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Non-Chase Driver Newman Races Hard Against Gordon, Johnson

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The Tampa Tribune

Published: October 22, 2007

MARTINSVILLE, Va. - With all eyes on Hendrick Motorsports teammates Jimmie Johnson and Jeff Gordon and their domination of Martinsville Speedway, suddenly there was Ryan Newman on Sunday in the Subway 500, duking it out with both at the end.

In the midst of an uninspired season that finds him 14th in points and out of the Chase for the Championship, Newman yielded nothing to Chase leader and four-time champion Gordon while trying to run down Johnson in the final laps.

He made no apologies for racing them hard.

'That doesn't matter to me. I know I proved my worthiness, and in my opinion I'm a championship driver,' Newman said after getting past Gordon to finish second. 'Just because we had some bad luck and bad situations this year doesn't mean I should change the way I race the guys that are going for the Cup.'

Newman became a player in the finish when his team gambled and changed only his right-side tires during its final pit stop with 158 laps to go. The strategy worked because the race was filled with cautions, but the yellows may also have hurt him.

'I know I would have had a shot at him,' he said of Johnson. 'I had my nose at his left rear tire at the start-finish line getting the white flag. It's over.'

It was shortly thereafter, anyway, because rookie David Ragan spun in Turns 1 and 2, causing NASCAR to abandon its attempt at a two-lap sprint to the checkered flag.

'I would have liked to have said, 'Yeah, I could have passed him on the inside,'' Newman said. 'He went into Turn 3 and drifted up and over and braked and got loose and drifted up and gave me an opportunity. I didn't think that was going to happen.'

But Johnson stayed in front, then was saved by the 21st yellow flag.

PIT STOPS: Virginia native Ricky Rudd was questionable to drive Sunday because he is still recovering from a separated left shoulder. But with plans to retire at season's end, Rudd made his final start at the track in his home state, finishing 27th. ... It took polesitter and early race leader Gordon just more than 27 laps to lap the first car. He passed Paul Menard on Lap 28. ... Robby Gordon brought out the first caution when a cut tire sent him into the wall in Turn 4. ... Seven of the 12 Chase for the Championship drivers finished in the top 10. With four races remaining, all 12 drivers are still mathematically in contention to win. ... 'I've never raced so hard to get nowhere in all my life,' Bill Elliott said after starting 43rd and finishing 34th with a blown engine Sunday.

The Associated Press

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