The Chase - Newman Race Report

Kansas, Oct. 10, 2011: Ryan Newman struggled with an ill-handling car and finished a disappointing 18th in Sunday’s Hollywood Casino 400 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race at Kansas Speedway in Kansas City.

From the drop of the green flag, Newman and crew chief Tony Gibson battled to fix the balance of the No. 39 Haas Automation Chevrolet fielded by Stewart-Haas Racing (SHR).

Throughout the three-hour race, Gibson threw wedge, tire-pressure and track-bar adjustments at the Chevrolet in hopes of correcting the handling issues and, while the car’s performance improved, it never was able to run with the leaders.

The effort to move toward the front was hampered further on lap 128 when Newman came to pit road under green while in the 21st position. The pit stop appeared complete when Newman pulled out of the pit box, but only four of the five lug nuts on the left-front wheel were attached. Because of this, NASCAR officials ordered the Haas Automation machine back to pit road to add the fifth lug nut and the extra stop caused Newman to go two laps down to the leaders and fall to 28th place.

Newman managed to get one of his laps back when the caution flew on lap 205 and he stayed on track rather than pitting. From there, he fought his way through the field to become the first car one lap down and, in position once again to be the “lucky dog” beneficiary, which gives the first car one lap down its lap back if a caution comes out.

Newman got that break on lap 265 when Jeff Gordon’s engine blew to bring out the caution while the No. 39 Chevrolet was in 19th. Despite his ability to get back on the lead lap, Newman could gain only one more position prior to the checkered flag on lap 272.

“We struggled with the handling all day,” Newman said. “It was pretty frustrating but I’m proud of how we rallied back from two laps down. Just wish we wouldn’t have struggled so much.”