Sports: Newman's time up front very short after spin

Newman's time up front very short after spin

By MIKE READLING

CONCORD, N.C. -- Before Sunday's Coca-Cola 600, Winston Cup newcomer and pole-sitter Ryan Newman was asked if he was going to get out of the way of the rest of the field after the green flag fell.

Though he was making just his third Winston Cup start, Newman said, "No way."

Not only was he going to race outside pole-sitter Jeff Gordon through the first lap, he was going to lead that lap and as many others as he could.

That's exactly what Newman did -- until Lap11.

Newman's No. 02 Ford got loose coming out of Turn4, spun and crashed into the outside wall. The car spun back around and went nosefirst into the wall before coming to rest in the middle of the track, Newman's day done 17 miles into the race.

"It was just inexperience and impatience, I guess," said Newman, who finished 43rd, and last. "I thought I almost had it saved there for a little bit, but I ran out of racetrack."

EARLY ARRIVAL: Tony Stewart's much anticipated arrival at Lowe's Motor Speedway came earlier than expected despite a number of early caution flags and a rain delay at the Indianapolis 500.

Stewart's schedule called for his helicopter to touch down on the frontstretch at 5:25 p.m., giving him 20 minutes to get in his car and take the green flag. He landed at Concord Regional Airport at 5:01, changed into his NASCAR driver's suit and jumped into the helicopter, arriving at the speedway at 5:08 amid a mix of cheers and boos.

"I knew (the caution flags) would make it awfully close on time," Stewart said. "So I was just hoping the wind would be at our back going down there."

HEY, GET BACK HERE: Mike Wallace was one of six drivers who failed to qualify, so after watching most of the first half of the race, he headed home.

Partway there, his wife, Carla, called from their motor home in the infield and told him that good friend Larry McClure needed him to come back.

Kevin Lepage, driver of McClure's No. 4 Chevy, was feeling ill and requested a relief driver on Lap 195. Wallace turned around and waited in Lepage's pit but never got a chance to get in the car. Instead, the team added foam rubber to Lepage's seat and gave him extra refreshments during stops.

"They needed help, and we're here to help him," Wallace said.

NO BONUS WINNER: Nobody claimed a sponsor's $1-million bonus. Of the five drivers eligible -- Dale Jarrett, Sterling Marlin, Johnny Benson, Todd Bodine and Jeff Gordon -- Jarrett finished the highest, eighth.

Jeff Burton, Kevin Harvick, Stewart, Mark Martin and Bobby Labonte will be eligible at the Pepsi 400 in July at Daytona.

EARNHARDT TRIBUTE: Country music legend Charlie Daniels hosted a tribute to Dale Earnhardt, commemorating Winston Cup's first points race at the driver's home track since Earnhardt's death at the Daytona 500 in February.

The ceremony, which Daniels called "Three Cheers for The Man," included performances by country music newcomer Tralena and singer Tracy Byrd while images of Earnhardt, who grew up in nearby Progress and whose company headquarters is in Kannapolis, flashed on a video screen behind them.

Seven skydivers carrying Earnhardt flags indicating the years he won the Winston Cup championship, landed on the grass on the frontstretch.

PIT STOPS: Jarrett, in first, leads Gordon by 75 points. Marlin took the biggest hit in that department, falling from fifth to seventh by finishing 15th. ... Harvick continues to lead the rookie points standings. Kurt Busch, who finished 12th, is second. ... There were 28 lead changes among 14 drivers. Burton led the most laps, 126, becoming the third driver to do that while winning the race.