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  • Newman to make 750th start across NASCAR at Daytona

    Newman to make 750th start across NASCAR at Daytona

    A significant milestone is in the making for veteran Ryan Newman, driver of the No. 6 Ford Mustang for Roush Fenway Racing in the NASCAR Cup Series, as he battles for a spot in this year’s Playoffs. When the green flag waves in the upcoming Cup race at Daytona International Speedway, Newman will achieve 750 starts across NASCAR’s three major division series (Truck, Xfinity and Cup Series).

    A native of South Bend, Indiana, who started his racing career in the United Midget Auto Racing Association and the All-American Midget Series before moving to USAC, Newman achieved three ARCA victories while driving for team owner Roger Penske in 2000 before he made his first NASCAR start at Phoenix in the Cup Series in November 2000. Driving the No. 02 Alltel Ford for Penske led by crew chief Matt Borland, Newman started 10th and finished 41st due to an engine failure.

    In 2001, while Newman was pursuing his B.S. degree in engineering at Purdue University, he competed in 15 Xfinity Series events and seven Cup Series events for Penske. In the Xfinity side, he achieved his first career win at Michigan International Speedway in August. He also earned six poles, two top-five results, eight top-10 results and an average result of 12.6. In the Cup side, he achieved his first career pole for the Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte’s Lowe’s Motor Speedway in May. Despite a strong start, where he led the first 10 laps, he wrecked in Turn 3 the following lap and retired in last place of the 43-car field. Overall, he earned two top-five results, including a career-best runner-up finish at Kansas Speedway in September behind Jeff Gordon, in seven Cup starts.

    In 2002, Newman graduated to a full-time driving role for Penske and in the No. 12 Alltel Ford for Penske led by Borland. Through the first 11 races, Newman earned a pole and four top-10 results, including a second-place finish at Richmond in May. The following race, which was The Winston (All-Star Race) at Lowe’s Motor Speedway, Newman was one of two competitors to transfer to the main event from The Winston Open after winning the No Bull 5 Sprint. In a five-lap shootout in the main event, Newman held off Dale Earnhardt Jr. to win The Winston and a total of $750,000. He became the first Cup competitor to win The Winston after transferring from the Open since Michael Waltrip made the last accomplishment in 1996 and the first to do so from the No Bull 5 Sprint. From the Coca-Cola 600 in May through Richmond in September, Newman earned 11 top-10 results and four runner-up finishes. The following race at New Hampshire, Newman achieved his first Cup career win in his 35th series start. For the final nine races of the 2002 season, Newman earned five six top-10 results and three poles before he concluded the season in sixth place in the final standings. In the end, Newman emerged as the Rookie-of-the-Year recipient over Jimmie Johnson with 14 top-five results and 22 top-10 results. His six poles were the most achieved by a rookie competitor.

    Newman started off the 2003 season on a rough note by flipping in the Daytona 500 in February following contact with Ken Schrader. It took until Texas Motor Speedway in April for Newman to achieve his first victory of the season and the second of his Cup career. The 2003 Cup season was an up-and-down season for the Indiana native. The pros to the season were the driver of the No. 12 Alltel/Penske Dodge achieving a season-high eight victories (winning at tracks like Dover, Chicagoland, Pocono, Michigan, Richmond and Kansas), 17 top-five results and 22 top-10 results. In addition, Newman earned a season-high 11 poles and was nicknamed “The Rocket Man” for his strong qualifying efforts and pole awards. The downside to Newman’s sophomore season was that he earned seven DNFs, including his flip at Daytona and after triggering a vicious 27-car wreck in the early laps at Talladega in April when he blew a tire in the middle of the pack, made hard contact against the Turn 1 outside wall and nearly flipped. He went on to conclude the season in sixth place in the final standings.

    Throughout the 2004 NASCAR Cup Series season, Newman won two races (Michigan in June and Dover in September) and recorded nine poles. He also earned 11 top-five results and 14 top-10 results as he was one of 10 competitors to make the inaugural postseason battle in the Cup Series. He concluded the season in seventh-place in the final standings. Prior to the conclusion of the 2004 season, Newman surpassed 100 starts across NASCAR’s three major division series.

    In 2005, Newman remained as a full-time competitor of the No. 12 Alltel/Penske Dodge in the Cup Series while he also competed in nine Xfinity Series races in the No. 39 Alltel/Penske Dodge. Throughout the 2005 Cup season, he won only one race (New Hampshire in September) and he earned eight poles, eight top-five results and 16 top-10 results. In addition, he made the Playoffs and concluded the season in sixth place in the final standings for the third time in his career. In nine Xfinity starts, he won six races, including the season finale at Homestead while also winning at Watkins Glen, Michigan, Bristol, Dover and Charlotte.

    In 2006, Newman remained as a full-time competitor of the No. 12 Alltel/Penske Dodge in the Cup Series while he also competed in six Xfinity races in the No. 39 Mobil 1/Alltel/Penske Dodge. The 2006 Cup season was a down season for the Indiana native, who went winless and only earned two poles, two top-five results and seven top-10 results. In addition, he missed the Playoffs and concluded the season in 18th place in the final standings. His best result in the Xfinity Series was a runner-up finish at Auto Club Speedway in February. Following 2006, Newman surpassed 200 starts across NASCAR’s three major division series.

    Throughout the 2007 Cup season, Newman achieved five poles, seven top-five results and 15 top-10 results before he concluded the Cup season in 13th place. He also made eight Xfinity starts, where he earned two top-five results and three top-10 results. In 2008, Newman received a draft from teammate Kurt Busch to pass Tony Stewart on the final lap and win the 50th running of the Daytona 500. The victory was Newman’s 13th of his Cup career, it snapped his winless drought dating back to September 2005 and it was the first Daytona 500 win for team owner Roger Penske. Despite winning the 500, Newman only achieved one more top-five results, one pole and a total of eight top-10 results before he concluded the season in 17th place in the final standings. Throughout the season, he made two Xfinity starts (Watkins Glen in the No. 22 FitzBradshaw Racing and at Homestead in the No. 33 Chevrolet for Kevin Harvick Inc.). He also made his NASCAR Truck Series debut at Atlanta Motor Speedway in October while driving the No. 2 Chevrolet Silverado for KHI, which he won following a late battle with NASCAR Hall of Famer Ron Hornaday Jr. To August 2020, Newman is one of 33 competitors to achieve a win across NASCAR’s three major division series. Following 2008, he also surpassed 300 starts across NASCAR’s three major division series.

