The Chase for the Cup is getting hot, and today's Cheez-It 355 at Watkins Glen could go a long way for several contenders hanging onto their spot in the Chase, as well as some hungry challengers on the cusp. The race gets underway at 1:00 p.m. on ESPN, or can be live streamed here.
One contender whose shot at the championship is likely gone is Tony Stewart, who suffered a broken tibia and fibula on Monday in a sprint car race in Iowa. Stewart has undergone two surgeries on the leg and is expected to be out several weeks at a minimum.
At the time of his injury Stewart was 11th in the Cup standings, and qualified for one of the two available wild card spots. He was also a mere five points behind 10th-place Greg Biffle.
One driver with a ways to go toward qualifying for the chase is Marcos Ambrose, who took the pole for the Watkins Glen race and has an opportunity to give himself a big boost. Ambrose will be searching for his third consecutive victory on this track.
"I think we've got one of the best race cars out there. I was a little worried about our qualifying form, so we've got that out of the way and we can really focus now on getting our car ready for the race, and we've got a real chance to go three in a row here," Ambrose said.
Ambrose figures to face stiff competition from Martin Truex Jr., who will kick off the race in third. Truex Jr. is slotted 14th in the Cup standings, but has a leg up on Brad Keselowski and Kurt Busch for a wild card thanks to winning a race this season.
"You know, I've never really qualified here that well -- I've raced well -- but, based on the speed we had yesterday in race trim, this is definitely a big step for us," Truex Jr. said. "We did exactly what we wanted to do, and [we're] very happy about that lap and excited about the race."
© Copyright 2024 Sports World News, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.