Allmendinger wins Watkins Glen pole, edging Truex

AJ Allmendinger has won the Sprint Cup pole at Watkins Glen global.

In the end Logano picked up his first win at The Glen holding off his teammate.

Joey Logano, not known as a road racer, now has a victory at Watkins Glen global.

This trip to New York marks Rhodes’ third career road course race – he finished seventh at The Glen last year in a NASCAR developmental series – and he’ll run later this month at Mid-Ohio and Road America.

For the first time in 11 years Chemung’s Todd Bodine was back racing at Watkins Glen global.

Like Brad Keselowski getting nailed for a pit-road line violation.

Auto RacingZippo 200At Watkins Glen global; Watkins Glen N.Y.

Joey Logano: This was his first Watkins Glen victory.

“It’s one of those things that you get in that moment and everything is a reaction, ” Allmendinger said.

Christopher Olmstead – Jeff Gordon – Gordon leads all NASCAR drivers in road course victories with nine, Stewart is second on that list with seven. “I’m feeling better this week for sure than what I was at Sonoma. I didn’t do a good job”. “It’s a great tune-up for tomorrow and a testament to Team Penske and what they can do”. Gone was Logano’s big lead.

“That win has helped a lot”.

“Once you get a win or two under your belt, you start thinking about what you have to do in those 10 (season-ending Chase) races”, Gordon said. “I felt like braking was probably our strong point to most of the cars out there tonight”. “We’ve had a pretty good vehicle since practice yesterday”. It was Really fast in qualifying, really fast. We’re going to have drivers in contention who we usually don’t see, and certain big-name drivers you will want to avoid.

Keselowski led 40 of the first 50 laps but on Lap 51, he was passed for the lead by Logano.

Tempers flared after the race as Smith confronted Dillon, who escaped relatively unscathed from his aggressive drive.

However, the cars were able to recover avoiding another caution. Smith was third in the running order when he spun on lap 40 after contact from Dillon. While he has a replica checkered flag signed by his teammates and a ring – given to each team member by Allmendinger, and co-owners Tad and Jodi Geschickter and Brad Daughterty as a Christmas present last year – Klein says something else from that day means the most. “I don’t think I was the only one he dumped today”. He got back in the race with 39 laps to go.

After the crash Habul joked about how he would start to feel better. “I don’t know its just I always liked him since I was a little kid”, said NASCAR fan Erik Jeffers.

“It’s tough because we needed quite a bit more to contend for a win, but overall I’m really proud of the guys”. Jimmie Johnson and Martin Truex Jr round out the top five in the standings.

A moment of silence for Ward is planned Saturday at Canandaigua Motorsports Park and the anniversary of his death is race day on Sunday.

“These automobiles can not seem to get away from one another the previous three years”, stated Greg Erwin, crew chief for Keselowski.