 m.p.h.

Mansell, who had to start from the pits after the accident forced him to a backup car, weaved his way through the field to gain second in his Ferrari. Riccardo Patrese of Italy, in a Williams-Renault, took third.

Kenny Bernstein of Dallas gained his third National Hot Rod Assn. victory of the season in the Funny Car division by winning the Summernationals at the Old Bridge Township Raceway park in Englishtown, N.J.

Other winners were Dick LaHaie in top fuel and Bruce Allen in pro stock.

Bernstein drove his Budweiser King Buick Reatta to his second-consecutive victory with a quarter-mile run of 5.416 seconds at 270.59 m.p.h. to defeat Ed McCulloch of Hemet, who encountered engine problems at mid-track.

Dorsey Schroeder of St. Louis won the Trans Am Championship race at the Des Moines Grand Prix, stretching his season point lead in the event.

Schroeder, who also won May 14 at Dallas, drove his Mustang across the finish line 24.49 seconds ahead of Tommy Kendall of Glendale. He earned $15,600.

Kendall entered the race trailing Schroeder by a point in the season standings. He now trails by six points, with Irv Hoerr of Peoria, Ill., in third place with 62 points.

Hoerr finished fourth at the Iowa race, behind Max Jones of Long Beach, who was third.

Larry Lauterbach won the 11th Thunder on the Ohio power-boat race after favorite Chip Hanauer was penalized for hitting a buoy before the start of the final heat.

Lauterbach, 42, of Portsmouth, Va., drove the Winston Eagle at an average speed of 120.939 m.p.h. in the 10-mile race on the Ohio River near Evansville, Ind. to capture his first unlimited hydroplane victory.

Hanauer of Seattle finished well ahead of Lauterbach, posting the day’s fastest lap at 138.996 m.p.h. But he was penalized one lap and finished fourth after his boat struck the course marker.