Ryan Newman position always a nail-biter

I apologize for being lax in posting lately. Truth is I have been immersed in a quilting project, see CHQuilts that has taken all my time and effort. I didn't keep me from watching racing however. I vowed to myself that I wouldn't write about racing until I finished my quilt. That just happened yesterday, so,...

Chase races

Of course, the chase to the championship has begun. I'm thrilled that my favorite driver, Ryan Newman, is hanging in there. In fact, he is advancing. He is now in 12th place after two races. He started dead last, in 16th. Leave it to Newman though to keep his fans on edge as he hovers just at the in/out line. Newman always makes it fun for us!

Ryan's performance has been stellar, especially at Chicagoland when two tire issues left him three laps down. He was able to pull it out to finish 15th, and on the lead lap. His driving was amazing! His car was bad fast!

New Hampshire was a disappointment. Newman's car was fast; Loudon is one of his favorite tracks. But after being involved in a wreckfest, not of his making, his potential to repeat his previous wins at Loudon, hit the wall. It just wasn't meant to be, apparently, though it was still a good day for him. He advanced to 12th in the points. The race itself was something to watch. What looked like a largely green-flag race fell into a series of mishaps with a series of cautions, hurting most of the chase drivers, Newman included.

Actually, he is tied with Kasey Kahne in points for 11th place, though Kahne was scored higher because he had a win during the regular season.

If Newman can hold his place or advance it, he will make it to the next round of the Chase--the Contender Round. Presently, he is within one point of A.J. Almandinger and within two points of Carl Edwards and Matt Kenseth. It is really close, but I feel confident that Newman has what it takes to make the next round.

Even NASCAR's knight has chinks in his armor

Jimmie Johnson
(Official White House Photo by Pete Souza) (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

I'm very disappointed in NASCAR's golden boy, Jimmie Johnson!

All we have ever seen or heard from Johnson has been positive. Certainly all that is ever said about him, is glowing. But that isn't the guy we saw Sunday in Michigan when he battled with Ryan Newman on the track and his later remarks.

According to the live action view on the track Johnson appeared to go out of his way to slam into Newman, right about the rear tire. Newman said on the radio that he was concerned about a tire rub. He forged on while his team whipped out the binoculars to check it out. Thankfully, there was no smoke, but it was already too late to resume his pre-confrontational battle with Johnson.

All this occurred while the two were dueling, in the closing laps of the race, for tenth place. Johnson repeated his on-track exclamation more than once. He clearly intended to resort to whatever it took to get Newman out of his way.

Obviously Newman lost the momentum he needed to continue his charge to the front of the pack, resulting in an 11th place finish.

Jimmie's on-track behavior may be chalked up to frustration, but his off-track interview was over-the-top. It showed a total lack of character and how much he too has fallen for all the media hype about how great he is.

"Oh, it was just normal Ryan Newman stuff. Anybody who has watched this sport long enough or has been in a race car out there understands the frustration that comes along with racing Ryan," Johnson said after Ryan confronted him post-race.

Isn't the on-track action supposed to be a race, a competition? Apparently Johnson thinks he is the only one on the race track that has had obstacles to overcome. This was a particularly difficult race for Johnson, whose shifter lever broke, making it impossible to shift gears. He tried to attach vice grips after a green flag pit stop and while entering the racing surface. Had any other driver tried that, they would have been black-flagged by NASCAR, but not Johnson. His heroics didn't work, so his crew had to fix it during the next pit stop anyway. He did have to overcome a lap down condition, but so did Newman. The two drivers were comparable, running similar speeds and positions during the entire race. One difference however, is that Johnson, who is already locked into the Chase for the Championship with three wins this year and six championship rings from years past, is said to be in a slump. Newman, on the other hand, is in his first season with a new team, experiences the kind of challenges Johnson had, nearly every week. He is fighting for a chase berth and is winless this season. He is fighting hard, as he always does, yet Johnson supporters are calling Newman the bully? 

Johnson's remarks were uncalled for. No matter how frustrated he is and how much he's had to overcome, Johnson is not the only one fighting on the track. Drivers are not supposed to slow down to let Johnson pass. While it is true that many drivers have whined about how hard it is to get past Newman, but, isn't that his job?

