Aug 10th, 2009 | 12:20 pm |
Stewart Leading the Pack at Watkins Glen-Courtesy of NASCAR
By Randy Clemens
Battling concerns over impending weather and a bone-dry fuel tank, NASCAR Sprint Cup Series points leader Tony Stewart held off Marcos Ambrose to win the rain-delayed Heluva Good! at the Glen at Watkins Glen, NY for the fifth time in eight years. The victory continues “Smoke’s” dominance at Watkins Glen, finishing first or second at the famed road course every year since 2005.
Stewart, who started 13th, had a dominant car, moving into the top-10 early. The Old Spice No. 14 led 34 of the race’s 90 laps and secured the lead for good on lap 67 from Kyle Busch, who chose to start on the outside after the fourth caution of the day. The victory extended Stewart’s points cup lead to 260 points over Jimmie Johnson, who finished 12th, and nearly clinched a mathematical ticket into the season championship chase.
As expected at Watkins Glen, there was quite a bit of paint-trading between drivers, resulting in 5 cautions, most notably a lap 63 wreck that ended the days of Sam Hornish, Jr. (36th) and Jeff Gordon (37th). Gordon, third in the points chase, was involved in two wrecks although the first incident, on lap 23, caused only minor damage.
Ambrose’s second-place finish was a career best in NSCS racing, bettering his third-place effort in 2008. Carl Edwards, who started 33rd, finished in third while Kyle Busch and Greg Biffle rounded out the top-five. Road course specialist Max Papis finished a career-best 8th place after a solid run, while Denny Hamlin overcame an early pit penalty for speeding to cross the line in 10th place.
Final Top-20 Positions at the Heluva Good! at The Glen:
1. Tony Stewart
2. Marcos Ambrose
3. Carl Edwards
4. Kyle Busch
5. Greg Biffle
6. Juan Pablo Montoya
7. Kurt Busch
8. Max Papis
9. Clint Bowyer
10. Denny Hamlin
11. Brian Vickers
12. Jimmie Johnson
13. A.J. Allmendinger
14. Matt Kenseth
15. Casey Mears
16. Joey Logano
17. Kasey Kahne
18. Robby Gordon
19. Paul Menard
20. Bobby Labonte
Updated “Race for the Chase” points Standings:
1. Tony Stewart
2. Jimmie Johnson (-260)
3. Jeff Gordon (-342)
4. Kurt Busch (-481)
5. Denny Hamlin (-536)
6. Carl Edwards (-553)
7. Juan Pablo Montoya (-602) (+1)
8. Kasey Kahne (-629) (-1)
9. Ryan Newman (-656)
10. Greg Biffle (-665) (+2)
11. Mark Martin (-667) (-1)
12. Matt Kenseth (-698) (-1)
—————————–
13. Kyle Busch (-58)
14. Brian Vickers (-96)
15. Clint Bowyer (-99)
16. David Reutimann (-155)
Race Data:
Race Leaders: Stewart (34), Kurt Busch (23), Kyle Busch (15), Marcos Ambrose (9), Jimmie Johnson (4), Scott Speed (4), Davis Stremme (1)
Cautions: 5 for 13 laps
Cars finishing on lead lap: 28
Average speed: 90.303MPH
Time of Race: 2:30:04
Selected Lap Data:
Lap 81: Tony Stewart leads by 1.4 seconds on Marcos Ambrose. Both drivers are concerned about fuel with nine laps remaining.
Lap 76: Boris Said takes the No. 08 to the garage with overheating issues. Robby Gordon is flying through the pack.
Lap 71: YELLOW FLAG NO. 5: Elliott Sadler and Patrick Carpentier get together with the race staying green. But as Sadler drove off, he blew a tire bringing out the caution. Andy Lally gets the free pass and is back on the lead lap.
Lap 70: Dale Earnhardt Jr. is back on the track. Boris Said is up to 17th with fresh tires.
Lap 69: Marcos Ambrose and Greg Biffle pass Kyle Busch for second and third in Turn 10 as Busch struggles to turn his car and has to lock up his brakes.
Lap 67: LEAD CHANGE: Tony Stewart gets around Kyle Busch in Turn 2 to take the lead. Carl Edwards jumps from ninth to seventh on the restart.
Lap 66: Race goes green at 2:36PM EDT, a 31 minute delay.
