Timing is everything at Martinsville (Va.) Speedway. Being in the right place at the right time can make the difference between claiming the checkered flag and being left fuming mad about what could have been. It’s almost like the speedway’s founder, the late H. Clay Earles, who chose to award race winners with a 7-foot-tall grandfather clock as a trophy, did so to symbolically remind them of just that.
Ryan Newman, driver of the No. 39 State Water Heaters Chevrolet SS for Stewart-Haas Racing (SHR), found himself in the right place at the right time at Martinsville Speedway in April of 2012 and, as a result, found his way to victory lane.
In a race that saw Newman experience more downs than ups, many, including Newman himself, wrote off the No. 39 team as a contender. While entering the pits during the first caution of the day on lap 99, Newman was dinged for a pit-road speeding penalty that forced him to restart the race from the end of the longest line, in 21st place.
On lap 218, Newman fell victim to the rapid race pace, losing a lap to leader Jeff Gordon. However, Newman and the No. 39 team refused to give up, fighting for every spot on the racetrack. The team made adjustments to dial in the balance of its racecar and, as the laps wound down, Newman realized he had a chance, after all.
In the waning stages of the race, Newman moved as high as sixth, quietly stalking the leaders. A late-race caution on lap 498 – two laps from the scheduled finish – set off the events that led to Newman’s first win at Martinsville. Under the caution flag, Newman opted to hit pit road for right-side tires. He restarted fifth on the first attempt at a green-white-checkered finish on lap 504.
On the ensuing restart, Clint Bowyer tried to make it three-wide as the field raced toward turn one. But an ambitious move by Bowyer led to contact between his car and those of Gordon and Jimmie Johnson. Newman quickly dove to the inside of the spinning trio to take the lead as the caution was displayed on lap 505. He was able to hold off A.J. Allmendinger on the final restart to pull away on the last lap for the victory.
So, it wasn’t exactly a Sunday drive for Newman. In fact, it was quite the opposite. But he still had to be at the right place at the right time not only to contend for the win, but to actually do it. It certainly was not given to him.
It’s not like earning the victory that Sunday should have come as a surprise to anyone. Statistically speaking, Martinsville has been one of the best racetracks on the Sprint Cup circuit for the No. 39 team. In addition to the April 2012 win, Newman has earned one pole, one outside pole and four top-10 finishes in nine races at Martinsville since joining SHR.
Newman has always pointed at the No. 39 team’s short-track program as its strong suit. Perhaps this weekend Newman will once again find himself in the right place at the right time and be able to bring home another grandfather clock.
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