    Midway into the 2008 season, Newman announced his departure from Penske to drive for the newly formed Stewart-Haas Racing in 2009. Driving the No. 39 U.S. Army/Haas Automation Chevrolet for SHR with support from crew chief Tony Gibson, Newman finished 36th in his first start with SHR. Though he did not record a victory, the 26-race regular-season stretch was a consistent run for Newman as he achieved 12 top-10 results and made the 2009 Playoffs along with teammate/owner Tony Stewart, which marked his first appearance in the Playoffs since 2005. At Talladega in October, he was involved in a harrowing accident in the closing laps when he was sent airborne and landed upside down on Kevin Harvick’s hood before he slid across and down the banking on his roof and flipped once before he came to rest on his roof. He was able to emerged uninjured. For the final 10 races, he earned three more top-10 results and concluded the season in ninth place in the final standings. Throughout the 2009 season, he made 10 Xfinity starts between the No. 33 Chevrolet for Kevin Harvick Inc., the No. 5 Chevrolet for JR Motorsports and the No. 1 Chevrolet for Phoenix Racing. His best run was at Talladega in April, where he started on pole and was in prime position of winning before he was edged by David Ragan at the finish line. He also made two Truck starts in the No. 2 Chevrolet for Kevin Harvick Inc. as he finished in fourth place in both races.

    Through the first six races of the 2010 Cup season, Newman finished no higher than fourth place. The following race at Phoenix, Newman, sporting the Tornados Ruiz Foods colors on his car and racing on two fresh tires on a two-lap shootout, overtook Jeff Gordon for the lead and held off Gordon to win as he achieved his first victory since the 2008 Daytona 500 and his first with Stewart-Haas Racing. He also recorded the first victory for veteran crew chief Tony Gibson. Though he missed the Playoffs and concluded the season in 15th place in the final standings, Newman and the No. 39 Chevrolet team achieved 12 additional top-10 results and a pole. He also made 12 Xfinity starts, all with Phoenix Racing, and he earned seven top-10 results.

    Throughout the 26-race regular-season stretch of the 2011 Cup season, Newman won one race (New Hampshire in July) and earned 13 top-10 results as he made the Playoffs for the fourth time in his career. For the remaining 10 races of the season in the Playoffs, Newman recorded four additional top-10 results and concluded the season in 10th place in the final standings while Tony Stewart went on to win his third Cup championship. Newman also competed in one Xfinity event and one Truck event throughout 2011, both with Turner Motorsports. Following 2011, he surpassed 400 starts.

    After finishing in the top 10 in two of the first five Cup races in 2012, Newman, sporting the Outback Steakhouse colors on his No. 39 SHR Chevrolet, made a late pass for the at Martinsville Speedway in April following a restart collision that knocked out Jeff Gordon, Jimmie Johnson and Clint Bowyer, and he went on to win following a late battle with A.J. Allmendinger. Throughout the season, he earned six top-five results and 14 top-10 results before he concluded the season in 14th place in the standings while missing the Playoffs for the second time in the last four seasons. He also made one Xfinity start at Texas in November with Turner Motorsports, where he finished 19th.

    For the first 19 races of the 2013 Cup season, Newman earned eight top-10 results. The following race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, his home track, he started off the weekend by achieving his 50th Cup career pole. On race day, he and crew chief Matt Borland opted for a two-tire pit stop in the closing laps to beat Jimmie Johnson and achieve his first victory of the season at Indianapolis in front of a home crowd. For the next five Cup races, Newman earned two additional top-five results. At Richmond in September, he took the lead late in the race and was in position of claiming a second victory and qualifying for the Playoffs when Clint Bowyer spun late in the race. Following an ensuing pit stop, where Newman exited in fifth place, he made his way up to third place, but he missed the Playoffs in a tiebreaker with Martin Truex Jr., Bowyer’s teammate. A few days later, however, Newman replaced Truex in the Playoffs along with Jeff Gordon after NASCAR determined that Bowyer’s spin was intentional in an effort for Truex to make the Playoffs and place two Michael Waltrip Racing cars in the postseason. He went on to achieve six additional top-10 results before he concluded the season in 11th place in the final standings. He also competed in the inaugural Truck Series race at Eldora Speedway, where he finished in third place. Following 2013, Newman surpassed 500 starts.

    After five seasons with Stewart-Haas Racing, Newman joined forces with Richard Childress Racing to drive the No. 31 Caterpillar/Quicken Loans Chevrolet SS led by crew chief Luke Lambert in 2014 while SHR expanded to a four-car operation as Kevin Harvick and Kurt Busch joined the organization. He finished 22nd in his first start with RCR in the Daytona 500 and went on to achieve nine top-10 results throughout the 26-race regular-season stretch to make the Playoffs. For the first eight races in the Playoffs, he earned five top-10 results. At Phoenix in November, Newman made a heroic bump and last lap pass on rookie Kyle Larson to finish in 11th place and earn a spot in the Championship Round at Homestead. At Homestead, he finished second on track and in the final standings to race winner and the champion Kevin Harvick. Overall, he earned five top-five results and 16 top-10 results in his first season with RCR and the runner-up result in the standings was his best in his 13th full-time season in the Cup Series.

    Throughout the 2015 and 2016 Cup seasons, Newman earned seven top-five results and 25 top-10 results while achieving a best points result of 11th place in 2015. He also made one Truck start at Kansas in May in the No. 8 NEMCO Motorsports Chevrolet, where he finished second. Following 2016, Newman surpassed 600 starts. In 2017, following the first three races, Newman and crew chief Luke Lambert gambled in the closing laps by remaining on track on old tires with the lead. In a two-lap shootout, Newman held off Larson to win his first Cup race since the 2013 Brickyard 400 and his first with RCR. He concluded the 2017 season with a total of seven top-five results, 13 top-10 results and a 16th-place result in the final standings along with his Phoenix win.