I've watched racing long enough to know that Newman knows when his car can't compete with the speed of another. And in those times, he does let others get past him. But that wasn't the case Sunday. He was just as fast as Johnson. So for Johnson to resort to smashing into Newman's rear tire was a low blow. Had it happened just once, Johnson could have claimed that he simply got loose and drifted up the track. But, he did it numerous times.

Being a winner doesn't require character. The real mark of character comes when things aren't going so well. Newman exhibits character each and every week. He is always fair-minded. Too bad the same can't be said for Jimmie Johnson. He was certainly no golden boy on Sunday.

Looking forward to Newman at the Glen

Ryan Newman is running so consistently that it is almost hard to believe this is his first year with a new race team. Expectations are always high where Newman is concerned because it is common knowledge that he can get the job done. It is just a matter of time before he crosses that start-finish line before the rest.
 
I'm rather excited to watch Ryan Newman run through the road course at Watkins Glen International Sunday. He always does well at road courses and the team overall has been pretty consistent of late. 

Coming off a top-10 at Sonoma earlier this year, an eighth place finish at Pocono, and being fifth in the points standings, Newman is in a good position this week. With the season marching on toward the start of the Chase for the Sprint Cup Championship, Newman is on solid ground. The only thing better than where Newman is right now, at this stage of the season, would be to put a number in that 'win' column. I'm confident that will happen. Who knows, perhaps it will be Sunday?

From listening to him on the radio the last several races, it seems Newman has a level of comfort I haven't heard in some time. He and Luke, his crew chief seem to be on the same page during the race. So, for a first season at Richard Childress Racing, Newman is doing just great! You may not hear that from FOX or ESPN, but you'll certainly hear it here at chontrack!

Final thoughts on Richmond; Fix points racing; Go for legitimate win!

Clint Bowyer

As much as everyone would like to put last week's Richmond race behind them, that may not be possible. NASCAR can choose to simply move on or they can make the necessary changes to ensure it doesn't happen again.
This has been a really busy week! What has been deemed "Spingate," has kept everyone on their toes, including those of us who have watched intently as the news began to unfold.

Reporters and commentators have been busy, not just filing stories about the upcoming Chase for the Sprint Cup Championship, but posing questions associated with Spingate, when Clint Bowyer spun out in the closing laps of Saturday's Richmond race. It was the final race to determine the championship contenders, and a lot was on the line. Bowyer refuses to admit he spun out on purpose, changing the entire complexion of the race, but he may be the only one who won't admit it. Drivers and past drivers have all but accused the action as being intentional. NASCAR stepped in and assigned harsh penalties to Michael Waltrip Racing. The only person really affected by them was Martin Truex, Jr., the most innocent one of the MWR stable, but who was the beneficiary of his teammates' actions. Personally, I think he was completely innocent and had no idea what was happening. All he knew, is he was driving for his life, and with a busted wrist, no less. The result of the penalties took Truex out of contention for the chase and replaced him with Ryan Newman who was running in the lead when the spin occurred. In essence, the win was stolen from him. NASCAR made it right by him to assign penalties to MWR. the result was that he replaced Truex in the points standing, as he would have had the race reached its natural conclusion.

A shout out must be given to the reporters staying on top of this story. I know how hard they are working. When they aren't doing interviews, or filing stories, they are tweeting about their observations. They have been living this story just about 24-7. Kudos to them for a job well done, keeping us all informed.

While NASCAR officials have made monumental changes, with the alteration of the chase field, they continue to review radio communications between the teams of David Gilliland and Joey Logano to see if additional action should be taken. It seems Jeff Gordon feels he was robbed of the opportunity to compete for the championship because of team orders in the Ford camps of the #38 and #22 cars. While I don't anticipate another change in the chase field, it remains that Jeff Gordon is a very popular driver. I would never be surprised to see NASCAR help him out, possibly by adding a 13th car into the Chase.

From where I sit, NASCAR caused this perfect storm of controversy with their emphasis on points racing. They have the ability to change what they created.

