Steve Wilson, The Examiner
2008-02-19 08:00:00.0
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BALTIMORE -

What happens when you pair a forgotten driver with a forgotten crew chief and send them out on the track to race for a team nobody is talking about?

You end up with a memorable finish at the Daytona 500.

There was an unbelievable amount of media attention leading up to the 50th running of the Great American Race, but very little, if any, focused on the story surrounding Ryan Newman and the No. 12 team — one that all NASCAR fans, regardless of the favorite driver, can appreciate.

For Newman, his victory at the Daytona 500 victory on Sunday was a sign of renewed confidence behind the wheel. After an 81-race winless streak, Newman’s decision to commit to the high side on the final lap along with teammate Kurt Busch sent the No. 12 car to Victory Lane for the first time in more than two years.

“My dad was spotting for me, and I could hear the tears dripping going down the back straightaway over the radio,” Newman said. “It was tough knowing last year we were close so many times. I told a few people, I just hope when I get back to Victory Lane, it’s a big one — it was.”

For team owner Roger Penske, it was more than a big win: it was validation. Penske already had the respect of his fellow Cup owners — his team produced 14 winners of the Indianapolis 500 — but a victory in NASCAR’s biggest race always had eluded him.

“I’ve been here almost 30 years trying to get to Victory Circle,” Penske said. “To achieve this with the competition, with Ryan … and Roy and the whole team, just unbelievable.”

For crew chief Roy McCauley, however, the win offered something far deeper. After a tumultuous past two seasons, Sunday’s race offered him a chance for redemption.

The Davidsonville native and University of Maryland graduate struggled as Busch’s Crew Chief in 2006, then had to step down last season when his wife was diagnosed with cancer.

“I don’t think I have words for what the last year has been,” McCauley said. “I thank Roger Penske for giving me the opportunity to take care of what comes first, which is family. That just says a lot about the team as a whole.”

In McCauley’s absence, Pat Tryson took charge of the No. 2 team and Busch made an instant turnaround last season, earning two checkered flags and a spot in the Chase for the Cup, where Busch finished seventh.

But instead of abandoning McCauley, though, Penske stuck by him, offering to pair McCauley with his friend, Newman.

“We decided we needed to go for it — take over the job and run the No. 12 and try to put Ryan in Victory Lane,” McCauley said. “It’s just an emotional roller coaster, and it’s nice to be on the top of it right now.”

Overcoming so many obstacles to win the 50th Daytona 500 certainly makes for a great story, but the No. 12 team also sent a clear message to the rest of the garage: Newman, his Penske teammates and his Dodge counterparts expect to be contenders this season.

And after his performance Sunday, it’s a message that won’t be forgotten soon.

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