    After five seasons with Richard Childress Racing and coming off a disappointing 2018 season, where he only earned nine top-10 results and concluded the season in 17th place in the final standings, Newman moved to Roush Fenway Racing to pilot the iconic No. 6 Ford Mustang in the 2019 Cup Series season led by crew chief Scott Graves. Newman finished 14th in his first race with RFR in the Daytona 500 and he earned nine top-10 results throughout the 26-race regular-season stretch to make the Playoffs. Following finishes of 10th, fifth and 32nd in the first round (three races) of the Playoffs, he was eliminated from title contention. He went on to earn three additional top-10 results and conclude the season in 15th place in the final standings. Following 2019, Newman surpassed 700 starts across NASCAR’s three major division series.

    This season, Newman started off 19th full-time season in the Cup Series on a harrowing note. He was in prime position of winning his second Daytona 500 entering the frontstretch until a bump from Blaney turned Newman’s No. 6 Ford across the track and into the outside wall, where he flipped upside down and was hit on the driver’s side by an oncoming Corey LaJoie. The impact launched Newman into the air and across the finish line in ninth place before he came to rest on his roof with oil leaking and flames bursting out of his car. Following the accident, Newman was transported to a local hospital in Florida, where he sustained serious but non life-threatening injuries. Nearly two days after his accident, Newman walked out of the hospital while holding the hands of his daughters. With Newman recovering from a head injury, Ross Chastain drove Newman’s No. 6 car in three races.

    In May, when NASCAR returned to on-track racing in the midst of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, Newman was medically cleared to return to racing. He achieved a pair of top-15 results in his first two races back since his injuries at Darlington Raceway. He went on to earn six additional top-15 results in 22 starts through the first 25 Cup races of this season. He is currently ranked in 25th place in the regular-season standings, 245 points below the top-16 cutline, and is in a “must-win” scenario to make the 2020 Cup Playoffs.

    Catch Newman’s milestone start and final bid to make the 2020 Cup Playoffs at Daytona on Saturday, August 29, at 7:30 p.m. ET on NBC.

  • Roush Fenway Racing’s No. 6 to reach 1,000 starts at Kansas

    Roush Fenway Racing’s No. 6 to reach 1,000 starts at Kansas

    A significant milestone is in the making for one of NASCAR’s and Roush Fenway Racing’s iconic numbers this week at Kansas Speedway. When the green flag waves for the upcoming NASCAR Cup Series race, the Super Start Batteries 400, at Kansas, the No. 6 will reach 1,000 starts under the Roush Fenway Racing banner in NASCAR’s premier series.

    The No. 6 car was the first car that team owner Jack Roush fielded in the NASCAR Cup Series in 1988, the year Roush Racing was founded and made its debut in the 1988 Daytona 500 with Batesville, Arkansas, native Mark Martin serving as the team’s first driver led by crew chief Robin Pemberton. In the team’s first full-time season in the Cup circuit, Martin recorded a pole at Dover in September along with three top-five results and 10 top-10 results before concluding the season in 15th in the standings.

    The following season, Martin and Roush’s No. 6 Ford team rebounded by starting on the pole six times along with finishing in the top five 14 times and in the top 10 18 times. In October, Martin recorded the first Cup victory for himself and for Roush at Rockingham’s North Carolina Speedway. Ultimately, he concluded the season in third in the final standings.

    Starting the 1990 season fresh with new sponsor Folgers, Martin won three races, three poles and finished in the top 10 in all but six of the 29-race schedule. Though he led the points standings for the majority of the season, he was penalized 46 points following the second race of the season, which he won, due to a rules violation. The penalty cost Martin and Roush the overall championship by 26 points to Dale Earnhardt.

    From 1991 to 2000, Martin and Roush’s No. 6 team won 28 Cup races. He also achieved 27 poles, 148 top-five results, 214 top-10 results and over 8,000 laps led. His best points results during the ten years were a pair of runner-up results in 1994 and 1998, though he finished no lower than eighth during those years. By then, Valvoline was his primary sponsor. From 2001 to 2004, Martin only won two races. He also achieved two poles, 30 top-five results, 62 top-10 results and over 1,100 laps led. His best points results during the four years were a runner-up result in 2002 and a fourth-place result in 2004. By then, Viagra was his primary sponsor and Roush’s No. 6 car had surpassed 500 starts in the Cup level. In addition, owner Jack Roush notched his first two NASCAR Cup championships with Matt Kenseth in 2003 and Kurt Busch in 2004.

    The 2005 season started as Martin’s final full-time season of Cup racing while launching the “Salute to You” tour to thank his fans. Throughout the season, Martin won once at Kansas in October as he also achieved 12 top-five results, 19 top-10 results and led 324 laps before concluding the season in fourth in the final standings after making the Chase. One of Martin’s highlights during the season was winning the All-Star Race at Charlotte’s Lowe’s Motor Speedway in May while sporting a retro 1993 Valvoline scheme to his No. 6 car. Following the departure of Kurt Busch and Roush needing a driver for the No. 6 car in 2006, Martin agreed to return for another full-time season of racing. In 2006, while sporting the AAA logos on the car, Martin did not record a win, but he made his third consecutive Chase appearance while logging in seven top-five results and 15 top-10 results before concluding the season in ninth in the final standings.

    Following Martin’s departure to Ginn Racing, Roush hired Unadilla, Georgia’s David Ragan as driver of the No. 6 AAA Ford led by veteran crew chief Jimmy Fennig. By then, Roush Racing became Roush Fenway Racing when John W. Henry, owner of the Fenway Sports Group, purchased half of the team’s stake with Jack Roush still overseeing daily operations of the organization. Ragan kicked off his rookie Cup season by finishing fifth in the Daytona 500 after dodging a last-lap accident. Throughout the season, however, Ragan struggled with consistency. He recorded two more top-10 results throughout the season before settling in 23rd in the final standings and falling short of the Rookie-of-the-Year title to Juan Pablo Montoya. Ragan rebounded the following season by recording six top-five results and 14 top-10 results before concluding the season in 13th in the final standings, the highest of the non-Chase contenders.

    Between 2009 and 2010, while sporting the UPS colors on the No. 6 Ford, Ragan struggled with consistency as he logged five top-10 results between the two seasons with a best points result of 24th in 2010. In 2011, with the No. 6 UPS team led by Drew Blickensderfer, Ragan started the season by nearly winning the Daytona 500 until he was penalized for switching lanes prior to reaching the start/finish line and ultimately, finishing 14th. For the first 16 races of the season, Ragan recorded four top-10 results and his first career pole at Texas in April. He also won the Sprint Showdown at Charlotte in May to transfer to his first All-Star Race, where he finished eighth. In July, Ragan survived a wild night of carnage to score his first Cup career win at Daytona International Speedway. The victory marked the first time since 2005 where Roush’s No. 6 car won a race in NASCAR’s premier series. For the remainder of the season, Ragan recorded another pole at Indianapolis Motor Speedway and three more top-10 results before finishing 23rd in the final standings.