While NASCAR's Chase for the Championship is a playoff of sorts, much like football has its super bowl and baseball has its pennant race and world series, NASCAR needs to change its structure. With so much on the line, cheating is practically inevitable and rarely discouraged. NASCAR may have looked the other way for many, many years, but with the open communication available today and social media where fans can talk to one another readily, NASCAR can no longer get away with business as usual. Besides, a little cheating to help yourself is one thing, but cheating to manipulate an entire race that determines the season is quite another. NASCAR has in essence been caught, doing what they have always done. Fans have long suspected cheating to manipulate races and favor certain drivers over others, but now it is out in the open.

NASCAR has to change before there are no fans.

One way to do that is to simplify the process. It has gotten way too complicated. Rules are made but not enforced consistently. Perhaps there are too many rules that contain gray areas.

The emphasis of racing should be as it always has--winning. The way it is now, winning is rewarded, but it is not the end all, be all as it should be. How many times do drivers lay back for hundreds of laps only to make a late charge toward the end? Perhaps races are too long. Whatever the case, every driver needs to fight his way to the lead to win the race.

"If you aren't first, you are last." There is something to that. For a driver to race his butt off to earn a point is ridiculous. He should race his butt off to try to win the race. That is what fans want to see. That is what they pay money for. And they don't want to see anything but a legitimate contest.

Related articles about Richmond

• Richmond race controversy, problems, solutions
• Richmond race fallout, virtually meaningless
• More tweaking needed for Chase field
• Confession; I'm a happy Ryan Newman fan

Keeping it light; Ryan Newman and the chase bubble

I am about to go crazy, wondering where my favorite NASCAR driver Ryan Newman will end up next year. We know he will leave Stewart-Haas Racing at the conclusion of 2013. We also know he is working on a deal for next year. 

I suspect he will drive for Richard Childress Racing, as I said in a recent in a CHonTrack post, (see below).

But for now, there is an emphasis on tomorrow night's race at Richmond. Ryan Newman is on the bubble. That is, he is 14th in points, ever so close to the cutoff for the Chase for the Sprint Club Championship. Since he won a race at Indianapolis earlier this year, he remains in one of two wildcard places in the chase. So for weeks we have heard about Ryan Newman being on the Chase bubble. 

Every time I think of Ryan Newman chasing the bubble, this is the picture in my mind.

Ryan Newman chases bubble

Ryan Newman still chases bubble

Just for clarification purposes, I have been a Ryan Newman fan since 2005. My husband and I took in a stray cat--Timi--in 2007. Unbeknownst to us, she was pregnant. When she gave birth to five kittens, that summer, we named them Ryan, Kenny, Kasey, Junior, and Rusty. Ryan was the first born. Rusty was the runt of the litter, born last. She was the prettiest, a calico like her mother. Sadly, she only lived 11 days. We had no idea they would all turn out to be females. Incidentally, the girls and their mother have all spayed. I couldn't part with any of them, so they are our family now and bring us great joy.

Related articles

• Fun with Ryan Newman rumors

Time for a Ryan Newman win!

Ryan Newman stands beside his #39 Army Chevrolet Impala.  (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

As far as I'm concerned, I don't care about the Chase for the Sprint Cup Championship.

It was several weeks ago, at Bristol when I the wind left my sails. When Juan Pablo Montoya wrecked Ryan Newman, I knew Newman's chances to compete for a championship were over. Up until that point, every moment of every race was exciting.

Now that I'm over it, I'm excited again. Since Bristol, Newman was wrecked at Atlanta when Jimmy Johnson got into him, but in the last three races, Newman has finished in the top 5 and twice in the top 10. In my psyche, I am treating these last races like any other. I really don't care who wins the championship. All of the drivers are potential winners. It would be nice to be Tony Stewart, but to do it, he'd have to repeat his performance from last season--winning five of the ten chase races. I can't see anyone, not even him, ever doing that again.

I was really concerned before Newman signed his contract with Stewart-Haas Racing, but in reality, Stewart wouldn't let him go. Gene Haas has already sponsored Newman's car several times in the last several years. He can afford it, so I'm not really worried that Newman will not have sponsored races. Newman is personable, jovial, and any sponsor would be proud to have him for a spokesman.

