Newman Ends 2004 Drought

Ryan Newman finally got his first victory of 2004, making up a lost lap to win Sunday at Michigan International Speedway.

Newman led NASCAR’s Nextel Cup series with eight victories a year ago, but had not finished better than third this season before winning the DHL 400 -- the 15th race of the year -- on Michigan’s fast two-mile oval.

It didn’t look like this was going to be Newman’s day either, after the radiator on the front of his Penske Racing South Dodge became blocked by trash early in the race. The engine overheated, forcing Newman to make a green flag pit stop on the 22nd of 200 laps.

Newman regained the lead lap near the midway point in the race and steadily worked his way forward, passing Dale Jarrett for the lead on a restart on lap 178. He became the first driver to win consecutive races at MIS since Mark Martin in August 1997 and June 1998. It was the 10th victory of his Cup career.

Jarrett, who held on to finish third for his first top-five finish since he won at Rockingham in the second race of 2003, was unable to stay with Newman at the end. He couldn’t hold off hard-charging rookie Kasey Kahne for the runner-up spot on lap 199.

It looked for a while as if pole winner Jeff Gordon was going to run away with the race. He led 81 of the first 88 laps before the engine in his Chevrolet blew up in a cloud of white smoke.

Tony Stewart also had a difficult day after being penalized and sent to the rear of the 43-car field for the start for leaving the prerace drivers meeting early. Stewart worked his way back to the top 10, but crashed with Greg Biffle on lap 193.

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Two-time defending NHRA top fuel champion Larry Dixon snapped an 18-race losing streak by winning the NHRA SuperNationals in Englishtown, N.J.

Gary Densham (funny car), Jason Line (pro stock) and Andrew Hines (pro stock bike) also earned victories at the $2.1-million NHRA Powerade Drag Racing Series event.

Dixon used a 4.657-second pass at 318.92 mph to earn his first win of the season. He beat Cory McClenathan’s 4.703 at 304.39.

Densham beat his teammate John Force to earn his first win this season and seventh career victory. Densham used a 5.004 pass at 311.70 to beat Force’s 5.902 at 175.57.

Line earned his second career win with a 6.761 at 203.58 to beat Kurt Johnson’s 6.771 at 204. 29.

Hines went 7.016 at 192.28 to set the elapsed-time national record and earn his third victory of the season. Hines lowered the year-old record twice this weekend. He beat Craig Treble’s 7.138 at 186.59.

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Sebastien Bourdais got his second victory of the season with a smooth performance from the pole in the Champ Car Grand Prix of Portland.

Bourdais led 85 laps of the 94-lap race at Portland International Raceway with a speed of 104.923 mph, finishing with a 1.247-second advantage over teammate Bruno Junqueira, who started second.

Paul Tracy, who started third, finished third.

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Ricky Carmichael won the Budds Creek AMA 250cc motocross race in Maryland, becoming the first person with 100 combined AMA motocross and supercross victories.