Johnson, Keselowski battle tight; Edwards, Kahne make big gains
Hendrick Motorsports, Chevrolet
Where he stands: Johnson leads the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series standings with 129 points.
Last week: In the Kobalt Tools 400, Johnson continued his strong start to the season by running up front all afternoon in Las Vegas. The No. 48 car led at three different times for 66 total laps and battled teammate Kasey Kahne for the lead for most of the race. A caution on Lap 235 necessitated one final restart, and Johnson lost a bit of ground over the final 30 laps, but still finished fifth.
This week: In 22 career starts at Bristol Motor Speedway, Johnson has one win, seven top fives, 13 top 10s and one pole. For point-paying races in the past eight years at Bristol, Johnson ranks fourth out of 47 drivers with an average place of 12.9.
Last year: Johnson recovered from a poor qualifying round to place in the top 10. Starting 22nd, the No. 48 Chevrolet — with some new adjustments — worked its way up to seventh place by Lap 175. Johnson was in eighth place on Laps 200, 225, 250, 275, 300, 325, 350, 375, 400 and 425 before finishing ninth.
What he said: “At times I though we may win us another. … It was a strong performance. I wish we could have been in Victory Lane with our sponsor as the race sponsor.”
Penske Racing, Ford
Where he stands: Keselowski is second in the standings with 124 points. He is five points behind leader Jimmie Johnson and is five points ahead of third-place Dale Earnhardt Jr.
Last week: In the Kobalt Tools 400, Keselowski — who started on the pole — led 12 laps and overcame a late pit-road snafu to finish third. The 2012 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion is the only driver to record top-five finishes in all of the season’s first three races.
This week: In six career starts at Bristol Motor Speedway, Keselowski has two wins, two top fives and two top 10s. He is the defending race champion. For point-paying races in the past eight years at Bristol, Keselowski ranks sixth out of 47 drivers with an average place of 13.3.
Last year: Keselowski won last year’s Food City 500, his first victory of what would be his championship season, and his second consecutive victory at the Bristol after winning the 2011 fall race. In a show of dominance, the No. 2 led 228 of the event’s 500 laps, including the final 111.
What he said: “Never ever give up. Never give up. This team doesn’t and we didn’t (Sunday). You get a good run like we did and that is a product of that effort. I thought we had some really good speed there at the end.”
Hendrick Motorsports, Chevrolet
Where he stands: Earnhardt Jr. is third in the standings with 119 points. He is 10 points behind leader Jimmie Johnson and 17 points ahead of fourth-place Denny Hamlin.
Last week: In the Kobalt Tools 400, Earnhardt Jr. stayed in the top 10 throughout the duration of the race to continue his strong start to the season. Junior’s seventh-place finish was actually his worst of the season, which again indicates how strong he’s been through three races.
This week: In 26 career starts at Bristol Motor Speedway, Earnhardt has one win, seven top fives and 12 top 10s. For point-paying races in the past eight years at Bristol, Earnhardt ranks ninth out of 47 drivers with an average place of 14.0.
Last year: Earnhardt’s recent middle-of-the-road showings at Bristol continued with a 15th-place finish. It was Junior’s fourth consecutive race at the .533-mile track in which he finished outside the top 10.
What he said: “We ran a little bit better than where we finished, but just needed a little track position at the end. We got a pretty good little start to the season. We are working on (the car), trying to improve and we are running up front. So, real happy with that.”
Joe Gibbs Racing, Toyota
Where he stands: Hamlin is fourth in the standings with 102 points. He is 27 points behind leader Jimmie Johnson and four points ahead of fifth-place Carl Edwards.
Last week: In the Kobalt Tools 400, Hamlin led three laps after deciding not to pit during a late caution when most of the leaders went in. It was a risky strategy, and Hamlin was quickly passed on the restart and eventually had to pit under green-flag conditions. To exacerbate matters, he was flagged for speeding on pit road. Still, the No. 11 car seemed pleased with his 15th-place finish.
This week: In 14 career starts at Bristol Motor Speedway, Hamlin has one win, four top fives and seven top 10s. For point-paying races in the past eight years at Bristol, Hamlin ranks 15th out of 47 drivers with an average place of 16.0.
