21st Sirius Satellite Radio at the Glen:Who would say, we are back to a road course. In a New York state circuit, the Roush Racing made enough to occupy the front row with Busch and Jeff Burton. Let's go racing at Watkins Glen!
The start of the race was like many other of the season: a Ford car shot forward. Now it was time for Kurt Busch, who measly three laps managed to open a
big advantage for the Fords of Ricky Rudd and Jeff Burton.
While Busch came opening a big advantage with their #97,
two cars were simply stuck in the grass of the bus stop:
Sterling Marlin, who spun after a tap of Michael Waltrip; and
Dorsey Schroeder, who has been touched by Casey Mears. Towed and returned to the track.
Returning to the leadership dispute, the difference has been decreasing for Kurt Busch from the lap 7, and in the lap 10 three cars came and stuck fighting for the first position: Busch, Rudd and Rusty Wallace. On lap 11, the #21 of Wood Brothers went to the front.
The three continued fighting for the top spot, and
Rusty Wallace became the leader on lap 17.
As the laps ticked by,
Rusty had been continually increasing their advantage. The race seemed to get more and more boring, until
Steve Park makes a pit stop earlier than expected.
And the strategy worked, incredibly:
Jeff Burton's engine blew on lap 31, he stalls on the exit of the "bus stop" and brought the first yellow flag of the race.
All the cars were on the track made the pit stop, except Park, which
restarted the race as leader.
The leadership of Park would be something very exciting: he was having a median season, went through two strong crashes in his career (Atlanta 1998 and Darlington 2001), was born in state of New York, and had been leading that race, race at Watkins Glen, NY, track where he won in 1999.
Park led for nine laps long with all the support of the public, taking "bump and runs" from Ricky Rudd in the back of the car, and was overtaken by the #21 on lap 42.
While Rudd was leader, several cars approached Steve Park and tried to overtake him. Robby Gordon, Rusty Wallace, Jeff Gordon and Jeff Green were getting nearer of the #1.
And then came a shock: the slow car of
Jamie McMurray just stopped at turn 1, but it was towed and the yellow flag did not come. One lap later, Robby Gordon, who was fighting for victory, ended up
having a flat tire and was forced to make a pit stop.
On lap 57 pit stops began, and few cars stayed on the track, as Kurt Busch, Jeff Gordon and Kyle Petty. The latter also had engine trouble and stopped on the outer loop at lap 63, bringing the second yellow flag of the day.
Pit stops made and
Ricky Rudd came back as leader, behind the laggard Sterling Marlin, who was the first to go under the green flag.
Not only Marlin, but
P. J. Jones fumbled who came behind him on the restart to be a slower car. Few could pass either, and who had passed see some free space.
Ricky Rudd was leading, followed by Rusty, Jeff Green and Steve Park. On lap 66, Kevin Harvick and Ward Burton were forced to make an
emergency pit stop.
Gradually, Ricky Rudd saw Rusty Wallace approaching in his rearview mirror. Promised to be one of those epic battles between the two big drivers of road courses in the 1980s and 1990s.
On lap 75, new pit stops began. Starting with Dave Blaney,
a large group came on lap 76, and another on lap 77. Rudd came to leadership for Rusty, who passed it to Kurt Busch.
And then, in the short straight on lap 82, Michael Waltrip ends with an engine after running consistently throughout the day. Stop the car on the straight and brings the third yellow.
Restart on lap 86, and
Kurt Busch was able to open a good lead over Mark Martin, Robby Gordon, Larry Foyt and Matt Kenseth. But nobody expected by Rusty Wallace and his new tires.
Nobody knows where he came from, but managed to overtake many, many drivers through the grid, reached the top 10 with an incredible breath, surpassed by everyone without difficulty, took the white flag and the checkered, earning his second victory of 2003.
Tomorrow I'll post the final results and update the standings.