    Following the 2011 season and Ragan’s departure from Roush Fenway Racing, the No. 6 car only made four starts throughout the 2012 Cup season with the reigning Xfinity Series champion Ricky Stenhouse Jr. Stenhouse made his first start in the No. 6 Ford at the Daytona 500 in February, where he rallied from being involved in a late accident to finish 20th. He went on to finish 12th at Dover in September, 35th at Charlotte in October and 39th at Homestead in November. Stenhouse also competed the entire Xfinity race schedule in Roush’s No. 6 Ford Mustang, which he won and defended his series title. In 2013, Stenhouse graduated to the Cup Series on a full-time basis, replacing Matt Kenseth as driver of the No. 17 Ford while the No. 6 car was not fielded for the first time throughout a racing season since the team’s inception.

    Following a two-year hiatus, the No. 6 car made its return to the track for the 2015 Cup season with the 2011 Daytona 500 champion Trevor Bayne set to pilot the car with sponsorship support from AdvoCare and the team led by veteran Bob Osborne. Throughout the 2015 season, however, Bayne struggled with consistency as he finished in the top 10 twice and concluded the season in 29th in the final standings. The following season, paired with crew chief Matt Puccia, Bayne recorded two top-five results and five top-10 results while leading a career-high 34 laps and winning a stage in the All-Star Open at Charlotte in May to transfer to the All-Star Race, where he finished seventh. Ultimately, he concluded the season in 22nd in the final standings. In 2017, Bayne finished 22nd in the final standings again while recording two top-five results and six top-10 results. The closest he came to winning a race in Roush’s No. 6 car was the Brickyard 400 at Indianapolis in July, where he had a potential late-race winning strategy spoiled by a late caution that later led to him being involved in a multi-car wreck.

    Throughout the 2018 season, the No. 6 car was split between Bayne and Matt Kenseth, who reunited with Roush Fenway Racing in an effort to help strengthen the performance of the team following recent on-track struggles. For Bayne, who competed in 21 Cup races, his best result was an 11th-place finish at Bristol in August while finishing 12th at Texas in April and 13th on three occasions. For Kenseth, who made his first start at Kansas in May, he recorded a pair of top-10 finishes in the final two races of the season and he picked up a stage win at Indianapolis in September.

    For the 2019 season, Roush Fenway Racing shifted gears and welcomed the 2008 Daytona 500 champion Ryan Newman to pilot the No. 6 Ford Mustang led by crew chief Scott Graves. Throughout the season, Newman recorded three top-five results, 14 top-10 results and 57 stage points as he made the Playoffs before he concluded the season in 15th in the final standings.

    This season, Newman and Roush’s No. 6 team appeared to start the season off by winning the 62nd running of the Daytona 500 until the veteran was involved in a harrowing accident on the final straightaway, an accident that left Newman injured and out of the racing seat for three races. During the three races that Newman was out, Ross Chastain piloted the No. 6 Ford as his best result was a 17th-place finish at Auto Club Speedway in March. Following a two-month hiatus of on-track racing amid the COVID-19 pandemic, when NASCAR returned at Darlington Raceway, Newman was cleared to return to drive Roush’s No. 6 car.

    Since May, Newman has recorded seven top-15 results with a best result of 12th at Martinsville Speedway in June. He is ranked 26th in the regular-season standings and is 127 points below the top-16 cutline to make the Playoffs in his second season as driver of the No. 6 Ford for Roush Fenway Racing. Though he missed three races to start this season, he is granted a waiver to qualify for the Playoffs should he win and gain enough points to make the cutline.

    Catch Roush Fenway Racing’s No. 6 car’s milestone start in the Super Start Batteries 400 at Kansas Speedway on July 23 at 7:30 p.m. ET on NBCSN.

  • Truex on pole position for NASCAR All-Star Race

    Truex on pole position for NASCAR All-Star Race

    The 2017 NASCAR Cup Series champion Martin Truex Jr. will start on pole position for the 2020 NASCAR All-Star Race on Wednesday, July 15, by virtue of a random draw. The lineup was revealed during Monday night’s coverage of NASCAR Race Hub on FS1.

    Truex, who is in his second season driving the No. 19 Toyota Camry for Joe Gibbs Racing, is ranked seventh in the Cup Series regular-season standings and trails points leader Kevin Harvick by 132 points. He is guaranteed a spot in the 2020 Playoffs by virtue of his victory at Martinsville Speedway in June. He will also make his ninth career start in NASCAR’s All-Star feature.

    Joining Truex on the front row is Alex Bowman, who will make his third consecutive All-Star Race appearance. Ryan Blaney, who will make his fourth consecutive All-Star start, will start third followed by newcomer Justin Haley, who will make his All-Star Race debut. Kevin Harvick, a two-time winner of the All-Star Race, will start fifth.

    Matt Kenseth, the 2004 All-Star Race champion who will pilot the No. 42 Chip Ganassi Racing Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE that won last year’s race with Kyle Larson, will start in sixth followed by the 2010 All-Star winner and teammate Kurt Busch. Rookie Cole Custer, coming off his thrilling victory last Sunday at Kentucky Speedway, will roll off the grid in eighth while making his All-Star Race debut. Brad Keselowski will start ninth while Kyle Busch, the 2017 All-Star Race champion, will round out the top 10.

    Ryan Newman, the 2002 All-Star Race champion, will start 11th alongside Joey Logano, winner of the 2016 All-Star feature. Chase Elliott will start 13th next to teammate Jimmie Johnson, a four-time All-Star Race winner who will make his 19th and final start in the featured race. Denny Hamlin, the 2015 All-Star champion, will start 15th while teammate Erik Jones will round out the top-16 field as competitors that have already been guaranteed a spot for the main event.

    The final four spots of the 20-car field will be determined following the NASCAR All-Star Open, which will occur prior to the All-Star Race on July 15. The leaders/winners of each of the three segments will advance to the All-Star Race and will be joined by the Fan Vote winner.

