A multi-car wreck just 18 laps from the finish ended the strong runs for a trio of drivers and knocked one out of the top 10 in points in the Cheez-It 355 at Watkins Glen.
NASCAR Watkins Glen 2013: Dale Earnhardt Jr., Matt Kenseth differ on who caused wreck
Earnhardt Jr. and Kenseth have differing opinions on who caused the wreck near the end of Sunday’s NASCAR race at Watkins Glen.
Tom Pennington
As the field was bunched tightly together, Matt Kenseth appeared to get into the rear of Kasey Kahne’s car turning him into the guardrail and back into the path of Dale Earnhardt Jr., who plowed into his teammate.
Keselowski tempted to wreck Busch
Although he didn't, Brad Keselowski says he was tempted to wreck Kyle Busch.
The substantial contact sent Earnhardt and Kahne to garage for repairs. They finished 30th and 34th, respectively. Kenseth was able to continue, but placed 23rd.
Earnhardt thought the wreck started because Kenseth was seeking retribution on Ambrose for an earlier skirmish.
“The No. 20 (Kenseth) was going after the No. 9 (Ambrose) and missed him or got him a little bit,” Earnhardt said. “I don’t know if the No. 9 ended up wrecking or not, but ended up knocking the No. 5 (Kahne) out of the race and knocked ourselves out of the race and a couple of other guys.”
Kenseth would clarify afterward that he wasn’t seeking vengeance on Ambrose. He merely lost control of his Toyota racing up the hill through the esses.
“It probably looked like that,” Kenseth told Sporting News. “I was trying to carry my momentum so I didn’t have four more cars pass me, and I just lost control of my car and went across and I guess somebody was outside of me.
“I guess it was Kasey. That part was my fault.”
Of all those involved it was Kahne who suffered the most.
While Earnhardt (sixth) and Kenseth (seventh) are comfortably inside the top 10 in points, Kahne dropped to 11th overall. But with a pair of victories on the year and with just four regular-season races remaining, he is in excellent shape to claim one of two wild cards available.
“I don’t know how it all happened because I haven’t seen it,” Kahne said. “I felt like I was kind of over on my side of the road, but I would have to see it to know for sure.”
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