A Story For Every Watkins Glen Turn

A Story For Every Watkins Glen Turn

 

Fast and fickle, Watkins Glen offers up a test unlike any race track on the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series schedule. One of two road-course races on the calendar (Infineon Raceway’s the other), The Glen provides a seven-turn challenge to the world’s best drivers. It’s only fitting that there’s a storyline for every turn…

Keselowski Toughs It Out…Now What?: Navigating the Tricky Triangle of Pocono Raceway with a broken left ankle, Brad Keselowski won his second race of the season, placing him atop the Wild Card standings. A new – and arguably tougher – challenge awaits Keselowski. Road course races put greater emphasis on braking, putting possible added strain on the injured ankle. Said Keselowski, “It will still be uncomfortable in the car this weekend, but I’ll have to man up one more time because we don’t have time to let injuries get in the way of making the Chase.”

Wild Card Watch: After race No. 26, the top 10 drivers will earn spots in the 12-driver Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup. Spots 11 and 12 will go to those drivers outside the top 10 with the most wins, provided they are in the top 20. Keselowski’s two wins currently give him the first spot. Denny Hamlin, with his Michigan win, holds onto the second. Two other winners fit the criteria: Paul Menard and David Ragan. The tie-breaker is points.

Montoya, Ambrose Aim For Wild Card Win: Watch for defending race-winner Juan Pablo Montoya and Marcos Ambrose on Sunday. Montoya, now 21st in points, has finished in the top 10 in each of the last three Watkins Glen races. Ambrose, 23rd in points, has finished third, second and third in his three races at the upstate New York track. He has won the last three NASCAR Nationwide Series race there, though. A win by either driver puts them in the Chase discussion.

Stewart King Of The Glen: You know you’re good when a seventh-place finish is considered disappointing. That was Tony Stewart’s finish last season at Watkins Glen, a stark departure from his usual dominance. Going into that race, Stewart had finished first or second in six consecutive races. Looking for his first win of the season, Stewart is among six drivers who won in 2010 but remain winless in 2011. The others: Greg Biffle, Jamie McMurray, David Reutimann, Clint Bowyer and Juan Pablo Montoya.

Johnson, Busch Clash In Drama-Filled Feud: Rough racing led to tough talk at the conclusion of Sunday’s race at Pocono. Johnson didn’t care for how Busch raced him. And Busch didn’t understand why Johnson had a problem. Said Johnson, “I worked him over for 10 or 15 laps and had the opportunity to run him and never did it. And then off of [Turn] 2, he claims I turned down off of him. I don't have a clue. He ran over me on the corner exit and that's where it all started. So we'll figure it out. ... I keep all things polite. Remember this stuff.” Said Busch, “I was racing him flat out. You want to race, let's race. I didn't know we were supposed to pull over when it came down to five to go. … Why can't we race each other like this and put on a little show for the fans and not have a problem with it?”

Junior Hangs Onto 10th: At Pocono, Dale Earnhardt Jr. finished in the top 10 for the first time in six races. The finish helped the Chase cause…big time. Though he remained in 10th, he put some distance between himself and 11th-place. He now sits 23 points ahead of 11th-place Hamlin. Two races ago, the advantage was just seven.

Sprint Summer Showdown Goes Road Racing: The winners of Indy, Pocono, Watkins Glen, Michigan and Bristol are eligible for the massive prize at Atlanta -- $3 million, split between the driver, the driver’s charity, and one lucky fan. If one of those eligible drivers wins at Atlanta, the bonus is theirs. So far, Menard (Indianapolis) and Keselowski (Pocono) are eligible. Who’s next? The top five in Driver Rating at Watkins Glen: Tony Stewart (129.6), Juan Pablo Montoya (113.5), Marcos Ambrose (113.2), Kyle Busch (102.1) and Kurt Busch (101.9).

 

Only The Good Drive Young: NASCAR Future Is Now 

 

Three years ago, then 23-year-old Kyle Busch swerved his way into both Infineon Raceway’s and Watkins Glen International’s Victory Lanes on his way to a career-high eight wins.

He staked a claim to the title of “future of NASCAR racing.” The moniker came to fruition, as he has since won his 100th NASCAR national series race and a NASCAR Nationwide Series championship.

At an “old” 26, Busch now seems like a grizzled veteran. A new crop of youngsters – a bushel-full – has moved into the “future of NASCAR” discussion.

