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.
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.
