Ryan Newman/Alltel gets robbed by Nascar again this season!!
Green, white, yellow and over
Johnson wins under caution at Martinsville after Ragan spins, sits on track as field bears down
By DAVID POOLE
The Charlotte Observer
MARTINSVILLE, Va. – While Ryan Newman did stick his nose into it Sunday, the Subway 500 at Martinsville Speedway still provided further evidence that the 2007 Nextel Cup season is all about Jimmie Johnson vs. Jeff Gordon.
Johnson won this round, picking up a third-straight Martinsville victory by passing Gordon and leading the final 50 laps through a passel of subsequent restarts.
But Gordon, who wound up third Sunday, still has the upper hand in a bigger picture that’s now more than ever focused on the teammates who top the Chase for the Nextel Cup standings.
Johnson, who won for the seventh time this year and the 30th time in his career, trimmed 15 points off Gordon’s lead to move to within 53 points. But with Clint Bowyer finishing ninth to fall 115 points behind, and with Tony Stewart’s 13th-place finish leaving him a likely insurmountable 249 back, this year’s title is all but assuredly now a Hendrick Motorsports intramural squabble.
Gordon had won the two previous races, passing Johnson with a last-lap move at Talladega and then winning at Lowe’s Motor Speedway, which had been Johnson’s domain in recent years.
“I hate that Jeff won,” Johnson admitted, “but that’s only because I want to beat him. I think it’s healthy for us to have that without hating each other. Our relationship on the track is as intense as anything there is out there – without the hatred.”
What brief flare-up of hatred there was Sunday was between Gordon and Newman, whose battle for second supplanted an anticipated reprise of the Johnson-Gordon bump-off that distinguished the season’s first race here.
Gordon had failed to take the lead back from Johnson on one of five restarts that followed Johnson’s pass for the lead. But with 10 laps to go, Gordon was instead trying to keep Newman from taking second.
That didn’t work out, either.
“He was faster than me and he basically told me that with his front bumper,” Gordon said. “I couldn’t afford to let him hit me any harder or he might have wrecked me. ... I gave him a lot of room ... and all of a sudden I felt him slam into me. I was pretty upset about that and I showed him under the caution.”
Newman said he was only trying to do what he hasn’t been able to do since September 2005, and that’s win a race.
“I have to prove my worthiness, just like they do,” he said. “ ... In my opinion, I am a championship driver, and just because I had some bad luck this year doesn’t mean I should change the way I race guys that are going for the Cup.”
Clear of Gordon, Newman got one last chance to break what’s now a 77-race winless streak when the 20th caution – one that broke a record for a Martinsville race – set up a green-white-checkered finish.
Johnson didn’t get away on the restart and Newman was right there as they ran down the backstretch.
“I went into Turn 3 and got in there too deep,” Johnson said. “I left the door open.”
Newman pushed the nose of his car up to Johnson’s bumper off Turn 4. But David Ragan had spun behind the leaders, and his Ford sat across the track in Turn 1. NASCAR waited to throw the 21st yellow, hoping Ragan could pull off in time to permit what might have been a heck of finish.
No such luck.
Johnson rolled home safely, as NASCAR’s rules allow only one attempt at a green-white-checkered finish.
As Johnson did his celebratory burnout, Gordon and Newman conducted a brief face-to-face review of their perspectives and seemed to part on decent terms.
Gordon then went over to the post-race celebration to congratulate Johnson.
“He’s Mr. Martinsville, if you ask me,” Gordon said. “There were very few times today when I felt we were better than him.”
Johnson deflected the new sobriquet. “How many races did Richard Petty win here, 15?” he asked. “He’s Mr. Martinsville.”
Johnson also said he was impressed that Gordon came to congratulate him after the victory.
“The past two races when he beat me, my lip was dragging the ground so badly I couldn’t even make it over to victory lane to congratulate him,” Johnson said.
Things might be civil between the teammates and friends, but Johnson warned against thinking their competition in the final four races of this year’s Chase won’t be spirited.
“There’s no one we want to beat more than the 24,” he said of Gordon’s team. “They make us step up every week, and I feel we do the same for them. ... I have respect for what everybody out there does, and when it comes ... to Jeff, I have even more.”
“But being a competitor, I don’t want to lose a race. And I don’t want to lose the championship.”
Game on.
