Auto racing notebook: Ryan Newman says he's ready to go when NASCAR returns to track

AP photo by Carlos Osorio / NASCAR driver Ryan Newman climbs into his Roush Fenway Racing No. 6 Ford before a Cup Series practice session on June 7, 2019, at Michigan International Speedway.
AP photo by Carlos Osorio / NASCAR driver Ryan Newman climbs into his Roush Fenway Racing No. 6 Ford before a Cup Series practice session on June 7, 2019, at Michigan International Speedway.

CHARLOTTE, N.C. - Ryan Newman said he will be ready to race when NASCAR resumes competition, which could be as early as mid-May.

Newman injured his head in February during a frightening crash on the final lap of the Daytona 500, the Cup Series season opener. The Indiana native spent less than 48 hours in a hospital in Daytona Beach, Florida, before walking out holding hands with his two daughters.

Ross Chastain drove the Roush Fenway Racing No. 6 Ford in place of Newman for three races before the NASCAR season was suspended March 13 because of the coronavirus pandemic.

Speaking before NASCAR's iRacing event Sunday, Newman said on Fox Sports that he will be ready to race when the sanctioning body calls drivers back to the track.

"That's the absolute plan for sure. I am healthy," Newman said. "I have been blessed with another layer of this (coronavirus) situation giving me more time to heal, and I look forward to being back in the seat for sure."

Newman was racing for the lead on Feb. 17 at Daytona International Speedway when contact sent his car airborne. It was hit by another car, rolled several times and came to a stop on its roof. It took several minutes to get Newman out of the crumpled car and transferred to the hospital, where his condition was considered serious but not life-threatening.

photo AP photo by Terry Renna / Ryan Newman's car goes airborne after colliding with Corey LaJoie (32) on the final lap of the Daytona 500 on Feb. 17 in Daytona Beach, Fla.

In a released statement Sunday, NASCAR emphasized Newman has not yet been cleared by the series to return.

"We share Ryan's enthusiasm in his return to the track," the statement read. "We look forward to Ryan returning to racing as soon as he is medically cleared to race."

The Cup Series schedule on NASCAR's official website still lists its next race as the annual All-Star event on May 16 at Charlotte Motor Speedway, but the situation remains fluid as the sanctioning body hammers out a new plan and finds states that will host races, possibly without spectators.

NASCAR got good news this past week when race shops in North Carolina were given a go-ahead by the state's governor to return to work as long as local quarantine restrictions and distancing practices intended to limit the spread of the coronavirus would permit such activity.

Newman used his brief appearance on Fox Sports to give thanks again for the outpouring of support he has received during his recovery.

"I am so excited and thankful all at the same time to be healthy and at some point get back in a race car when the world starts turning again," Newman said. "And thankful for all the people and support that I've got from family, fans, you name it that have prayed for me, you name it, you have given me this multitude of miracles."

photo AP photo by Terry Renna / NASCAR team owner Richard Childress watches practice on Feb. 8 at Daytona International Speedway.

Unique auction

NASCAR team owner Richard Childress is auctioning off one of racing legend Dale Earnhardt's cars to raise money for coronavirus relief efforts.

The Charlotte Observer reported this is the first time Childress has sold or given away an original Earnhardt car from his personal collection.

A news release this past week from Richard Childress Racing, which is based in Welcome, North Carolina, didn't specify which of Earnhardt's trademark No. 3 race cars is up for auction, and the eBay page for the auction didn't list a deadline for bidding on items. Childress wrote on Twitter that parting with one of the Earnhardt cars is "a small sacrifice" for him to make.

Earnhardt, whose seven Cup Series titles are tied with Richard Petty and Jimmie Johnson for the all-time record, died in a crash on the last lap of the season-opening Daytona 500 in February 2001.

photo AP photo by Ralp Freso / NASCAR Cup Series driver Alex Bowman signs autographs on March 8 at Phoenix Raceway in Avondale, Ariz.

Like the real deal

Talladega Superspeedway wasn't immune from "The Big One" or a typical overtime finish - even in virtual racing.

Alex Bowman scored his first iRacing victory of NASCAR's invitational series by holding off Corey LaJoie and Ryan Preece in a two-lap overtime sprint to the finish on a virtual version of the 2.66-mile Alabama track. The victory was the third consecutive for Hendrick Motorsports, which got back-to-back wins from William Byron headed into Sunday's esports event.