As a Ryan Newman fan, I'm all good with what is going on. I will be sorry to see this season end, but there is always that excitement when Speed weeks comes along. In the meantime, I'm looking for another win. Newman seems to be itching for it; so is Tony Gibson. The performance on pit road seems to have improved. Pit stops are competitive. The finishes are there. The drive is there. It is time for a win!

Ryan Newman is off the charts; not a good thing!

Ryan Newman courtesy of Quicken Loans

Despite a streak of hideously bad luck in the last two races that virtually destroyed Newman's chances at a place in the Chase for the Sprint Cup Championship, there is good news for Ryan Newman this week.

It has just been reported that he will sign a one-year extension with Stewart-Haas Racing.

That has to be a load off Newman's mind, given the fact that his primary sponsor, the U.S. Army has gone AWOL on him. To further complicate issues, last week Office Depot announced they will no longer sponsor Tony Stewart's #14 car. This leaves a giant hole in the money side of things at Stewart-Haas Racing. Speculation was high that Stewart would abandon Newman's #39 car and use his Newman's other sponsors--Tornado, WIX Filters, and Quicken Loans on the #14.

It has been reported however, that Stewart-Haas will continue its plan to sponsor three cars in the 2013 season. The third will be driven by Danica Patrick, who comes with her already pre-ordained sponsor, GoDaddy.

There is still one more chance, albeit a long shot, that Newman can make the Chase. The only way is for him to win this, the final race of the regular season, at Richmond. It is certainly possible and he will certainly give it his best shot.

Newman has won a race at Richmond, though not since 2004. He has, however, led 437 laps in 21 starts, with no DNF's.

Newman finds himself in this untenable position because of the circumstances at Bristol two weeks ago when Juan Pablo Montoya stole his chances in an intentional shove that sent Newman spinning. Then last week at Atlanta, Newman was squeezed into the wall by Jimmy Johnson who as Newman put it, 'ran out of talent.'

Prior to the first incident, Newman was poised to get into the Chase on points. His DNF (do not finish) relegated him to 15th in the standings. That dropped further after his race car was destroyed in the second incident.

Good luck and may the force be with Ryan Newman Saturday night at Richmond.

Bristol larceny by Juan Pablo Montoya

The night started out with such promise. Night races at Bristol are always exciting. I never dreamed that less than 200 laps into it, all hope and promise would be dashed.

I am a Ryan Newman fan and Saturday night was devastating! Not only did my favorite driver, Ryan Newman, driver of the Stewart-Haas Racing #39 car get wrecked, but his chances to make the Chase for the Sprint Cup Championship were likely wrecked as well.

It would be one thing if it were as crew chief Tony Gibson had noted in the aftermath of the melee, which included a desperate attempt to repair the devastated race car, but I just don't think he or Newman really knew what had happened.

When asked what Ryan had said, Gibson replied, "Well he just said somebody got into the left-rear of him and cut the left-rear tire. The lap before that he started getting really loose and then the very next lap, it just turned around on him. So, he didn’t say anything about the No. 42 car. I think we were going to spin out no matter what with that left-rear tire. By the time we saw it he has already spun. It’s a shame.

The following video of the incident tells a very different story.

I heard the radio transmission and can verify that is what Newman said, but that isn't what my eyes saw.

We all saw Juan Pablo Montoya intentionally run into Newman. And it isn't the first time. It also happened last year at Darlington. This time though, Montoya's antics were really costly to Newman, probably costing him a spot in the Chase.

Newman isn't the only Target of the driver of the Target car. Montoya, in my view, is a menace!

Ryan Newman holds wildcard

Ryan Newman prepares to race
photo courtesy of Quicken Loans

Even while battling a bout with the flu, Ryan Newman wheeled his way to an impressive 8th place finish Sunday at Michigan International Speedway. It was enough to put an exclamation point on his hard-earned  wildcard spot as he contends for the Chase for the Sprint Cup Championship.

I admit feeling a little queasy when I learned Newman had the flu and that a backup driver was standing by. My nerves were settled however when I heard his resolve during a pre-race interview with Wendy Venturini. He sounded la bit under the weather but said he would feel better when settled into the seat behind the wheel of his race car.

