Newman Shut Out of Shootout Victory Lane

Kannapolis – Ryan Newman and the Haas Automation Chevrolet team were caught up in a multi-car accident late in Saturday night’s Budweiser Shootout non-points NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race at Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway and finished a disappointing 19^th.

Newman, driver of the No. 39 Haas Automation Chevrolet for Stewart-Haas Racing (SHR), hung in the back of the pack for much of the race, hoping to avoid the multi-car accidents that are commonplace in restrictor-plate racing at Daytona.

With 12 laps remaining, Newman and his crew chief, Tony Gibson, decided it was time to make their move toward the front of the field. Unfortunately, as soon as Newman started toward the front, trouble seemed to find him

On lap 71, Newman was involved in a minor accident with John Andretti and Michael Waltrip, but escaped having any major damage occur to his machine.

When the race restarted on lap 74, Newman continued his charge toward the front, but was involved in an eight-car accident in turn three. Newman’s car never actually made contact with the outside wall, but made plenty of contact with other cars as the No. 39 Chevrolet suffered heavy damage all around.

“I think we had a good car,” Newman said. “We lost track position in the first 25 laps, but I didn’t try to get it back. I was hanging in the back until the end to try to avoid all the accidents. Unfortunately, when we started to move to the front, we still got caught up in an accident. It’s too bad because I think we had a good Haas Automation Chevrolet.”

Newman’s teammate, Tony Stewart, driver of the No. 14 Old Spice/Office Depot Chevrolet Impala, finished ninth.

Stewart, a three-time winner of the Budweiser Shootout, led twice for six laps in the 76-lap race around the 2.5-mile oval before scoring his 10^th top-10 finish in 11 starts in the event. The Shootout was extended by one lap due to a green-white-checker finish.

The Budweiser Shootout is an exhibition race featuring the following, with eligibility based on a driver having competed in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series within the last two seasons:

• The 12 drivers who qualified for the 2009 Chase for the Championship
• Past NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champions
• Past Budweiser Shootout winners
• Past Daytona 500 winners
• Past Coke Zero 400 winners
• The reigning Raybestos Rookie of the Year

This year’s field included 24 drivers.

Kevin Harvick won the Budweiser Shootout for the second straight year. Kasey Kahne finished second, while Jamie McMurray, Kyle Busch and Denny Hamlin rounded out the top-five.  Jeff Gordon, Joey Logano, Brian Vickers, Stewart and Juan Pablo Montoya comprised the remainder of the top-10

Next up for Newman and Stewart is the Gatorade Duel – twin 150-mile heat races that set the majority of the 43-car Daytona 500 field.  Those get underway at 2 p.m. EST on Thursday, Feb. 11 with live coverage on SPEED.  The green flag waves for the 52^nd Daytona 500 at 1 p.m. EST on Sunday, Feb. 14, with live coverage provided by FOX beginning with its pre-race show at noon.