FORT KNOX, Ky. -- U.S. Army NASCAR driver Ryan Newman finished eighth in Saturday's IRWIN Tools Night Race at Bristol (Tenn.) Motor Speedway.
Newman started off the weekend by winning the pole in Friday's qualifying session at the half-mile oval. It was his 48th career pole and second of the season.
Starting from the No. 1 position for the 500-lap event, Newman virtually rode in the top-10 for the majority of the race, attended by more than 150,000 fans.
The result was Newman's 12th top-10 finish of the season and he remains seventh in the driver Sprint Cup point standings. He is in position to clinch a Chase (playoff) berth at the next race at Atlanta Motor Speedway, Sunday night, Sept. 4. The final pre-Chase race is the following week, Sept. 10 at Richmond (Va.) International Raceway.
The U.S. Army NHRA team of Top Fuel drivers Tony Schumacher and Antron Brown had the weekend off. The Full Throttle NHRA Drag Racing Series resumes action this coming Labor Day weekend (Friday-Monday, Sept. 2-5) at the U.S. Nationals in Indianapolis, drag racing's oldest, richest and most prestigious event. It is also the final race before the countdown to 1 playoff championship begins.
Brown, who is second in Top Fuel points, is coming off his fourth win of the season, and Schumacher, fourth in driver points, is coming off his fourth consecutive runner-up finish. Both Brown and Schumacher have clinched a berth in the countdown.