Ryan Newman's consistency pays off in first Chase race

Who wasn't proud of Ryan Newman on Sunday? He finished in fourth place at Chicagoland Speedway to start the Chase for the Sprint Cup Championship as he showed purpose, determination, and his signature consistency.

It was that consistency that nearly won him a championship last year.

NASCAR engineered the Chase for the Championship to give stock car racing an exciting playoff to end the season, not unlike other sports. Their most recent version of the Chase was billed as 'all about winning.'

Newman proved that isn't quite the case since he didn't win a single race last year, yet came nearly a hair's breadth from becoming the sports' champion.

Winning used to be everything in racing. It was a drivers' sport. But the rules have changed since a generation ago when all the decisions were made by the driver and his race team. There is more of an emphasis today on racing being a spectator sport. I don't see it that way and I admit it galls me a little when they call races a show for the fans. But this way, there is more money in it. While still a sport, racing now emphasizes it is more of a business.

Today, NASCAR is in complete control of the cars, the drivers, the tracks, the television viewing, the commentators; everything.

In an effort to create a greater spectacle, NASCAR has brought the latest adaptation to the sports' version of its championship playoff, with the Chase for the Championship. NASCAR thought they had the best of both worlds in their latest points system that awarded a point for each position gained on the track, a point for leading a lap, leading the most laps, and three points to the winner of the race. They advertised the new and improved Chase as having an emphasis on winning. Yet, Newman proved them wrong. Let's face it, as long as points are awarded, a mediocre or inexperienced driver who gets lucky and wins one or two, shouldn't be considered a champion. But consistency is also rewarded with points. That is where Newman excels, as he proved last year. There wasn't much NASCAR could do about it either, because he played by their rules. Race car drivers and his fans recognized that Newman worked hard to earn every point he got for which he was rewarded in the end.

Everyone had an opinion about the non-winning driver in championship contention. Comments at the end of last season were as varied as a Presidential race with Democrats and Republicans sniping at one another. And some of those comments were just as ugly. There were the Newman supporters, such as myself, who often faced off with fans of other drivers who didn't finish so well, who were flat out against a non-winner being eligible for a championship. There was a virtual war of words slung on social media and attached to magazine articles over Newman's being in the final four of the elimination round without winning a race. For those of us who follow Newman, we know he earned it. Announcers and even NASCAR knew he earned it.

But for those race fans who rarely saw Newman on the track, never saw him interviewed on television, or hardly ever even heard his name, they saw Newman as a johnny-come-lately who didn't deserve to be contending for a championship. For that, I blame those TV analysts that ignored Newman all season for whatever reason. I have my own ideas about why that is. In fact, I wrote a blog post last year that called Newman NASCAR's Rodney Dangerfield, because like the late comedian, Newman gets no respect.

NASCAR seemed to have it in for Newman too because he doesn't kowtow to them. He plays by the rules for the most part and uses the system to his advantage wherever he can. Basically, in my view, he outsmarts them and they don't take kindly to that. They also don't like that he is his own person and is not easily controlled. So when Newman bested two of the four drivers in the final heat of the Chase last year, coming in second, less than a half-second behind Kevin Harvick who ultimately won, some pretty nasty things were said.

The bottom line on Sunday, was that Ryan started the race in sixth position--based on the results of the first practice speed when qualifying was rained out. On on the last restart, Newman showed his championship potential. He restarted in 14th, after getting shuffled back in the prior restart. But during those closing six laps of the race, Ryan powered his car past ten others to finish fourth. It was amazing! It was a very good way to start the Chase for the Championship. As I've always said, Newman is the one to watch!

No regrets

Chicagoland Speedway, Joliet, IL

It isn't often that I regret no longer living in Illinois. I love my home in the Ozarks, living among the hardwoods and enjoying the scenery and watching birds and other wildlife right in my own backyard. Ah, retirement. 

Yet this is one time I'd consider sacrificing it all to be back in Illinois, where I used to live, not far from Chicagoland Speedway. I'd gladly dust off my press badge and would thrill to write about the weekend festivities at the track for the first race of the Chase for the 2015 Championship.  

I watched the Chicagoland Speedway being built. In fact I wrote about it once or twice for the paper I worked for in those days. I even recall a huge controversy about locating that track a few miles further east. I was against it, as were so many other folks; it really was the wrong location. That was the early 1990's, long before I ever watched a race or knew much of anything about NASCAR. My, how times have changed!

If I was still there, I would love to watch the first race of the Chase. I'd be there for practice and qualifying and I'd take lots of pictures. I'd have to put on my reporters' hat, so I'd have to balance coverage for the entire process and to all of the teams. Perhaps I could write a story about how the two Richard Childress teams--#31 Ryan Newman and #27 Paul Menard feel about being eligible for the 10-race Chase by making it in on points rather than conventionally, with a win. Perhaps I could write a first person story about being at the track for the first time. I'd undoubtedly find some way to meet my favorite driver and to interview him. 

Ryan doesn't get interviewed often, but I can guarantee I'd do him proud. After all, I'm a fan. 

But wait, that was my old life. And I don't believe in regrets. So, I will be content to just watch the race on TV, perhaps making a little snack--Race-Day Guacamole--. I always keep an eye on NASCAR's Live Leaderboard and listen to Ryan and Luke on the radio.

I have high hopes that Ryan will get all the resources necessary to make his race car fast enough to compete. If the car is good, there is no doubt Ryan can wheel it right to the front. 

Ryan knows his way around Chicagoland Speedway. He won in 2003 and has had three top-5s and eight top-10 finishes. He's led 182 laps there. 

While he raced his way into the Chase on points, he's proven once again that winning a race isn't the only prescription for success. His consistency has been outstanding, except perhaps for Richmond. Not sure what happened, except that the handling of the car just wasn't there. It was a nail-biter, as I watched his points total stuck failing to add up. But as always, Ryan pulled it off, securing enough points to remain in the Top 16.  This is the second time he's made the Chase without winning a race to get there, but he knows what he has to do. His team is willing to do their part to put the #31 in Victory Lane. 

So, I plan to just enjoy the race. 

I don't mind at all that I don't have to work on the weekend, take notes, photos, and put all the words together to come up with a story. There will be no traffic, no sunburn, no expensive ticket price, no missing aspects of Ryan's race because I'd have to concentrate on the job done by all the drivers. I rather enjoy being a no pressure spectator with a focus on just one driver. And as always, I have very high hopes.  

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.

Chicagoland Speedway

Relief may be on the way for Chicagoland fans which indicates there will be a change in how tickets are sold at the Joliet, Illinois race track. It was a fascinating to read for me, especially since I was unaware of the problem. While I used to live near the track, and even watched it being built, I had no idea how tickets were sold. I never attended a race there. Had I still lived in the Chicago area, I certainly would have added my voice to the other disgruntled fans.

It certainly was hard not to notice the empty seats at the Sprint Cup race, one of which could have easily accomodated my butt, had I not been 500 miles away. I had to settle for coverage and commentary from TNT.

Did you know that the track ended up in Joliet only after it was rejected at its original site -- near Peotone -- not far from where the State of Illinois has and continues to try to build a new airport? Read about the Peotone airport at CHBlog. Feel free to peruse the site, but don't expect to find information about the race track. Building the track, predated the blog and its posts.