NASCAR Cup Series

31 Moments: No. 23 -- AJ Allmendinger wins at Watkins Glen

Published Dec. 9, 2014 1:49 p.m. ET

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Tom Jensen

Editor's note: For the month of December, FOXSports.com will count down 31 moments that defined the 2014 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season. This is No. 23.

After seven long and often frustrating years, AJ Allmendinger finally found Victory Lane with a popular and emotional victory in the Cheez-It 355 at the Glen, where the Northern California native scored his first NASCAR Sprint Cup Series victory and the first for his single-car JTG Daugherty Racing team.

And with the victory, Allmendinger locked himself into the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup, as he bested Marcos Ambrose, Kurt Busch, Kyle Larson and Carl Edwards during a wild and crash-marred afternoon around the fabled Watkins Glen International road course.

In 212 prior starts, Allmendinger's best finish was a second at Martinsville Speedway in April 2012, but he never put a foot wrong on this day, waging a sensational fight with Ambrose over the final 10 laps, including a two-lap, green-flag shootout at the end.

And afterward, Allmendinger, one of the most expressive drivers in the sport, was alternately screaming and nearly speechless.

"My gosh, I can't believe we won a NASCAR Sprint Cup race!" Allmendinger gushed, as his crew gave him a Gatorade bath in Victory Lane. "I just wanted it for them -- this team -- they deserve it, they've worked so hard."

Of the final two-lap battle with Ambrose for the victory, Allmendinger added, "I wasn't going to let Marcos take that from me. I hoped the fans loved that race here and at home, because it was fun in the race car."

Allmendinger was greeted in Victory Lane by former boss Roger Penske; Richard Childress, who has a technology-sharing agreement with JTG; third-place finisher Busch and several other owners and drivers who were happy to see the well-regarded driver finally seal the deal.

"I don't even know what to say to that," said Allmendinger. "That just means more than anything to me."

As for runner-up Ambrose, a road-racing star in his native Australia where he is a two-time V8 Supercar Series champion, all he could do was hold his thumb and forefinger barely apart as he said, "This close."

It was a tough loss, especially with a Chase slot at stake. "We put a lot of effort into this race," Ambrose said. "We knew it was a great chance for us to make the Chase. I'm pretty disappointed, because it's so much to win, so much effort. But congratulations to AJ."

Five-time Watkins Glen winner Tony Stewart missed the race after being involved in an incident the night before at Canandaigua (N.Y.) Motorsports Park that killed 20-year-old sprint car driver Kevin Ward Jr. Regan Smith subbed for Stewart and finished 37th at Watkins Glen.

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