Davenport, a three-time Lucas Oil Dirt Late Model champion, dominated the main event in Thursday night’s Superstar Racing Experience (SRX) event at Lucas Oil Speedway in Wheatland, Mo., but had to hold off repeated challenges for the lead from Clint Bowyer.
A late restart provided several drivers with a final opportunity to catch Davenport, but he again fended off all comers and edged NASCAR Cup star Brad Keselowski for the win.
“It was definitely fun. I’m sure the fans enjoyed it. We’re out here to have fun, they don’t want nobody just ruining the show,” said Davenport, who won both heat races as well.
“We had a great car; the guys did an excellent job on it from the tore up stuff they had last week. It was just fun. I figured a caution would come late but we were ready for it. This is something I’ll definitely remember for a long time. Hopefully, they’ll invite me back some time”
Newman mathematically locked up the 2023 championship with his performance in the heat race (he finished eighth) then capped off the night with a fourth-place finish in the main event.
He topped Keselowski and reigning series champion Marco Andretti by 45 points in the final standings but Tony Stewart was the only driver who came into the finale with a chance to overtake Newman.
Stewart got off to a rough start to the night with a 10th-place finish in the first heat race and ended up seventh in the main event.
“It’s really special, racing against the greatest drivers in the world, in my opinion, and to be a part of it is special. Then to win the championship in equal cars says something – so it’s a feather in my cap I guess you could say,” Newman said.
“Everybody at SRX does such a great job, ESPN and all the people that are involved. The guys slaved six days for six weeks in a row getting everything ready to do what we’re doing, just an honor to be a part of it, to be a champion.”
Newman has never won a championship in any of NASCAR’s three national series – Cup, Xfinity or Trucks.
SRX, founded by Stewart, Ray Evernham, Sandy Montag and George Pyne, features six short track races over six weeks in the summer on a mix of pavement and dirt with drivers running identical cars.
Main Event Results at Eldora Speedway
1. Jonathan Davenport
2. Brad Keselowski
3. Ken Schrader
4. Ryan Newman
5. Clint Bowyer
6. Marco Andretti
7. Tony Stewart
8. Kenny Wallace
9. Helio Castroneves
10. Hailie Deegan
11. Ernie Francis Jr.
12. Bobby Labonte
Final SRX season standings
1. Ryan Newman (212 points)
2. Brad Keselowski (-45)
3. Marco Andretti (-45)
4. Tony Stewart (-48)
5. Ken Schrader (-62)
6. Bobby Labonte (-67)
7. Hailie Deegan (-72)
