Notebook: Montreal jinx still haunts Ambrose

Notebook: Montreal jinx still haunts Ambrose

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By Reid Spencer
Sporting News NASCAR  Service
(August 29, 2010)

MONTREAL—Polesitter Marcos Ambrose thought he had the fastest car in Sunday’s NAPA Auto Parts 200 Nationwide Series race at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve.
He was right—until a problem with his electrical system cut the power of his No. 47 Toyota in half.
Ambrose’s crew tried changing batteries, but that didn’t fix the problem. Ultimately, Ambrose brought the car to the garage after 50 of 77 laps, extending his winless streak in Montreal—and his frustration—to four years.
In the inaugural race in 2007, Ambrose was spun while leading by Robby Gordon, who ignored NASCAR’s order to abandon second position and blend in deeper in the field. In 2008, it was a pit-road speeding penalty that foiled a likely win.
Last year, Carl Edwards passed Ambrose through the final corner to steal the victory. In four years, Ambrose has led 149 laps at the 2.709-mile road course with no win to show for it.
“First of all, we had the fast car there,” Ambrose said of Sunday’s effort. “We were dominating early on. We just had an alternator or battery lay down on us, and the engine went into half RPM. I held the lead for a long time.
“I had to turn all the fans off for the brakes and the engine and me. We all got hot and damaged. Eventually, the motor got so bad we had to change the battery, and then I broke something in the left front suspension.”
Even in defeat, Ambrose was philosophical.
“It’s a great track,” he said. “It’s a great city. Huge crowd. I love coming here. Just because I’m not winning doesn’t mean I don’t have fun.”

Back to school
Paulie Harraka, 20, a product of NASCAR’s Drive for Diversity program, made his first Nationwide start Sunday, qualifying 31st and finishing 29th despite being caught in a Lap 12 wreck.
Harraka, however, had to shoehorn his participation in the race between activities leading up to his junior year at Duke University, which was an associate sponsor on the No. 87 Chevrolet he drove for owner Joe Nemechek.
“I actually drove down to Duke Wednesday morning, moved all my stuff into my apartment Wednesday evening and then flew up to Montreal Thursday,” Harraka said. “I’ll fly back early Monday morning. I’ve got to be in class at 10 o’clock. It’s wide open—there’s a lot going on.”

Driver stable after heart attack
Racing television commentator and driver Didier Schraenen, 51, suffered a heart attack after finishing eighth in Sunday’s 20-lap F1600 race, one of the supporting events for the NAPA Auto Parts 200. Schraenen was taken to a local hospital, where he was listed in stable condition.

Ranger bangs out a win
In a battle reminiscent of a Carl Edwards-Brad Keselowski confrontation, Andrew Ranger knocked 2009 K&N Pro West champion Jason Bowles into the wall in Turns 13 and 14 on the final circuit to win Sunday’s 23-lap NAPA Autopro 100 NASCAR Canadian Tires Series race. Ranger’s shove was payback for a shot he took from Bowles in the hairpin moments earlier, when Bowles used his bumper to pass Ranger. Bowles, the only American in the race, finished 20th.