AND WE THOUGHT Kyle Busch was busy, racing in NASCAR's top three series.

Starting yesterday at Bristol Motor Speedway, Ryan Newman was scheduled to race in four series at the eastern Tennessee track. He competed in the Whelen Modified Tour and Camping World truck races yesterday and last night. Tomorrow night, he'll be in the Nationwide race, and Saturday night, it's the Sprint Cup.

He finished 37th in the Whelen, crashing and dropping out after one lap. He won the pole for the O'Reilly 200 truck race, and finished fourth. Busch won.

Newman wants to be the first driver to race in a NASCAR touring series and three national series in 1 week. When he ran the idea past his Cup teammate and boss Tony Stewart, he said Stewart asked whether anyone had ever done it. Newman replied "No," so Stewart said, "You got to do it."

With three races remaining before the Chase begins Newman is ninth in points, 54 ahead of Mark Martin, who is in the 12th and final Chase qualifying spot.

Newman has missed the Chase the past 3 years.

"You get top-fives and you're in, no matter what," Newman said on a Tuesday conference call. "But that's not been easy to do. Look at last week at Michigan with the fuel mileage situation: Guys were running out [of fuel], guys that were on the bubble for the Chase.

"All I know is, we're going to try our best, do what we can with the U.S. Army Chevrolet to put it in the best position at the end of the race. If that means be a little conservative, or risk a little bit, then we'll do it."

"Fuel mileage" is one of the most unsavory terms in NASCAR these days. Instead of racing to win, too many races are decided by drivers and crews conserving fuel just to finish. I don't think I've ever heard fans say, "Hope the finish of this race is decided on fuel mileage."

Asked whether fuel-mileage racing is frustrating, Newman replied: "It's a frustrating way to lose. It's always been a part of racing; it always will be. The bigger the racetrack, the closer you're going to come to running out on a given lap."

Newman's favorite NASCAR track is Darlington.

"It's one of the best racetracks, because it's the most challenging," he said. "My all-time favorite racetrack is Winchester Speedway in Indiana. Running the midget and sprint car there was an absolute blast.

"The track I would have liked to have raced on [was] Playland Park in South Bend, Ind. [his hometown]. It was like the original dirt track right up next to the St. Joseph's River. That's where all the big Indy guys used to come up and play. They actually had race cars that ended up in the river."

Now, that's real racin'.

Vickers moving up

 

 

NHRA at Maple Grove

 

Antron Brown leads the Top Fuel points standings. Other leaders are Tony Pedregon, Funny Cars; Jeg Coughlin, Pro Stock; and Ed Kraweic, Pro Stock Motorcycles. For details check www.maplegroveraceway.com

 

Grand Am Indy test

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