    This year’s All-Star Race will occur at Bristol Motor Speedway for the first time in NASCAR history. Among the rules featured for the race includes the Choose Rule, where the competitors must commit to the inside or outside lane for a restart while approaching a designated spot on the track; extra sponsor exposure, where the car number will move to the rear wheel and allow the exposure of sponsors; and underglow lights, where the car automatically qualified for the All-Star Race will have lights glowing beneath the racing vehicles. This will mark the first time where the underglow lights will be featured on the cars since Chip Ganassi Racing’s Kurt Busch and Kyle Larson sported underglow lights to their cars during the Burnouts on Broadway spectacle as part of NASCAR’s Champion’s Week in Nashville last December.

    This year’s All-Star Race will feature four segments with 55 laps in the first segment, 35 in the second, 35 in the third and 15 for the fourth and final segment, a total of 140 laps where one million dollars awaits the winner.

    The 2020 NASCAR All-Star Race will air on July 15 at 8:30 p.m. ET on FS1.

  • First Cup Pocono race features unique top-15 notables

    First Cup Pocono race features unique top-15 notables

    While Kevin Harvick walked away with his first NASCAR Cup Series win at Pocono Raceway following a 19-year dry spell, there were other competitors who left the first Pocono race of the weekend satisfied with their runs involving late-race strategy and finishes inside the top 15.

    The first was Clint Bowyer. Starting 18th, Bowyer remained in 18th through the competition caution on Lap 13. Surrendering his track position to pit for early adjustments, Bowyer fell back to 24th. Through two restarts, he settled in 25th when the first stage concluded. He spent the majority of the following stage racing within the 20s, but when some competitors opted to pit under green, Bowyer was back up in 11th. Following a late debris caution, he pitted. Through two restarts, he was able to carve his way to 13th following the second stage. In the final stage, under 40 laps remaining, Bowyer made a green-flag pit stop along with a bevy of lead-lap cars that would get him the fuel he needed to make it to the end. Fifteen laps later, Bowyer was running in 14th and delivering strong lap times. For the remainder of the race, Bowyer and his No. 14 Stewart-Haas Racing Ford Mustang was able to work his way into the top 10 as he settled in seventh when the race concluded. Coming off four disappointing races, where he finished no higher than 11th at Homestead, the seventh-place result was Bowyer’s fourth top-10 result of this season and his best finish since finishing second at Bristol on May 31. It was also a result that kept Bowyer inside the top-16 in the Cup regular-season standings.

    “We were really loose and in traffic, we were terrible,” Bowyer said. “But, I think we found our direction in the last part of the race. We had a vibration late or I think we could have gotten more spots. What a swing! [Crew chief] Johnny Klausmeier and my guys did a good job calling the race.”

    Next was Michael McDowell. Starting 26th McDowell was able to work his way up to 19th following the first stage and in 16th following the second stage. Restarting 14th under 50 laps remaining for the final stage, McDowell shined as he worked his way into the top 10. As the green-flag run stretch, a multitude of competitors, even for those running towards the front, pitted while McDowell was among a handful who remained on track. Once most of the pit stops cycled through, McDowell and his No. 34 Front Row Motorsports Ford Mustang team was running inside the top five and was one of seven cars yet to pit. With 20 laps remaining, McDowell passed Ryan Newman to lead a lap before he surrendered his track position to pit under green. Once he exited pit road, McDowell was still in contention for a top-10 result, which he was able to move into eighth in the final laps. When the checkered flag flew, McDowell crossed the line in eighth for his first top-10 result of this season, the ninth of his career and his first since finishing fifth last October at Talladega Superspeedway. The result was also McDowell’s best in a non-superspeedway event in the Cup Series. With teammate John Hunter Nemechek finishing eighth the previous race at Talladega and McDowell earning his eighth-place result in the first Pocono race, this marked the first time where Front Row Motorsports’ entries earned top-10 results in consecutive weeks.

    “Well, that was an exciting run,” McDowell said. “[Crew chief] Drew [Blickensderfer] made a great call. Strategy was the big part of it today. Our car was really fast on the long run, which let us stay out long and make good lap times, and end up taking only two tires at the end to get some track position. Luckily, it stayed green and everything went our way. Really proud of everybody at Front Row [Motorsports]. Fast race car all day long and I’m just glad we got a top 10 here, kept the momentum rolling. We get to do all again tomorrow. We’ll reload and get to do it again.”

    Another competitor who gambled late on fuel to post a decent result was Chris Buescher. Starting 24th, Buescher was able to carve his way to 17th through the competition caution on Lap 13. He went on to finish 19th in the first stage and 20th in the second stage, though his No. 17 Roush Fenway Racing Ford Mustang was fifth at one moment in the second stage. Restarting 18th for the final stage, Buescher was one of seven competitors who decided to stretch his fuel cell as far as possible while the green-flag run progressed and as most of the lead-lap cars pitted. With teammate Ryan Newman leading in the late stages, Buescher was running in third. Under 20 laps remaining, Buescher inherited the lead and led three laps before making a green-flag pit stop. Once Buescher returned on track, he spent the next 17 laps working his way back to the front. On the final lap, Buescher was able to pass Matt Kenseth to finish 10th and secure his fourth top-10 result of this season in his 14th Cup race with Roush Fenway Racing.

    “Well, another top 10 for our Fastenal Mustang,” Buescher said. “First Pocono is in the books, a little bit delayed, but we had a really good run. Had some good strategy, we had good speed. [I] Was happy with our racecar. We get to work on it a little bit for tomorrow, kind of fine tuned and be able to hit the ground running. We’re excited to get going and try to build off of this, and try to do a little better yet.”

    Finishing right behind Buescher was Matt Kenseth. Starting 22nd, Kenseth was scored in 23rd and he went on to finish 23rd and 14th in the following two stages. With 37 laps remaining, Kenseth was among many competitors who made a green-flag pit stop with enough fuel to complete the remainder of the race. From there, Kenseth awaited as a handful of competitors peeled off the track to pit road. Under 15 laps remaining, the 2003 Cup champion was scored in 10th and was appeared to finish in the top 10 despite enduring late handling issues. On the final lap, he was overtaken for position and settled in 11th, seven spots ahead of teammate Kurt Busch. While he came one spot short of earning his second top-10 result of this season, the 11th-place result marked Kenseth’s third top-15 result of the 2020 season in his 10th race driving the No. 42 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE and his best result since finishing 15th at Atlanta on June 7. In the previous three Cup races prior to Saturday’s race at Pocono, Kenseth had finished no higher than 23rd and was coming off a 40th-place finish, last, at Talladega due to mechanical issues. By finishing 11th, Kenseth was also the highest-finishing Chevrolet competitor of the Cup race.