Last year: Success would come for Hamlin at Bristol in the fall of 2012, but the 2012 Food City 500 didn’t produce the desired results for the No. 11 Toyota. Hamlin finished 20th, and had to work to salvage that after dropping down to near 30th place midway through the race.
Roush Fenway Racing, Ford
Where he stands: Edwards is fifth in the standings with 98 points. He is 31 points behind leader Jimmie Johnson and is three points ahead of sixth-place Mark Martin.
Last week: In the Kobalt Tools 400, Edwards put together his second consecutive strong showing and continued his quick ascent up the standings. Edwards was out of the top 20 after a rough week at Daytona, 11th last week after winning the Subway Fresh Fit 500 and now fifth after finishing fifth in Las Vegas.
This week: In 17 career starts at Bristol Motor Speedway, Edwards has two wins, four top fives, seven top 10s and two poles. For point-paying races in the past eight years at Bristol, Edwards ranks 10th out of 47 drivers with an average place of 14.7.
Last year: In what would become the story of Edwards’ 2012 season, the No. 99 Ford endured a difficult day. Just 25 laps into the race, Kasey Kahne bumped into Kurt Busch and was sent into the wall. Edwards, barreling around Turn 1, had no chance of avoiding the wreck. He hit Kahne hard, and then Marcos Ambrose sandwiched Edwards from behind. Edwards got back out on the track after major repairs and finished 39th, running 245 laps.
What he said: “We wanted better but I think if I would have done a better job on my restarts then we would have been better. … That was a wild race and some hard driving.”
Michael Waltrip Racing, Toyota
Where he stands: Martin is sixth in the standings with 95 points. He is 34 points behind leader Jimmie Johnson and is two points ahead of seventh-place Matt Kenseth.
Last week: In the Kobalt Tools 400, Mark Martin’s name wasn’t called much. That’s because the driver of the No. 55 Toyota stayed in the middle of the pack throughout the race. His 14th-place finish allowed him to move up one place in the standings.
This week: In 46 career starts at Bristol Motor Speedway, Martin has two wins, 16 top fives, 23 top 10s and nine poles. For point-paying races in the past eight years at Bristol, Martin ranks 11th out of 47 drivers with an average place of 15.1.
Last year: Martin did not run in the 2012 Food City 500. Instead, the veteran watched Brian Vickers captain the No. 55 Toyota to a fifth-place finish for Michael Waltrip Racing. Vickers is again expected to run this race in the No. 55 as Martin is driving a part-time schedule.
What he said: “I didn’t get a good restart on the last one, but the one before I did. Unfortunately, it wasn’t the last one — the last one didn’t come out as well for me.”
Joe Gibbs Racing, Toyota
Where he stands: Kenseth is seventh in the standings with 93 points. He is 36 points behind leader Jimmie Johnson and is zero points ahead of eighth-place Greg Biffle.
Last week: In the Kobalt Tools 400, Kenseth displayed one of the fastest race cars of the afternoon. He and his No. 20 team parlayed that speed with sound pit strategy to capture his first win of the year. Kenseth held off hard-charging Kasey Kahne over the final 30 laps to get the victory on his birthday — one of only three NASCAR Sprint Cup Series drivers to accomplish that feat. The victory vaulted Kenseth 11 spots up the standings.
This week: In 26 career starts at Bristol Motor Speedway, Kenseth has two wins, 10 top fives, 17 top 10s and one pole. For point-paying races in the past eight years at Bristol, Kenseth ranks second out of 47 drivers with an average place of 10.7.
Last year: Kenseth continued a dominant run at Bristol by leading 45 laps and finishing second. It was his sixth consecutive top-10 finish at the short track.
What he said: “I’m not a huge goal person, but my goal was to win and to win early. I felt like I just — nobody has put any pressure on my except for myself, but I also know that Coach (Joe Gibbs) hired me to come in there and climb in that car and win races so you certainly want to do that and you don’t want to disappoint people.”
Roush Fenway Racing, Ford
Where he stands: Biffle is eighth in the standings with 93 points. He is 36 points behind leader Jimmie Johnson and is four points ahead of ninth-place Clint Bowyer.
Last week: In the Kobalt Tools 400, Biffle had issues with consistency for the first time this year. He was among the many drivers plagued with car issues, brought on by a lack of practice time on the track and weather conditions that differed greatly from the final practice. The No. 16 Ford finished 17th.
