Ryan Newman won at New Hampshire for the first time since Sept. 15, 2002 -- his first Cup victory. Credit: Autostock

Newman wins at NHIS, vaults to third in points

LOUDON, N.H. (AP) -- Ryan Newman picked a good time to grab his first win of the season.

Newman, who barely squeezed into the Chase for the championship, got off to a fast start in NASCAR's 10-race playoff Sunday by outdueling points leader Tony Stewart down the stretch.

Stewart, who started from the pole, dominated through much of the race, leading 173 of the 300 laps in the Sylvania 300 at New Hampshire International Speedway. But Newman won a late battle with Stewart, passing him on lap 199 and holding the top spot by two car-lengths.

Inside the Chase Point standings after Loudon Pos. Driver Pts. Behind 1. T. Stewart 5,230 -- 2. G. Biffle 5,210 -20 3. R. Newman 5,190 -40 tie R. Wallace 5,190 -40 5. M. Kenseth 5,180 -50 6. J. Johnson 5,177 -53 7. M. Martin 5,176 -54 8. J. Mayfield 5,135 -95 9. C. Edwards 5,121 -109 10. Ku. Busch 5,088 -142 • Results, click here • Standings, click here Final lapsNewman and Stewart battle for the checkered flag Second placeTony Stewart on his runner-up finish at Loudon Sylvania 300Complete race video highlights from New Hampshire Sign up for TrackPass now BUY YOUR NEXTEL DRIVER PHONE

Following the final pit stops by the leaders, Newman found himself just ahead of Stewart when the green flag waved with 16 lap to go after the last of 10 caution flags.

The streaking Stewart, on the way to his 13th consecutive finish of eighth or better, was relentless in trying to retake the lead, pulling up to the rear quarterpanel of Newman's Penske Racing South Dodge time after time before finally slipping below him on the backstretch on lap 292.

But Newman, whose last win came a year ago in Dover, wouldn't give up. He stayed with Stewart, got beneath the Joe Gibbs Racing Chevrolet on lap 299 and pulled ahead, staying out front to win by 0.293-seconds.

Chase contenders Matt Kenseth and Greg Biffle finished third and fourth, followed by Dale Earnhardt, who is out of the Chase but running his first race with Tony Eury Jr. back as his crew chief.

Newman was ecstatic, finally breaking through for a win after season-long struggles -- and doing it in the biggest race so far this season.

"We didn't know what was going to happen with us pitting before anyone else," said Newman, who gave up the lead to Stewart when he made his final stop on lap 235, long before the other leaders. "Fortunately, it cycled through."

As for his battle with Stewart, Newman said, "I know his car wasn't as well balanced at the end as it was earlier. Getting back by him was a lot easier than him getting by me because I was giving him everything I could. I just did exactly the same thing to him that he did to me."

Stewart was philosophic about losing the race in such a great battle.

"I got used up a little bit on running on the high side," he said. "But that was some kind of short track racing. That's the way the Chase should start right there. I just couldn't hold him off at the end."

It was Newman's 12th career win and, more important, moved him from 10th in the standings -- a position he barely grabbed with a 12th place finish last week in Richmond -- to a tie for third with teammate Rusty Wallace, both of them trailing Stewart by 40 points and Greg Biffle by 20.

Wallace finished sixth, with Chase contenders Mark Martin sixth, Jeremy Mayfield 16th, Carl Edwards 19th and defending champion Kurt Busch, involved in a crash on the second lap of the race, 35th.

Busch, who started his charge toward his title with a victory here last year in the opener of the inaugural Chase, was sent spinning into the wall in a collision with Scott Riggs on the third lap.

The furious champion drove his battered, smoking car to the garage, then strode to Riggs' pits, where he climbed up the pit box and spoke for a few moments to Riggs' crew chief Rodney Childers.

Asked what Busch said to him, Childers said, "They've had some past experiences with stuff. He took us out at Indy and we forgave them. This was an accident and he'll have to forgive us."

Busch then stalked back to the garage, where his team worked furiously to get the car repaired. Busch, who began the day in fifth place, just 20 points behind Stewart, finally returned to the race on lap 68, 66 laps behind the leaders. With the help of attrition, Busch worked his way up from 43rd to 35th, a difference of 24 points.

There was plenty of bumping, banging and crashing in the race, and lots of tempers raging.

The line outside the NASCAR hauler, where drivers, crew chiefs and team owners are called after the race to be reprimanded and possibly penalized by NASCAR, was long.

Among those called in were Kasey Kahne, who drove into Kyle Busch on purpose after Busch put him in the wall, and Robby Gordon, who tried to back into Michael Waltrip after they collided, sending Gordon into the wall. Gordon missed, but stood on the track waiting for Waltrip and threw his helmet at Waltrip's car as he drove by.