It hasn’t taken Ryan Newman long to get back to his winning ways upon joining the Camping World SRX Series this season, with the 2008 Daytona 500 winner capturing the victory at Stafford Speedway.
The 44-year-old had already gotten off to a fantastic start in the series’ opening two rounds at Five Flags and South Boston, scoring main event finishes of third and fourth place, respectively.
Saturday’s event at Stafford Speedway – the second event for the series at the half-mile – seemed to take the typical form for Newman, biding his time and riding around until the main event.
Through finishes of seventh and sixth in the heat races, Newman would find himself starting ninth in the main event, once again having to methodically work his way through the pack while saving tires in the 75-lap event.
With the final caution being thrown with just over 10 laps to go, the field bunched back up for a highly-contested battle for the victory, which would see five cars under a blanket throughout the race’s final run.
After some full-contact side-by-side battling for the lead between Newman and Marco Andretti, the Superstar Racing Experience rookie was able to slide underneath the part-time NTT IndyCar Series driver to secure the lead with six laps to go.
The South Bend, Indiana-native was able to keep the field behind him, securing his first victory in the Camping World SRX Series, leading the field to the start-finish line by a half-second.
Marco Andretti – who finished fourth in 2021 SRX standings — returned to the podium for the second time in his Camping World SRX career, while Paul Tracy secured a career-best effort of third place, marking his first podium in his ninth start.
Tony Stewart and Bobby Labonte rounded out the top-five finishers from Saturday’s 75-lap main event.
Hailie Deegan – making her first of two scheduled starts in the Camping World SRX Series this Summer — finished in sixth place, after fighting to rebound from an eighth-place starting position in the main event.
Ryan Hunter-Reay – the winner of Saturday’s first heat race — recorded his best finish in a main event in SRX, in seventh. Matt Hirschman, Justin Marks, and Greg Biffle rounded out the top-10.
Biffle, who entered the event in the thick of the championship battle, had contact with Paul Tracy in the second-half of the main event, sending him sliding through the grass and costing him a top-five finish.
Exiting the third of six events in the Camping World SRX season, Ryan Newman continues to hold the series’ points lead, by 11 points over Tony Stewart. Bobby Labonte, Marco Andretti, and Greg Biffle round out the top five in point standings.
Results:
Race Results: 2022 Camping World SRX Race 3 at Stafford Speedway
Point Standings:
One Response
Congratulations to Ryan Newman very well done what a race and Congratulations to all the race drivers