AJ Allmendinger beats Marcos Ambrose to win at Watkins Glen, makes Chase field

En esta imagen del 8 de agosto del 2014 se ve a Tony Stewart después de una práctica para la carrera de Watkins Gloen en NASCAR. Pero el 10 de agosto se anunció que Stewart no correría el domingo después del accidente fatal en que embistió y mató al piloto Kevin Ward Jr. en la víspera. (AP Foto/Derik Hamilton) (The Associated Press)

This image provided by Logan Messerly shows ambulances on the scene at Canandaigua Motorsports Park on Saturday Aug. 9, 2014 in Canandaigua, N.Y. Authorities are investigating a serious crash that injured one person at a New York dirt track where Tony Stewart was racing on the eve of a NASCAR race. (AP Photo/Logan Messerly) (The Associated Press)

WATKINS GLEN, N.Y. – AJ Allmendinger beat Marcos Ambrose on a two-lap dash to the finish to win the NASCAR Sprint Cup race at Watkins Glen International on a somber Sunday.

Three-time Cup champion Tony Stewart pulled out of the race 12 hours after he struck and killed sprint car driver Kevin Ward Jr., who had climbed from his car during a dirt-track race in nearby Canandaigua, New York.

In Allmendinger's first TV interview after winning, he offered his condolences to the Ward family, saying "we're a community here, we're thinking about you."

The victory made his one-car team for JTG Daugherty Racing eligible for the Chase for the Sprint Cup title. Allmendinger held off Ambrose through the first two turns and opened a lead after both cars bumped and won going away.