2012 Finger Lakes 355 at The Glen

Race details[1][2]
Race 22 of 36 in the2012 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series
2012 Finger Lakes 355 at the Glen program cover
Date	August 12, 2012 (2012-08-12)
Location	Watkins Glen International inWatkins Glen, New York
Course	Permanent racing facility
Course length	2.45 miles (3.942 km)
Distance	90 laps, 220.5 mi (354.86 km)
Weather	Overcast with a high temperature around 78 °F (26 °C); wind out of the WSW at 10 mph (16 km/h).
Pole position
Driver	Juan Pablo Montoya	Earnhardt Ganassi Racing
Time	1:09:44
Most laps led
Driver	Kyle Busch	Joe Gibbs Racing
Laps	43
Winner
No. 9	Marcos Ambrose	Richard Petty Motorsports
Television in the United States
Network	ESPN
Announcers	Allen Bestwick,Dale Jarrett andAndy Petree
Nielsen ratings	4.449 million[3]

The2012 Finger Lakes 355 at The Glen was aNASCARSprint Cup Seriesstock car race held on August 12, 2012 at theWatkins Glen International inWatkins Glen, New York. Contested over 90 laps, it was the twenty-second race of the2012 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season and the second of tworoad course competitions on the schedule. After the tragedy at theprevious race, the track prepared in the event that thunderstorms pass through the track. The track had set up more than 30 police cars with loudspeakers, nine television screens, and the staff has text message availabilities, all intended on warning fans of any thunderstorms approaching.^[4]Marcos Ambrose, from theRichard Petty Motorsports racing team, won the race ahead ofBrad Keselowski.Jimmie Johnson finished in the third position. The race was most notable for a "chaotic" finish.^[5]

2003 Road Course ChampionRobby Gordon did not enter this race, and elected to watch on television.

Watkins Glen International is one of two road courses to holdNASCAR races, the other beingSonoma Raceway.^[6] The standard short road course at Watkins Glen International is a 7-turn course that is 2.45 miles (3.94 km) long;^[7] the track was modified in 1992, addingthe Inner Loop, which lengthened the long course to 3.4 miles (5.5 km) and the short course to the current length of 2.45 miles (3.94 km).^[8]Marcos Ambrose was the defending race winner after winning the race in2011.^[9]

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With three laps to go andKyle Busch leading,Bobby Labonte's number 47 suffered a drawn-out engine failure, leaving oil all around the track.Brad Keselowski passedMarcos Ambrose to challenge Busch for the final lap. Busch was losing traction from the oil, and slid up the racetrack, followed by Ambrose. Keselowski attempted to pass on the inside, blocked by Busch with car-to-car contact causing Busch to spin, leaving Keselowski in the lead with a damaged front quarter. Keselowski and Ambrose battled hard for first place, both driving through the grass to avoid more oil in turn 8. Ambrose took the lead from Keselowski in turn 9 and was able to hold off a bump and run attempt from Keselowski in turn 10 and Ambrose took the flag, followed by Keselowski. Busch finished 7th.^[5]

• NASCAR races at Watkins Glen International
• 2012 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series
• 2012 in sports in New York (state)
• August 2012 sports events in the United States

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