NASCAR notes: From last to first, Ambrose is ready to go

WATKINS GLEN, N.Y. — From last on the starting grid to first, Marcos Ambrose is ready to make a charge in Sunday’s Centurion Boats at The Glen.

A win in the Nationwide Zippo 200 on Saturday at Watkins Glen International, his first career NASCAR victory, gives him that much more hope.

“We’re just trying to get the car comfortable so I can race it,” Ambrose said after final practice Saturday. “I’m confident we’re going to pass a lot of cars the way it’s feeling.”

Ambrose, who will start 43rd in the Wood Brothers No. 21 Ford, topped the speed charts in the first Sprint Cup practice at 121.491 mph over the storied 11-turn road course and was third in the final session. Practice and qualifying were rained out Friday. Then he went out and won the Nationwide Zippo 200 for his first career NASCAR victory.

“It makes you feel racy,” said Ambrose, who will be making only his third Cup start of the year. “I’m not very patient, so I’m going to have to be very disciplined to keep it all together at the end.”

So, too will Robby Gordon, who was barely second to Jimmie Johnson’s 121.815 mph in Happy Hour but will start 31st on Sunday.

“I expect us to be very fast tomorrow,” said Gordon, who won here in 2003 and is always a factor. “Maybe I’ll get lucky. Running in the back is tough. I have to pick my opportunities to pass and make sure I don’t risk our car when I do that. Hopefully, I can make it to the front for the last 20-lap dash.”

Kevin Harvick was fourth in the final practice, followed by Dale Earnhardt Jr., Jeff Gordon and defending race winner Tony Stewart, who has four wins in his last six starts at The Glen.

BROTHERLY RESPECT: Kurt is almost the forgotten Busch in Sprint Cup this year. He’s 18th in points with no shot at competing for the Sprint Cup title while brother Kyle has been in first place for three months.

“It’s been great to watch him,” said Kurt, who has one win and three DNFs in Penske Racing’s No. 2 Dodge. “It’s great to see him have success. He’s the guy with the target on his back and he’s doing well.”

Four years ago Kurt was the target, and he managed to hold off Jimmie Johnson and Jeff Gordon to win the Cup title by just eight points, the closest margin in NASCAR history, in the first year of the Chase for the championship.

Although Kyle ran only six Cup races that season for Hendrick Motorsports, he proved a source of inspiration for his older brother.

“He was a rookie,” Kurt said. “Just to have him out there on the track, the camaraderie. He was like a teammate, helping me build confidence.”

The two remain close away from the track.

“We have family lunch and family dinner. We’re able to talk a little bit,” Kyle said. “I hope that he’s excited about the success I’ve had because I was when he was winning races and being able to win the championship.”

STANDING TALL: Former Buffalo Bills player Kevin Everett, who was nearly paralyzed in an on-field accident last fall, served as grand marshal of the Nationwide Zippo 200 on Saturday.

Doctors initially feared Everett would never walk again after what was described as a life-threatening injury suffered while making a tackle on Domenik Hixon on the second-half kickoff in the season opener against Denver last September.

Everett was paralyzed from the neck down when he arrived at Buffalo’s Millard Fillmore Gates Hospital and spent the first few days on life support.

Now, he’s walking tall and the author of a new book — “Standing Tall, The Kevin Everett Story” — which he hopes will be an inspiration to others trying to recover from debilitating injuries.

“It’s just a great feeling every time I come in contact with people that have family members who went through the same thing I went through,” Everett said. “I’m still nowhere near 100 percent. I’m still working every day. I’m just trying to improve the little things, trying to get back to somewhat normal.”

Everett said he’d like to coach some day if the healing process allows it. That might work, considering how he watches football today.

“I get a sick feeling every time I watch it on TV,” Everett said. “I’m always imagining myself out there. I’m real critical, criticizing everybody out there.”

There’s one thing he’ll never do, though.

“You don’t take things for granted, nothing,” he said. “You value every day. You never expect things like that to happen to you.”