For Ryan Newman and the No. 39 Stewart-Haas Racing (SHR) team, Saturday night’s Coke Zero 400 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race at Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway delivered the kind of outcome they’ve come to expect in a restrictor-plate event – high hopes dashed by disappointment. In fact, the Coke Zero 400 was almost an exact replica of the team’s February outing at the 2.5-mile oval in the season-opening Daytona 500. Once again, Newman had a strong … Read entire article »

KANNAPOLIS, N.C.  – Ryan Newman has never forgotten the advice his father offered him years ago as he was just starting his racing career. While he may not remember the exact conversation or when it took place, the words his dad said to him have never left his mind: “Son,” he said. “If you can’t win, be spectacular.” And for Newman, there isn’t a racetrack on the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series circuit where that adage fits his record more perfectly than the Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway. In 19 Sprint Cup starts at the historic 2.5-mile track, Newman has one win (2008), two top-five and three top-10 finishes. There’s no doubt Newman’s relationship with the superspeedway has definitely been one of love and hate over the years, one of victory and one of … Read entire article »

Another restrictor-plate race resulted in yet another disappointing outcome for Ryan Newman and the No. 39 Tornados team of Stewart-Haas Racing (SHR). A late-race crash in Saturday night’s Coke Zero 400 powered by Coca-Cola NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race at Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway resulted in a disappointing 26th-place finish. Newman was running in the top-12 when he was caught up in a multi-car melee on lap 148 which began at the end of the backstretch. Nineteen cars were involved in the “Big One,” which erupted when two of the racecars in the close drafting pack got into one another, resulting in a massive pileup that caused the race to be red-flagged for nearly 20 minutes. … Read entire article »