Newman Scores First 2013 Victory at Brickyard

Describing his Brickyard 400 win at Indianapolis as a “dream come true”, Ryan Newman’s victory could not have come at a better time for the NASCAR driver who found out two weeks ago that there won’t be a spot for him at Stewart-Haas Racing in 2014…

Describing his Brickyard 400 win at Indianapolis as a “dream come true”, Ryan Newman’s victory could not have come at a better time for the NASCAR driver who found out two weeks ago that there won’t be a spot for him at Stewart-Haas Racing in 2014. While uncertainty about the future remains a concern for Newman, he savored his victory as he carried out the tradition of kissing the yard of bricks at Indianapolis Motor Speedway with his wife and daughters at his side. Jimmie Johnson was 2.657 seconds behind Newman, with Kasey Kahne, Tony Stewart, Matt Kenseth, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Jeff Gordon, Joey Logano, Juan Pablo Montoya and Kyle Busch (in order) making up the top ten winners of the race.

Born in South Bend, Indiana, on December 8, 1977, Ryan Joseph Newman currently drives the #39 Chevrolet SS for Stewart Haas Racing. As with many NASCAR drivers, Newman made his racing debut in midget racing, winning both Rookie of the Year and the All-American Midget Series in 1993. With 100 feature wins and two titles, Newman earned a place in the Quarter Midget Hall of Fame, before moving on to USAC.

In 2004, by finishing seventh in points, with two wins and nine poles, Newman qualified for the inaugural NASCAR Chase for the Cup. In the 2005 Chase he won six of the nine races he entered, of which five were consecutive. With no victories in 2006, Newman finished 18th in points, and his winless streak continued through 2007, despite the fact that he claimed three consecutive poles. Driving for Penske, he won the 2008 Daytona 500, notching up the first Daytona 500 win for the team.

In 2009, Newman left Penske for the newly formed Stewart Haas Racing, and claimed a spot in the Chase, his first since 2005. He won the Subway Fresh Fit 600 at Phoenix International Raceway in 2010 and in 2011 took the checkered flag at New Hampshire in the Lenox Industrial Tools, with teammate Tony Stewart taking second place. The 16th win of Newman’s career came on April 1, 2012, at Martinsville Speedway in the Goody’s Fast Relief 500. Newman scored his first 2013 win at the Brickyard 400 – on his home turf.