After coming up short in last week’s Superstar Racing Experience season opener at Stafford Speedway, Ryan Newman finally broke through for his second SRX win there on Thursday.
Newman had chased down fellow NASCAR Cup Series driver Denny Hamlin in the first Stafford race, only for lightning to cut short his pursuit. This time, with no weather in play and Hamlin not taking part, Newman battled with another Cup peer in Daniel Suárez and took the lead with five laps remaining. He previously won at Stafford in 2022, making his average SRX finish at the Connecticut circuit an impressive 1.3.
The final restart came with eight to go after Tony Kanaan and Heat #2 winner Brad Keselowski crashed due to brake failures. Kanaan and Ryan Preece, a local star-turned-Cup regular, had been the top drivers throughout the main event before both retired, the latter also losing his brakes.
“We did it two years in a row. I don’t know how much of it was luck and how much of it was skill, but it doesn’t really matter,” said Newman. “The brakes were a challenge tonight.”
While the main saw plenty of brake problems, the two heats’ incidents were predominantly spins and contact. Greg Biffle did not even make it to double-digit laps in Heat #1 after contact with Suárez, while Paul Tracy‘s reign of terror claimed Ken Schrader, who ironically accused his colleagues of a lack of driving conduct following last week’s round.
Stafford hosted back-to-back rounds to begin the 2023 season after Thunder Bowl Speedbowl had to drop off the calendar due to severe flooding.
Race results
| Finish | Number | Driver | Laps |
| 1 | 39 | Ryan Newman | 80 |
| 2 | 99 | Daniel Suárez | 80 |
| 3 | 1 | Marco Andretti | 80 |
| 4 | 52 | Ken Schrader | 80 |
| 5 | 69 | Greg Biffle | 80 |
| 6 | 18 | Bobby Labonte | 80 |
| 7 | 14 | Tony Stewart | 80 |
| 8 | 5 | Hailie Deegan | 80 |
| 9 | 36 | Kenny Wallace | 80 |
| 10 | 6 | Brad Keselowski | 72 |
| 11 | 3 | Paul Tracy | 72 |
| 12 | 66 | Tony Kanaan | 71 |
| 13 | 41 | Ryan Preece | 65 |
Heat #1
| Finish | Number | Driver | Laps |
| 1 | 14 | Tony Stewart | 13 |
| 2 | 3 | Paul Tracy | 13 |
| 3 | 99 | Daniel Suárez | 13 |
| 4 | 5 | Hailie Deegan | 13 |
| 5 | 41 | Ryan Preece | 13 |
| 6 | 66 | Tony Kanaan | 13 |
| 7 | 18 | Bobby Labonte | 13 |
| 8 | 52 | Ken Schrader | 13 |
| 9 | 1 | Marco Andretti | 13 |
| 10 | 39 | Ryan Newman | 13 |
| 11 | 6 | Brad Keselowski | 13 |
| 12 | 36 | Kenny Wallace | 13 |
| 13 | 69 | Greg Biffle | 6 |
Heat #2
| Finish | Number | Driver | Laps |
| 1 | 6 | Brad Keselowski | 19 |
| 2 | 41 | Ryan Preece | 19 |
| 3 | 39 | Ryan Newman | 19 |
| 4 | 1 | Marco Andretti | 19 |
| 5 | 66 | Tony Kanaan | 19 |
| 6 | 52 | Ken Schrader | 19 |
| 7 | 99 | Daniel Suárez | 19 |
| 8 | 18 | Bobby Labonte | 19 |
| 9 | 36 | Kenny Wallace | 19 |
| 10 | 14 | Tony Stewart | 19 |
| 11 | 69 | Greg Biffle | 19 |
| 12 | 3 | Paul Tracy | 19 |
| 13 | 5 | Hailie Deegan | 19 |
