FYI WIRZ: NASCAR’s Marcos Ambrose, Brad Keselowski talk thrilling Watkins Glen

Author: Dwight Drum racetake.com

The Heluva Good! Sour Cream Dips at the Glen—at Watkins Glen International in Watkins Glen, N.Y—did not disappoint road course enthusiasts for the National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing (NASCAR). Some drivers on the fast twisting turns were disappointed, but most crossed the finish line ready for the next race.

Photo credit: NASCARMEDIA

This event had Marcos Ambrose and Kyle Busch chasing one another up front and after a fierce final lap crash a physical confrontation between Boris Said and Greg Biffle. That feud will linger in story for many laps to come.

Drivers are often prophetic with their comments before and after each race. Check out comments from winner Marcos Ambrose, runner-up Brad Keselowski and third-place standout Kyle Busch before the green flag and after the checkered flag.

Marcos Ambrose (No. 9 Ford) Finished first. (Started third)

Before the green flag:

“We’re a contender, no doubt,” Ambrose said. “We have done some testing earlier in the year for road course racing.

“Part of my problem has been that I’ve been Marcos Ambrose from the start of the race and I wear my brakes and gear box out, so you really have to manage your stuff for the first half of the race and give yourself a chance at the end. Everybody picks up again at the end of the race because you have to. This is NASCAR. This is serious business. Late cautions bunch up the field and you know every position counts, so you have to be super-aggressive.”

After the checkered flag:

“Just a dream day. The sacrifices you make, we all make to get here, Todd and all the team, the Petty family, my family to get here, to be a contender in the Cup Series, to finally get to victory lane, it just is a dream come true for me. I’ve traveled halfway around the world and dragged my kids and my wife with me, and I kept telling them I was good, but until you can win in the Cup Series you can’t really put that stamp on it.

“We survived today. We fought our way back to the front. We had a late race restart. You know, fought and gouged our way to the front and got the win, just a dream day, and very thankful for the opportunity that I’ve got to be here and that I’ve made the most of it today.”

Brad Keselowski (No. 2 Dodge) Finished second. (Started 12th)

Before the green flag:

“Watkins Glen is an extremely fast road course. At the Glen you need to concentrate on where you can brake heavily and where you can put the power down when you need to so that you carry big runs down the straightaway. To me, Watkins Glen is more of a stock car driver’s road course. You can throw your car around I’m still learning how to be a better road course racer, but it’s starting to click with me.”

After the checkered flag:

“Some great racing at the end. I hope everybody enjoyed it. I think that’s about as good as the racing gets right there, and just proud to be a part of it.

“Life is good when you have fast race cars.

“I look back at this one and wish that I had been in better condition and wish that I had more experience or was able to run the Nationwide race the day before and maybe I could have made the most of my car because quite frankly I think I had one of the cars to beat. But that’s just the way it goes.”

Kyle Busch (No. 18 Toyota) Finished third. (Started first)

Before the green flag:

“At Watkins Glen, the biggest thing is pit strategy. Obviously, you’ve got to pick and choose when you’re going to pit and stick to your plan.

“For me, road racing is enjoyable. You get a chance to turn right and turn left and do something different than what you typically do. For me, I’m excited about it. Hopefully, we have a good shot at running well there again this year.”

After the checkered flag:

“There’s only one corner you’ve got to make, and as soon as you make it through that corner and can keep everything behind you it’ll be smooth sailing from there, and didn’t do it. Screwed up first chance I got.

“It was fun to run up front like that, and the last eight, ten laps there where Marcos got by and was catching us, and it seemed like any time I made a mistake, he’d really gain on me a lot, and any time he might make a mistake or slip a little bit I could kind of squeeze away from him.

“Any time you try to get a little bit more out of it and you try and squeeze just that much harder, you slip, and any time you slip, you give up a lot of time. So that’s where Marcos was getting me.”

FYI WIRZ is the select presentation of topics by Dwight Drum racetake.com

Unless otherwise noted, quotes and information were obtained from official release materials provided by NASCAR and team representatives.