For the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, their trip to Watkins Glen International can be described as a “deja vu” weekend.
When NASCAR descended on the 11-turn road course in New York, they were met with overcast skies and a possible risk of rain. Luckily, on Friday afternoon, qualifying was completed, with last year’s points champion Jimmie Johnson winning his first pole of the season.
When Sunday came around, the skies were overcast and rain was coming to the area. Still, officials went on with the pre-race ceremonies. The drivers were introduced, the invocation and National Anthem were completed and everyone was ready to strap in and go racing.
Then, mere seconds before the command was to be given, the drivers were told to get out of their cars as lightning and rain were off in the distance. Sure enough, the track got rained on, and hard. After about an hour’s worth of rain, the jet driers were brought onto the track to clean the racing surface.
There was progress made, but much like last week in Pocono, the problem wasn’t the rain that fell, but the time it would take to dry the surface. Jet driers went on the track shortly before 2:30 p.m. According to officials, it would take two hours to dry the track and then they would have the field run additional pace laps to fully remove any water. That would make race time at approximately 5 p.m. and officials were concerned about the amount of daylight remaining to run the race, as like Pocono, there are no lights at the track.
So, officials at about 4:15 p.m. made the call to postpone the race until Monday because of the time frame. It was the first time a NASCAR race would be run on a Monday at Watkins Glen, and the first time in years that back-to-back races were postponed because of rain.
On Monday, the only thing that was in the sky was bright sunshine, and finally the 43 best drivers got the opportunity to run on the 2.45-mile, 11-turn road course.
Coming to the green flag, it was Johnson leading the charge, but in the first turn, second-place starter Kurt Busch got a great run on the outside line, gaining the lead heading into the s-turns. From there, Busch began to open up a lead in a matter of laps. At one point, his lead was nearly three seconds.
His lead was cut down as the first caution flag flew on lap 17 for debris. Many of the leaders decided to pit for fuel and tires, even though it was before their scheduled window for fuel. Marcus Ambrose, who was running fourth at the caution, decided to stay out for track position.
The green flag came back out on lap 20 and Ambrose was able to keep his lead through the first corner and began to pull away. Just as quickly has he pulled away, the field had to be reeled back in to his bumper as the caution flag flew again.
Heading through the “bus stop,” formerly known as the inner loop, David Stremme missed the corner and went through the grass. When he got back on the track, he spun right in front of Kevin Harvick and Jeff Gordon. Gordon suffered some damage to his right side, while Harvick tore up the left-front corner, which sent him to the garage for the day.
The field was restarted only three laps later, but this time Kurt Busch was not going to let Ambrose get away from him this time. He managed to get around him on lap 27, but gave up his lead on lap 29 so that he could make his pit stop. One lap later, Ambrose made his stop, which was his first one of the day, and gave the lead to Johnson.
Johnson held his lead until lap 34 when the younger Busch brother, Kyle, passed Johnson in turn 11 to take his first lead of the day. Kyle pulled out to nearly a two second advantage, but again his lead was erased by the caution.
This time, Dale Earnhardt Jr, who had been battling mid-pack all day, lost his brakes heading into turn 10, sending him flying through the gravel trap and into the tire barrier. Reed Sorenson was also involved as an innocent victim of the No. 88 car’s failure.
The green flag came back out on lap 45, and immediately Kyle was challenged by Tony Stewart. Stewart was able to make the pass in the s-turns, giving him his first lead on the afternoon. The guy better known as “Smoke” would lead the next ten circuits around the race track until he hit pit road for his final pit stop of the day.
His giving up the lead put Kurt Busch back out front. When Busch hit pit road for his service, the lead would shuffle first to Stremme and then to Scott Speed. Before Speed would hit pit road for service, the caution flag flew again.
The “deja vu” effect came to play once again as in the 11th turn, just like last year, a big wreck ensued. Sam Hornish Jr. got a bump from Kasey Kahne, sending him into the wall. When Hornish’s car came back onto the track, he was right in the path of both Gordon and Jeff Burton, where they hit him full speed. Both Andy Lally and Joey Logano were also involved.
After the wreck, Gordon said that the impact did hurt him. As he came out of the care center, he was gingerly walking. Fans are aware of his back problems that he has had this year, and the hard impact looked to do a number on him. Expect Gordon to have an MRI done to see if there are any issues that need to be looked at.
In order to clean up the carnage of the accident, NASCAR posted the red flag so emergency clean-up crews could have full access to the area. After 20 minutes, the yellow flag was posted again and the field was rolling.
Speed made his pit stop after the yellow was posted, giving the lead back to Kyle Busch. At this point, all the leaders would be able to make it to the finish on fuel, so track position became key.
The field was restarted on lap 66, but in only one lap, Stewart was able to set up and complete a pass on Kyle coming into turn 2, just before going up the hill in the s-corners. Shortly after the pass, the caution flag flew for the fifth, and ultimately the final time, when Elliott Sadler flattened a tire following contact with Patrick Carpentier.
Stewart brought the field to the final restart on lap 73, and got the jump on second-place Ambrose. Still, the Australian driver would battle back, hoping to make a complete sweep of the weekend as he won the Nationwide race the day prior.
Battle as he must, on this day the road belonged to Stewart. For the third time this year, and the second time in three years, “Smoke” took the checkered flag on the road course, winning the Heluva Good at the Glen.
With the win, Stewart’s points lead grew to 260 over second-place Johnson. When the series makes it’s second trip to Michigan next Sunday, all Stewart must do to clinch his position in the Chase to the Championship is take the green flag.
Looking at the earlier race this year on the 2-mile track, the two cars to watch out for will be Greg Biffle and Mark Martin. Biffle had the race won, that is until his fuel cell ran dry down the back stretch and Martin passed him for the win. I don’t expect that to happen as much this time, but you will see some drivers push their mileage late to see if they can gain a few spots.
This track has always liked a car from the stable of Jack Roush, so my pick for this week is a driver long overdue for a win: Carl Edwards. This young man loves a track where you can roll on the throttle and go fast, and being in Ford’s back yard, he’ll be extra motivated. This could be the weekend that the fans get to see a backflip from Edwards for the first time this year in Sprint Cup.
Coverage of the Carfax 400 starts at 1 p.m. on ESPN.
RESULTS: 1-Stewart 2-Ambrose 3-Edwards 4-Kyle Busch 5-Biffle 6-Montoya 7-Kurt Busch 8-Papis 9-Bowyer 10-Hamlin
NOTABLE FINISHES: 12-Johnson 14-Kenseth 17-Kahne 23-Martin 35-Harvick 37-Gordon 39-Earnhardt Jr.
CAUTIONS: Five for 16 laps. Lap 17-19 (Debris), 23-25 (Wreck-no. 12, 24 and 29 involved), 41-44 (wreck-no. 88), 62-65 (big wreck-no. 77, 31, 24, 9, 20 involved), 71-72 (flat tire-no. 19)
LEADERS: 11 lead changes among seven drivers. Kurt Busch 1-18, Ambrose 19-26, Kurt Busch 27-28, Ambrose 29, Johnson 30-33, Kyle Busch 34-45, Stewart 46-56, Kurt Busch 57-58, Stremme 59, Speed 60-63, Kyle Busch 64-66, Stewart 67-90.
POINTS (Four races until Chase): 1-Stewart, 3383 points 2-Johnson, -260 3-Gordon, -342 4-Kurt Busch, -481 5-Hamlin, -536 6-Edwards, -553 7-Montoya, -602 8-Kahne, -629 9-Newman, -656 10-Biffle, -665 11-Martin, -667 12-Kenseth, -698
