Newman's strategy pays off

BROOKLYN, Mich. -- With the laps winding down and gas a big question mark, Ryan Newman asked permission to go after leader Kurt Busch in Sunday's GFS Marketplace 400.

"Seeing that there were five laps to go and we had a shot at catching Kurt, I didn't want to ... have plenty of fuel left over and say, 'Man, we could have chased him down but we were too conservative,"' Newman said. "But I didn't want to jeopardize the team because of my greed and (mess up) a good finish, so I asked for permission to make that move."

The strategy worked as Newman was able to stretch his final tank of gas 52 laps on the 2-mile oval at Michigan International Speedway to win for the fifth time this season.

Matt Borland, Newman's crew chief on the No. 12 Penske Racing South Dodge, said, "Ryan saved quite a bit of fuel there at the end. He's real good at that and still carrying a lot of speed.

"With four laps to go, we just told him to go for it and we'll see what happens."

Busch, who also gambled on having enough gas at the end, came a lap short and wound up 18th.

Busch had more problems after the race when Jimmy Spencer hit his car from behind and turned it around on pit road, then went up to Busch's car and allegedly punched him in the face. Witnesses said Busch was holding a bloody towel to his face when he entered the track medical facility.

NASCAR talked with both drivers and said it would look into the matter further today. A spokesman for the Lenawee County Sheriff's Dept. said the department was considering filing assault charges against Spencer.

Both drivers left the track without comment.

This is the latest episode in a feud that was sparked when Busch bumped past Spencer in March 2002 at Bristol Motor Speedway to get his first Winston Cup victory.

Most of the leaders pitted during a caution period on the 149th lap of the 200-lap race, and Busch and Dale Jarrett came back onto the track behind only Spencer, who stayed out.

Busch easily passed Spencer for the lead on the restart on lap 150 and Jarrett moved to second the next time around the high-banked track. Jarrett, a four-time Michigan winner, then took the lead from Busch on lap 152.

But Busch wouldn't let Jarrett get away, finally repassing him for the top spot on lap 157. He stayed there nearly to the end, building leads of up to 3.3 seconds before Jarrett was forced to pit on lap 188, giving Newman the runner-up spot.

Newman, last year's top rookie, was 3.2 seconds behind when he moved into second, but quickly began to reel in Busch, moving up to the rear bumper of the leader's No. 97 Roush Racing Ford on lap 197 and charging past the slowing Busch on lap 198 after a short side-by-side battle.

"It was just a matter of pushing the issue and going for it," Newman said. "If we could make it, I wanted to win. I didn't want to settle for second then find out we had enough fuel to make it."

On lap 199, Busch slowed and drove onto pit lane for a splash of gas. Newman easily held on to beat Kevin Harvick, who made his last stop on lap 149, to the finish line by 1.652-seconds -- about 10 car lengths.

"Ryan was just on rails and he passed us and then he ran away from us," Harvick said.

Jimmie Johnson, who led a race-high 50 laps and also pitted on lap 149, ran out of gas on lap 198 and finished 27th.

Tony Stewart, the reigning series champion, finished third, followed by rookie Greg Biffle, Steve Park and Robby Gordon, who won a week earlier at Watkins Glen.

Series leader Matt Kenseth, who also ran the last 52 laps without stopping, wound up ninth.