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WATKINS GLEN, N.Y. -- There was no slipup on the final lap this time, so Kyle Buschs victory celebration at Watkins Glen International was as sweet as it gets. Bumped aside a year ago by Brad Keselowski on the final lap as they sped around an oil-covered track, Busch held the reigning Sprint Cup champion at bay on a two-lap dash to the checkered flag Sunday. Busch kept his foot on the accelerator a tad longer than usual during his postrace burnout, even sticking half his body out the window while smoke swirled all around and the tires kept churning. "A big sigh of relief, just a deep breath. Whew!" said Busch, who also was victimized two years ago while leading on a green-white-checkered finish and finished third. "I was just trying to take it all in and figure it all out. The last couple of years here have been tough, and today it could have been tough again." Keselowski finished second in this race for the third straight time, and challenged Busch on the final lap, pulling to his rear bumper at one point. There was no bump this time. "We had a shot at it," Keselowski said. "I was going to have to wreck him to really get it, and I didnt want to do that. Theres racing and theres wrecking. Those are two different things. "Everybody defines them a little differently, and I guess thats the code you live your life by. If I was going to take out Kyle, it would have been wrecking in my mind, and theres a distinct difference." Racing can be all about luck sometimes, and Busch couldnt get much luckier than he was on this day. Polesitter Marcos Ambrose dominated the race, leading 51 laps, but his good fortune -- he was seeking his third straight Cup win at The Glen -- finally ran out just past the halfway point of the 90-lap race. Crew chief Dave Rogers was planning to have Busch pit on lap 60, but his crew noticed fluid on the track and brought the No. 18 Toyota in a lap early. Busch was in the pits when a caution flew and Ambrose had to pit under yellow, losing his spot to Busch at the front. "That was a game-changer right there," said Busch, who won from the pole in 2008 at The Glen. Busch held on through a series of cautions over the final 28 laps. Ambrose, who restarted 12th, crashed late trying to make a run with an ill-handling car and finished 23rd. He entered the race with an average finish of second in five previous starts at Watkins Glen and also had won all three Nationwide races hed entered at the storied road course in upstate New York. "Thats just the way it goes," Ambrose said. "We put on a strong showing. It wasnt our day, but weve had plenty of good days here." The field didnt have to worry about five-time Watkins Glen winner Tony Stewart. The man known as Smoke is out indefinitely after breaking two bones in his right leg last Monday night in a sprint car race in Iowa. Stewart, who has undergone two surgeries, saw his streak of 521 consecutive Cup starts come to an end. Max Papis drove Stewarts No. 14 Chevrolet on Sunday and finished 15th. Several drivers had stickers on their cars honouring Stewart with the message: "Get Well Smoke 14." Martin Truex Jr. was third, followed by Carl Edwards and Juan Pablo Montoya. Clint Bowyer, Joey Logano, Jimmie Johnson, Kurt Busch and AJ Allmendinger rounded out the top 10. Jeff Gordon entered the race with momentum in ninth place in the points standings after a second last week at Pocono, but his day was ruined early with a wreck on lap 15. The four-time Watkins Glen winner finished 36th and dropped to 13th in the standings with four races to go until the Chase for the Sprint Cup title starts. The top 10 drivers in points and the drivers from 11th to 20th with the most wins earn wild-card berths for the 10-race post-season. Kurt Busch moved into 11th place, just two points behind Truex and only four behind ninth-place Greg Biffle. Ambrose was unchallenged for the lead through the first half of the race, building a margin of nearly 3 seconds over Kyle Busch, who started fifth and was up to second by lap 21. Busch had been unable to close on Ambrose before a red flag flew midway through the race and was focused on the No. 9 Richard Petty Motorsports Ford in front. "Theyre better," Busch said of Ambrose. "Im trying to figure out where Im getting beat. Hes been driving away." On the ensuing restart on lap 43, Ambrose again sailed clear of the field, building a cushion of 3.5 seconds over Busch as the final pit stops loomed. The complexion of the race changed when Aric Almirola blew a right front tire and slid off course into a tire barrier, bringing out that fateful caution. When the race restarted, Busch was in front with Keselowski third and Ambrose 12th, and the car that had dominated the race out front became just ordinary in traffic, unable to move forward. Nine laps after the restart and struggling, Ambrose had picked up only one spot and trailed Busch by nearly 10 seconds. Truex managed to pass Busch on lap 65, but Busch banged past him in the Inner Loop seconds later and Keselowski followed into second. Keselowski stayed close for a while, but Busch began to pull away just as he had a year ago when oil spoiled his day. "It was a really, really sticky situation last year, and it wasnt all Brads fault," Busch said. "There was oil on the race track, but Brads the one that spun us out. It eventually cost us being able to make the Chase. I figured maybe he could do some of the same again, but he kept it clean today." Cheap Custom Lakers Jersey . 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A relieved Wade Graham is determined to make up for lost opportunities when he finally makes his State of Origin debut next week.Graham was rubbed out of the NSW side for game two due to suspension but was recalled to coach Laurie Daleys side on Monday for Origin III in place of Greg Bird.Daley had said upon Grahams one-match suspension for a high tackle on Johnathan Thurston that the Cronulla star might never play Origin.Graham hoped at the time, it wouldnt be the case.Im pretty excited, when I got the message last night it was a pretty special feeling, Graham said.You dont think anything will top the first time you get told, but it was definitely sweeter the second time.There is a lot of relief that I get the opportunity.Graham said he didnt dwell on missing out on game two.It was a tough time and it all felt like a blur, he said.Probably the hardest part was going to the game, watching the boys warm up, and knowing that I couldnt do it.However Graham returned to the NRL, didnt take Daleys comments to heart and held his form ffor a deserved call-up.dddddddddddd didnt think about it too much. I understood where Laurie was coming from, that it is hard to get an opportunity and that when you do get an opportunity you have to make the most of it, he said.For myself I was just taking from those comments as it was an opportunity lost.Graham will play his first game in good friend and Sharks teammate Paul Gallens final Origin game.He is someone who has had a massive influence on my career, Graham said.He is someone I have watched and admired for a long time and someone who has become a friend so to be able to share this stage with him will be pretty special.Gallen welcomed Grahams selection.I am so happy and proud of him I get emotional about it, Gallen said.I know he came to Cronulla after a phone call I made to him. I know about everything he has been through. To play a game alongside him it is going to be special for us both. ' ' '