This week: In 20 career starts at Bristol Motor Speedway, Biffle has six top fives, 11 top 10s and one pole. For point-paying races in the past eight years at Bristol, Biffle ranks third out of 47 drivers with an average place of 12.4.
Last year: Biffle’s only pole at Bristol came last year, but it didn’t produce the result the No. 16 team hoped for. True, he led the first 41 laps, but his car remained loose throughout the race. Biffle still ran in the top 10, but some overcorrections on the final pit stop resulted in his car becoming too tight. That was difficult to fight off, and Biffle finished 13th.
What he said: "(That was) probably the hardest car I’ve had to drive the whole race … but we will keep digging."
Michael Waltrip Racing, Toyota
Where he stands: Bowyer is ninth in the standings with 89 points. He is 40 points behind leader Jimmie Johnson and is one point ahead of 10th-place Aric Almirola.
Last week: In the Kobalt Tools 400, there was no driver who personified some of the day’s driving frustrations more than Bowyer. Bowyer’s No. 15 Toyota nearly spun out while trying to pass leader Brad Keselowski on Lap 3, and things didn’t get any better from there. Bowyer managed to keep his car out of trouble and off the wall and at least earn points with his 27th-place showing.
This week: In 14 career starts at Bristol Motor Speedway, Bowyer has four top fives and seven top 10s. For point-paying races in the past eight years at Bristol, Bowyer ranks 19th out of 47 drivers with an average place of 17.4.
Last year: Bowyer’s fourth-place finish wasn’t his highest showing at Bristol, but it may have been his best. Bowyer qualified 16th and was out of the top 10 through the first 100 laps. Then he started picking off cars consistently, climbing into the top 5 and getting as high as third place in the final laps.
What he said: “It just wasn’t our day. We struggled right from the start. The car just started out really, really loose — so loose I thought I had a tire going down and pitted early. That put us behind the rest of the day.”
Richard Petty Motorsports, Ford
Where he stands: Almirola is 10th in the standings with 88 points. He is 41 points behind leader Jimmie Johnson and is one point ahead of 11th-place Ricky Stenhouse Jr.
Last week: In the Kobalt Tools 400, Almirola’s crew worked on the No. 43 Ford throughout the race and kept the driver on the lead lap. Almirola remains in the top 10 through three races after Sunday’s 16th-place finish.
This week: In seven career starts at Bristol Motor Speedway, Almirola has one top 10. For point-paying races in the past eight years at Bristol, Almirola ranks 29th out of 47 drivers with an average place of 25.6.
Last year: A lack of cautions really hurt Almirola, who struggled with his car all day and could have used the extra time on pit road. Multiple chassis adjustments during pit stops seemed to work at first, but the car remained loose for most of the day. Almirola finished 19th, two laps down.
What he said: “Headed to one of my favorite tracks (Bristol) next week in top 10 in points. Proud of my team.”
Roush Fenway Racing, Ford
Where he stands: Stenhouse Jr. is 11th in the standings with 87 points. He is 42 points behind leader Jimmie Johnson and five points ahead of 12th-place Paul Menard. He is one point out of 10th place.
Last week: In the Kobalt Tools 400, Stenhouse Jr. had some ups — leading the first lap of his NASCAR Sprint Cup Series career — and some downs – brushing the wall twice. Despite introducing himself to the wall, Stenhouse kept his car in race shape and a late caution allowed him to get back on the lead lap. He finished 18th, giving the Sunoco Rookie of the Year candidate three top 20s this year.
This week: Stenhouse Jr. has no starts at Bristol Motor Speedway in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series.
What he said: “We were running in the top 10 no problem but then we were way too tight for some reason. Every pit stop we made we got tighter and tighter. … We will have to go check it out.”
Richard Childress Racing, Chevrolet
Where he stands: Menard is 12th in the standings with 82 points. He is 47 points behind leader Jimmie Johnson and three points ahead of 13th-place Jeff Gordon. He is six points out of 10th place.
Last week: In the Kobalt Tools 400, Menard had his second consecutive top-10 showing at Las Vegas. A 10th-place finish keeps Menard ahead of some of the sport’s bigger names due to the driver’s ability to keep his No. 27 Chevrolet out of trouble and finish races.
This week: In 11 career starts at Bristol Motor Speedway, Menard has one top five and three top 10s. For point-paying races in the past eight years at Bristol, Menard ranks 23rd out of 45 drivers with an average place of 20.2.