    After running inside the top five midway in the race, Matt DiBenedetto settled for a top-15 result following a late cycle of green-flag pit stops. Starting 21st, DiBenedetto had a strong No. 21 Wood Brothers Racing Ford Mustang to start the race as he gained 10 spots and was scored in 11th through the first 13 laps. Through the remainder of the first stage, DiBenedetto was able to work his way into the top 10 and finish seventh while earning crucial stage points for the Playoffs. Continuing to battle his way towards the front with a strong car, DiBenedetto was able to finish fifth in the second stage and earn more valuable stage points. Following a final green-flag pit stop under 40 laps remaining in the final stage, DiBenedetto crossed the line in 13th for his ninth top-15 finish in his 14th race with the Wood Brothers.

    Finally, Ryan Newman concluded his day with a top-15 run after leading in the late laps on a dry tank of fuel. Starting 13th, Newman had fallen back to 20th through the competition caution, but he progressively worked his way back to finish 14th and 12th in the first two stages. The final stage was where Newman rose to the occasion as he inherited the lead with 33 laps remaining. With Newman in the lead, this marked the third race where he led a lap since returning from his injuries in the season-opening Daytona 500. On this occasion, Newman led 13 laps. A lap after losing the lead to Michael McDowell, Newman made a green-flag pit stop. Once he returned on the track, he was still in the top 15, running near his teammate Chris Buescher. While Buescher marched on into the top 10, Newman settled in 15th for his sixth top-15 result since returning at Darlington Raceway in May.

    The NASCAR Cup Series will return for a second race at Pocono as part of the doubleheader feature on June 28 at 4 p.m. ET on FS1.

  • Kenseth, Newman accomplish respectable finishes at Darlington

    Kenseth, Newman accomplish respectable finishes at Darlington

    While Kevin Harvick notched a milestone victory of his NASCAR Cup Series career in Sunday’s Real Heroes 400 at Darlington Raceway, veterans Ryan Newman and Matt Kenseth achieved a task of their own that felt like a win. By finishing in the top 15 and completing all 400 miles, (293 laps), both Cup veterans took their first of three steps needed to be post-season eligible. They also took the first step in rejuvenating their successful careers after missing the opening races to a bizarre season.

    When NASCAR returned to Darlington on Sunday, it had been 71 days since the last checkered flag flew at Phoenix Raceway. The last time Matt Kenseth raced in a Cup car was 547 days ago at Homestead-Miami Speedway in November 2018. In that race, he completed his part-time stint with Roush Fenway Racing with a top-10 result. Since then, he had no racing plans on his agenda. An unexpected opportunity, however, presented itself in April to drive Chip Ganassi Racing’s No. 42 Chevrolet Camaro for the remainder of the 2020 season when Kyle Larson was suspended for using a racial slur during an iRacing event. 

    In Kenseth’s first race since 2018, he started 12th based on a random draw and spent the bulk of the day inside the top 15 to top 20, watching from a distance as his teammate Kurt Busch, fellow competitors and a pair of youngsters duked it out for the win. When the checkered flag flew, Kenseth made a late charge to maintain the 10th position on track for his 330th top-10 career result, his 12th at Darlington and to place CGR’s No. 42 Chevrolet team in the top 10 in six of the last seven Darlington events.

    While Kenseth’s return was not explosive nor dominant compared to winner Kevin Harvick, it was a result that left the former Cup Series champion satisfied with his result in assessing the competitiveness and grip levels of the current Cup cars with his new team while planning for the next scheduled event at Darlington on Wednesday, May 20. It also left him satisfied in returning behind the wheel of a stock car and giving him a sense of rejuvenating his past magic and contending for his second Cup title despite missing the first five races of the 2020 season.

    Like Kenseth, Newman finished in the top 10 in his previous Cup start that goes back to the Daytona 500. His result, however, was long overshadowed by his horrific last-lap accident that sent him to the hospital and forced him to miss the next four races while recovering from his injuries. When Sunday’s race at Darlington arrived and Newman was cleared to return, it had been 91 days since he last climbed into his No. 6 Roush Fenway Racing Ford Mustang.

    Starting 21st, Newman’s return was quiet as he spent the majority of the event racing inside the top 20. He earned a top-10 result, ninth, in the first stage and collected valuable bonus points needed in his quest to make this year’s playoffs. Under the stage break, however, Newman was caught speeding on pit road that sent him to the rear of the field. While Newman was able to rally from his early miscue, another curveball was tossed at him. With 41 laps remaining, Newman spun below the apron in Turn 1 caused by a flat right-rear tire initiated two corners earlier to draw a late caution. With the veteran able to continue with no significant damage, Newman was able to remain inside the top 20 in the closing laps. He made a late pass on Clint Bowyer to move into 15th place, which he was able to maintain after taking the checkered flag.

    The result left the former Daytona 500 champion satisfied in completing his first race since surviving one of NASCAR’s most horrific wrecks in history and in the sanctioning body’s efforts in resuming the season amid the ongoing Coronavirus pandemic. It also gave him a confidence booster in igniting a comeback story of his career and positioning himself to be eligible for his first Cup crown.

    Kenseth and Newman will join their fellow NASCAR Cup Series competitors in returning for a second race at Darlington Raceway on May 20 followed by Charlotte Motor Speedway for the Coca-Cola 600 on May 24.

  • A tale of two veterans returning to NASCAR in 2020

    A tale of two veterans returning to NASCAR in 2020

    NASCAR is in for a double treat in 2020. Already, the sport’s announcement of its return to on-track competition in mid-May is leaving the drivers, the teams and the fans excited amid the ongoing Coronavirus pandemic. Additionally, two notable veterans, both of whom entered 2020 with distinct mindsets, are set to establish comeback stories of their own for the remainder of this season: Ryan Newman and Matt Kenseth. 

