Race 2 Win: MBNA 400: A Salute to Heroes

Nextel Cup Series

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MBNA 400: A Salute to Heroes - Ryan Newman Notes

Ryan Newman/Dover Advance

Notes:

Ryan Newman, driver of the No. 12 ALLTEL Dodge, will make his fifth start at Dover International Speedway this Sunday in the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series. Newman has earned one pole, two victories, three top-five and four top-10 finishes at the speedway.

Newman won both NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series events at Dover last season. Last June, the ALLTEL Dodge lost power steering on lap 230. Newman overpowered the car to score his second victory of the season. In September, Newman battled back from a two-lap deficit to earn his seventh victory of the 2003 season.

Newman has never finished outside of the top 10 at Dover. He swept both events there last season and finished fourth and eighth at the 1-mile track in 2002. His average Dover finishing position is 3.50.

Newman has started inside the top five in the past three Dover events. He earned the pole and won the race last June at the speedway.

Newman has qualified second for the past two NNCS point races and also qualified second for the Nextel All-Star Challenge. Newman's average start of 6.67 this season is the highest of all drivers.

Crew chief Matt Borland and the ALLTEL team will take chassis No. 46 to Dover this weekend. PRS-46 is the ALLTEL team's "Pole Car." The chassis won the pole at Rockingham, Atlanta and Bristol this year-the only three races that it has competed in. The team finished in the top-10 in all three of those races.

The No. 12 ALLTEL Dodge team currently sits ninth in the NNCS point standings. The team was 25th at this point in the season one year ago.

The MBNA 400 "A Salute to Heroes" at Dover International Speedway will air live on FX at 1 p.m. EDT. MRN Radio will also cover the event, starting at 12:30 p.m. EDT.

Quotes:
Newman on Dover: "I really like this race track, which makes a difference in how a driver performs. Also, my team has, for each race at Dover, provided me with a great race car. I think that when you add those two components together, you're going to get good performances and fortunately that's what the ALLTEL team has experienced at this track.

"Dover is very unique because it's the only concrete 1-mile track we race on. This track demands so much from a driver, both physically and mentally, which is another reason I enjoy it so much. There is no 'relaxation' time, except for cautions. The car will fluctuate between tight and loose all day. The driver, the crew chief and the team-they all have their hands full at Dover. You have to be on top of your game and be ready for anything and everything at this track."

Stats:
Dover International Speedway Starts: 4 Poles: 1 (June 2003)
Races Led: 2 Laps Led: 268
Best Start: 1 (June 2003) Best Finish: 1 (June 2003 & Sept. 2003)

Appearances:

Nextel Wake-Up Call, Dover International Speedway Infield Media Center, Saturday, June 5th, 8:30 a.m. EDT.

Autograph Session, ALLTEL Team Caliber Souvenir Trailer, Saturday, June 5th, approximately 1 p.m. EDT.

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