As Newman took the lead on the backstretch, his 81-race streak without a victory was about to end.
He started his record six-race streak in 1997 at Watkins Glen, N.Y., the only other road-course track on the Winston Cup circuit.
Stewart, the defending Nascar Winston Cup champion, won the Pocono 500 and ended a 27-race streak without a victory that lasted nearly 10 months.
The second row has Rusty Wallace, who broke a 59-race streak of no victories last weekend in Phoenix, and Dale Jarrett, who will try to drive after gall stones landed him in a hospital last Sunday.
Gordon passed Wallace by driving his Chevrolet up onto Wallace's bumper and sliding past him on Turn 4. Wallace, riding a 50-race streak without a victory, finished second and was not pleased with Gordon's bump-and-run tactics, contending that Gordon would not have passed him without a tap.
Paulson, who died a year ago in July at 78, also bred and raced horses, including two-time national horse of the year Cigar, whose 16-race winning streak captivated the racing public from 1994 to '96.
This former claimer comes to the Gold Cup on a three-race win streak, all in races against competition that didn't come close to what he'll face here.
Kyle Busch ended a 21-race losing streak with a late-race pass at Richmond International Raceway that denied Jeff Gordon a Nascar Sprint Cup victory yet again.
Kenseth, who broke Kurt Busch's year-old qualifying record of 188.719, will attempt to break his 72-race winless streak in Sunday's race.
After breaking a thirty-one race losing streak, Stewart stated on the team's radio, "Ring the bell baby, woo! Good job, guys!
Surfside has seven victories in nine races, including a four-race winning streak, and has earned more than $1 million.
