Experiencing racing with Ryan Newman

Image by Getty Images via @daylifeRooting for a particular driver adds a special dimension to race day. In my mind, it is the only way to really enjoy racing these days.

I’m not particularly enamored with racing at Kansas anyway, because frankly, they can get pretty boring, but especially with all of NASCAR’s technical intervention and ethanol-based fuel requirements that I feel have dulled the events.

Rarely is sheer speed the dominant factor in winning races these days. With NASCAR’s latest version of the race cars so closely competitive, racing has become much more strategic. Drivers are almost handicapped as teams have little competitive advantage over one another. Drivers are only one aspect of the overall team, which in addition to the crew, includes the engine, tire, and chassis manufacturers, and others behind the scenes.

But on race day, a slow pit stop can kill all chances for a good finish. Inadequate chassis adjustments can ruin the day. Or tires can be an issue. Sometimes the driver’s ability simply takes a back seat to all other aspects. New ethanol-based fuel also seems to handicap teams since fuel consumption has become a conundrum for crew chiefs. It has added an interesting new dimension to the race, but also has taken away the element of excitement of racing to the finish as cars run out of gas on the last lap. That didn’t happen at Kansas, but it certainly has in recent weeks.

As a Ryan Newman fan, I’ve seen all of these factors come into play. 

Boring or not, I would much prefer to see Newman lead all the laps and cruise to victory, rather watching him struggle with an ill-handling race car though that does make me feel more engaged in the event. I listen to his radio transmission; I feel his frustration. At Kansas, from what was said, it appears that just before the race, the team installed a different shock. It was obviously a bad idea since Newman mentioned that the car he practiced and the car he drove on race day seemed to be two different things. Since there wasn’t e large enough window of time to change the thing during a normal pit stop, they were stuck working with it. Any attempts to improve balance, grip, and speed seemed futile. Knowing that early in the race and knowing it isn’t going to change has to be really frustrating for any driver.

Thanks to Race Buddy, the technological wizardry that allows varied camera views to stream live action on the computer at Nascar.com, I was able to better follow along with what was happening with Newman’s race car. I love Race Buddy, which was first instituted on the TNT coverage, but ESPN picked it up for the Chase races. I was really thrilled when Newman had an in-car camera to follow his every move, but that was a fluke. It hasn’t happened again. It was a thrill to be able to feel as if I was a passenger in his race car. I compensate by watching anyone behind Newman’s car on the track, or on pit road, or on the backstretch, where the cameras are located. I enjoy watching how he handles the traffic, when he passes another car or if there is an incident in front of him. Without this function, and because race commentators rarely talk about his progress on the track, I can follow it myself and really understand how his race goes. Sadly, it hasn’t been going all that well during the last three races.

So with the help of Race Buddy, I didn’t watch the Kansas race, I watched Newman’s race. It became clear early on that winning the race was no longer the goal. Rather Newman could only strive for a decent finish. After a pit stop when he learned that he had to return to pit road because of a loose lug nut, it became clear that even a decent finish would be a challenge. The goal became simply finishing without losing too many points. Newman was two laps down toward the end of the race. There was little time to make up any positions on the track, which translates into points. The focus then became getting one of those laps back. Once he achieved that goal, it was then to be in the position to get the ‘lucky dog,’ the bonus for being the first car of the lap down cars. He did that, so when Jeff Gordon’s car blew up, that caution put Newman back onto the lead lap. That was a pinnacle moment. It is just too bad that it happened so close to the end of the race. Newman had no time to race for a better position in just three laps. All-in-all, his eighteenth place finish was excellent, given how far back he had been. Finishing 18th on the lead lap was his way of salvaging the day. It certainly could have been a lot worse. There is always next week at Charlotte, unfortunately, another mile –and-a-half track. Newman has no wins there, but four top 5’s and seven top 10’s.

Racing enthusiasts deserve religious freedom too

NASCAR is always looking at ways to increase its fan base. Perhaps one way to do that is to be considerate of more than NASCAR’s stereotypical race fan.

Perhaps it is time to consider the ‘comfort’ level of fans who either attend races or watch them on television.

Not all race fans are Evangelical Christians. Some may even be uncomfortable participating in organized religion. Why must auto racing enthusiasts have to endure such a preachy invocation as was delivered by Joe Gibbs Sunday at New Hampshire?

Religious freedom is important—it is guaranteed in our constitution—even when it involves auto racing. While the exact definition and attributes of religious freedom is and has always been up for debate, it is pretty certain that what was heard on Sunday crossed the line.

It is one thing to begin a race by asking The Almighty to watch over drivers for safety’s sake. It is quite another to go on and on about Jesus dying for our sins.

Stewart-Haas Racing marked by opposites and irony Sunday at Louden

Image via WikipediaDuring NASCAR’s second Championship race at Louden, New Hampshire, Stewart-Haas Racing drivers were both victorious and defeated, all at the same time.

Tony Stewart, driver of the #14 car won the race, his second consecutive win during the Chase for the Championship. Ryan Newman, driver of the #39 who started in the pole position, finished a lap down, in 25th place.

Ironically, Stewart passed leader Clint Bowyer, driver of the #33 car, on the last lap when Bowyer ran out of gas. Last year, the roles were reversed.It was Stewart who ran out of gas and watched Bowyer cross the finish line first.

Stewart now holds the top spot in points in NASCAR’s Chase for the Championship. Newman lost four spots in the standings, dropping from 7th to 11th in points. Ouch! It was a devastating day for Newman.

Newman had the best qualifying lap, so he started on the pole. He had great expectations, since he was the most recent Sprint Cup driver to win at Louden, winning the regular season race there in July when he also started from the pole. It is one of his favorite tracks and he always runs well there. And his performance of late has been superb.

It wasn’t meant to be this weekend, however, as it really is all about team work. And the #39 team didn’t deliver.

The first issue was a fluke—when during a pit stop Newman’s air hose got caught up on his splitter, costing precious time to clear it. Then there were other blunders on pit road, such as an issue with a lug nut and a bad call that resulted in his crew chief Tony Gibson’s numerous apologies over the radio. 

Finally, with five laps to go, Newman had to pit to change tires as he felt a problem with his right front tire. It was a devastating day for the #39 team.

As a fan, the whole race was hard to watch, especially since Newman’s car was featured on ESPN’s Race Buddy. A camera was mounted inside his race car, allowing us to feel as though we were riding along with our favorite driver at breakneck speeds. The experience was quite enjoyable during the first 62 laps, while Newman was leading the race.

We look forward to a turn around at Dover next weekend.

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.