The 2013 Cheez-It 355 at The Glen was a NASCAR Sprint Cup Series stock car race that was held on August 11 at Watkins Glen International in Watkins Glen, New York. Contested over 90 laps on the 2.45-mile (4.023 km) road course, it was the twenty-second race of the 2013 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season. Kyle Busch of Joe Gibbs Racing won the race, his third of the season, while Brad Keselowski finished second. Martin Truex Jr., Carl Edwards and Juan Pablo Montoya rounded out the top five.
This was the first NASCAR race since the 1998 NAPA 500 without 5-Time Watkins Glen winner Tony Stewart on the grid.
Report
Background
Watkins Glen International is one of two road courses to hold NASCAR races, the other being Sonoma Raceway. The standard short road course at Watkins Glen International is a 7-turn course that is long; the track was modified in 1992, adding the Inner Loop, which lengthened the long course to and the short course to the current length of . Marcos Ambrose was the defending race winner after winning the race in 2011 and 2012.
On August 6, it was announced that Tony Stewart would not be participating after breaking both bones in his right leg in a Sprint car accident at Southern Iowa Speedway in Oskaloosa, Iowa, on the night of August 5. Instead, road racing veteran Max Papis would step in and replace Stewart for the Watkins Glen event, with future drivers to be decided for the next four or five oval races."Stewart could face 4-6 weeks of recovery time" This marked the first race since his debut in the 1999 Daytona 500 that a Sprint Cup race did not have Stewart in the field, ending a streak of 521 straight starts for Stewart.
Entry list (R) - Denotes rookie driver.
(i) - Denotes driver who is ineligible for series driver points. DriverTeamManufacturer1Jamie McMurrayEarnhardt Ganassi RacingChevrolet2Brad KeselowskiPenske RacingFord5Kasey KahneHendrick MotorsportsChevrolet7Dave BlaneyTommy Baldwin RacingChevrolet9Marcos AmbroseRichard Petty MotorsportsFord10Danica Patrick (R)Stewart–Haas RacingChevrolet11Denny HamlinJoe Gibbs RacingToyota13Casey MearsGermain RacingFord14Max Papis (i)Stewart–Haas RacingChevrolet15Clint BowyerMichael Waltrip RacingToyota16Greg BiffleRoush Fenway RacingFord17Ricky Stenhouse Jr. (R)Roush Fenway RacingFord18Kyle BuschJoe Gibbs RacingToyota19Alex KennedyHumphrey Smith RacingToyota20Matt KensethJoe Gibbs RacingToyota22Joey LoganoPenske RacingFord24Jeff GordonHendrick MotorsportsChevrolet27Paul MenardRichard Childress RacingChevrolet29Kevin HarvickRichard Childress RacingChevrolet30David StremmeSwan RacingToyota31Jeff BurtonRichard Childress RacingChevrolet32Boris SaidFAS Lane RacingFord33Ron FellowsCircle SportChevrolet34David RaganFront Row MotorsportsFord35Michael McDowellFront Row MotorsportsFord36Victor Gonzalez Jr.Tommy Baldwin RacingChevrolet38David GillilandFront Row MotorsportsFord39Ryan NewmanStewart–Haas RacingChevrolet40Landon Cassill (i)Circle SportChevrolet42Juan Pablo MontoyaEarnhardt Ganassi RacingChevrolet43Aric AlmirolaRichard Petty MotorsportsFord47A. J. AllmendingerJTG Daugherty RacingToyota48Jimmie JohnsonHendrick MotorsportsChevrolet51Owen Kelly (i)Phoenix RacingChevrolet52Brian KeselowskiBrian Keselowski MotorsportsToyota55Brian Vickers (i)Michael Waltrip RacingToyota56Martin Truex Jr.Michael Waltrip RacingToyota78Kurt BuschFurniture Row RacingChevrolet83David ReutimannBK RacingToyota87Tomy DrissiNEMCO-Jay Robinson RacingToyota88Dale Earnhardt Jr.Hendrick MotorsportsChevrolet93Travis KvapilBK RacingToyota99Carl EdwardsRoush Fenway RacingFordOfficial entry list
Practice and qualifying
Qualifying order Source:
Group 1 Driver Team Manufacturer 36 Victor Gonzalez Jr. Tommy Baldwin Racing Chevy 7 Dave Blaney Tommy Baldwin Racing Chevy 19 Alex Kennedy Humphrey Smith Motorsports Toyota 40 Landon Cassill Circle Sport Chevy 87 Tomy Drissi NEMCO-Jay Robinson Racing Toyota 52 Brian Keselowski Brian Keselowski Motorsports Toyota
Group 2 Driver Team Manufacturer 38 David Gilliland Front Row Motorsports Ford 83 David Reutimann BK Racing Toyota 10 Danica Patrick Stewart–Haas Racing Chevy 93 Travis Kvapil BK Racing Toyota 51 Owen Kelly Phoenix Racing Chevy 30 David Stremme Swan Racing Company Toyota
