While I haven't written a word since the 2015 NASCAR season began, it isn't for a lack of interest. My husband had a stroke in January and we are working to regain his strength and mobility. Things are progressing nicely, and we haven't missed a beat with our race viewing.

A little confusion about the Daytona 500

When I tweeted that I wanted a repeat of the 50th running of the Daytona 500 this year, I didn't mean that I wanted Penske Racing to win; I meant that I wanted Ryan Newman to win. Perhaps I just didn't make myself clear enough.

Daytona wasn't a total loss for Ryan Newman fans, yet it was hardly what we were hoping for. The take away is that this was not a DNF, though points were scarce 19 laps down. It is impossible not to sum up this year's experience as "that's Daytona!" Still, the #31 team is all about teamwork and hard work as they managed to repair Newman's wrecked race car and eek out 6 points for the effort.

Another hit at Atlanta

Sunday's race in Atlanta fared much better, despite another late race wreck. While it is always exhilarating to write about Ryan Newman's grit and determination which is always evident, a shout out has to go to the whole #31 team. During the race, the pit crew's performance was stellar, with fast enough pit stops to gain positions. They outdid themselves when they repaired Ryan's wrecked race car following his getting caught up in Denny Hamlin's dust up. Luke Lambert and his crew managed to keep the #31 on the lead lap while making repairs where possible, giving Newman the chance to race his way to a top 10 finish.

If this is a window into the 2015 season, it appears this will be marked by strength and determination. An obvious continuation of last year's hard-fought conclusion that was just a whisper away from a championship, a racing season is made up of many moments. Points are not the end-all be-all. They simply keep track. It is the strength and determination that win championships. Given the teamwork, and grit that has already been shown, the start of this season shows great promise.

The magic number is 40!

Or is the magic number really 31?

The green flag will drop to start the 2015 NASCAR Sprint Cup Season in just 40 days!

Oh how long it seems since that gut-wrenching moment in Homestead, Florida when Kevin Harvick crossed the finish line with Ryan Newman just a half-second behind him. What a season for the two of them, after seemingly switching rides. It appears that both made the right decision; Harvick to Stewart-Haas Racing and Newman to Richard Childress Racing.

For me, the best part of Harvick's win was when Newman came up to him in Victory Lane, wearing that characteristic smile Newman Nation has come to know and love, congratulated his friend on winning the race and the championship that Newman wanted so badly he could taste it.

The best part of Newman's season was his stellar performance in the Chase, as he raced his way to the season climax. Some of the ugly remarks during the controversy that surrounded Newman's nail-biting upset to make the final round without winning a race during the regular season was galling, but in the long run may prove the point Newman fans have always known; Newman is a top-notch driver who is capable of winning a championship. Now, everyone else knows what we know!

In the past, little has been said about Newman during the course of a race. Sure, his performance was talked about during career extremes, like when he won the Daytona 500 or the Brickyard 400, but rarely does he fly on the radar screen of television analysts. Someone should compare the times his name is mentioned in comparison to that of Dale, Jr. or Jimmy Johnson. The difference would be stunning. Even as a Newman fan, it is sometimes difficult to follow his progress on the track because the guys and gals in the booth don't follow him. Without gadgets like in-car radio and cameras, it would be next to impossible to follow Newman's progress during a race. Instead of unbiased coverage, certain TV personalities simply gush over their favorite drivers.

As an example, Newman was pretty much written off by them in the first elimination of the chase. Hah!

Newman Nation know what Newman is capable of. His driving prowess came as no surprise to us. We knew how hard he was driving his race car, every single lap. We heard the frustration in his voice when things went awry during a pitstop for example, or in the rare instances when he made a costly mistake. We paid attention when Newman was three laps down yet finished the race on the lead lap in the top 15. So, when it looked like Newman was surprising everyone with his awesome run during the Chase, those of us that have followed him were not surprised at all. We were just pleased.

So to say that there is great anticipation for the 2015 season, is putting it mildly. So, on to February 22, 2015, the first race of the season--the Daytona 500.

It is just 40 days away. It won't be long now!

Hello Newman, 97 days til Daytona

It's over! 

There are so many things to take away from the final race of the 2014 #NASCAR season at Homestead.

Congratulations to Kevin Harvick for capping off a great season and for exonerating NASCAR, freeing them from having to explain how a winless driver could take the title. Then again, Ryan Newman, who finished second wouldn't have been winless if he had just had another .5 seconds. 

