Notes: Newman is back, but it's not a comeback

DOVER, Del. -- Don't call it a comeback; he's been here for weeks.

Ryan Newman's runner-up finish in Monday's rain-delayed Nextel Cup race at Dover International Speedway marked the driver's fourth top-10 in five weeks.

For Newman, who led 135 of 400 laps, it's a much-needed turnaround from where he started in the Daytona 500 season opener.

"These guys are doing a good job. We've just got to keep working on it. We're not in the best points position. We've got to stay focused on that," Newman said. "We don't have anything to give, we have to keep taking."

On top of consecutive pole starts, one at Lowe's Motor Speedway and the other at Dover, Newman's second-place finish is a season-best for the Dodge manufacturer. His recent string of top-10s has moved the driver up from 26th to 16th in points in the past five races.

"It was a good run for our Alltel Dodge, something to build on for sure," Newman said. "Believe it or not, I get out of the car with a smile, but I get a smile driving the car, too. It's nice."

Newman, who has been winless for nearly two years, has commented that his pit crew, the same crew which won the Pit Crew Challenge in May, is making strides as well.

Crew chief Mike Nelson agrees.

"The guys did an awesome job in the pits [Monday]," he said. "I don't think they could have done any better and that's all I can ask for."

Another Dodge driver who left Dover feeling better about his car was Kasey Kahne, the manufacturer's golden boy last season who has struggled with only one top-10 this year.

Even though Robby Gordon passed him for 10th place nearing the final laps, Kahne made a significant gain.

"We had our best run of the year in our Dodge Avenger [Monday] and learned a lot more about the car," said Kahne, whose 11th-place finish was his best since placing seventh in the Daytona 500.

"We led laps, ran in the top 10 most of the race and made some good adjustments during the day. We have a better handle on the Avenger and what we have to do to make it better."

Car sick or COT sick

Dodge driver David Stremme was on the other end of the performance pendulum in Monday's race.

Under a yellow-flag caution on Lap 271, Stremme was forced to relegate driving duties of his No. 40 to Regan Smith when Stremme became sick and complained of headaches.

Team officials said the driver was taken to the infield care center where medical professionals concluded Stremme showed elevated levels of carbon monoxide in his blood and was dehydrated.

Stremme said his discomfort was from a soar throat. He began feeling flu-like symptoms on Friday.

Between Stremme and Smith, the car, which started 34th on the grid, never climbed higher than 30th at any point during the race.

Mikey takes 'baby step'

After missing 11 consecutive races, Michael Waltrip made his second start of the season Monday.

"We didn't have a very good run, but the pit crew got to practice and we got to learn," said Waltrip, who finished 28th in his Toyota Camry.

Staying out of trouble for the majority of the race, Waltrip's day tanked when a tire went down.

"I had a flat tire and messed up my car really bad at the end, but I was still able to hold off the guy I was racing for position. That's a baby step," he said. "At least I'm not minus points in the drivers standings now. I've got that going for me."