As I listened to most of the pre-race coverage, I was struck by the total lack of coverage about Newman being in the wildcard spot. After all, he had the most points of drivers outside the top 10 that had won a race. He was among good company; most notably Jeff Gordon and Kyle Busch. Even Joey Logano and Marcos Ambrose were considered in close contention. Nearly all of them were mentioned extensively, except for Newman who actually held the spot. It was almost as if Newman was just simply replaceable by one of those other elite drivers.

It kinda ticks me off to hear this kind of banter. It is blatantly unfair to Newman who is certainly as capable, if not more so, than any of those other drivers.

That's OK; he showed them as he fought his way to finish in the top 10 which keeps him in the wildcard spot.

I think I would fall off my chair if I ever heard Newman's name uttered in any sort of positive light by his former teammate Rusty Wallace, who is now an ESPN commentator. We all know that Ryan and Rusty are not friends, but Rusty is in the news business now. He should put his personal feelings aside and man up to a little journalistic integrity. His bias shouldn't be so blatant.

I wonder what races would be like if real sports journalists called races instead of guys with long histories and relationships with specific drivers or teams. Never mind--NASCAR won't let that happen.

It is worth saying that while Rusty Wallace is an example of the most biased, I think Kyle Petty does a decent job. He is probably the most fair of the talking heads.

Still, I can't help but wonder how many times during race day coverage is the name "Jeff Gordon" or "Dale Earnhardt, Jr." invoked, in comparison with mention of "Ryan Newman."

Congratulations to Greg Biffle, who won the Michigan race. Biffle tries hard and is deserving. Not only was it nice to see Greg Biffle in Victory Lane, but it was very sweet to see Ryan Newman remain in the Chase standings.

Road course race; best finish of the season

   Ryan Newman inches past Kyle Buschfor the final spot in the race for the Chase
I'm trying to be objective. Was the race at Watkins Glen really that exciting, or am I just pleased that Lady Luck finally winked at Ryan Newman?

How about a little of both!

The ending was probably the best finish of the season as Brad Keselowski and Marcos Ambrose battled hard for the win. Ambrose crossed the finish line first and in spectacular fashion.

There was something really pleasant about seeing Ambrose emerge as the well-deserved winner of the race. But it was also nice to see Keselowski climb out of his race car, in second  place after a valiant effort, and still remark about how much fun he had, as he smiled from ear to ear. There was no pouting, no sour remarks, no coulda, woulda, shoulda. It was genuinely fun for the two of them.

Ambrose and Keselowski's jubilation was not the norm. From mechanical failures to tire issues, to the dreaded oil on the track when Bobby Labonte lost his engine, so many drivers were crushed by the events of the day. Kyle Busch, Jeff Gordon, Tony Stewart, Jamie McMurray, Dale Earnhardt, Jr., Denny Hamlin, and Juan Pablo Montoya, to name a few were glad to put the day and the race behind them. It began with great promise and ended in bitter disappointment.

That was not the case for Ryan Newman. What appeared to be a mediocre day for him resulted in a real game-changer. Given all the circumstances at the conclusion of Sunday's race, perhaps at the hand of NASCAR itself, Newman finds himself back inside chase contention. Perhaps the racing gods decided to make amends for ripping him off last week. The Chase for the Sprint Cup Championship is now his to lose.

I always try to watch the points standings during the race. I was concerned for Newman. Then all of a sudden, Jeff Gordon spun. Kasey Kahne had troubles. Then Kyle Busch who was aiming to win his second race of the year, which would have put him solidly into the wildcard spot in the chase, spun out. The combination resulted in giving Newman the break he needed, albeit by a very slim margin, to end up as the second and final wild card spot in the standings. In the blink of an eye, he was 'in.'

Once again NASCAR has been roundly criticized for affecting the results of the race by not throwing a caution when drivers were complaining about the track being covered with oil. The call is a sticky one however, since none of the drivers admitted actually seeing oil on the track. The results were dramatic however. Jimmy Johnson took the lead in the points standings from Dale Earnhard, Jr. Kyle Busch was unable to finish the race, taking him out of chase contention. Jeff Gordon went from a top-10 finish to ending up 22nd, which also hurt his points standings.