Lap 64: LEAD CHANGE: Scott Speed finally pits ending the final round of stops and giving Kyle Busch the lead. Boris Said also pits. Tony Stewart’s crew advises the No. 14 that weather could be an immediate issue as local radar indicates thunderstorms less than 20 miles away.
Lap 63: RED FLAG lifted after 19:36. Kyle Busch’s crew chief, Steve Addington, tells ESPN that the No. 18 is good to go through the end of the race. Meanwhile, Jeff Gordon released from infield care center and is sore, but OK. Gordon’s first DNF since Phoenix on 11/8/2008.
Lap 63: RED FLAG is out at 2:05PM EDT for debris in Turn 9. Cleanup underway. Jeff Gordon, who along with Sam Hornish, Jr. took the worst impacts, appears to be fine physically.
Lap 62: YELLOW FLAG NO. 4: Big crash in Turn 9 as Sam Hornish Jr. gets bumped by Kasey Kahne and spins hard into the wall. He bounces onto the track where Jeff Burton and Jeff Gordon hit the No. 77 at full speed in a violent crash. Andy Lally and Joey Logano also involved. Robby Gordon gets the free pass.
Lap 60: LEAD CHANGE: David Stremme pits giving the lead to Scott Speed. Stremme with four tires and fuel.
Lap 58: LEAD CHANGE David Stremme takes the lead as Kurt Busch on pit road for his final stop. he takes four tires and fuel.
Lap 57: LEAD CHANGE: Kurt Busch has yet to pit and he inherits the lead. A.J. Allmendinger gives up second to pit. David Stremme and Scott Speed also have yet to pit.
Lap 56: Tony Stewart and Juan Montoya hit pit road. Four tires and fuel for Stewart with no changes. No changes for Montoya as he takes four tires and fuel.
Lap 55: Max Papis, Greg Biffle, Kyle Busch, Matt Kenseth, Jimmie Johnson and Kasey Kahne among the leaders to pit.
Lap 54: Jimmie Johnson spins in Turn 1 but is able to continue but loses third place. Carl Edwards, Denny Hamlin, Martin Truex Jr.and Casey Mears on pit road.
Lap 53: Ryan Newman and Patrick Carpentier get together and spin in Turn 1 but both are able to keep going and the race stays green.
Lap 49: Boris Said hits pit road as he looks to be overheating. They are cleaning the grill, changing four tires and filling it with fuel.
Lap 46: LEAD CHANGE: Tony Stewart passes Kyle Busch in the esses and takes the lead for the first time today.
Lap 43: David Reutimann, Marcos Ambrose, Brian Vickers, Scott Speed, Joey Logano and David Ragan among the cars to pit.
Lap 41: YELLOW FLAG NO. 3: Dale Earnhardt Jr. lost his brakes in Turn 10 and went flying into the gravel pit. Reed Sorenson in the wrong place at the wrong time and gets collected by Junior. Sorenson able to get started back up and get back on the track. David Stremme gets the free pass.
Lap 35: Joey Logano spins in Turn 1 but doesn’t hit anything.
Lap 34: LEAD CHANGE: Kyle Busch passes Jimmie Johnson coming out of Turn 11 and takes the lead. Jamie McMurray takes his car to the garage.
Lap 30: LEAD CHANGE: Jimmie Johnson inherits the lead as Marcos Ambrose pits. Just a small air-pressure adjustment for the No. 47 along with four tires and fuel.
Lap 30: Leader Kurt Busch pits for fuel only.
Lap 24: Jeff Gordon and A.J. Allmendinger among the cars to pit. Robby Gordon on pit road with the hood up. Ryan Newman with alternator problems and he has a long stop to change batteries.
Lap 23: YELLOW FLAG NO. 2: David Stremme goes into the grass out of the busstop and spins in front of the field and collects Kevin Harvick and Jeff Gordon. John Andretti gets the free pass as Kevin Harvick takes his car to the garage.
Lap 20: (Under caution) Denny Hamlin, Dale Earnhardt, Jr. & Jeff Burton (pit penalties)
Lap 18: First caution of the day (debris)
Lap 16: Jimmie Johnson complains of a loose car as he battles with Juan Pablo Montoya
Lap 8: Bobby Labonte spins in turn one after contact with Jeff Burton, but continues
5 yellow flags, 28 on the lead lap.
Mostly sunny, 84 degrees
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