Newman hangs on for Richmond win

By Associated Press, 9/7/2003

Ryan Newman dominated a late long run and then held on through three restarts -- the last with four laps to go -- to win the Chrevolet 400 last night at Richmond International Raceway.

Newman, whose crew said he might not have enough fuel to finish under the long green flag run that started with 77 laps to go, got a break when Robby Gordon crashed with 19 laps left, causing a seven-lap caution.

He appeared to be pulling away from Kevin Harvick when the race went back to green with 14 laps to go but lost that edge when debris on the track caused the yellow to fly for the 12th time, setting up the nine-lap finish.

Again Newman was pulling away, but Ricky Rudd, running third, nudged Harvick on the frontstretch, sending Harvick slamming in the Turn 1 wall and bringing out one more yellow, giving Newman four laps to hold on.

On the single-file restart, Newman's Dodge pulled away from that of Jeremy Mayfield and went on to his series-high sixth victory this year.

Rudd finished third in a Ford, followed by that of Jeff Burton, and the Dodge of Rusty Wallace.

IRL -- Just 10 days after Team Menard hired him for the Delphi Indy 300, Richie Hearn won the pole in record time. His lap at 223.159 miles per hour was the fastest ever in qualifying at the Chicagoland Speedway in Joliet, Ill. Tomas Scheckter will join Hearn on the front row, qualifying at 223.083. Starting third will be Felipe Giaffone, racing for the first time since breaking his right leg and pelvis in an accident July 6. Defending champion Sam Hornish will start eighth. Helio Castroneves, who leads a very tight points race, will start ninth.