IMO Once again Ryan Newman was robbed by Nascar!! David Ragan spun in turn 1, Nascar waited until Ryan was about to overtake the "Golden Boy" Jimmie Johnson to throw the caution! Just like they did when Ryan was about to overtake Gordon at Pocono!!! How convenient for HMS that 2 times that Ryan is about to win a race they throw a caution. I firmly believe that it is because Ryan's sponsor is ALLTEL. Nextel wouldn't want to see that #12 Alltel Dodge in Victory Lane, so they make sure he doesn't get there. How unfair to Ryan and his fans!!
But on an up note, Jeff Gordon and Ryan Newman had their "man to man" talk on the track right after the race and cleared the air. Just goes to show what class acts both Ryan and Jeff are. No pushing and shoving match like with the Rousch team mates of Matt Kenseth and Carl Edwards!!
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Thanks Curves! And you are right, it is 3 or 4 wins that have been snatched
out from his grasp this season!
Well, I am hoping that he will get them back next season!!
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Green, white, yellow and over
Johnson wins under caution at Martinsville after Ragan spins, sits on track as field bears down
By DAVID POOLE
The Charlotte Observer
MARTINSVILLE, Va. – While Ryan Newman did stick his nose into it Sunday, the Subway 500 at Martinsville Speedway still provided further evidence that the 2007 Nextel Cup season is all about Jimmie Johnson vs. Jeff Gordon.
Johnson won this round, picking up a third-straight Martinsville victory by passing Gordon and leading the final 50 laps through a passel of subsequent restarts.
But Gordon, who wound up third Sunday, still has the upper hand in a bigger picture that’s now more than ever focused on the teammates who top the Chase for the Nextel Cup standings.
Johnson, who won for the seventh time this year and the 30th time in his career, trimmed 15 points off Gordon’s lead to move to within 53 points. But with Clint Bowyer finishing ninth to fall 115 points behind, and with Tony Stewart’s 13th-place finish leaving him a likely insurmountable 249 back, this year’s title is all but assuredly now a Hendrick Motorsports intramural squabble.
Gordon had won the two previous races, passing Johnson with a last-lap move at Talladega and then winning at Lowe’s Motor Speedway, which had been Johnson’s domain in recent years.
“I hate that Jeff won,” Johnson admitted, “but that’s only because I want to beat him. I think it’s healthy for us to have that without hating each other. Our relationship on the track is as intense as anything there is out there – without the hatred.”
What brief flare-up of hatred there was Sunday was between Gordon and Newman, whose battle for second supplanted an anticipated reprise of the Johnson-Gordon bump-off that distinguished the season’s first race here.
Gordon had failed to take the lead back from Johnson on one of five restarts that followed Johnson’s pass for the lead. But with 10 laps to go, Gordon was instead trying to keep Newman from taking second.
That didn’t work out, either.
“He was faster than me and he basically told me that with his front bumper,” Gordon said. “I couldn’t afford to let him hit me any harder or he might have wrecked me. ... I gave him a lot of room ... and all of a sudden I felt him slam into me. I was pretty upset about that and I showed him under the caution.”
Newman said he was only trying to do what he hasn’t been able to do since September 2005, and that’s win a race.
“I have to prove my worthiness, just like they do,” he said. “ ... In my opinion, I am a championship driver, and just because I had some bad luck this year doesn’t mean I should change the way I race guys that are going for the Cup.”
Clear of Gordon, Newman got one last chance to break what’s now a 77-race winless streak when the 20th caution – one that broke a record for a Martinsville race – set up a green-white-checkered finish.
Johnson didn’t get away on the restart and Newman was right there as they ran down the backstretch.
“I went into Turn 3 and got in there too deep,” Johnson said. “I left the door open.”
Newman pushed the nose of his car up to Johnson’s bumper off Turn 4. But David Ragan had spun behind the leaders, and his Ford sat across the track in Turn 1. NASCAR waited to throw the 21st yellow, hoping Ragan could pull off in time to permit what might have been a heck of finish.
No such luck.
Johnson rolled home safely, as NASCAR’s rules allow only one attempt at a green-white-checkered finish.
As Johnson did his celebratory burnout, Gordon and Newman conducted a brief face-to-face review of their perspectives and seemed to part on decent terms.
Gordon then went over to the post-race celebration to congratulate Johnson.
“He’s Mr. Martinsville, if you ask me,” Gordon said. “There were very few times today when I felt we were better than him.”
Johnson deflected the new sobriquet. “How many races did Richard Petty win here, 15?” he asked. “He’s Mr. Martinsville.”
Johnson also said he was impressed that Gordon came to congratulate him after the victory.
