Ryan Newman wins Daytona 500
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February 17th, 2008
Ryan Newman, with help from Penske Racing teammate Kurt Busch, held off Tony Stewart to win the Daytona 500.
Newman, driving a Dodge, overtook Tony Stewart on the final lap of the race thanks to some help from team mate Kurt Busch who finished second with Stewart third in the opening race of the NASCAR season.
The final order of finish was Newman, Kurt Busch, Stewart, Kyle Busch and Reed Sorenson.
The field blew past leader Jeff Burton on a restart with three laps to go. Stewart seemed to be in command — especially with Joe Gibbs teammate Kyle Busch behind him. But the pair of Penske Dodges came rolling by on the high side, carrying momentum to victory.
Penske, the most successful owner in open wheel history with 14 wins in the prestigious Indianapolis 500, now has a victory in NASCAR’s showcase event. It only took him 23 years to get it.
It came in the historic 50th running of The Great American Race, and it came in thrilling fashion.
The Penske cars were quiet for 199 of the 200 laps, letting Joe Gibbs Racing stars Tony Stewart and Kyle Busch race each other in a battle of Toyotas. With one lap to go, it appeared Stewart finally would get a Daytona 500 win in his 10th try.
Running out front in the high line, he held off the two Penske cars as they circled the famed speedway. But at the last second, he dropped low on the track to block Kyle Busch, who was charging hard on the bottom.
The decision backfired when the two Penske cars flew past him on the top, and Newman pulled away for his first win since New Hampshire in September 2005.
Newman, who hadn’t won since September 2005, was fourth on the restart, created when Casey Mears scraped the wall attempting to block Stewart.
It was a tough day for other Hendrick Motorsports Drivers besides Mears. Dale Earnhardt Jr. settled for ninth, Jimmie Johnson crashed and finished 27th. Jeff Gordon retired late in the race and finished 39th.
Dodges took six of the top eight places with Newman, Kurt Busch, Sorenson, Elliott Sadler (sixth), Kasey Kahne (seventh) and Robby Gordon (eighth).
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