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Stewart, Newman Wreck In Final Daytona 500 Practice
posted 02/14/09 5:50 pm
ABC 7 News - Stewart, Newman Wreck In Final Daytona 500 Practice
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(Sports Network) - Stewart-Haas Racing drivers Tony Stewart and Ryan Newman have been forced to backup cars after the two crashed during Saturday's final practice for the Daytona 500.

After running 10 laps, Newman blew a right-rear tire and spun in turn two. Stewart ran into Newman, as the teammates were drafting together, a car-length apart from each other.

Stewart switched to the car that he used in last week's Budweiser Shootout, and drove it during the final minutes of practice at Daytona International Speedway. The two-time Cup Series champion had secured the fifth starting position for the Daytona 500, but will have to start from the rear of the field.

"It's just Goodyear right-rear tire," Stewart said. "Same thing everybody else has been talking about all week. Same stuff that we always talk about every year, the failures that Goodyear has. I think that's part of their marketing campaign -- the more we talk about it, the more press they get. I think they forget it's supposed to be in a good way, and not a bad way."

Newman, the defending Daytona 500 champion, has now wrecked twice this week. He destroyed his primary car during Thursday's second Gatorade Duel qualifying race. During Friday's practice session, his backup experienced tire and vibration issues.

"This one is junk," Newman said. "The right-rear tire exploded in the middle of (turns) one and two. It gave me a hundred yards of sign that it might go. It started just the very slightest vibration, and I was getting ready to come in, and it was too late. It was unfortunate that I took out my teammate. Just disappointed in the situation Goodyear has put us in."

Newman will now rely on the backup car he'll use for the upcoming race at California. His Speedweeks woes began on Wednesday when he blew an engine during practice.

Rookie Joey Logano brushed the wall midway through practice, causing slight cosmetic damage to the right-side of his car. Logano, 18, will become the youngest driver ever to start the Daytona 500.

Reed Sorenson posted the quickest lap in practice at 191.575 m.p.h. in his No.43 Dodge for Richard Petty Motorsports. Matt Kenseth was second quickest, followed by Kurt Busch, Juan Pablo Montoya and Greg Biffle.

David Ragan, Dale Earnhardt, Jr., Logano, Jeff Gordon and Brian Vickers completed the top-10.

The Daytona 500 is set for Sunday at 3:20 p.m.



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