    Flashback three months ago, where Newman was leading in the final straightaway of the Daytona 500. For a moment, it appeared that the veteran from South Bend, IN, was en route to a breakout start to his second season with Roush Fenway Racing by winning his second career Harley J. Earl Trophy. 

    Then, the near-excitement was overturned by the near-disaster as Newman was turned by Ryan Blaney into the outside wall and rolled upside down. Then, he was launched into the air after being hit by Corey LaJoie on the driver’s side before coming down and sliding on his roof in a trail of sparks. It was a wreck that left the racing community frozen, sending thoughtful wishes and anxiously awaiting the fate of Newman’s condition, who was extricated from his demolished car and transported to a local hospital.

    Two days later, to the delight of everyone, there was the photo posted from Roush Fenway Racing of Newman exiting the Halifax Medical Center and walking alongside his two daughters. It was a photo that not only eased the pain and anxiety of many but encapsulated the success of the safety enhancements made in the modern era of NASCAR and the endless efforts made from every crew member in keeping their drivers both competitive and safe when racing. The photo also exemplified Newman’s endless grit that he has exhibited throughout his racing career when recovering from previous harrowing wrecks to focus toward upcoming races and getting stronger and better than ever.

    Should Newman return to victory lane and qualify for the postseason, it would not mark the only time when NASCAR has seen a competitor rallying from an injury. A notable example includes Kyle Busch, rallying from missing the first 11 Cup races of the season due to a compound fracture and injuring both of his legs in a wreck at Daytona to win four races in the summer stretch and claim his first Cup championship in 2015 with a win in the finale at Homestead. In addition, the following year, Tony Stewart missed the first eight races of the season after fracturing his lumbar vertebra in an off-season buggy accident, but averaged a finishing result of 17.2 in the final 18 regular-season races, including scoring a triumphant win at Sonoma, to make the postseason in his 18th and final season of NASCAR competition. Finally, Denny Hamlin fractured his vertebra after being involved in a last-lap skirmish with Joey Logano at Fontana in 2013, an injury that made him sit out four races. Once he recovered and returned, he did not acquire enough consistent finishes to make the postseason. Nonetheless, he ended the season on a positive by winning the finale at Homestead, which gave him extra momentum for 2014 and beyond.

    With the veteran cleared to return to racing, Newman’s road to a comeback begins at Darlington Raceway, a track where he has earned up-and-down results with an average finish of 12.57 and a runner-up finish in 2002. To Newman’s benefit, Roush’s entries have won at Darlington five times, but none since 2006. One thing is for certain. Newman is a hard-core racer and will not hesitate nor let his injuries prevent him from racing back into winning contention as he nearly accomplished at Daytona.

    Then, there is Matt Kenseth. A return that no one, not even the former Cup Series champion himself, expected at the drop of the first green flag of the 2020 season. At that time, returning to NASCAR was not remotely on his radar. 

    Everything, however, changed in April when prominent star Kyle Larson was dismissed from Chip Ganassi Racing for uttering a racial slur during a live iRacing event. Two weeks later, when Kenseth was presented with the opportunity to assume the reins of Ganassi’s No. 42 Chevrolet, it was an opportunity that he could not resist in reigniting his illustrious career that spans over 20 years.

    Kenseth’s role as a substitute driver is also a move that is widely familiar in NASCAR. The most notable example was four-time Cup champion Jeff Gordon in 2016, when he subbed for Dale Earnhardt Jr., recovering from concussion-like symptoms. While sharing Earnhardt’s ride with future Hendrick Motorsports driver Alex Bowman, Gordon earned an average finish of 13.86 in eight races and two top-10 finishes, including a sixth-place result at Martinsville in what was his 805th and final Cup start to date.

    There is a challenge for Kenseth at hand as he returns. While Ganassi’s No. 42 team has earned an average finish of 11.0 through the first four races of 2020, Kenseth has not raced since November 2018 at Homestead, where he was a part-time competitor for Roush Fenway Racing, and has not won since November 2017 at Phoenix with Joe Gibbs Racing. This will also be Kenseth’s first time racing a Chevrolet in NASCAR since the 2001 Xfinity Series season.

    The good news for Kenseth is that in the last six years, when Kyle Larson raced at Darlington, the No. 42 team led 500 laps and earned an average result of 6.67, including a second-place result last September. In the 25 Darlington races that Kenseth has driven, he has averaged a result of 15.8, which includes his lone win at the track in 2013. He also has three Xfinity Series wins at the historic venue. In addition, in his final two races of 2018, Kenseth scored top-10 results, which should give the driver confidence to slowly pick himself and the team back up into competitive form and toward a bright future.

    With the season’s return approaching, two veterans representing two distinct teams and with two distinct approaches for this season aim to pick off where they last started off and conclude 2020 with comeback stories of their own and the burning desire to win and be competitive again.

  • Episode 6: Viva Las Vegas, Is Newman made of old Nokia phones, an unusual top-10

    Episode 6: Viva Las Vegas, Is Newman made of old Nokia phones, an unusual top-10

    Guest host Justin Schuoler from KickInTheTires.net joins the show to talk about the Las Vegas race weekend, gambling on track, and if Ryan Newman is made of old Nokia phones.

  • Newman’s Daytona 500 accident nothing more than that – an accident

    Newman’s Daytona 500 accident nothing more than that – an accident

    It’s difficult to believe that we’re constantly in a position in the sport where we have to reiterate certain things that should be obvious. Accidents happen. The loss of Dale Earnhardt on February 18, 2001 was an accident. The losses of Blaise Alexander, Tony Roper, Kenny Irwin, and Adam Petty were all accidents. Carl Edwards being launched into the fence at Talladega in 2009 was an accident. Ryan Newman’s accident in Sunday’s Daytona 500? Also an accident.

    I went into work tonight expecting some talk about Newman’s accident as I’m the lone racing guy on our staff. Sure enough, my coworkers were approaching me to talk about what they heard about Newman’s crash. Most were facts about Newman that come as obvious to those who follow racing and who have been following the news of the crash, but there were others who heard the same obnoxious nonsense from social media – that Ryan Blaney turned the No. 6 Ford while trying to win the 500.