Ryan Newman didn't win the race or the championship, but he certainly did the next best thing. In fact, he couldn't have done any more or any better. There were likely many who were surprised by Newman's performance. I wasn't one of them. I've watched him race the same way during the entire season. I have been a Ryan Newman fan since 2004 and have rarely, if ever, seen him not give it his all. 

As some have pointed out in media reports, Newman had a 10th place car that he drove to a 2nd place finish. That is just what Newman does. Thing is, he has never been on the media radar before. Television viewers have rarely ever hear Newman's name. 

It was said yesterday, and I've written it previously in CHonTrack that Ryan Newman is NASCAR's Rodney Dangerfield. Ryan Newman is not a typical NASCAR driver. His remarks are not always predictable, never scripted, and certainly not controlled. Newman is a free spirit and isn't afraid to speak his mind. He is also quick-witted with a dry sense of humor, which isn't always easily understood. Personally, I find those traits endearing, but I can see where NASCAR would have a problem, especially since NASCAR is so fond of controlling every aspect of their sport. 

Ryan Newman simply won't be controlled. NASCAR is fortunate however, because Newman loves what he does and causing it harm is likely the furthest thing from his mind. He just won't be manipulated.

Once the viewing public gets to know Newman, they will respect and admire him. They got a little glimpse of who he is in the final race because he had a spotlight shone on him. His situation of earning enough points to be a championship contender while not winning a race all year put him in such a unique position. It almost didn't happen. To earn the final point he needed to advance to the final round of the Chase for the Championship, Newman drifted up the race track on the last lap to move Kyle Larson out of the way. Passing one more car was all he needed to advance. 

Jeff Gordon fans were off the wall about how Newman cheated Gordon out of his rightful place in the final round, despite the fact that Newman did nothing out of the ordinary and certainly nothing other drivers hadn't done. 

So had that incident with Kyle Larson not opened up the can of drama that it did, Newman likely would have continued to fly just under the radar. No one would have ever gotten to see what his fans have always known--that Newman never gives up, gets the most out of his race car every single race, earns every point he gets, and was certainly entitled to contend for the championship. 

His grace under fire is always evident too, as seen in this NASCAR video. 

During post-race interviews, the disappointment and fatigue clearly showing on his face, Newman still managed to smile and acknowledged the bright side of the entire season. Make no mistake; Newman wanted to win the race and the title, but he didn't cry about coming in second. 

In one interview, Newman even joked about his loss being Jeff Gordon's fault, because had Gordon won at Phoenix, Harvick wouldn't be in the chase and he would have finished first of the four that were. That was Newman's way of poking fun at all the negative comments that were leveled against him by Jeff Gordon fans after the Phoenix race.

NASCAR came out a winner too

It appears NASCAR got it right when they changed the Chase format. There seemed to be more interest in the final races of the season. There was certainly more excitement and certainly more drama. That translates into interest which will hopefully will fill the increasingly empty seats.

As it turned out, winning was the necessary component needed to earn the coveted Spring Cup Championship trophy. There was ultimately no need to backpedal, make excuses, or apologize. Had Harvick not prevailed, Newman would have ended his winless streak, thus making the entire point moot. 

So, 97 days til Daytona!

My NASCAR history penned by my own husband; Go Ryan Newman

I've been a Ryan Newman fan for so long that I thought I'd look back at some of the stories I was able to get into print when I worked for a local newspaper in the small Illinois town where I lived.

I tried to get my boss to let me cover NASCAR on a regular basis but my wrestler-friendly, stick-and-ball aficionado owner hated the idea. Every now and then though, I did sneak in a story or two. Here's one from 2007, but I didn't write it. My husband did, as he wrote about my new-found obsession.

This was as close as I've ever been to a race car. It was the thrill of my life when
I heard the Alltel Dodge would be in my own home town for the opening of the new Alltel store. 

The Fast Lane, Realities of a NASCAR husband

by John Henrichs

I’ll be the first to admit that I love auto racing, but my love of the sport is now rivaled by that of my wife.

Growing up in the 50’s, there was no other subject that my friends and I would discuss more than cars, and how fast they could go.

On some occasions, my dad took me to a race at the now-defunct Raceway Park in Blue Island. The sights, sounds, and smells will live with me forever. A pack of cars racing around a quarter-mile asphalt track at 60 mph was a spectacle that I can still recall with near perfect detail. My personal favorite was James Bond driving the 007 Studebaker Hawk. I wanted to be just like him someday.

