No April foolin,’ Ryan Newman gives Stewart-Haas Racing their 3rd victory of the NSCS season, as he wins the Goody’s Fast Relief 500 at Martinsville Speedway.
It was taking shape that Hendrick Motorsports was going to receive their 200th series victory with either Jeff Gordon (who led the most laps – 328 of the 505 that were run) or Jimmie Johnson who were first and second respectively at the first attempt at a green-white-checkered (flags) finish. But, with the two on older tires and the rest of the lap leaders on fresher tires, the restart resulted in the two getting together with Clint Bowyer going into turn one to bring out the caution, and end the two Hendrick teammates chances at victory.
The second attempt to finish the race was more productive and without incident, as Ryan Newman was able to hold off AJ Allmendinger, Dale Earnhardt Jr. (who moves into second in the points standings with 6-points behind leader Greg Biffle) Brad Keselowski and Martin Truex, Jr., finishing second, third, fourth and fifth respectively.
This was Newman’s first series win of the 2012 season, his sixteenth series career win and his first series win at the “paper-clip” shaped Martinsville Speedway. (Note: with Newman’s win – or top-ten – people dining at Outback Steakhouse on the following Monday will get a free Bloomin’ Onion).
Rounding out the top-ten finishers were Denny Hamlin finishing in sixth, Tony Stewart seventh, Aric Almirola eighth, Brad Keselowski ninth and Clint Bowyer finishing in the tenth position.
RACE NOTES:
Average Speed: 78.823 MPH
Time of Race: 3 Hrs, 26 Mins, 12 Secs.
Margin of Victory: 0.342 Seconds
Lead Changes: 19 among 10 drivers
Cautions: 7 for 56 laps
Attendance: 63,000
Unofficial Top-Twelve in the Points Standings: 1. Greg Biffle – 226 (Leader) 2. Dale Earnhardt Jr. – 220 (-6 Points Behind the Leader) 3. Tony Stewart – 214 (-12) 4. Matt Kenseth – 214 (-12) 5. Kevin Harvick – 214 (-12) 6. Martin Truex Jr. – 214 (-12) 7. Denny Hamlin – 210 (-16) 8. Ryan Newman – 202 (-24) 9. Clint Bowyer – 192 (-34) 10. Jimmie Johnson – 189 (-37) 11. Carl Edwards – 179 (-47) 12. Brad Keselowski – 175 (-51).
Next Up: Teams will take off for Easter next weekend and will return to action the following week for the Samsung Mobile 500 at Texas Motor Speedway on Saturday, April 14th, at 7:30 PM (ET). FOX will provide television coverage beginning with with their 7:00 PM (ET) pre-race show. Continue…
