Ambrose revels in Watkins Glen victory

WATKINS GLEN, N.Y. - Marcos Ambrose missed his daughter's first day of school. She probably won't mind.

The snakebitten Ambrose, deprived more than once of a NASCAR victory, beat Brad Keselowski and Kyle Busch on a two-lap dash to the checkered flag yesterday to win the rain-delayed Sprint Cup race at Watkins Glen International.

It was his first victory in 105 starts in NASCAR's top series and atoned for a slip-up a year ago on the road course at Sonoma, when he stalled his car under caution while leading with six laps to go and finished sixth.

"I've tried for 2 1/2 years," Ambrose said. "We're going to onward and upward from here. It's a proud day."

Ambrose has won all three Nationwide races he's entered at Watkins Glen, and in three Cup starts here, he's notched one second and two thirds, including an impressive drive from last to third in 2008.

Finally pulling into Victory Lane was a feeling like no other.

"This is almost surreal," the affable Australian said in his No. 9 Ford for Richard Petty Motorsports after crossing the finish line.

Ambrose signed a multiyear deal with struggling RPM a year ago to drive the No. 9 this season. That capped a tumultuous summer in which he opted to leave the No. 47 at JTG Daugherty Racing at the end of 2010 with 1 year left on his contract, even though he knew he was taking a big risk in difficult economic times.

It was Ford's first victory at Watkins Glen since Geoff Bodine won here in 1996 and the 15th different winner in Cup races this year.

Busch finished third, and Martin Truex Jr. and Joey Logano rounded out the top five. Kevin Harvick was sixth, followed by defending race winner Juan Pablo Montoya, AJ Allmendinger, Jeff Burton and Jimmie Johnson.