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The car of Brendan Gaughan spins out on Turn 1 early in the Nationwide Zippo 200.

Edwards captures Heluva Good pole; Ambrose takes 3rd straight at Glen; Pruett-Rojas team wins Crown Royal 200

WATKINS GLEN, Aug. 8 -- As soon as he climbed out of his car after his NASCAR Sprint Cup pole-winning qualifying lap at Watkins Glen International Saturday, Carl Edwards looked nervously out on the track, where Jimmie Johnson was taking his qualifying run.

"Quick," Edwards said to a group of photographers, "take my picture before I get beat." Then he added: "Now I'm really nervous. I want the pole."

Well, he got it, easily establishing the best time (124.432 mph) of the qualifying session, which set the grid for today's (Sunday's) Heluva Good! Sour Cream Dips at The Glen NASCAR race. Pre-race ceremonies begin at noon, and the green flag is set to wave at about 1:18 p.m. The race will be carried live on ESPN.

It was a busy day at The Glen Saturday, what with the Heluva Good qualifying, a morning qualifier for the Nationwide Zippo 200, an afternoon running of that race, and a subsequent Grand-Am Rolex Series race -- the Crown Royal 200.

Marcos Ambrose won the pole for the Zippo 200 and then proceeded to easily win the race -- his third straight Nationwide series victory at WGI. And then the dominant Grand-Am team of Scott Pruett and Memo Rojas cruised to victory in the early evening's Crown Royal 200 -- their seventh victory of the season.

The Nationwide race was marred by a crash near the entrance to the Esses, a multi-car accident that stopped the race for a half-hour. But that didn't deter Ambrose, who won by 2.8 seconds over Joey Logano, with Kevin Harvick third. Kyle Busch, the runnerup to Ambrose at WGI the past two years, finished fifth.

In today's race, Jamie McMurray -- the 2010 Daytona 500 and Brickyard 400 winner -- will start second on the strength of a qualifying run of 123.814 mph. Juan Pablo Montoya will be in the third spot, with AJ Allmendinger fourth and Kurt Busch fifth.

Photos in text:

Top: Marcos Ambrose holds aloft the Nationwide Zippo 200 trophy.

Bottom: Scott Pruett as he arrived in Victory Lane after winning the Crown Royal 200. He teamed with Memo Rojas.

The Zippo 200 accident, between Turn 1 and the start of the Esses. Ten cars were involved.

Jamie McMurray, left, and Juan Pablo Montoya after their qualifying runs for the Heluva Good! Sour Cream Dips at The Glen race. McMurray starts 2nd, and Montoya 3rd.

Pit crew hustles around the rear of Joey Logano's car during a pit stop in the Zippo 200.

Carl Edwards faces photographers as he celebrates winning the Heluva Good pole position.

NASCAR drivers Tony Stewart, left, and Scott Speed.

The car of Tony Raines limps back toward the garage on an access road after the multi-car crash that temporarily halted the Zippo 200.

From left: Patrick Carpentier, Ron Fellows and Max Papis await their turns during the Heluva Good NASCAR qualifying session.

Marcos Ambrose, left, and Joey Logano, who finished first and second, respectively, in the Nationwide Zippo 200.

The winning Crown Royal 200 car driven by Scott Pruett and Memo Rojas.

Left: Syracuse basketball coach Jim Boeheim, who was Grand Marshal for Saturday's Zippo 200. Right: Jacques Villenueve, who competed in that race.

Nationwide Zippo 200 winner Marcos Ambrose is greeted by his team in Victory Lane with a Gatorade shower.

Left: Miss Sprint Cup, Monica Palumbo. Right: NASCAR driver Joe Nemechek signs an autograph.

Driver Kevin Harvick adjusts an earpiece and eyes his helmet before donning it for Saturday's Zippo 200. He finished third in the race.

NASCAR drivers Dale Earnhardt Jr., left, and Kyle Busch.

Crew works on the car of Tony Ave during a pit stop in the Zippo 200.

Marcos Ambrose leads the way on the approach to Turn 1 in the Nationwide Zippo 200.

NASCAR drivers Greg Biffle, left, and Jeff Burton.

Syracuse basketball coach Jim Boeheim, left, talks to Schuyler County Administrator Tim O'Hearn.

*******

And on Friday:

The Red Bull car of Scott Speed races along the main straightaway during practice Friday.

NASCAR drivers take to the track

WATKINS GLEN, Aug. 7 -- Practice was the order of the day Friday for the NASCAR drivers competing at Watkins Glen International in Sunday's Heluva Good! Sour Cream Dips at The Glen auto race.

The NASCAR field had two practice sessions, spiced with various press conferences in the Media Center and in front of team haulers across from the WGI garage.

Qualifying for the Heluva Good race takes place today (Saturday) -- a day that will also see two races.

One is the Nationwide Series Zippo 200, and one is the Grand-Am Rolex Series Crown Royal 200. Qualifying for the Crown Royal 200 took place early Friday evening, while qualifyng for the Zippo 200 was to take place this morning.

Series championship standings co-leader Memo Rojas captured the pole position for the Crown Royal 200, turning in a lap of 1:05.470 (or 134.718 mph) on the 2.45-mile WGI short course. He will team with Scott Pruett in the No. 01 Telmex Chip Ganassi Racing BMW/Riley for Round 10 of the Grand-Am series.

Meanwhile, NASCAR driver Greg Biffle posted the fastest times in both practice sessions Friday in preparation for the Heluva Good race.

Among NASCAR drivers appearing in press conferences Friday at the Media Center were Jeff Burton, Clint Bowyer, Kyle Busch, Kevin Harvick, Carl Edwards, Tony Stewart, Greg Biffle, Jimmie Johnson and Kurt Busch -- along with racing legend and team owner Richard Petty. Meanwhile, Jeff Gordon, Boris Said, Matt Kenseth and Denny Hamlin met with the media outside their team haulers.

The photos here -- by Liz Fraboni and Charlie Haeffner -- were snapped at various points around the WGI grounds.

Photos in text:

Top: Jimmie Johnson's car at the inspection station in the WGI garage.

Bottom: Carl Edwards, left, and Jeff Gordon.

The hoods were up and heads down as crews worked on cars at many places on the WGI grounds Friday.

Left: Garage crews were busy throughout the day working on race cars at WGI. Right: NASCAR driver Clint Bowyer in the Media Center.

Richard Petty responds to a reporter's question at a Media Center press conference.

Richard Petty signs autographs for fans outside the Media Center.

Left: Robby Gordon near the WGI garage. Right: Jeff Gordon holds a press conference outside his team's hauler, across from the WGI garage.

Crew members work on the 3M car driven by Greg Biffle, who posted the fastest times in both NASCAR practices Friday.

A black-and-white study of the inspection station in the WGI garage.

Left: Ready for action. Right: Kyle Busch meets the media at a press conference.

Joey Logano races along the main straightaway during practice Friday.

NASCAR season points leader Kevin Harvick makes a point during a press conference.

A Grand-Am crew works on its vehicle after a practice session Friday.

Worker reflects on his job.

NASCAR driver Carl Edwards talks to the media at a press conference.