Ambrose defends Watkins Glen NASCAR crown

P – Marcos Ambrose defended his Watkins Glen NASCAR title on Sunday, edging Brad Keselowski in the final stages.

Ambrose passed Keselowski on the final lap, then held him off in a fender-banging duel to win the Sprint Cup race in New York for the second straight year.

The result cements the Australian’s position in the 2013 Sprint All-Star Race, moves him up one position in the NASCAR standings to 17th after 22 races, and puts him into contention for a wild card entry into the championship-ending Chase for the Sprint Cup.

Kyle Busch was in control of the race but skidded sideways coming out of the first turn of the final lap.

With Busch spinning out, Keselowski and Ambrose traded positions numerous times on the last lap, battling side by side nearly all the way around.

Both went outside the bounds of the race track often, with Ambrose only gaining the upper hand at the very last turn.

“You have to take your chances and you have to commit at that point of the race,” the former V8 Supercars driver said.

“It was great racing with Kyle (Busch) and Brad (Keselowski), and that’s the way racing should be.

“I’m so proud of (crew chief) Todd Parrott and all of the Stanley team. They’ve done a perfect job here once again.”

Last year Ambrose claimed his maiden Sprint Cup title at Watkins Glen, beating Busch and Keselowski on a paint-trading two-lap dash to the finish line.

“Last year was a relief, this year is pure joy,” he said.

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