from Getty Images for Nascar
Marcos Ambrose was able to make it three in a row today in the Nationwide series race at The Glen. He started from the pole after laying down a track-record speed of 122.410 mph during qualifying earlier today. Joey Logano, Kevin Harvick, Carl Edwards and Kyle Busch took second through fifth, while Jacques Villeneuve, Paul Menard, Brad Keselowski, Billy Johnson and Nelson Piquet Jr. are sixth through 10th.
Ambrose dominated all day leading 60 of the 82 laps today. The last 16 laps he pulled away from second place Joey Logano by 2.8 seconds.
“It was a wonderful day for us,” said Ambrose, “We’ve had our troubles at JTG this year, and we’re parting ways at the end of the season, and this is a really fitting way to finish this thing off. This feels really sweet”
On lap 24 there was a huge wreck on the exit of turn 2 that had cars piled up like matchsticks. The crash was triggered when Jason Leffler got off track, hit the outside wall and was catapulted back on to the track hitting Justin Allgaier. Tony Raines’ car was resting on the hood of Billy Johnson’s car, while Boris Said’s was on top of Brendan Gaughan’s. Trevor Bayne, Colin Braun, Victor Gonzalez Jr. and Alex Kennedy were also involved.
“I’ll take the blame,” Leffler said, “but you gotta let somebody back on the race track. I tried to ease back on the track and got hit in the right front. It’s give and take and if you don’t give you cause a multi-car wreck. There have been a lot wrecks with the 16 [Colin Braun] this year and it seems like I’ve been involved in a lot of his wrecks. But, like I said, I will take the blame because I was off track, but you gotta let somebody back in”
Kevin Harvick had an eventful day and still pulled out a 3rd place finish. On Lap 2 he sustained substantial damage to the front of his car after contact with Carl Edwards. On lap 20 Harvick had to go the end of the longest line after a speeding penalty and on lap 24 he came to a dead stop while cars piled up around him. On the radio Kevin commented, “It was like a lego pile felldown around us and we didn’t get touched!” And at one point in the race, Kevin said his shoe string got stuck on the accelerator pedal. After the race he said “I didn’t do a very good job today.” But a 3rd place after all of that, I would say is a damn good day.
Kyle Busch didn’t get the finish he wanted and I bet he was as mad as a mule chewing on bumblebees, but came up with a respectable 5th. Carl Edwards was retired early with engine troubles. Joey Logano finished 2nd and he and Kevin Harvick looked like old buddies after the race. “I’m just glad we ran together clean [with Harvick],” Logano said, “We had a good car, but didn’t have anything for the 47. He’s the man!”
Brad Keselowski extended his points lead to 327 over Carl Edwards, followed by Kyle Busch, Justin Algaier and Kevin Harvick.