"I'm legitimately confused how this happened," Bowman quipped on social media.

Since the league launched in late March, Bowman has used his Twitter feed to entertain followers with witty remarks about the racing. He sometimes allows his dog to sit in the seat of his simulator.

Garrett Smithley finished fourth and Landon Cassill fifth as less heralded drivers continue to use the iRacing platform to gain attention. Byron and Brennan Poole were sixth and seventh as Chevrolet drivers filled six of the top seven spots.

It took just 16 laps for the multicar accident that is a trademark of real-life Talladega racing. Ricky Stenhouse Jr., who has enjoyed regular success in superspeedway events, was leading when he misjudged a block on Ty Dillon. That happens frequently because of Stenhouse's aggressive style during live racing at Talladega and Daytona International Speedway, the Cup Series' two superspeedways, and his block misfired and triggered a massive crash.

The race was the virtual debut for NASCAR Hall of Famer Jeff Gordon, who raced on a rig he borrowed from Clint Bowyer's son, Cash. Gordon was part of the crash but was able to use his one allotted reset to resume competing. He needed the quick fix after his famous No. 24 Chevrolet sailed into the fence.

Because Gordon typically calls the races alongside Mike Joy, he was replaced in the Fox Sports broadcast booth this week by Michael Waltrip.

NASCAR tried altering the starting order for Talladega by inverting the top-10 qualifiers and putting the 10th-fastest driver on the pole, but a glitch failed to apply the swap. LaJoie started in pole position, and the top three finishers in last week's race at virtual Richmond started at the back. That meant two-time winner Byron, one-time winner Timmy Hill and Parker Kligerman, who finished third last week, all started at the back of the 40-car field.

Denny Hamlin, winner of the first iRacing event when NASCAR pivoted to the virtual series because live racing was on hiatus, had his race ended prematurely when his daughter, Taylor, accidentally turned off the screen on his simulator. With no vision, Hamlin crashed.

"Uh-oh," Taylor said, a horrified look on her face as she scampered away from the simulator.

Her father finished last.

photo AP file photo by Rick Rycroft / McLaren driver Lando Norris, a Formula One regular, won Saturday's IndyCar virtual race.

In his element

Formula One driver Lando Norris embarrassed the field in his IndyCar iRacing debut by dominating Saturday's race at a virtual Circuit of the Americas.

Norris was poised to begin his second F1 season with McLaren in March when a team member tested positive for the coronavirus at the season-opening Australian Grand Prix. The international series immediately suspended competition.

The 20-year-old British driver is a skilled iRacer and competed in the virtual event for Arrow McLaren SP, an IndyCar team McLaren partnered with for this season to enter the American series.

Norris dominated qualifying to start from the pole position but relinquished the lead during a pit stop. He then picked his way back through the 33-driver field on the virtual road course - the actual track is in Austin, Texas - and regained the lead with four laps remaining when Felix Rosenqvist spun.

Norris overcame a spin after his pit stops, then a challenge from rookie Patricio O'Ward, who ultimately gave Arrow McLaren a 1-2 finish, with Rosenqvist third for Chip Ganassi Racing.

The victory by Norris snapped a three-race iRacing winning streak for Team Penske that included consecutive victories by Simon Pagenaud.

"It was a tough race, especially Pato chasing me down on new tires at the end," Norris said. "I didn't think I'd get back to the front after that spin."

Norris had more than 20,000 viewers streaming his race on the gaming app Twitch as he crossed the finish line - numbers that dwarf any of the regular IndyCar competitors.

IndyCar had planned to make its next virtual race at "a dream track" not currently on the circuit for what is supposed to be the series' iRacing finale. Instead, the series announced after Saturday's race it will compete next weekend at virtual Indianapolis Motor Speedway in a 175-mile event for a 33-driver field.

The league will give guaranteed spots to all full-time IndyCar entrants, as well as any winner of a previous iRacing event, which makes Norris, Australian V8 SuperCars champion Scott McLaughlin and part-time IndyCar driver Sage Karam eligible.

The remaining slots in the field will be determined by a Wednesday qualifying session that mimics actual Indy 500 qualifying as drivers earn their starting position based on their average speed over four laps.

IndyCar suspended its season two days before the scheduled March 15 opener, and the Indianapolis 500 has been moved from its regular Memorial Day weekend slot to August. The series hopes to start its on-track season June 6 at Texas Motor Speedway, the next race on the schedule that has yet to be canceled or postponed.

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