Ryan Newman Wins at New Hampshire; Teammate and Team Owner Tony Stewart Finished Second
Chevrolet Extends Lead in Manufacturers’ Cup Standings
LOUDON, N.H. (July 17, 2011) – Ryan Newman was truly “Rocketman” behind the wheel of his No. 39 U.S. Army Chevrolet today at New Hampshire Motor Speedway. He started on the pole, led a race-high 119 out of 301 laps and was in front of his Stewart-Haas Racing team owner and teammate Tony Stewart, No. 14 Office Depot/Mobil 1 Chevrolet as the closing laps of the race clicked off.
But, it wasn’t as easy as it sounds as crew chief Tony Gibson told him they were very close on fuel and to save as much as he could and hope there was no green-white-checkered finish in their future.
Everything went his way as he took the checkered flag for his first win of the 2011 season, the 15th victory of his NASCAR Sprint Cup Series (NSCS) career and his third victory at New Hampshire Motor Speedway. The victory moved him to eighth in the standings and marked the first time Stewart-Haas Racing has started and finished 1-2 in a NSCS event.
Newman’s victory extended Chevrolet’s lead in the NSCS Manufacturers’ Cup standings to 17 points with eight victories to-date this season.
Stewart also started where he finished. The two-time NSCS champion led twice for a total of 48 laps. He remains 11th in the standings with 19 races in the books and seven races remaining until the start of the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup.
Five-time defending NSCS Jimmie Johnson, No. 48 Lowe’s Chevrolet, rallied from a pit-road penalty and a late-race spin to finish fifth. He jumped three positions in the points to second, just seven points out of the top-spot.
Jeff Gordon, No. 24 Drive To End Hunger Chevrolet, led once for 19 laps but had to battle back to an 11th place finish after the crew made a battery change on pit road. On the final lap of the 301-lap/318.46-mile race he suffered a blown tire while running in fourth but managed to salvage the 11th finishing position. The four-time Series’ champion remains seventh in the points order.
Dale Earnhardt, Jr., No. 88 National Guard/AMP Energy Chevrolet, finished 15th after battling handling issues throughout much of the race. He sits ninth in the standings.
Clint Bowyer, No. 33 Good Sam/Cheerios Chevrolet, was 17th at the finish line as he battled the handling of the car throughout the race. He remains 12th in the point standings.
Kevin Harvick, No. 29 Budweiser Chevrolet, was credited with the 21st finishing position, also battling handling issues. Harvick is fourth in the standings with three victories so far in 2011.
Denny Hamlin – 3rd (Toyota) and Joey Logano – 4th (Toyota) complete the top-five finishers.
After a weekend off from competition, the Series’ begins its stretch to the end of the season at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway for the Brickyard 400 on July 31, 2011.