    Rarely has such news solicited such a groan-worthy reaction out of me. Just hearing that brings back memories of how obsurd things got for Sterling Marlin when Earnhardt died, how he received death threats and hate mail following the 2001 Daytona 500. I don’t understand – in the post-race shots on pit road, Blaney looks as distressed and upset as he could be without falling into absolute hysterics. Not the reaction expected of someone who had punted Newman into the wall.

    What’s the logic here? Do people actually think that the drivers aren’t aware of the risks of malicious intent at 200 mph? Do people really think that Blaney is the type of driver that would punt a guy for a win? This sentiment ranks up there with the idiots (I use that word deliberately) who said Newman deserved his fate for being a Trump supporter or the people who tried to call attention to themselves by “knowing somebody who knew somebody who knew somebody who knew Newman’s conditon.”

    Racing brings out the comraderie in it’s fans regardless of political or religious leanings, but it brings out the less-than-savory folks too. Then, it brings out the people who tend to act without thinking – especially the folks who assumed that the bump from Blaney was some sort of ruthless, calculated smack designed to move Newman out of the way.

    If anything, Blaney is the most mellow guy on the track – when he’s not racing for the win he’s usually hosting his podcast, making television and movie cameos, or tormenting William Byron for dating his little sister. He takes time for his fans and seems to be an all-around fun and respectful guy. In this instance he was going to try to push another driver who raced for Ford to the win after realizing he wasn’t going to win the race. That doesn’t come across as a guy who’d gleefully dump a guy a la Chick Hicks on the way to winning a Piston Cup.

    The Daytona 500 is the Mecca of NASCAR. It’s the be-all-end-all for the sport. The drive to win it is bigger than winning a title for some. But if guys like Tony Stewart, Mark Martin, and Kyle Busch can lose the race gracefully again and again, then it just goes to show that there isn’t some inherent curse among the drivers that causes them to act out horrible urges in order to win this race. This isn’t the literal Holy Grail and they aren’t Indiana Jones.

    When all is said and done, Blaney should be commended for a race well run. Denny Hamlin should be commended for winning his third 500. The NASCAR Safety R&D center should be commended for making durable equipment. The Safety Team should be commended for a swift and appropriate response to Newman’s aid. Even the NASCAR Media should be commended for keeping their mouths shut and their thumbs still until official word on Newman’s condition was released.

    As for those who were quick to blame Blaney for “deliberately” turning Newman, to paraphrase the great 20th century poet Phife Dog, they can take that garbage to St. Elsewhere.

  • The Final Word…thankfully of just a single race

    The Final Word…thankfully of just a single race

    No!

    I am not a very expressive guy when it comes to watching sporting events. I have long come to realize there are more important things in life than a winning result. Then, there are times when something takes place that is truly important. Something that brings forth emotion.

    No!

    19 years ago was one of those moments. My wife had convinced me to forsake the Daytona 500 finish to go out shopping. It was a race that made me laugh as Dale Earnhardt gave a one-finger salute to a rookie by the name of Kurt Busch. The Intimidator was taking no guff from the cocky kid. As we pulled back into the driveway, we heard the news on the car radio.

    No!

    My enthusiasm for covering NASCAR may have diminished over recent years, but there have been no more shopping sprees to interrupt the Great American Race since. My PVR had caught up to the live action and I was glued to the tube as Ryan Newman made his bid to claim the prize. He came close, then came a bump and a hard right into the wall.

    No!

    While Denny Hamlin was edging out Ryan Blaney at the line, we watched Newman’s upside down flaming wreckage slide down the track. It did not look good. Then they showed the replay.

    No!

    Newman was upside down. Vulnerable. A sitting duck. Corey Lajoie had no place to go to avoid what came next. His car hit Newman’s right on the driver’s side. Hard. You could see where he hit and the damage it caused.

    No!

    My wife and I went out to join some fellow runners for a trek out into a cold winter night. It was therapeutic. As my spikes hit the ice with each step I managed to forget for a moment those fears, that emotion. Then it was over and those emotions returned.

    No!

    NASCAR news was coming to us over Sirius radio in the car as we headed back home. An update. Serious condition, but not life-threatening injuries.

    Yes!

    As I write this, I do not know exactly what that means. I prefer to think it means good news. I prefer to believe it means a guy out of his car seat for a while, a man slowly mending at home, a big burly impatient ornery bear driving his wife crazy as he dreams of a return to the track.

    Yes!

    That is what I choose to believe. That is my hope. It is not who won the race that is important, but the news I have as I finish the day. That brings me some comfort. Some things are more important than who won, but who survived.

  • Ryan Newman hospitalized in serious condition after wreck at Daytona

    Ryan Newman hospitalized in serious condition after wreck at Daytona

    Ryan Newman was hospitalized after a fiery crash at Daytona International Speedway Monday night. The accident occurred on the final lap of the Daytona 500 after a couple of hard hits sent his car airborne and left it crumpled and in flames.

    It took track personnel quite some time to extricate Newman from his car before he was sent to Halifax Medical Center for further evaluation. As everyone collectively held their breath, fearing the worst but hoping for the best, an update was issued by Roush Fenway Racing almost two hours later.  

    Jeff Gordon, a four-time NASCAR Cup Series champion, echoed the sentiments of the NASCAR community, saying, “Safety’s come a long way in this sport, but sometimes we are reminded that it is a very dangerous sport.”

    Thankfully, though Newman is in serious condition, the statement issued by the team indicated that his injuries are not life-threatening.

    NASCAR Executive Vice President and Chief Racing Development Officer, Steve O’Donnell, shared the update.

    “I wanted to provide everybody an update on Ryan Newman. He’s been transported to Halifax Medical Center, undergoing further treatment and evaluation. We’ve been in continual dialogue with the race team and Ryan’s family. And on behalf of Roush Racing, they’ve asked us to read a statement to give you an update and the statement reads as follows:

    “Ryan Newman is being treated at Halifax Medical Center. He is in serious condition, but doctors have indicated his injuries are not life-threatening.

    “We appreciate your thoughts and prayers and ask that you respect the privacy of Ryan and his family during this time.

    “We appreciate your patience and cooperation and we will provide more information as it becomes available.”

    O’Donnell added, “That’s the end of the statement and then certainly on our behalf we’re going to continue to work with the race team and Ryan’s family to support them in any way we can. We’d ask that you respect their privacy and going forward we’ll provide updates as we can. But at this time our thoughts are with Ryan and his family. Thank you.”