Even for people who aren't interested in racing or NASCAR recognize the iconic nature of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. As somebody who grew up in Indiana myself, it is huge destination, and the the Indy 500 and Brickyard 400 are the only races that matter. We actually drove down to Indy for a school-sponsored field trip in elementary school (I still have the keychain). So, when I saw that Ryan Newman, who is from South Bend, IN, I have a bit of an appreciation for just how important this must be for him.
Newman, who drives Chevy, broke a 49-race winless streak and beat out Jimmie Johnson, who was going for back-to-back wins at the Brickyard. The win was set up by breaking a track record in qualifying to take the pole.
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[via ESPN]