Tony Newman picked up the 1st last place finish of his SCRL Wrangler Jeans Busch Grand National Series career in the Season 1 Lowes 200 at the South Boston Speedway when his #01 Miller Lite Pontiac was involved in a multi-car crash after 28 of the 30 laps.
The finish came in his 19th start.
Newman had already found success in the SCRL before signing up for the Busch Series, and he was looking to transfer that success over to the SCRL's second highest division. Newman's Busch career started off with a impressive 8th at Daytona, 11th at Richmond and Bristol, 15th at Martinsville before struggling for the first time with a 28th at Darlington. A 7th at the first Hickory event appeared to change things, but Newman would struggle to a 38th at the first South Boston event, 18th at Caraway, 13th at Richmond, 18th at Langley, 19th at Dover, 23rd at Hickory, 26th at Charlotte, 20th at Asheville, 26th at Hickory, 23rd at South Boston, 25th at Rockingham before finishing a series best 3rd in the last round at Caraway.
On race day, Newman rolled off starting 24th while starting last was two-time last-place finisher the #39 unsponsored Chevrolet of Hank Willis. The first twenty seven laps around the 0.357 mile short track would be calm, but the last two last would be chaos. Newman had dropped back to 41st by the 27th lap with race leader AJ Jones just a couple seconds away from lapping him while just in front of him the #14 Taylor Togs/Maxie's Vending Chevrolet of Evan Rudd made contact with the #10 Gibson Racing Pontiac of Chakat Whitelion, sending Whitelion into Newman at just same time Newman was trying to make a pass, sending Whitelion and Newman into the inside wall, with Newman slamming driver's door into the concrete wall before sliding up the track right in front of second Caraway last-place finisher the #22 A.G. Dillard Pontiac of Marcus Saatchi, as Saatchi would slam into the rear of Newman's car. Newman would limp back around to the pits before pulling into the garage, the only car to retire from the race.
The remaining Bottom Five would finish on the lead lap; 41st was the aforementioned #22 of Marcus Saatchi, 40th was the #10 of Chakat Whitelion, 39th was the #09 unsponsored Pontiac of Smith Regal and 38th was the #41 unsponsored Pontiac of Tim Randolph.
Newman would have to wait till Season 2 to get his first Busch Series win, that coming at Bristol where he led all 50 laps. Newman currently has 8 career wins in the SCRL and would finally win his first championship in Season 1 of the SCRL Sun Energy Whelen Euro Elite 1 Division.
SCRLASTCAR STATISTICS
*This was the first time the #01 had finished last in the Busch Series as well at South Boston.
*This was the first time the #01 had finished last in the Busch Series as well at South Boston.
THE BOTTOM FIVE
42) #01-Tony Newman / 28 laps / crash
41) #22-Marcus Saatchi / 30 laps / running
40) #10-Chakat Whitelion / 30 laps / running
39) #09-Smith Regal / 30 laps / running
38) #41-Tim Randolph / 30 laps / running
42) #01-Tony Newman / 28 laps / crash
41) #22-Marcus Saatchi / 30 laps / running
40) #10-Chakat Whitelion / 30 laps / running
39) #09-Smith Regal / 30 laps / running
38) #41-Tim Randolph / 30 laps / running
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