The first-ever NASCAR All-Star Race at Texas Motor Speedway was an eventful night for fans as the brightest stars in the sport battled for 100 laps in temperatures that approached triple digits. Ryan Newman was able to run up front for an extended period in the middle of the event, but ultimately finished 20th in the All-Star event.
A random draw set the field for the event, held for just the third time outside of Charlotte Motor Speedway, and Newman began the day from the 14th position. A caution on the first lap of the event stacked the field up and Newman would be shuffled towards the back of the pack, where he ultimately finished the first of six scheduled rounds in 18th.
Track position would prove to be crucial throughout the day, with high temperatures making passing difficult throughout the field. With no yellow flags in the second round, Newman would finish 19th. A full field invert gave the Wyndham Rewards team its first shot at running up front all day, starting third for the third round of the race.
The clean air gave new life to the handling of the Wyndham Rewards Mustang, and Newman held his ground for the duration of the stage to finish fifth. He would continue the strong run in the fourth round, the final 15-lap run of the night, finishing 10th.
The longest round of the day saw the field lined up by cumulative finishing position in the first four rounds, with Newman lining up 16th for the 30-lap run. Newman would hit pit road just two laps later for the mandatory 4-tire green flag stop in the round, with the field running various strategies until a caution with 11 to go in the round came out for a spin by the No. 42 car. Newman suffered minor damage in the incident, and would finish the round in 17th.
A final pit stop on the night gave Newman four fresh tires to work with, but the handling on his Ford Mustang faded as the sun set, and he ultimately finished 20th.
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