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Take some oil and a lot of last lap aggression that added up to Marcos Ambrose in Victory Lane at the Finger Lakes 355 at Watkins Glen.
"It was absolutely chaos at the end," remarked the genial Australian after battling Kyle Busch, then beating, banging and passing Brad Keselowski - on the last lap - for his second-straight victory at the legendary former Formula One circuit's “short course.”
Busch set up the exiting finish by taking the lead by going three-wide into turn one on the final restart. That left Ambrose and Keselowski to skirmish with each other.
As the final lap approached the Bobby Labonte's car apparently blew its' engine and left a coat of oil on the undulating track. As the first car to race in the oil Busch slowed and Keselowski caught him first.
On the final lap Keselowski tapped Busch sending him spinning (he would finish seventh). Then it was all Ambrose Keselowski's battle to end.
“The track was complete oil,” Keselowski said. “Neither of us was going to make it out of to corner. That was unfortunate.
I think he knows I had to make that move. No different than the move he had to make on the restart with his position. He made a very, very aggressive move on the restart that was going to wreck both of us if I didn't let him in. I could have held the position and wrecked us all, but I didn't.”
Ambrose agreed. “I was the first one to slip in the oil,” said the winner. “And it was just getting worse and worse. You could tell the car was staying out there because the oil was moving around the race track and you just take your chances. You've got to commit at that point in the race and it was great racing with Kyle and Brad. ” Ambrose said of the last lap battle for the win.
Jimmie Johnson finished third and took the points lead from Dale Earnhardt Jr. who spun before the oil issue. “Those last two laps were just out of control with the oil down. You are studying the road trying to see if you can see an oil trail and there really wasn't a large visible one to dodge. But you could feel the oil on your tires and slipping and sliding and then guys are spinning all over.”
Clint Bowyer, winner at Sonoma finished fourth “That was some slick racing the last few laps. You watch these road racers race in the rain and find traction. It kind of reminded me of the old motocross days. It was real slick in that oil and you had to find grooves around it.”
Juan Pablo Montoya, who took his second pole in two weeks, had a mechanical problem.
“I think it was the lower control arm,” the Columbian ex-Formula One driver said. Everybody on this Target Chevy has been doing an amazing job. We got the last two poles and I did think we had a car to win today. I rode behind Kyle (Busch) we kind of bogged down at the start and Kyle got us. The car started getting really tight and all of a sudden I hit a curb and the car went completely left on me.”
Afterwards Ambrose added the win was better the second time around. “Last year was relief. This year it was pure joy. “
"It was absolutely chaos at the end," remarked the genial Australian after battling Kyle Busch, then beating, banging and passing Brad Keselowski - on the last lap - for his second-straight victory at the legendary former Formula One circuit's “short course.”
Busch set up the exiting finish by taking the lead by going three-wide into turn one on the final restart. That left Ambrose and Keselowski to skirmish with each other.
 |
| Kyle Busch loosing his lead against Brad Keselowski and Marcos Ambrose. (Photo: NASCAR) |
As the final lap approached the Bobby Labonte's car apparently blew its' engine and left a coat of oil on the undulating track. As the first car to race in the oil Busch slowed and Keselowski caught him first.
On the final lap Keselowski tapped Busch sending him spinning (he would finish seventh). Then it was all Ambrose Keselowski's battle to end.
“The track was complete oil,” Keselowski said. “Neither of us was going to make it out of to corner. That was unfortunate.
I think he knows I had to make that move. No different than the move he had to make on the restart with his position. He made a very, very aggressive move on the restart that was going to wreck both of us if I didn't let him in. I could have held the position and wrecked us all, but I didn't.”
Ambrose agreed. “I was the first one to slip in the oil,” said the winner. “And it was just getting worse and worse. You could tell the car was staying out there because the oil was moving around the race track and you just take your chances. You've got to commit at that point in the race and it was great racing with Kyle and Brad. ” Ambrose said of the last lap battle for the win.
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| Brad Keselowski leading Marcos Ambrose during the final lap. (Photo: NASCAR) |
Jimmie Johnson finished third and took the points lead from Dale Earnhardt Jr. who spun before the oil issue. “Those last two laps were just out of control with the oil down. You are studying the road trying to see if you can see an oil trail and there really wasn't a large visible one to dodge. But you could feel the oil on your tires and slipping and sliding and then guys are spinning all over.”
Clint Bowyer, winner at Sonoma finished fourth “That was some slick racing the last few laps. You watch these road racers race in the rain and find traction. It kind of reminded me of the old motocross days. It was real slick in that oil and you had to find grooves around it.”
Juan Pablo Montoya, who took his second pole in two weeks, had a mechanical problem.
“I think it was the lower control arm,” the Columbian ex-Formula One driver said. Everybody on this Target Chevy has been doing an amazing job. We got the last two poles and I did think we had a car to win today. I rode behind Kyle (Busch) we kind of bogged down at the start and Kyle got us. The car started getting really tight and all of a sudden I hit a curb and the car went completely left on me.”
Afterwards Ambrose added the win was better the second time around. “Last year was relief. This year it was pure joy. “