Newman needs win to make Sprint Cup’s Chase

Two weeks ago Ryan Newman (pictured right) held a wild-card spot in the Chase for the Sprint Cup championship. Two races and two wrecks later, he’s on the outside looking in as NASCAR’s top series heads to Richmond for the final race of the regular season. The task is simple. “We have to win. That’s the bottom line. We have to get in Victory Lane to have a shot at the championship,” Newman said Wednesday. The top 10 drivers in points are locked in for the Chase. Positions 11 and 12 are wild cards awarded to the …

Two weeks ago Ryan Newman (pictured right) held a wild-card spot in the Chase for the Sprint Cup championship. Two races and two wrecks later, he’s on the outside looking in as NASCAR’s top series heads to Richmond for the final race of the regular season. The task is simple. “We have to win. That’s the bottom line. We have to get in Victory Lane to have a shot at the championship,” Newman said Wednesday. The top 10 drivers in points are locked in for the Chase. Positions 11 and 12 are wild cards awarded to the drivers between 11th and 20th in points with the most wins. Nine drivers are locked in: Denny Hamlin, Greg Biffle, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Matt Kenseth, Jimmie Johnson, Martin Truex Jr., Brad Keselowski, Clint Bowyer and Kevin Harvick. – AP