It was Jimmie Johnson’s race to lose, so he did. The Brickyard 400 came down to a pit stop that took about four seconds too long, but more than three seconds more than pole sitter Ryan Newman needed to win. Johnson dominated, leading 73 of the 160 laps at the fabled venue, but Newman led 45, including the final 12, as the Indiana boy realized an Indianapolis dream. It was his 17th career win, coming just days after securing his 50th pole position.
Some dreams are shared. Greg Newman shared in his son’s win as his boy’s auxiliary spotter in turn three and joyfully shared with the entire team in the kissing of the bricks at the finish line when it was all over. Dad on his right, his wife Krissie on his left. One-year old daughter Ashlyn was content to sit on a nice purple pillow as the whole team bowed down to pucker up in front of the cameras. Sister Brooklyn, who turns three in November, was in Ryan’s arms as she got dipped upside down to join her dad in the celebrations. She did not seem to fully share in the joy quite as much. Expect to see a photo of that scene showing up at her wedding reception between two or three decades from now.
For now, the future father of the bride can be content with his first win of the season, and the first since Tony Stewart let him know that he would not be back with the team in 2014. Actually, being fired by Stewart usually is a harbinger of good things to come. Just ask championship crew chief Darian Grubb, who got his notice and then took his boss to the title in 2011. With Jeff Gordon moving back into the Top Ten in the standings, the wild card spots are held by Stewart and Martin Truex Jr. They are not only 11th and 12th, but each has an all important victory. Newman now matches them in that department, and sits just 20 points behind Truex and 24 back of his current boss in his own bid for Chase inclusion.
For Newman, the decision to let him go all came down to a matter of dollars and sense. It made sense for Stewart-Haas to hire Kevin Harvick, currently fourth in the standings, to drive for them next year. As for the dollars aspect, only the sponsorship cash that she attracts maintains a seat for Danica Patrick, who has finished 25th or worse in seventeen of her 30 career starts. She was 30th on Sunday. As for Sunday’s winner, he has won at least a race in eight of his 11 full seasons, including eight in 2003, the 2008 Daytona 500, and now the Brickyard 400. Newman, who does not turn 36 until December, will do just fine next season.
Johnson, who has given away at least three wins this season, still leads the pack despite those damned lug nuts on that last stop. Not the best of days for the other top five contenders, with Clint Bowyer (20th on Sunday), Carl Edwards (13th), and Harvick (19th) out of sight most of the day. Harvick’s result snapped his nine race string of Top Tens. Dale Earnhardt Jr, sixth on Sunday and fifth overall, had to pit just 15 laps in due to a loose wheel, got lucky 45 laps later when a caution came out at the right time, and managed to salvage his day.
You would expect former open wheelers might do well at Indy. Former IndyCar champ Stewart was fourth, former USAC king Jeff Gordon was 7th, with former Indianapolis 500 victor Juan Pablo Montoya finishing ninth. Patrick and A.J. Allmendinger (22nd) did not, which to be honest was not entirely unexpected.
Jeff Burton is a 21-race winner who has not won since 2008. He is articulate, thoughtful, well thought of, and has my luck in a casino, which is none. He sits 20th in the standings after finishing dead last at Indianapolis after his transmission let go. This season, there are 25 competitive rides (26 if you count the one occupied by Patrick), with Burton 21st amongst them. For the record, Montoya is 25th.
Rating Indianapolis – 8/10 – No wrecks, few cautions, the passing was tough, yet it still provided an entertaining way to pass the afternoon. Even ESPN’s boys were more than tolerable, as long as you could use the PVR to turn the Rusty-Brad times into extended commercial breaks.
Pocono comes up on Sunday, a place where Johnson won just last month and a place he swept back in 2004. Newman won there a decade ago, but Gordon (with six) and Hamlin (4) lead the way there for success. Tony, Carl, and Kurt have two apiece, and where Kasey, Joey, and Brad each have at least one. You could say that it is a track that likes talented wheel men. We should have 43…make that 25…of the best this Sunday. Enjoy the week!
