Newman steals win in desert

A backmarker affected the outcome of Saturday night’s NASCAR race, allowing a pretender from nearly out of nowhere to steal a Sprint Cup victory. At the Subway Fresh Fit 600 at Phoenix International Raceway, it was Ryan Newman doing the theft work on the inevitable green-white-checkered ending that has become the de rigeur NASCAR finish to almost every race.

In this instance, the race’s ninth caution wiped out a commanding Kyle Busch lead over Jimmie Johnson and Jeff Gordon with just three laps to go. The yellow flag fell as a result of 28th-place-finishing Scott Riggs’ crash on Lap 372 of the 375-lap affair, ending a 51-lap stretch of green-flag racing that had been Busch’s sole domain after he took the lead from Johnson on the restart following the race’s Caution No. 7, more than 120 laps earlier.

The race order changed when everyone pitted after Riggs hit the wall. Four-tire strategy did not play out well for Busch and Johnson, who deferred off pit row to Gordon and Ryan Newman, both of whom opted for two tires in taking the No. 1 and 2 spots for the restart. When the green flag flew, it was Newman, running fifth at the time of the final caution, who got under Gordon on the inside in Turn One and never looked back. It was the 39 car’s first victory since the 2008 Daytona 500.

Prior to the upheaval of the closing laps, it had looked to be possibly a day for Juan Pablo Montoya, followed by an impressive long stretch by Johnson at the front. Tough-luck Jeff Gordon, who has been beaten for wins in the last two races on green-white-checkered endings, finished second. Johnson and Busch placed third and eighth respectively.

IndyCar: In the inaugural Indy Grand Prix of Alabama at Barber Motorsports Park in Birmingham, a new venue named after the well-known driving school instructor, race-long leader Marco Andretti had to abdicate the front with just eight laps remaining for a splash of fuel. Looking for his second IndyCar career win, Andretti executed a sensational pass on early race leader Helio Castroneves on Lap 16, then led the next 58 laps of the 90-lap race. But Andretti’s crew chief’s fuel strategy ultimately left Mario’s grandson on fumes at race’s end. Castroneves then drove on for the win, having stayed out longer than Andretti each time before pitting. The difference in fuel consumption was all Helio needed to claim his 17th career IndyCar series race and first since Texas last year. The victory also enabled him to tie Dario Franchitti and Tommy Milton, the 1921 Indy car champion, for most all-time open-wheel racing victories, with 23. Castroneves cited turbulence as a critical factor in lessening passing opportunities, which was why Andretti’s pass of the effervescent Brazilian for the early race lead was a work of beauty.

Alan Ross is the author of 32 books and a regular contributor to American Profile. E-mail: alanross_sports@yahoo.com
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