Great Day for Newman -- Finishes 2nd

Ryan Newman (#12) leads the field to the Green Flag in Phoenix.

Not a bad day, considering what happened to Ryan Newman during the race and how he rebounded back to finish 2nd, behind winner Dale Earnhardt, Jr.

Newman, again, started from the pole position with a record-breaking qualifying time and then led the first 59 laps of the 312-lap event until Earnhardt, Jr. took over the lead.

The race was a mix-up of different pit strategies and multiple cautions. While Newman was on the lead lap, one of his tires was off, so he pitted under green flag conditions and fell a lap down. He later got that back during the "lucky dog" rule.

Since then, it was a charge through the field for Newman, passing Jeff Gordon on the last lap to take second. A huge points day -- as Newman still sits in 7th place behind points leader Kurt Busch, 150 points back.

Next race will be a good one as they visit the historic Darlington Speedway in Darlington, South Carolina. Newman always runs good here, and in the past two races, he should have had wins but problems have always come up to bite him (last year -- kill switch; past spring -- spun out on pit road).