Last year: Menard has had a strong run at Bristol over the past two years. In last year’s spring race, he finished 10th and later placed 10th in the fall. In the 2011 fall race, Menard recorded his first top-five finish at Bristol, finishing fifth.
What he said: "It was a lot of fun to drive out there. We were able to run the top line in turns one and two at the end, but we were tight at the bottom in turns three and four, which cost us a little bit of time. The No. 27 pit crew did an awesome job in the pits and got me several spots on pit road."
Hendrick Motorsports, Chevrolet
Where he stands: Gordon is 13th in the standings with 79 points. He is 50 points behind leader Jimmie Johnson and is two points ahead of 14th-place Kasey Kahne. He is nine points out of 10th place.
Last week: In the Kobalt Tools 400, Jeff Gordon and team couldn’t seem to get the No. 24 Chevrolet right. Gordon was too loose early on, and voiced his displeasure with his vehicle even after multiple pit stops. Gordon stayed on the track during the wave-around for two cautions, which allowed him to make up some laps. He still finished 25th, one lap down.
This week: In 40 career starts at Bristol Motor Speedway, Gordon has five wins, 16 top fives, 22 top 10s and five poles. For point-paying races in the past eight years at Bristol, Gordon ranks first out of 47 drivers with an average place of 9.5.
Last year: Gordon has practically mastered Bristol’s steep banking and track intricacies. That’s why it was so disappointing last year when Dale Earnhardt Jr., his Hendrick Motorsports teammate, slightly bumped the No. 24 late in the race. The result: Gordon’s left rear tire cut down, and he was sent into the wall and out of the race. Junior apologized, and Gordon said he knew it was unintentional, but the four-time Sprint Cup Series champion still finished 35th after running in the top five the entire afternoon before the incident.
What he said: "(We’re) going to work hard so days like this don’t happen again."
Hendrick Motorsports, Chevrolet
Where he stands: Kahne is 14th in the standings with 77 points. He is 52 points behind leader Jimmie Johnson and one point ahead of 15th-place Joey Logano. He is 11 points out of 10th place.
Last week: In the Kobalt Tools 400, Kahne put on a dominant showing that resulted in a second-place finish and rocketed him 17 spots up the standings. The No. 5 Chevrolet was among the fastest in the field and passed for the lead six times for 114 total laps in the 267-lap race. After a caution that lasted until Lap 241, Kahne was snared in traffic trying to exit pit road. He quickly jumped from six to second-place on the ensuing restart, but couldn’t quite catch leader Matt Kenseth.
This week: In 18 career starts at Bristol Motor Speedway, Kahne has three top fives, seven top 10s and one pole. For point-paying races in the past eight years at Bristol, Kahne ranks 20th out of 47 drivers with an average place of 18.6.
What he said: "I had an unbelievable Farmers Insurance Chevrolet. Throughout the whole race the pit stops were great. Everybody did a perfect job."
Penske Racing, Ford
Where he stands: Logano is 15th in the standings with 76 points. He is 53 points behind leader Jimmie Johnson and is two points ahead of 16th-place Marcos Ambrose. He is 12 points out of 10th place.
Last week: In the Kobalt Tools 400, Logano felt he had his best car of the year. With qualifying washed out due to weather, though, the 22-year-old started 21st in a lineup based off last year’s final points standings. An early speeding penalty on pit road put the No. 22 Ford two laps down, but Logano gamely battled back to finish 12th. A fortuitous caution allowed Logano to get one lap down, and he was the beneficiary when the caution was thrown on Lap 225.
This week: In eight career starts at Bristol Motor Speedway, Logano has one top 10 and one pole. For point-paying races in the past eight years at Bristol, Logano ranks 24th out of 47 drivers with an average place of 20.3.
Last year: Logano has qualified well at Bristol, but that hasn’t carried over in the final results. Six times Logano has qualified better than 10th, but he has just one top 10 and four top 20s. Last year with Joe Gibbs Racing, Logano qualified ninth and finished 16th.
What he said: "I screwed up and sped down pit road on the first stop. I went down a lap and tried the wave around, but never caught our break to go. I felt like we had a top-five car but just made a mistake."
