Kevin Harvick Outduels Stewart
Kevin Harvick passed Tony Stewart for the final time with three laps to go at Watkins Glen
You could just feel the tension intensifying at Watkins Glen.
We had NASCAR's two most notorious bad boys, Kevin Harvick and Tony Stewart, fiercely battling for the win at the road course of Watkins Glen. But the rousing race to the finish didn't end on dirty note. In fact, Stewart chased down the 29 car and congratulated Harvick.
With eight laps remaining in the AMD at the Glen, Stewart bypassed Harvick entering the track's unique chicane. With Stewart's track record at the road courses, Harvick seemed destined for a runner up finish. On the contrary! If there is one driver that is as bold and determined as Stewart, it's Harvick.
With three laps remaining, Harvick set up the race-winning pass as pulled underneath Stewart heading into Turn 1, and that was all she wrote.
"I knew my only shot to get him back was getting into [Turn] 1,' Harvick said.
Harvick moves up one spot in the NASCAR Nextel Cup standings to 3rd. Tony Stewart is currently 7th.
It was a taxing day for the Penske Racing South drivers. Both Kurt Busch and Ryan Newman arguably had the two fastest cars, but luck has continued to laugh in the face of the 2 and 12 teams. Busch practically spanked the field of 43 at Watkins Glen, until he chose to pit under green, right before an ensuing caution. Within yards of the commitment line of pit road, the red light flashed and Busch was caught between a rock and a hard place. He was sentenced to 40th place on the next restart.
His crew, however, attempted persuade NASCAR to repeal their verdict, but to no avail.
"Kurt, I don't know what to say. I'm about in tears,' Busch's crew chief McCauley said over the radio. "I'm sorry, Kurt.'
Even rival Tony Stewart felt sorry for Busch. "You feel for Kurt today,' he said. "He had a car that was capable of winning the race. That's absolutely rotten, terrible luck right there.'
Busch finished the AMD at the Glen in 19th position, and has fallen 172 points behind 10th place Dale Earnhardt Jr in the NASCAR Nextel Cup standings.
His Penske Racing teammate Ryan Newman had an eventful day as well. Newman spent the early stages of the race among the top three, but during a green flag pit stop, he overshot his pits. He rallied back into the top three before getting caught up in traffic after several drivers stayed on the track while the leaders pitted. After a close encounter with Carl Edwards and Ken Schrader, Newman again resurfaced in the top five. After he lost ground due to transmission problems, he was dumped by Boris Said on the final lap.
Newman was relegated to a 31st place finish after he was penalized by NASCAR for bypassing the interloop, but after further review, NASCAR placed Newman in eighth, which is the position he was in when he crossed the finish line.
Kasey Kahne has had a tough time lately completing the white flag lap. Once again, Kahne lost control of his Dodge as he spun into the sand.
Nine-time road course winner Jeff Gordon surprisingly had a very mediocre race, even before he was spun out by Mark Martin.
Stewart, Gordon, and Dale Earnhardt Jr all held their ground among the top ten in the NASCAR Nextel Cup standings. I'm sure NASCAR is delighted.
Am I the only person who thought it was ridiculous for Kyle Busch to receive the lucky dog award five times?
Quote of the week
Greg Biffle when asked about his thoughts on the Nextel Cup Chase for the Championship
"I don't have any"
Now that was a Ryan Newman answer. Short and to the point!
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