No Dale Earnhardt Jr Victory
Ryan Newman Caps Off Exciting Daytona 500 Week
Ryan Newman patiently waited for an opportunity and he pulled in front of his Penske Racing teammate Kurt Busch on the backstretch of the last lap.
With all of the hoopla surrounding Dale Earnhardt, Jr. this week at Daytona, the perfect ending seemed to be NASCAR’s most popular driver capturing the 50th Daytona 500. However, another driver who has flown under the radar ever since his last win in September of 2005 won the milestone event.
Ryan Newman became NASCAR’s next big thing in 2003 when he posted eight wins and eleven poles. He qualified for the first two Chase for the Championship playoffs and was on his way to becoming a household name. The 12 team hit a major snag in 2006, only posting two top five finishes and seven top ten finishes, and with the emergence of other young stars, Newman became a forgotten man in the ‘what have you done for me lately’ sport.
The man known as the ‘Rocketman’ for his lightning fast qualifying attempts rebounded well in 2007, nearly winning three or four races; however, the dark cloud continued to trail him. That dark cloud was a literal one at Pocono last June when Newman dove under Jeff Gordon for the lead, but not in time. NASCAR waved the caution flag due to the rain, and Newman settled for second, while Gordon won his fourth race of the season.
That dark cloud followed him to Charlotte in October when Newman juked Jeff Gordon on a restart with less than eight laps to go. While pulling away from the field, something broke on his Alltel Dodge and he spun out and hit the wall with less than three laps remaining. Gordon went on to win that race also.
A couple of weeks later at Martinsville, Newman had Jimmie Johnson right where he wanted him on the green-white-checkered restart. As Newman put a fender underneath Johnson, another car spun around ending the race.
Those races along with four engine failures marked a lost season of Ryan Newman. However, the 2008 Sprint Cup season appears promising for the 2002 Rookie of the Year. Newman had a fast car, but the TV cameras focused on Dale Earnhardt, Jr., Jeff Gordon, and Tony Stewart, NASCAR’s three biggest stars. Kyle Busch forced the TV cameras to show him some love as he led 86 laps. Newman patiently waited for an opportunity and he pulled in front of his Penske Racing teammate Kurt Busch on the backstretch of the last lap. Together, Roger Penske’s star drivers pushed past Joe Gibbs Racing drivers Stewart and Kyle Busch.
Newman’s win was his first at a restrictor plate venue, and the first Daytona 500 triumph for one of motorsports most venerated personalities, Roger Penske, who had won the Indianapolis 500 fourteen times.
The win was perfect for NASCAR. It was similar to the New York Giants upsetting the New England Patriots in the Super Bowl earlier in the month. The Patriots of NASCAR, Hendrick Motorsports, appeared mortal. Tony Stewart, one of NASCAR’s biggest stars this decade, faded on the last lap. Ryan Newman, a driver who had not won in 81 races, brought him coveted prize.
Sure, Dale Earnhardt, Jr. winning the 50th running of the Daytona 500 with Hendrick Motorsports would have been an enticing storyline. Tony Stewart, who has come so close ever since he was a rookie, finally winning the Daytona 500 would have dominated the sports headlines. A Toyota winning its first Daytona 500, or NASCAR Sprint Cup race for that matter, would have given us plenty to write about. Jeff Gordon and Jimmie Johnson prolonging the Hendrick Motorsports dominance would have brought a lot of attention to the sport.
Nevertheless, Newman’s father and spotter, Greg, embracing his son in victory lane was priceless. The emotion of Newman’s wife, Krissy, was exactly what this sport needed. Watching the elation and relief upon Roger Penske’s face was enough to make any race fan smile. Also, Roy McCauley, Newman's crew chief, victoriously celebrating in victory lane after taking a break in 2007 to be with his ill wife.
We saw a last lap shootout, and a surprise winner, therefore, fans, it is safe to say that the 50th running of the Daytona 500 surpassed the hype and expectations.
