AVONDALE, ARIZ. (AP) - The right-front tires took a beating at Phoenix International Raceway.
About a half dozen drivers slammed into the wall after their right-front tires wore down during Sunday’s Sprint Cup race, including Ryan Newman, who had it happen twice.
“A lot of people were having tire troubles,” said David Ragan, who finished 38th after being knocked out when Danica Patrick blew a right-front tire.
Patrick’s wreck was one of the worst of her career, a hard slam into the outside wall and a carom into Ragan that shredded part of her car and left debris covering nearly half the home straightaway.
She and Newman are teammates with Stewart-Haas Racing, so there was a little concern from owner Tony Stewart.
“I honestly don’t know what happened,” Stewart said. “I saw Ryan’s the first time, I think. I knew it was a tire, but I didn’t know what happened the second time. I will find out when I get a chance to talk to those guys.”
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