“It’s pretty remarkable”, added NASCAR icon Richard Petty, also a six-time road course victor. They hope a new track brings new challenges.
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Because he missed 11 races, Busch still needs to accumulate enough points to move inside the top 30 in the standings to earn Chase for the Sprint Cup eligibility. But Gordon says it’s the times he came up short at the Glen that stick with him the most. Aerodynamically the team has to really pay attention to that aspect, but as a driver you have to be super aggressive in the braking zones. “That was a crowning deal as far as road racing is concerned”.
The vehicle nosed into a tire barrier with such force that it lifted the rear tires more than a foot off the pavement.
“Even if the points don’t show it right now we are a lot better of a race team than we were at this time last year”, Allmendinger said. He won the pole here a year ago, besting road race ace Marcos Ambrose for the top spot, and led almost a third of the 90-lap race before an electrical problem just past the midpoint spoiled his day. We shifted weight around. “That is all gone”. That would put Gordon equal in Glen wins with Tony Stewart who is now out on his own as the all-time race victor at the circuit. Last season he finished 35th, but look for another finish fighting for the win.
Group qualifying on the 2.45-mile course starts at 1:15 p.m. Saturday, with the 90-lap race set for 2 p.m. Sunday.
Gordon spoke about the versatility of good drivers.
Busch’s recent surge includes a victory at the series’ other road course, Sonoma (Calif.) Raceway, at the end of June.
NASCAR fans from across the country are in Watkins Glen. I credit that to the double-file restarts.
And though Gordon struggled in his first road course outing in a stock vehicle, his background served him well.
Stewart was indulging his passion for dirt-track racing when he entered his No. 14 Sprint auto into the weekly program in Canandaigua.
“I don’t think how anybody could be exactly back to where they were”, after being involved in a fatal accident, Stewart said told reporters during a Wednesday media availability at Texas Motor Speedway. It’s going to be a part of me forever.’. “I think we’ve got it all taken care of”. Nothing can replace the four wins Jeff Gordon has at Watkins Glen, but Gordon, too, will bid farewell after this season. I enjoyed the challenge. “I feel very fortunate to have won four races here”.
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“The thing I’ve learned about the Sprint Cup Series is it doesn’t matter whether somebody needs a win or not”, he said.
