NASCAR ROUNDUP | News and notes

Newman unrepentant: Six days has not changed Ryan Newman's mind. Last Sunday, after finishing third behind Jimmie Johnson and Casey Mears in the Daytona 500, Newman suggested that NASCAR should have done more to Johnson's team than simply ousting his crew chief after the team was caught cheating in qualifying. Crew chief Chad Knaus was later suspended for three additional races for making unapproved modifications to the rear window of Johnson's No. 48 Chevrolet. "It's not good for the sport," Newman said after the race. "It's not good for any of us to have that question mark out there." Newman also suggested that Johnson's car might not pass the postrace technical inspection and that NASCAR should make an example of the team because of repeated technical indiscretions by Knaus over the last few years. But the car did pass a very thorough inspection and the victory stood. Asked about his comments Saturday at California Speedway, where he will start 11th in today's Auto Club 500, Newman said, "I'm at the point where I'll let NASCAR make those decisions. As long as they stay consistent, I'm happy about that part. It just seems like there needs to be another code for repeat offenders."
Real racing: As far as reigning series champion Tony Stewart is concerned, today's race is the first real test of where teams stand as the new season picks up momentum. A year ago, Stewart's Joe Gibbs Racing team got off to an agonizingly slow start, while Roush Racing and Hendrick Motorsports combined to win 13 of the first 15 races. "With as good as the Hendrick and Roush teams were last year, I think everybody realizes that this is an important week," Stewart said Saturday. "Everybody wants to know where they stack up right now." Stewart discounts the opening race at Daytona as something of an aberration because the carburetor restrictor plates in use there to slow the cars don't relate much to any track except Talladega -- the only other place where NASCAR requires the horsepower-sapping plates.
Fast times: Greg Biffle, who finished first and second in last year's Cup races at California Speedway, was the fastest driver Saturday in the final practices for the Auto Club 500. Biffle's fast lap of 183.538 mph came in the first of two morning practice sessions. Matt Kenseth was next, leading the final session at 183.290. Other fast drivers included Stewart at 183.052, Newman at 182.741, pole-winner Kurt Busch at 182.709, Carl Edwards at 182.089 and rookie Reed Sorenson at 182.030.
Associated Press