What makes a great driver? Most generally agree it’s a driver who can get it done anywhere. Superspeedways, mile-and-a-half venues, short tracks and road courses, a great driver is ready to ride anyplace, anytime.
The 2009 campaign servers as reminder that Tony Stewart fits the bill. If there’s anyone poised to short-circuit Jimmie Johnson’s historic bid for a fourth championship- it’s Stewart.
Tony Stewart didn’t just outrun one of NASCAR’s best road racers, he also held off former
champions, last year’s leader in wins and last year’s winner at Watkins Glen to take the checkered flag. For the two-time champion, it makes seven wins on road courses, just two less than Jeff Gordon.
One would be hard-pressed to say Stewart dominated this race. Though he led the most laps (34), he had to work for every inch of track he conquered. The now five-time winner at “The Glen” started from 13th on a day where there was plenty of hard racing up front.
2004 champion Kurt Busch quickly snatched the lead from current champion Jimmie Johnson- both drivers searching for their first Sprint Cup wins on a track of right and left turns. While other drivers took to the pits under the first caution of the day, former Australian supercar champion and roadmaster Marcos Ambrose stayed out to take the lead. Kurt was in the mix most of the day until settling for seventh. It was also a solid, if unspectacular day for Juan Pablo Montoya (sixth) and Denny Hamlin (10th) inside the top ten.
The winner of Saturday’s Nationwide Series race- Ambrose gave it all he had, providing Stewart with a mirror full of the #47 car throughout much of the late race. While Smoke felt perfectly in his element on the hot, slick track, it was not the case for Ambrose, who worked to run the perfect lines and tried to capitalize on any slip he saw by Stewart- only to find he just couldn’t catch him in the end as fuel and laps started winding down.
Kyle Busch heads a list of drivers who ran the race they needed today. Busch needed to right his wayward course of the last several weeks. He managed to lead 15 laps in a car he wasn’t real pleased with and with a finish of fourth, he stands just inside 60 points to go from the top twelve.
Greg Biffle’s precarious position inside the top twelve was bettered with a top five run. This has been one of The Biff’s worst tracks and he earned his first top five finish at Watkins Glen. Teammate Carl Edwards also came away with a productive day, his third place finish is Cousin Carl’s best road course effort to date.
Clint Bowyer needed the top ten finish he got to maintain any hope of getting into the top twelve. Bowyer finished ninth, just behind part-timer Max Papis- who got his first ever top ten in Sprint Cup competition.
Stewart overtook the younger Busch brother in Turn One on a lap 67 re-start. From there, it was mostly a matter of keep Ambrose at bay. Stewart said “…I think we were stronger in the parts of the track that we needed to be to hold him off, if he got any closer.”
The race had its share of hard hits. Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s brake failure led to him crashing into Reed Sorenson and plowing into a tire barrier. Kasey Kahne got loose in Turn Nine and hit Sam Hornish Jr. The “77″ went to a wicked spin, slamming into Jeff Gordon. For video, click on this link to All Left Turns. Jeff Burton, Joey Logano and Andy Lallo were also involved. In a later interview, Gordon said the crash injured his already ailing back. An incident involving Kevin Harvick and David Stremme brought Harvick’s day to an abrupt end.
In the end, it was all about Stewart setting a new standard for wins at Watkins- Glen, and it was yet another brilliant chapter in what is shaping up to an epic run for the first year owner/driver.
Make no mistake about it- Jimmie Johnson will be ready to defend his title down the stretch. Yet unlike any other year before, there will be plenty on hand to try to take it from him- among them teammates Jeff Gordon and Mark Martin, the upstart Kyle Busch (yes, I am standing by my prediction he’ll make the Chase) and Tony Stewart.
And as far as Stewart is concerned- it’s possible we’ve only seen the beginning of an amazing title run.
PHOTO CREDITS- Stewart’s car and Junior’s crash by Rusty Jarrett/ Getty Images for NASCAR. Stewart in victory lane by Todd Warshaw/ Getty Images for NASCAR.