Richard Petty Motorsports, Ford
Where he stands: Ambrose is 16th in the standings with 74 points. He is 55 points behind leader Jimmie Johnson and is two points ahead of 17th-place Kyle Busch. He is 12 points out of 10th place.
Last week: In the Kobalt Tools 400, Ambrose finished in 22nd place, one lap down. The driver struggled with his No. 9 Ford throughout the day and caused a caution to be thrown when he briefly lost control of his car trying to enter pit road.
This week: In eight career starts at Bristol Motor Speedway, Ambrose has two top fives and four top 10s. For point-paying races in the past eight years at Bristol, Ambrose ranks 16th out of 47 drivers with an average place of 16.2.
Last year: Ambrose was caught in a multicar wreck that he simply couldn’t avoid. The seven-car accident caused a 21-lap caution and relegated Ambrose — who qualified 12th — back to the garage. The No. 9 Ford eventually returned and finished 36th, 111 laps down.
Joe Gibbs Racing, Toyota
Where he stands: Busch is 17th in the standings with 72 points. He is 57 points behind leader Jimmie Johnson and zero points ahead of 18th-place Tony Stewart. He is 16 points out of 10th place.
Last week: In the Kobalt Tools 400, Busch put on a show at his hometown track. After finishing second in the NASCAR Nationwide Series race on Saturday, Busch finished fourth Sunday. He led five times for 27 laps and was the fastest car all afternoon on restarts. He provided one of the race’s signature moments when he dipped down onto the apron on a restart, making it three wide before scooting past Matt Kenseth and Kasey Kahne. Busch earned 41 points Sunday, more than the first two races combined (31).
This week: In 16 career starts at Bristol Motor Speedway, Busch has five wins, seven top fives and 11 top 10s. For point-paying races in the past eight years at Bristol, Busch ranks fifth out of 47 drivers with an average place of 13.0.
Last year: Busch’s wizardry at Bristol is well-known throughout the circuit, but the No. 18 experienced the other side of the .533-mile track. Busch was collected in a seven-car accident in Turn 1 on Lap 24 while running near the top 10. His car needed work, and he came back during the race, but finished in 32nd place and 77 laps down.
What he said: "I just hate it for my team. We had by far the best car in practice — I don’t know where that went. (Sunday) was a different day. The worst (Joe Gibbs Racing) car ended up winning the race — it’s funny how this game works."
Stewart-Haas Racing, Chevrolet
Where he stands: Stewart is 18th in the standings with 72 points. He is 57 points behind leader Jimmie Johnson and is four points ahead of 19th-place Kevin Harvick. He is 16 points out of 10th place.
Last week: In the Kobalt Tools 400, Tony Stewart was far from the only person complaining about a loose car. Unlike most, however, ‘Smoke’ and his team rallied and nearly pulled off a top-10 finish. Down to 25th-place and a lap down in the middle of the race, crew chief Steve Addington and his team made some crucial fixes during a pit stop on Lap 162. Over the next 100 laps, Stewart worked his way through the field, gaining 14 spots to finish 11th. After a three-point start to the season following a wreck at Daytona, Stewart climbed into the top 20 for the first time.
This week: In 28 career starts at Bristol Motor Speedway, Stewart has one win, six top fives, eight top 10s and one pole. For point-paying races in the past eight years at Bristol, Stewart ranks 13th out of 47 drivers with an average place of 15.8.
Last year: Stewart has done well at Bristol throughout his career, but his most recent results show a struggle. Stewart finished 14th in the 2012 Food City 500, his best showing in the past five races at the track. However, Stewart finished second in the event in 2010.
Richard Childress Racing, Chevrolet
Where he stands: Harvick is 19th in the standings with 68 points. He is 61 points behind leader Jimmie Johnson and two points ahead of 20th-place Jeff Burton. He is 20 points out of 10th place.
Last week: In the Kobalt Tools 400, Harvick continued his climb out of a hole brought on by a wreck in the Daytona 500. In Las Vegas on Sunday, the No. 29 recorded its first top-10 finish of the season, finishing ninth on a day in which Chevrolets placed six cars in the top 11. It jolted Harvick to 19th place in the standings, behind two other big-name drivers who also made big moves last weekend.
This week: In 24 career starts at Bristol Motor Speedway, Harvick has one win, nine top fives and 12 top 10s. For point-paying races in the past eight years at Bristol, Harvick ranks eighth out of 47 drivers with an average place of 13.9.
