And
Busch did just that on Sunday coming back from a wreck to win the
Cheez-it 355 at the Glen. Busch led the final 29, of the race total 90 laps, and out-duelled
Brad Keselowski in a two-lap sprint.
“It was just run as hard as you can, drive your car, try not to worry about what's behind, whatever happens happens -- we'll deal with it,” Busch said. “I felt we ran really hard there those last couple of laps.”
The race actually came down to the final two corners, with Busch and defending series champion Keselowski all but running nose-to-nose and poised to lay it all on the line in a dash for the checkered flag. Keselowski admitted he could have taken Busch out of the race, but decided a second-place finish would suit him just fine.
“I could have dumped Kyle and won the race,” the reigning Cup champion said. “I know I did the right thing. It doesn't mean there isn't temptation. But there's a level of respect and a code of honour that you have to have as a man.”
Keselowski said he was “proud of the effort” on the day, but “Three years in a row in a second, that kind of stinks.”
As the checkered flag waved overhead, less than half a second separated the two drivers. Busch said it was a battle.
“My car wouldn't turn through the corners as well as I needed it to. I just couldn't get the front tires to bite, and he could catch me,” Busch said, adding he took advantage of his car's handling when he could. “In the braking zones and exiting the corners, I felt like I was really strong and could get away from him.”
Martin Truex Jr. finished the
Cheez-it 355 at the Glen in third place.
The hard-luck story of the afternoon fell on
Marcus Ambrose, who had won the race the last two years running. Ambrose started on pole led 51 of the first 61 laps. His race came to an end with a wreck on Lap 85.
Current
points leader
Jimmie Johnson finished eighth in the race and clinched at least a wild-card berth in the
Chase for the Sprint Cup. Second overall is
Clint Bowyer, who finished in sixth place and gained a few points on the leader, yet still trails Johnson by 77 points.
Carl Edwards placed the highest of the three leaders. He finished fourth at
The Glen and now sits 84 points back.
It is on to Michigan for the next round of the
NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. The
Pure Michigan 400, at Michigan International Speedway, runs on Aug. 18, 2013.
