asfdfdRyan Newman and the No. 31 Quicken Loans Chevrolet SS team started the 500-lap race at Martinsville Speedway with high hopes and aspirations after starting on the outside pole for Sunday afternoon’s NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race but ultimately secured a 27th-place finish. Early in the race, Newman raced in the top five and led two of the first 20 laps. After pitting under the second caution flag for tires, fuel and minor chassis adjustments, he restarted second on lap 60. However, through the next long run under green, Newman was caught in the outside line and freight trained by other cars causing him to fall in the running order. Then, the rear tires were not responding to track conditions and caused an even farther fall, placing him in 37th-place by lap 120.

Two more pit stops under caution allowed the team to move into the top-20 by lap 284. More bad luck ensued for the Luke Lambert-led team as the left-rear quarter panel and side received damage when the No. 31 Chevrolet was run into from behind in a multi-car wreck. From there, driver and team did what they could to maintain track position through several more pit stops only to be saddled with a 27th-place finish. Newman is sixth in driver championship point standings as the Sprint Cup Series takes a weekend off for the Easter holiday.