No doubt the race at Watkins Glen and NASCAR's responsibility in the outcome will be discussed for some time. For now though, it is time to focus on next Sunday and heading to Michigan.

Who lit the match igniting the fire in Stewart-Haas Racing?

The Army team changes tires on the #39 Chevy Impala in the pit
(Photo credit: Wikipedia)

There seems to have been a turn around at Stewart-Haas Racing in the competition department. Tony Stewart and Ryan Newman are on fire—peaking at just the right time—so to speak.

Could Matt Borland, VP of Competition at Stewart-Haas Racing be holding the match?

It may be no coincidence that stepped up performance in both Tony Stewart’s #14 car and Ryan Newman’s #39 car seems to coincide with personnel changes at Stewart-Haas Racing instituted in June. That was when Matt Borland was promoted to VP of competition. Borland, who had been with the team even before Stewart took over co-ownership, replaced Bobby Hutchins, who was ‘let go’ June 6.

It seemed that performance in both teams was lacking. Something had to be done. And, it appears the change was just the right medicine.

Borland had been Newman’s crew chief at Penske Racing during the time when Newman was nicknamed “Rocketman” because of his unstoppable qualifying prowess.

Both drivers got off to a rough start this season. But in July, Newman won his first race. Two months later—last weekend at Chicagoland--Stewart won his first race. Just recently, Newman has put together a string of top 5’s and top-10 finishes. Both drivers have made the Chase for the Championship.

And, Newman has just clocked the fastest qualifying lap for tomorrow’s race at Louden.

Whatever caused the winning formula, let’s just hope it continues.

First Chase for the Championship race, good for Stewart-Haas Racing

Image via WikipediaOverall, I'd say the first race of the Chase for the Championship was great for Stewart-Haas Racing. Tony Stewart is to be congratulated for a great run. He started way in the back, but it didn't take him long to make his way forward.

As for Ryan Newman, he turned lemons into lemonade. Normally, that would be a good thing, instead of settling for lemonade, Newman could have had champagne. He finished 8th after running out of gas on the last lap. It was a gamble, and he lost. He could have won the first race in the Chase for the Championship. But that's the way it goes sometimes. Newman has to be proud of his performance in the rain-delayed race Monday. He drove a phenomenal race, hovering at the front of the field the entire day. Who knows what would have happened had he not run out of gas at the end? Perhaps it is best that he didn't have to race the boss man for the win. As nice as it would have been to see Ryan win it, seeing Tony win it was just about as good.

I'm glad they finally got the race in, even though it was a day late. Tony probably would not have done so well on Sunday, since he said he had a migraine headache. All is well for Stewart-Haas Racing fans.

Image via WikipediaI always have nostalgic feelings when the race is held at Chicagoland Speedway.

I watched Chicagoland Speedway being built. It was just a few miles from where I used to live and work as a reporter for a local paper. There is no doubt that if I still lived and worked there, that I would be at the track covering the rain, and then interviewing Tony Stewart afterward. I'm sure there would also be a generous number of photos of the #39 car as well.

When the track was being built, I remember thinking that it was massive; it rose like a monolith on the flat, fertile land. In those days I didn't understand. I had very limited knowledge of racing. I knew nothing about NASCAR or drivers' personalities, or the speeds at which the cars are driven. I had no idea that this huge endeavor would add to the billion-dollar industry that is NASCAR. I had heard names like Richard Petty and Davey Allison, but knew nothing of who they were.

I recall meeting one of the track promoters at a local gathering, though I can't remember her name. She was very interested to learn that I worked for a newspaper, as she was obviously trying to publicize the track's activities. She offered to show me around the completed race track. And she said to call her if I was interested in press credentials, or if there was anything else she could do for me.

My how things have changed. Somewhere around 2004, I had my NASCAR awakening. My son, Chris introduced me to the sport and to Ryan Newman, his favorite driver. My adoration for Newman and his driving prowess may have even surpassed that of my son. It didn't take long before I was completely obsessed, like so many others who worship at the oval altar of concrete and asphalt, banked turns, three-wide racing and photo finishes nearly every weekend. Friends and family know not to call me on race day.

