Friday Indianapolis Motor Speedway Notebook:
Ryan Newman Focused On Indy Return And Chase Chances:
INDIANAPOLIS — Despite being winless in the first 19 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races for Richard Childress Racing, Ryan Newman seems confident that his No. 31 Chevrolet SS will make this year’s race to The Chase.
And that stern feeling from the defending champion of the Crown Royal presents The John Wayne Walding 400 at The Brickyard comes on the heels of two of his last three finishes, which include third and fifth at Kentucky Speedway and New Hampshire Motor Speedway respectively.
“We’ve got some better finishes under our belt the last three or four races,” said Newman Friday morning. “Two top-fives was something we needed to get. We’ve got to put our ourselves in contention to win, which means being in the top-five, not the top-10. Competition is tough. So we’ve progressed as a team.”
But, it’s going to take more than those two top-fives to keep Newman in Chase contention. Entering Sunday’s race, he sits seventh in the championship standings, though a bad race or two has the potential to plummet the No. 31 to the outside of the top-16 — virtually force a win for the RCR team in order to contend for the championship.
While it’s unlikely that a sudden unexpected drop will occur, Newman is vocal that his team still needs to show improvement.
“I don’t think we’re as good as we ultimately can be. I hope we’re saving that for The Chase,” sounded Newman. “But collectively the guys are doing a really good job. You know, just pure maintenance-wise and every part of the race car is doing what it’s supposed to. We’ve been competitive everywhere. We just haven’t been a winning race car everywhere. Come Chase time we’re going to have to be.”
So, is he stressing? Don’t sound like it.
“I’m a stress-eater, so I don’t stress out too much,” offered Newman. “I don’t want to think about it, I just want to go out there and do my job and see how we turn out.”
Marcos Ambrose Future Clouded:
In the last year of his contract with Richard Petty Motorsports, Marcos Ambrose future with the team and even NASCAR is clouded at best.
Undoubtedly, the pressure to perform for the Australian has never been more at its prime and thus far, the No. 9 is on the outside looking in, when it comes to The Chase. After 19 races, the
Aussie has produced two top-fives and four top-10s. At this point, not even worthy of a Chase spot, let alone a championship contender.
With all of those scenarios to swallow, The Daily Telegraph in Sydney reported this week that Ambrose is mulling a potential return to his native Australia to run V8 Supercars.
Talk about decisions.
Richard Petty Motorsports co-team owner Richard Petty spoke about Ambrose’s future. “We admire what he’s been doing for us,” said The King. “It’s basically going to be a decision of what’s he going to do. Is he going to run all the races? Some of the races? Is he going to go home? That’s up to him.”
But Ambrose is silent on his direction for 2015 and beyond, as he “declined comment” to reporters before the start of NASCAR Sprint Cup Series practice Friday morning.
Though Ambrose future is unknown, he can make history this season by scoring a win and likely putting a second RPM car into The Chase for the championship.
Ambrose was ninth in the first practice session at Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Friday, so he’s a potential sleeper for Sunday’s Crown Royal presents The John Wayne Walding 400 at The Brickyard. However, Ambrose has eyed the upcoming road course race at Watkins Glen (N.Y.) International in two weeks.
How much emphasis has Ambrose and Co. put on Watkins Glen? The team will partake in a two-day test Monday and Tuesday.
Elliott Won’t Pass Up Cup Opportunity:
JR Motorsports’ Chase Elliott has done some amazing things in his rookie year of the NASCAR Nationwide Series. While none of that is really surprising, Elliott’s words on how quick he would move up to the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series were, a little.
“It’s not the fans call and it’s not my call on when that happens,” said Elliott, a three-time winner in Nationwide this year, including last weekend at Chicagoland Speedway. “The best thing I can do now, I’ve said this countless times this year, if I could do my job now and try to achieve our goals each week, the future will figure itself out. Beyond that it’s not for me to worry about. Like I said, it’s not my call.”
But, if that opportunity from Rick Hendrick (or even someone else) was to come tomorrow, would Elliott make that major leap?
“Absolutely. I mean sure. I think it would be hard to turn down an opportunity like that.”
Ragan; Dillon Lead Nationwide Practice:
Richard Childress Racing continues to show domination in the NASCAR Nationwide Series. Well, at least for final practice. On Friday morning, Ty Dillon sporting the Bass Pro Shop colors racked in the fastest time at Indianapolis Motor Speedway ahead of RCR teammate Brian Scott.
Dillon has had a busy week. In addition to tomorrow’s Lilly Diabetes 250, the former ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards champion also competed in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race
at Eldora Speedway on Wednesday night.
Kyle Busch was third with Cup regulars Kevin Harvick and Matt Kenseth rounding out the top-five. In fact, six of the top-10 speeds were piloted by Cup drivers including Joey Logano (sixth), Paul Menard (seventh) and David Ragan (10th).
In the morning practice session, Ragan in the Biagi-DenBeste Racing turned the quickest lap ahead of Dillon and Dylan Kwasniewski who’s carrying the Fraternal Order of Eagles colors this weekend at IMS.
42 NASCAR Nationwide Series teams are on the grounds this weekend in Indy, so only two teams will fail to make the third-annual Lilly Diabetes 250. Based off practice speeds Friday, those in jeopardy include: Derrike Cope, Kevin Lepage, Tommy Joe Martins and Carl Long.
Follow Chris Knight on Twitter @Knighter01.
