RICHMOND, Va. -- They talked a big game in the preseason, and many people looked at them with eyebrows raised. Chase berths and race wins, with an organization that just struggled to be competitive last year? Yet Saturday night at Richmond International Raceway, the stunningly transformed Stewart-Haas Racing team took another large step toward making that a reality.

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I told the guys if we keep doing this, we'll get what we want, and obviously we want to be in Victory Lane.

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RYAN NEWMAN

Tony Stewart used fresh tires to storm to a second-place finish, and teammate Ryan Newman rebounded from early contact with Mark Martin to place fourth on the .75-mile short track. It marked the first time since becoming teammates that both drivers had placed in the top five in the same event. More importantly, with 15 Sprint Cup races remaining until NASCAR's premier series returns to Richmond to determine this year's championship field, both drivers are now inside the top 12 in points. This from an organization that fought just to make races before Stewart took over and strengthened the team's technical bonds with juggernaut Hendrick Motorsports.

"It's been impressive to watch the change, the mentality that Tony has brought in there about not being there just to be there, but to be there to win," said Jeff Burton, who finished third Saturday night. "I'm not sure I remember a team changing possession, you know what I mean, a new owner stepping in, and the turnaround being what it's been. He's making other people want to go and own their own cars. That's probably not a good thing. But it's been real impressive to watch."

So has the way Stewart and Newman have climbed up the point standings. Stewart didn't even have owner points at the beginning of the season, using his past champion's provisional as a safety net in case he failed to qualify on speed. It hardly proved an issue, as the newly minted team owner has been a fixture in the top 10. Newman endured a horrible start, failing to finish better than 20th the first four weeks of the year, but since then has climbed 22 positions in the points. Leaving Richmond, Stewart sits third and Newman 10th, the duo continuing to defy even best-case predictions. (Continued)