The volume of that discussion peaked last Saturday once Dylan Kwasniewski crossed the finish line at Colorado National Speedway. At 16 years, two months, Kwasniewski became the youngest winner in the K&N Pro Series, West’s 57-year history, winning the Toyota/NAPA Auto Parts 150. He displaced another young gun – Joey Logano, NASCAR Sprint Cup Series star. With pop-star looks, a polished personality, and, oh by the way, tremendous skill, Kwasniewski is a legit future star.

From the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series on down, the future is now…

In the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, 21-year-old Joey Logano was the hard-luck loser at Pocono. He performed admirably, leading 44 laps and holding the lead when the yellow – then red – flag came out for rain. Once racing resumed, a low tire forced Logano to the pits, and he eventually finished 26th. Logano has one series win, at New Hampshire in 2009.

In the NASCAR Nationwide Series, 23-year-old Ricky Stenhouse Jr. owns the points lead and two NASCAR Nationwide Series victories. After Saturday’s race, teammate Carl Edwards assured fans that the kid will be around the sport for a long time.

The NASCAR Camping World Truck Series has been the poster-series for the young guns. Cole Whitt, 20, held the points lead earlier this season, becoming the first Sunoco Rookie of the Year candidate to lead the points in the series. Two other rookies, Parker Kligerman, also 20, and Joey Coulter, 21, are both in the top 10 in points.

 

Aces In The Hole: Road Course Ringers Hit The Glen

 

Every time a road course race pops up on the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series schedule, a few unfamiliar names appear on the entry list. They’re the “road course ringers,” and oftentimes they threaten to steal a victory.

Usually, they fall short in that endeavor. The last time a “road course ringer” won a NASCAR Sprint Cup race was in 1973 when Mark Donohue won at Riverside International Raceway.

Ringers to watch this weekend: Boris Said, Ron Fellows, P.J. Jones and Andrew Ranger.

Boris Said: With wild hair and a notebook-filling personality, Said has notched seven top 10s at road courses, including a third-place run at Watkins Glen in 2005. He finished 28th at Infineon Raceway in June. Said will be driving the No. 51 Phoenix Racing Chevrolet this weekend.

Ron Fellows: If only Fellows’ NASCAR Nationwide Series road-course success could translate to the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. Fellows has four road-course wins in NASCAR Nationwide competition, including three at Watkins Glen. In the NASCAR Sprint Cup series, he’s winless with two runner-up finishes at The Glen (1999, 2004). Fellows will run the No. 36 Tommy Baldwin Racing Chevrolet this weekend.

P.J. Jones: His boss – Robby Gordon – could teach him a thing or two at Watkins Glen. Gordon won at The Glen in 2003, and has 10 road-course top 10s overall. Jones’ numbers: two road-course top 10s in 18 starts. He’ll run the No. 77 Robby Gordon Motorsports Dodge on Sunday.

Andrew Ranger: The two-time NASCAR Canadian Tire Series champion (2007, ’09) will make his NASCAR Sprint Cup Series debut in the No. 32 FAS Lane Racing Ford. He has two road-course top 10s in the NASCAR Nationwide Series, at Road America and Circuit Gilles Villeneuve.

 

NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Etc. 

 

Mary Hendrick, mother of Hendrick Motorsports owner Rick Hendrick, passed away Monday afternoon at Carolinas Medical Center in Charlotte. Mrs. Hendrick, a native of Palmer Springs, Va., was 88. Said NASCAR Chairman and CEO Brian France, "On behalf of the France family and everyone at NASCAR, I want to offer condolences to our dear friends Rick and Linda Hendrick, their family members and the Hendrick Motorsports organization on the passing of Rick’s mother, Mary. “Miss Mary” and her late husband “Papa Joe” Hendrick formed the foundation upon which the current Hendrick Motorsports operation was built. She was an inspiration – and most importantly, a friend – to all of us at NASCAR." … Possible upcoming milestones this weekend: Terry Labonte will attempt to make his 875th NASCAR Sprint Cup Series start, Tony Stewart will make his 450th series start and Brad Keselowski will make his 75th series start. Also, Jeff Gordon is going for his 85th series victory; which would put him solely in third on the all-time series wins list and tie Stewart for the most wins at Watkins Glen with five each. … Joey Logano, David Ragan and Ricky Stenhouse Jr. will be participating in the GRAND-AM event following the NASCAR Nationwide Series race, the Zippo 200 at The Glen, on Saturday, August 13. … Kevin Harvick will be throwing out the honorary first pitch Wednesday night, August 11 at the New York Yankees vs. Los Angeles Angels game at Yankee Stadium. … Star of the hit show Man vs. Food on the Travel Channel, Adam Richman, will be at Watkins Glen this weekend serving as Grand Marshal for the Heluva Good! Sour Cream Dips at The Glen.