My wife, Carol was always a bit tepid about car racing. But a few years ago, after our son Chris became enamored with the sport, she began to take an interest in it.

Today, I find myself married to a NASCAR fanatic. Who would have imagined that after 30 years together that she would finally come around to my way of thinking?

Oh, but it’s more than just an interest with her. When she likes something, she becomes intensely immersed in it. It could be considered an obsession. She studies the issues, learns about the racetracks, conditions, even technicalities related to the cars. But mostly, she knows about the drivers, their crew chiefs and even some of the team members. Some she likes. Others she does not.

Through the magic of satellite television, there’s enough NASCAR programming to keep our interest peaked long into December and on most weekends. However, race day is the pinnacle of the week.

Carol’s favorite driver is Ryan Newman, who drives the #12 Alltel Dodge. On race day, we even set up a “shrine” to him on the wood stove (when it’s not in use, of course.) It contains a book about Newman’s racing career, given to her at Christmas, a small replica of the #12 car, a Ryan Newman hat, and some other small things.

She was a fan of Rusty Wallace, before he retired. He and Ryan were not-so-compatible teammates.

When we moved to Arkansas, we brought with us a life-size cutout of Rusty that was given to us, where it watches over our garage area.

As the hours tick by before the race begins, there’s a ritual that must take place. First, she has to make her “lucky” guacamole dip.

Then our aging laptop computer is set up to receive the in-car audio from the Internet, always set to the #12 team. It must all be done during the pre-race shows so we can catch the first radio checks between Ryan and Crew Chief Mike Nelson.

By the time the green flag has waved, we’re ready for whatever will be, always with the hope that the #12 will charge out to the front and make it to Victory Lane. That hasn’t happened in a long time.

Newman, who is nicknamed “Rocket Man,” has had a run of bad luck, but Carol always has high hopes of a comeback.

One of the main rules during the race is “No talking.” She doesn’t want to miss a thing on the track. And heaven help the driver that runs into Newman, or causes him to spin out.

As the race rolls along, she remains glued to the television, while we both curse the endless stream of commercials that obscure what’s happening on the track.

When the race is over, it’s time for the post-race wrap-up shows that continues on for at least another hour.

People that know us know better than to invite us over on race days. We already have plans for the afternoon or evening.

It’s funny how, for years, auto racing has always been considered a man’s sport.

All I have to say is “Think Again.”

Ryan Newman haters don't get it

When I really care about something, I'm all in. 

This week, I've scoured the internet, reading everything I could about #NASCAR in general and #RyanNewman in particular. 

The rub seems to have come from Newman besting Jeff Gordon by one-point at Phoenix last Sunday despite Gordon's second place finish. Newman finished 11th. But it was all he needed to advance his career and turn his season into a real game-changer. Newman's bold maneuver to move rookie Kyle Larson up the track on the last lap gave Newman the one point he needed to make him eligible for the final round of the Chase for the Championship. 

Such a move is generally lauded by NASCAR fans, as long as it is their driver that does it. But since it was Newman, who hadn't won a race all season, NASCAR old-timers were furious that he should be given a spot among the final four who will contend for the Sprint Cup Championship. 

NASCAR fans are beside themselves, especially those that favor Jeff Gordon. Incidentally, neither Larson nor Gordon have faulted Newman for doing his job, in getting beside Larson and moving him out of the way. It isn't like every driver on the circuit hasn't done the exact same thing. Newman's entire season and potentially his entire racing career was dependent on passing one car. 

The fact that Larson hit the wall made the incident look worse than it was, however, Larson wasn't 'taken out' as so many have categorized. He bounced off the wall, finished the race, and lost just two spots. It didn't alter his season one bit. For a rookie, he had a great one. 

After reading articles, listening to interviews, and checking out and adding to comments, I've come to the conclusion that people making often rude, ugly, undeserved remarks are simply mental midgets who couldn't think their way out of a paper bag. And there is no reasoning with them because they don't listen to anything but their own skewed, biased, uninformed view. It is really sad! The only thing they see is the 'win' column, yet there is so much more to a champion than crossing the finish line first.

Some have even said Newman should step aside and give his position to Jeff Gordon because Gordon is more deserving. Are they kidding? 