Last year: Harvick’s 11th-place finish in the Food City 500 was one of the biggest stories of the afternoon. The No. 29 car was involved in the big wreck on Lap 24. During the ensuing 24-lap caution period, Harvick came in to pit road for adjustments nine total times. His car restored, Harvick drove from 30th place to 11th and finished on the lead lap.
What he said: "Our car was fast, but we had a few issues with the handling during the race.The No. 29 team kept at it all day making changes that allowed us to leave here with a good finish."
Richard Childress Racing, Chevrolet
Where he stands: Burton is 20th in the standings with 66 points. He is 63 points behind leader Jimmie Johnson and zero points ahead of 21st-place Jamie McMurray. He is 22 points out of 10th place.
Last week: In the Kobalt Tools 400, Burton finished 26th and five laps down after starting 20th.
This week: In 38 career starts at Bristol Motor Speedway, Burton has one win, eight top fives and 15 top 10s. For point-paying races in the past eight years at Bristol, Burton ranks 17th out of 47 drivers with an average place of 16.2.
Last year: A calculated gamble allowed Burton to get in the top 10 early and stay there for the rest of the race. Burton, who qualified 33rd, stayed on the track during the first caution on Lap 25. That shot the No. 31 Chevrolet into the top five, and Burton stayed near the lead for the remainder of the race and finished sixth.
What he said: "We had a successful test session on Thursday and made strong gains in practice on Saturday. I felt good about our chances, but the handling got away from us."
Five in the rearview mirror …
Earnhardt Ganassi Racing, Chevrolet
Where he stands: McMurray is 21st in the standings with 66 points.
Last week: In the Kobalt Tools 400, McMurray finished 13th, his best showing of the season, and also led two laps. The No. 1 car had to navigate the entire field as EGR decided to switch engines for both McMurray and Juan Pablo Montoya.
This week: In 20 career starts at Bristol Motor Speedway, McMurray has three top fives and eight top 10s. For point-paying races in the past eight years at Bristol, McMurray ranks 21st out of 47 drivers with an average place of 19.0.
Michael Waltrip Racing, Toyota
Where he stands: Truex Jr. is 22nd in the standings with 64 points.
Last week: In the Kobalt Tools 400, Truex Jr. demonstrated why he was one of NASCAR’s most dangerous drivers on 1.5-mile tracks. Truex Jr. led the No. 56 Toyota to an eighth-place finish in his first top 10 of the season. Truex Jr. ran in the top five for a nearly 100-lap stretch midway through the 267-lap race.
This week: In 14 career starts at Bristol Motor Speedway, Truex Jr. has two top fives and two top 10s. For point-paying races in the past eight years at Bristol, Truex Jr. ranks 18th out of 47 drivers with an average place of 16.6.
Earnhardt Ganassi Racing, Chevrolet
Where he stands: Montoya is 23rd in the standings with 63 points.
Last week: In the Kobalt Tools 400, Montoya finished 19th and was the last car on the lead lap. Like teammate Jamie McMurray, Montoya’s team swapped his engine before the race.
This week: In 12 career starts at Bristol Motor Speedway, Montoya has three top 10s. For point-paying races in the past eight years at Bristol, Montoya ranks 14th out of 47 drivers with an average place of 16.0.
Stewart-Haas Racing, Chevrolet
Where she stands: Patrick is 30th in the standings with 53 points.
Last week: In the Kobalt Tools 400, Patrick made some driving mistakes and also saw her crew make some mistakes in pit road. The driver said it was a learning experience all the way around after her 33rd-place showing in which she finished six laps down.
This week: Patrick has one start at Bristol Motor Speedway in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. She finished 29th in 2012.
Stewart-Haas Racing, Chevrolet
Where he stands: Newman is 31st in the standings with 50 points.
Last week: In the Kobalt Tools 400, Ryan Newman exited the race early for the second consecutive week. On the restart following a caution waved on Lap 225, Newman missed a shift as he attempted to speed up. That caused an engine failure and sent him out of the race in 38th place.
This week: In 22 career starts at Bristol Motor Speedway, Newman has one top five, 12 top 10s and three poles. For point-paying races in the past eight years at Bristol, Newman ranks 12th out of 47 drivers with an average place of 15.3.
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