Hoping for 2013 Season To Bloom at Richmond

Looking at Ryan Newman’s stats at Richmond (Va.) International Raceway, it’s fairly easy to see why the driver of the No. 39 Outback Steakhouse Chevrolet for Stewart-Haas Racing (SHR) is looking forward to Saturday night’s NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race.

In 22 Sprint Cup starts at the .75-mile oval, Newman has a pole, a win, five top-five and 13 top-10 finishes, and has led 450 laps. Richmond has been a stout venue for Newman, who recorded consecutive second-place finishes in his first two starts at “The Action Track.” His average finishing position of 11.6 makes Richmond best among all tracks for the 16-time race winner.

For Newman, Richmond couldn’t come soon enough. Needing a breakout performance to quiet skeptics who have written off the SHR teams as contenders in 2013, there’s no better place to prove them wrong.

While the 12-driver Chase for the Sprint Cup Championship field is far from being set, if Newman is to be included in the group come September, wins and strong finishes are what he needs. Just as signs of spring are blossoming around Richmond, it’s time, too, for Newman to do the same in the point standings. Ranked 17th heading into this weekend, it’s time for the No. 39 team to bloom. And there would be no better way than scoring his first “Bloomin’” win of the season this weekend.

With Outback Steakhouse making the first of three 2013 appearances as primary sponsor of Newman’s No. 39 Chevrolet this weekend at Richmond, memories of last year’s spring race at Martinsville (Va.) Speedway evoke memories of that fateful day. Newman scored his only win of the 2012 season at the other Virginia venue, and did so with the Tampa, Fla.-based steakhouse across the hood of his racecar.

Outback Steakhouse has been celebrating Newman’s top-10 finishes since last season with a free Bloomin’ Onion® for its customers on Mondays. Come Saturday night, Newman would like nothing more than to relive last year’s April success at Martinsville – by scoring his first “Bloomin’” win of the 2013 season at Richmond.

TSC PR