Retired now, home is in Arkansas, not Illinois. I love living here, in the beautiful 'Natural State.' I'm not homesick for Illinois, but it sure would be nice to be there, if just for race day.

Ryan Newman locked into the Chase for the Championship

Image via Wikipedia
Who can rejoice over a 20th place finish?

The answer is simple--I, and all the other fans of Ryan Newman who were thrilled to see Newman get locked into the 2011 Chase for the Championship. While his team's performance at Atlanta Motor Speedway was less-than-stellar, it was certainly all it needed to be. After all, making the chase this year was the team's goal. Mission accomplished! 

After numerous rain delays, courtesy of Tropical Storm Lee that reigned from Sunday to Tuesday in the Atlanta area, the second-to-last race of the 2011 regular NASCAR season is finally in the books, all 500 miles of it. 

Krissie Newman, who often tweets during the race, remarked about how long the race seemed to be. She was absolutely right. 

I can't imagine how grueling it is for drivers to race for 500 miles at such high speeds in traffic. I liken a 500-mile race to be about the same distance between where I live in the Ozarks to where I used to live in Illinois. That trip is nightmarish and takes approximately eight hours on a good day with no major traffic tieups and no pit stops, pottie breaks, or pauses for food along the way. In fact, though I've made the trip in eight hours, it is actually closer to a nine-hour drive. It is hard to imagine driving that distance every weekend.

Congratulations to Ryan Newman for making the chase this year. I have long thought him to be a champion already, so to me, all this is just formality. Next, it will be a pleasure to watch Tony follow in his drivers' footsteps. I have no doubt that Tony will secure his spot in the chase at Richmond. 

This will be a fun race to watch because I'm sure Newman will enjoy it. There will be no pressure for points--just the normal pressure to win, something he has already done. That has to be a burden lifted from his shoulders. In fact, Newman has one win, one pole, five top 5's, and 11 top 10's at Richmond, in his career.

Ryan Newman on the pole at Bristol

Image by Getty Images via @daylifeRyan Newman earns the pole position for the Sprint Cup race at Bristol Motor Speedway tomorrow night.


This is Newman's second pole this season. The last time he lead the field to the green for the start of the race, it was at New Hampshire, he led the final lap too.


Newman also won Wednesday's Whelen Modified Tour race at Bristol. This redeeming race followed his win at New Hampshire when he was stripped of the victory by NASCAR officials who also penalized car owner Kevin "Bono" Manion because of modifications on the race
car.


Newman has won four times in five starts. It would have been five out of five, had he not been disqualified last month.


Go Ryan!

Newman feels at home at Michigan

Image by Getty Images via @daylifeThe Michigan International Speedway is special to Ryan Newman, so it is especially good to see him run well there. He certainly did that—grabbing a fifth place starting spot and finishing fifth, with lots of good runs in between.


There is no doubt about it—when your favorite driver has a good day, and especially a good finish, it makes racing really fun to watch. Needless to say I enjoyed this week’s Michigan race. Newman climbed to seventh in points with only three races to go before the Chase for the Championship begins.


It is clear that Newman and his team are giving it everything they’ve got. I can’t quite put my finger on it, or can I recall just when it happened, but early in this season it seems as if something just began to click. The cars seemed to go faster, balance improved, pit stops became competitive again, and the entire team seemed to come together.


Newman has won and lost at Michigan, where he holds the track record. He made it around the two-mile oval in 194.232 seconds during a qualifying lap in 2005.


A respectable fifth place finish can certainly earn Newman bragging rights as well. That is just the way it should be too, since this track is one he considers his home track. His father Greg brought him to the races when he was growing up. It isn’t far from where they lived in South Bend, IN. No doubt Newman dreamed of wheeling his own race car around it.


An avid fisherman, Newman has donated to youth camps and provided scholarships for kids. He never forgot learning to fish there with his grandfather. He’d like other kids to grow up with the same experience.


Perhaps the biggest proof of Newman’s devotion to the Michigan International Speedway, in Brooklyn, MI, is that he and his wife Krissie named their daughter Brooklyn.