The wait is over. Marcos Ambrose has finally broken through into a Sprint Cup Victory Lane. And he still had to wait until a rain delayed Monday race at Watkins Glen to do it.
Six years ago the friendly Australian abandoned a successful career, as a two-time champion in his homeland, to try NASCAR racing. Although he had previously raced in Europe stock car racing was his goal.
Last year he seemed to have the Cup race, at Infineon Raceway, in the bag only in attempt to save gas he turned off the engine to coast and was unable to fire his engine. Worse his then future (and now present) team, Richard Petty Motorsports, was about to close its’ doors.
In victory wearing his patented smile it seemed more of relief than exhilaration. After all this was his first Cup win in 105 starts.
Ambrose said “yeah, just a dream day. The sacrifices you make, we all make to get here, Todd (Parrott – crew chief) and all the team, the Petty family, my family to get here, to be a contender in the Cup Series, to finally get to victory lane, it just is a dream come true for me. I've traveled halfway around the world and dragged my kids and my wife with me, and I kept telling them I was good, but until you can win in the Cup Series you can't really put that stamp on it.”
Polesitter, Kyle Busch, was leading before the final restart but went wide going into turn one.
Busch explained “Just knew exactly what not to do and did it anyway. Just got in there and didn’t think I got in there too fast, but the car just didn’t slow down the way I needed it to and then it didn’t turn the way I needed it to. Saw sprinkles on the windshield, but everybody else made it fine through there. I just screwed up.” He finished third to Keselowski.
Keselowski, still experiencing back pain from his accident at testing at Road Atlanta, grabbed the lead, but not for long.
“Kyle got into turn one pretty good. It looked like he might have locked his brakes up a little bit. He shoved up the hill and I was able to get up underneath him. I guess Marcos was in-between both of us and I didn’t really know that. I had to make some room, otherwise I think we would have wrecked. We made it all fit. I had a good run coming into the inner loop, but just didn’t quite execute the move. I was in position to win the race, but I just wasn’t quite good enough to beat Marcos.”
Ambrose explained “with Brad, I just got through the bus stop really good and just forced the issue on him, and I never touched him I don't think, but I got him aero free and was able to slide past.”
Behind the leaders there was a big wreck caused by Boris Said turning David Ragan’s car which slammed the guard rail and sending David Reutimann’s car tumbling. All drivers were okay to leave the track.
Busch (finished 3rd) and Carl Edwards (finished 12th) are now tied for the Series lead. Ontario’s Ron Fellows finished 30th and Quebec’s Andrew Ranger finished 35th.
Six years ago the friendly Australian abandoned a successful career, as a two-time champion in his homeland, to try NASCAR racing. Although he had previously raced in Europe stock car racing was his goal.
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| Start of the race. (Photo: Jeff Zelevansky/Getty Images for NASCAR) |
Last year he seemed to have the Cup race, at Infineon Raceway, in the bag only in attempt to save gas he turned off the engine to coast and was unable to fire his engine. Worse his then future (and now present) team, Richard Petty Motorsports, was about to close its’ doors.
In victory wearing his patented smile it seemed more of relief than exhilaration. After all this was his first Cup win in 105 starts.
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| Denny Hamlin (Photo: Jeff Zelevansky/Getty Images for NASCAR) |
Ambrose said “yeah, just a dream day. The sacrifices you make, we all make to get here, Todd (Parrott – crew chief) and all the team, the Petty family, my family to get here, to be a contender in the Cup Series, to finally get to victory lane, it just is a dream come true for me. I've traveled halfway around the world and dragged my kids and my wife with me, and I kept telling them I was good, but until you can win in the Cup Series you can't really put that stamp on it.”
Polesitter, Kyle Busch, was leading before the final restart but went wide going into turn one.
Busch explained “Just knew exactly what not to do and did it anyway. Just got in there and didn’t think I got in there too fast, but the car just didn’t slow down the way I needed it to and then it didn’t turn the way I needed it to. Saw sprinkles on the windshield, but everybody else made it fine through there. I just screwed up.” He finished third to Keselowski.
Keselowski, still experiencing back pain from his accident at testing at Road Atlanta, grabbed the lead, but not for long.
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| Kyle Busch leading his brother Kurt. (Photo: Jeff Zelevansky/Getty Images for NASCAR) |
“Kyle got into turn one pretty good. It looked like he might have locked his brakes up a little bit. He shoved up the hill and I was able to get up underneath him. I guess Marcos was in-between both of us and I didn’t really know that. I had to make some room, otherwise I think we would have wrecked. We made it all fit. I had a good run coming into the inner loop, but just didn’t quite execute the move. I was in position to win the race, but I just wasn’t quite good enough to beat Marcos.”
Ambrose explained “with Brad, I just got through the bus stop really good and just forced the issue on him, and I never touched him I don't think, but I got him aero free and was able to slide past.”
 |
| David Reutimann (Photo: Jeff Zelevansky/Getty Images for NASCAR) |
Behind the leaders there was a big wreck caused by Boris Said turning David Ragan’s car which slammed the guard rail and sending David Reutimann’s car tumbling. All drivers were okay to leave the track.
Busch (finished 3rd) and Carl Edwards (finished 12th) are now tied for the Series lead. Ontario’s Ron Fellows finished 30th and Quebec’s Andrew Ranger finished 35th.