Kevin Cogan Optimistic About Race

Kevin Cogan of Palos Verdes Estates will be out to improve on his third-place finish in last year’s Long Beach Grand Prix this weekend. Cogan, 34, finished third at Long Beach last year, then virtually disappeared from the winner’s circle. Cogan expressed optimism about his chances this season. After Long Beach, he’ll go to the Indianapolis 500 where he has finished second.

A “Salute to the Long Beach Grand Prix” night is on tap Saturday at Ascot Raceway. Action begins at 8. Slated to race are pro stocks, Figure 8s and three-quarter midgets. California motocross racing is at the Ascot Speedway tonight at 7:30.

The top-rated UCLA men’s volleyball team needs just one victory in its next two outings against second-ranked Stanford to wrap up a tie in the Western Intercollegiate Volleyball Assn. The Bruins play the Cardinal in Palo Alto on Saturday at 7:30, then play host to Stanford on Wednesday at 7:30 in a match to be telecast by Prime Ticket. UCLA is 24-3 overall and 14-1 in the WIVA. Second-place Stanford is 13-2 (18-8 overall). In another WIVA match, Loyola-Marymount (3-14, 7-17) entertains Cal State Northridge (2-13, 10-19).

The Cal State Dominguez Hills women’s softball team plays host to Sacramento State at a non-conference doubleheader this afternoon before traveling to Cal State Northridge for a crucial California Collegiate Athletic Assn. doubleheader Saturday. The 16th-ranked Lady Toros (7-4-1, 24-12-1 overall) will have their hands full in the four-game set. Sacramento is ranked second in the nation behind top-rated Northridge. Dominguez Hills trails Northridge by a game and a half in the CCAA. Action begins this afternoon at 1:30 and Saturday at noon.