Group 3 Driver Team Manufacturer 17 Ricky Stenhouse Jr. Roush Fenway Racing Ford 14 Max Papis Stewart–Haas Racing Chevy 39 Ryan Newman Stewart–Haas Racing Chevy 34 David Ragan Front Row Motorsports Ford 55 Brian Vickers Michael Waltrip Racing Toyota 20 Matt Kenseth Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota Group 4 Driver Team Manufacturer 1 Jamie McMurray Earnhardt Ganassi Racing Chevy 29 Kevin Harvick Richard Childress Racing Chevy 43 Aric Almirola Richard Petty Motorsports Ford 32 Boris Said FAS Lane Racing Ford 33 Ron Fellows Circle Sport Chevy
Group 5 Driver Team Manufacturer 48 Jimmie Johnson Hendrick Motorsports Chevy 27 Paul Menard Richard Childress Racing Chevy 22 Joey Logano Penske Racing Ford 31 Jeff Burton Richard Childress Racing Chevy 5 Kasey Kahne Hendrick Motorsports Chevy Group 6 Driver Team Manufacturer 78 Kurt Busch Furniture Row Racing Chevy 88 Dale Earnhardt Jr. Hendrick Motorsports Chevy 24 Jeff Gordon Hendrick Motorsports Chevy 35 Michael McDowell Front Row Motorsports Ford 16 Greg Biffle Roush Fenway Racing Ford Group 7 Driver Team Manufacturer 18 Kyle Busch Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 47 A. J. Allmendinger JTG Daugherty Racing Toyota 15 Clint Bowyer Michael Waltrip Racing Toyota 2 Brad Keselowski Penske Racing Ford 11 Denny Hamlin Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota Group 8 Driver Team Manufacturer 56 Martin Truex Jr. Michael Waltrip Racing Toyota 9 Marcos Ambrose Richard Petty Motorsports Ford 99 Carl Edwards Roush Fenway Racing Ford 42 Juan Pablo Montoya Earnhardt Ganassi Racing Chevy 13 Casey Mears Germain Racing Ford
Race Start The race was scheduled to start at 1:18 p.m. EDT, Marcos Ambrose led the field to the green flag on lap 1.
1st caution, restart and wreck The first caution came out on lap 15 for a crash by Jeff Gordon in the back straightaway, the race restarted on lap 19, a couple of laps later, the second caution came out for a multi-car crash in the straightaway, by lap 41, the race was red flagged for seven minutes for cleanup on the track, the race restarted on lap 43.
Quarter mark The third caution came out when Kyle Busch spun into the tires, and was out of gas, the race restarted on lap 63, A couple of laps later, the fourth caution came out for a wreck again on lap 80, some cars were involved in the crash, the race restarted on lap 86, and the fifth caution came out on lap 85 for a crash by Marcos Ambrose, The race restarted on lap 88, and Kyle Busch won his race at Watkins-Glen.
Results
Qualifying
Grid Driver Team Manufacturer 1 9 Marcos Ambrose Richard Petty Motorsports Ford 68.777128.241 2 15 Clint Bowyer Michael Waltrip Racing Toyota 68.929127.958 3 56 Martin Truex Jr. Michael Waltrip Racing Toyota 69.197127.462 4 47 A. J. Allmendinger JTG Daugherty Racing Toyota 69.213127.433 5 18 Kyle Busch Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 69.231127.400 6 1 Jamie McMurray Earnhardt Ganassi Racing Chevrolet 69.245127.374 7 27 Paul Menard Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 69.369127.146 8 2 Brad Keselowski Penske Racing Ford 69.372127.141 9 22 Joey Logano Penske Racing Ford 69.388127.111 10 20 Matt Kenseth Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 69.428127.038 11 42 Juan Pablo Montoya Earnhardt Ganassi Racing Chevrolet 69.486126.932 12 35 Michael McDowell Front Row Motorsports Ford 69.546126.823 13 78 Kurt Busch Furniture Row Racing Chevrolet 69.551126.813 14 39 Ryan Newman Stewart–Haas Racing Chevrolet 69.577126.766 15 55 Brian Vickers Michael Waltrip Racing Toyota 69.715126.515 16 99 Carl Edwards Roush Fenway Racing Ford 69.743126.464 17 16 Greg Biffle Roush Fenway Racing Ford 69.791126.377 18 48 Jimmie Johnson Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 69.802126.357 19 5 Kasey Kahne Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 69.822126.321 20 11 Denny Hamlin Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 69.884126.209 21 38 David Gilliland Front Row Motorsports Ford 69.931126.124 22 31 Jeff Burton Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 69.952126.086 23 51 Owen Kelly Phoenix Racing Chevrolet 69.994126.011 24 33 Ron Fellows Circle Sport Chevrolet 70.042125.924 25 88 Dale Earnhardt Jr. Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 70.069125.876 26 29 Kevin Harvick Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 70.161125.711 27 32 Boris Said FAS Lane Racing Ford 70.163125.707 28 24 Jeff Gordon Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 70.228125.591 29 14 Max Papis Stewart–Haas Racing Chevrolet 70.229125.589 30 13 Casey Mears Germain Racing Ford 70.622124.890 31 34 David Ragan Front Row Motorsports Ford 70.646124.848 32 43 Aric Almirola Richard Petty Motorsports Ford 70.677124.793 33 17 Ricky Stenhouse Jr. Roush Fenway Racing Ford 70.800124.576 34 36 Victor Gonzalez Jr. Tommy Baldwin Racing Chevrolet 71.199123.878 35 10 Danica Patrick Stewart–Haas Racing Chevrolet 71.273123.750 36 83 David Reutimann BK Racing Toyota 71.297123.708 37 19 Alex Kennedy Humphrey Smith Racing Toyota 71.309123.687 38 93 Travis Kvapil BK Racing Toyota 71.338123.637 39 30 David Stremme Swan Racing Toyota 71.616123.157 40 7 Dave Blaney Tommy Baldwin Racing Chevrolet 71.652123.095 41 40 Landon Cassill Circle Sport Chevrolet 72.293122.004 42 87 Tomy Drissi NEMCO-Jay Robinson Racing Toyota 73.320120.295 43 52 Brian Keselowski Brian Keselowski Motorsports Toyota 74.165118.924Source:
Race results
Driver Team Manufacturer Laps Led Points 1 18 Kyle Busch Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 90 2147 2 2 Brad Keselowski Penske Racing Ford 90 042 3 56 Martin Truex Jr. Michael Waltrip Racing Toyota 90 041 4 99 Carl Edwards Roush Fenway Racing Ford 90 040 5 42 Juan Pablo Montoya Earnhardt Ganassi Racing Chevrolet 90 140 6 15 Clint Bowyer Michael Waltrip Racing Toyota 90 038 7 22 Joey Logano Penske Racing Ford 90 037 8 48 Jimmie Johnson Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 90 036 9 78 Kurt Busch Furniture Row Racing Chevrolet 90 035 10 47 A. J. Allmendinger JTG Daugherty Racing Toyota 90 034 11 1 Jamie McMurray Earnhardt Ganassi Racing Chevrolet 90 134 12 13 Casey Mears Germain Racing Ford 90 032 13 29 Kevin Harvick Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 90 832 14 39 Ryan Newman Stewart–Haas Racing Chevrolet 90 030 15 14 Max Papis Stewart–Haas Racing Chevrolet 90 00 16 16 Greg Biffle Roush Fenway Racing Ford 90 028 17 27 Paul Menard Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 90 027 18 17 Ricky Stenhouse Jr. Roush Fenway Racing Ford 90 026 19 11 Denny Hamlin Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 90 025 20 10 Danica Patrick Stewart–Haas Racing Chevrolet 90 024 21 34 David Ragan Front Row Motorsports Ford 90 023 22 32 Boris Said FAS Lane Racing Ford 90 022 23 20 Matt Kenseth Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 90 021 24 51 Owen Kelly Phoenix Racing Chevrolet 90 00 25 38 David Gilliland Front Row Motorsports Ford 90 019 26 31 Jeff Burton Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 90 018 27 7 Dave Blaney Tommy Baldwin Racing Chevrolet 90 017 28 40 Landon Cassill Circle Sport Chevrolet 90 00 29 19 Alex Kennedy Humphrey Smith Racing Toyota 90 015 30 88 Dale Earnhardt Jr. Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 85 014 31 9 Marcos Ambrose Richard Petty Motorsports Ford 84 5115 32 55 Brian Vickers Michael Waltrip Racing Toyota 84 00 33 30 David Stremme Swan Racing Toyota 83 011 34 5 Kasey Kahne Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 82 010 35 33 Ron Fellows Circle Sport Chevrolet 74 09 36 24 Jeff Gordon Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 65 08 37 43 Aric Almirola Richard Petty Motorsports Ford 58 07 38 35 Michael McDowell Front Row Motorsports Ford 58 06 39 52 Brian Keselowski Brian Keselowski Motorsports Toyota 47 05 40 93 Travis Kvapil BK Racing Toyota 41 04 41 36 Victor Gonzalez Jr. Tommy Baldwin Racing Chevrolet 39 03 42 87 Tomy Drissi NEMCO-Jay Robinson Racing Toyota 39 02 43 83 David Reutimann BK Racing Toyota 4 01Source:
Notes Points include 3 Chase for the Sprint Cup points for winning, 1 point for leading a lap, and 1 point for most laps led. Ineligible for drivers' championship points.
Standings after the race