Play - By - Play - Ryan Newman Finishes 38th In Subway Fresh Fit 500 -Ran In The Top 10 Most Of The Night

Ryan Newman and his Roger Penske #12 Alltel Dodge NASCAR Nextel Cup Team finished 38th in the Subway Fresh Fit 500 at the Phoenix Internation Speedway tonight. Newman ran in the top 10 most of the night and even reached 5th. But under a green flag pit, the yellow flag was thrown and sent Newman to the back. Newman was in place for AT LEAST a top ten finish. Newman probably could not have beat Jeff Gordon, Tony Stewart or Denny Hamlin, but he definetly had a top 5 car but got cuaght up in green pit stops when the caution fell.

8:48 p.m. -- GREEN FLAG: Jeff Gordon and Jamie McMurray get the Subway Fresh Fit 500 under way from Phoenix.

Lap 20 -- Denny Hamlin is starting to catch Jeff Gordon, but both have more than a 2-second lead over third-place Kurt Busch. Newman up to 13th

Lap 36 -- YELLOW FLAG NO. 1: Debris is on the track.

Lap 37 -- Everyone hits pit road:

Lap 41 -- GREEN FLAG: Denny Hamlin gets the race going.1. Denny Hamlin2. Jeff Gordon3. Kurt Busch4. Kevin Harvick5. Martin Truex Jr.

Lap 42 -- YELLOW FLAG NO. 2: David Ragan spins going into the corner when Tony Stewart touches the 6 car. David Stremme nails Ragan's car, and Casey Mears is caught up in the mess as well.

Lap 46 -- GREEN FLAG: Denny Hamlin leads the field to green.
NEWMAN - 10th

Lap 97 -- YELLOW FLAG NO. 3: Debris is in Turn 1.
Newman in pits 10th out 10th

LAP 120 - Newman Still Running 10th - went down a little and came back up

Lap 149 -- YELLOW FLAG NO.: Debris is on the track between Turns 3 and 4, a piece of metal.

Lap 154 -- GREEN FLAG: Kevin Harvick gets the race going again.1. Kevin Harvick2. Tony Stewart3. Jeff Gordon4. Jimmie Johnson5. Matt Kenseth

Newman In pits 10th
Restart 9th

Lap 162 - Newman 8th Right behind team mate Kurt Busch in 7th

Lap 200 - 25 cars on the lead lap
NEMAN - 6th

Lap 211 -- YELLOW FLAG NO. 5: Debris is on the racetrack.
Newman In pits 5th
Out 7th - When exiting the pits, Earnhardt JR clipped Newman in the driver side rear quarter panel - minimal damage - should have no effect.

Lap 218 -- GREEN FLAG: Tony Stewart gets the field up to speed.1. Tony Stewart2. Jeff Gordon3. Jimmie Johnson4. Matt Kenseth5. Kevin Harvick
Newman restarts 7th

Lap 224 - 24 Cars on the lead lap

Lap 222 - Newman 6th

Lap 271 - Newman passes teammate Kurt Busch for 5th place

Lap 282 - Green flag pits under way. Newman pits.

Lap 283 -- YELLOW FLAG: Dave Blaney gets spun around in Turn 4 when trying to get onto pit road. Carl Edwards sent him spinning, and J.J. Yeley gets caught up in the crash.

Lap 283 - Newman gets caught in the pits when caution is dropped. Newman had miscommunication in pits and has to back up to pit. Caution already out. But Newman drops to 38th 11 laps down. I do not understand this and will bring more to you about this when I find out. He should have only been 1 lap down.

CHECKERED FLAG: Jeff Gordon wins the Subway Fresh Fit 500 at Phoenix to tie Dale Earnhardt with 76 career victories. Gordon earns his first victory at PIR and becomes the first driver to win at the track from the pole.

Newman finishes 38th 11 laps down. I don't understand. More to come!

Mike Pratt