“The past two races when he beat me, my lip was dragging the ground so badly I couldn’t even make it over to victory lane to congratulate him,” Johnson said.
Things might be civil between the teammates and friends, but Johnson warned against thinking their competition in the final four races of this year’s Chase won’t be spirited.
“There’s no one we want to beat more than the 24,” he said of Gordon’s team. “They make us step up every week, and I feel we do the same for them. ... I have respect for what everybody out there does, and when it comes ... to Jeff, I have even more.”
“But being a competitor, I don’t want to lose a race. And I don’t want to lose the championship.”
Game on.
IMO Once again Ryan Newman was robbed by Nascar!! David Ragan spun in turn 1, Nascar waited until Ryan was about to overtake the "Golden Boy" Jimmie Johnson to throw the caution! Just like they did when Ryan was about to overtake Gordon at Pocono!!! How convenient for HMS that 2 times that Ryan is about to win a race they throw a caution. I firmly believe that it is because Ryan's sponsor is ALLTEL. Nextel wouldn't want to see that #12 Alltel Dodge in Victory Lane, so they make sure he doesn't get there. How unfair to Ryan and his fans!!
But on an up note, Jeff Gordon and Ryan Newman had their "man to man" talk on the track right after the race and cleared the air. Just goes to show what class acts both Ryan and Jeff are. No pushing and shoving match like with the Rousch team mates of Matt Kenseth and Carl Edwards!!
Great reading mrs. and I do believe if Nascar didn't threw that caution Rtan Baby would of had that race in the bag, what is it with these HMS guys I think someone needs to check into this winning team, it's like theres only two drivers in this race, and it's just kinda boring if you ask me, let's get this year over and go on to next year already, Jeff and the JJ hour is getting to me these days.
I think he could've won it too Jane!!
But now we will never know for sure. I do like that Ryan Newman wasn't afraid to challenge
Jeff Gordon or Jimmie Johnson!
GO RYAN GO!!!
That is one of many reasons he is my driver!
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I agree with Jane, I'm relaly sick of it just being the "Jeff and Jimmie show" but I have to admit that Jonson gets on my nerves more then Gordon...lol. I was still happy to see Ryan get 2nd but am tired of Nascar robbing him of the win also. I am so gonna start collecting 12 stuff now, Ryan has always been a cool guy but I'm liking him even more this year!
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I agree with Jane, I'm relaly sick of it just being the "Jeff and Jimmie show" but I have to admit that Jonson gets on my nerves more then Gordon...lol. I was still happy to see Ryan get 2nd but am tired of Nascar robbing him of the win also. I am so gonna start collecting 12 stuff now, Ryan has always been a cool guy but I'm liking him even more this year!
Thanks Four! Ryan Newman is an awesome guy and a class act too!
The way he has handled all the adversity that he has had this season says a lot about his character.
Welcome to the Newman Nation. That makes you an honorary Newmanite!
Just watch next season, he will be on top once again!!!
P.S. Jimmie Johnson has always had a grudge with Ryan because he won the Rookie of the Year in 2002 instead of JJ!!!
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yeah but if nascar hadn't thrown a caution then half the field would have plowed into Ragan in turn 1 they waited as long as they could to let him get going
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"It's all fun and games until somebody wrecks a racecar" Larry McRenyolds
Sorry fellow Newmanites...pleaseeeeeee don't be mad at me. Ya know how much I luv ya all.
But, I'm with Kfan91 on this one. I think Nascar did the only thing that they could. Ragan could not get his car going, and he was a "sitting duck". I'd have felt really horrible if Nascar didn't throw the caution, and he got T-bone.
Now as far as the 2 other times it's happened this year......I am totally in with ya on those.
yeah but if nascar hadn't thrown a caution then half the field would have plowed into Ragan in turn 1 they waited as long as they could to let him get going
Hhmmmmm.....let's see it was the last lap and the entire field knew he was sitting there. Jimmie Johnson and Ryan Newman got past him before the caution, so I do believe that the other cars on the track could've/would've too! He was well on the apron of the track and not in the middle of it. I also wouldn't want to see my Cutie (David Ragan) get hit, but it should would've been a better finish than what we got.
Maybe Nascar should rethink the rule of only one green/white/checker for the betterment of the racin'!
If it had been Kasey Kahne in that position instead of Ryan Newman, I bet you would've answered differently!! ~LOL~
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Ryan Newman/Alltel gets robbed by Nascar again this season!!
I think so too!
a new Newmanite, YAY!!
Ya know how much I luv ya all. 
if it had been Kasey Kahne
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