Track position proved to be key in Wednesday night’s All-Star Race from Bristol Motor Speedway, where Ryan Newman went for an early spin in the Oscar Mayer Ford Mustang, ultimately setting him back to finish 19th in the 140-lap non-points event.
Newman – the 2002 winner of NASCAR’s All-Star Race – was one of 20 cars to take the green flag in the sport’s first-ever All-Star event at Bristol. The starting lineup was determined by a full random draw, with Newman rolling off 11th.
The opening stage ran 55 laps, with Newman finishing 10th in the segment reporting he was too loose in the Oscar Mayer Bacon machine. After a pit stop under the break, Newman fired off fifth for the ensuing restart, but went for a solo spin just after the green dropped which cut down a right-front tire.
After a pair of stops for fresh tires and slight damage repairs, Newman restarted tail end of the field, but picked off five spots to close the second stage. With a loose machine and lacking track position as the laps wound down, Newman ultimately went on to finish 19th.
Next up, the NASCAR Cup Series heads West for a 500-mile event Sunday afternoon from Texas Motor Speedway. Race coverage begins at 3 p.m. ET on NBCSN, with coverage also on PRN and SiriusXM Channel 90.
RFR PR