NASCAR loves all the controversy that has come with their newly-designed Chase for the Championship. Last week Brad Keselowski, Jeff Gordon, came to blows, involving other teams who ended up penalized and fined by NASCAR. The week before in an uncharacteristic move Matt Kenseth came after Keselowski in the garage area. All this means interest and that translates into dollars. To them, this is the only mark of success that matters.

Race fans that have been loyal to their sport and loyal to their favorite driver are furious that a driver who hasn't won a race all year could possibly end up a champion. They hate how this entire thing was handled. So, they are taking it all out on Newman. In reality, it is NASCAR that should be their focus. NASCAR made the rules.

NASCAR may lose them but that will be okay just as long as someone else takes their place. NASCAR doesn't care where the money comes from. New blood may be just what NASCAR thinks it needs. It would be nice to think there is a grand plan to open up the sport of stock car racing to new ideas and new interests. I suspect though, that is wishful thinking. I am more apt to think NASCAR simply bungled things. They thought they were setting up a fail-safe system where the champion would be the guy with the most points because he won the most races. They swore the Chase would be all about winning.  They didn't count on the likes of Ryan Newman. 

NASCAR felt their new Chase scenario would let the cream rise to the top. Winning and leading laps would bring bonus points, but the crux of the system was passing race cars. Generally it is thought that the winner would pass the most cars. In a perfect world, that would be the case. They couldn't count however, on circumstances that would befall each and every driver. Who could predict if a crash would take out chase contenders? So NASCAR did the best they could to tweak the points structure that would reward winning. 

The one way they could have eliminated the mess they've gotten themselves into with a non-winner competing for the trophy, would be to let those who have won races keep the points they earned previously. Even Newman was against resetting the points after each round of the Chase, despite the benefit to him and Matt Kenseth who also was winless during the 2014 season, but advanced to the top 8. Still, there may be no guarantee that only race winners would be eligible to win the trophy. 

I've observed that winning a race today is far less about the driver than it used to be. With NASCAR determining every variable about the race car, the tires, the fuel, and the rules governing every aspect of the sport, there is little drivers can do differently. So much emphasis is now placed on managing tires, pit stops, fuel mileage, etc. NASCAR is now a team sport, but unlike baseball and football, there is still that one all-important man behind the wheel. Some fans just can't wrap their heads around the fact that NASCAR is no longer the same sport as it was in the days of Junior Johnson turning his own wrenches, wheeling his own car that he could purchase at a dealer's showroom. In those days winning was everything. It reflected one man, one car, and one set of skills. He made all the decisions. He did all the work. He drove like hell and the fastest car took the checkered flag. With so many variables today, it isn't always the fastest car on the track. NASCAR is less sport and more show. Wrecks are practically figured into races. Unknowns are part of it now. And, they affect everything. Consistency has to be key. Now, winning is only part of the story. And NASCAR has implemented a points system. 

The game-changer was in 2003 when Ryan Newman won 8 races but Matt Kenseth took home the championship. Ever since then, NASCAR has been trying to tweak the system. This is the system we now have.

Every driver knew the rules at the start of the season. Every driver had the same chance to advance. The final four were the ones who earned the most points and advanced to be the best. The emphasis is no longer about winning; it is about passing cars on the race track. Presumably, the guy who passes the most cars is the winner. Not necessarily!

Newman is in his first year at Richard Childress Racing. He went to work with a new team, new crew chief, new sponsors, and changed everything, yet he was able to earn enough points, based on passing cars, to make it to the final round of the Chase. Do people think that just happened? I assure you, he worked his tail off to do it. He passed the second largest number of cars in the season, second only to Joey Logano who won five times. Tire problems, crashes, a pit road penalty, ill-handling race cars, etc. Newman overcame it all to turn what could have been an ugly day into a decent finish. And he did it consistently.

Unless you are a Newman fan and you follow his progress in this sport, you are probably completely unaware of how he has performed this season. Rarely was his name mentioned by commentators. Rarely was he interviewed. If I didn't listen to his radio communication, I wouldn't even know he was on the race track. Some of the things he has done this season, as he wheeled his car through the field, has been incredible. It is just too bad too many biased commentators would rather talk about Dale Jr. or Danica Patrick because they are popular, than to cover what is happening on the track.

For all those who are against Newman winning the championship, that's fine. Just try to at least be respectful for a guy who is just as deserving as the other three contenders and more deserving than those that didn't make the final four.