Race 2 Win: Chevy Rock and Roll 400

Nextel Cup Series

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Chevy Rock and Roll 400 - Ryan Newman Notes

Ryan Newman/Richmond Advance

Notes:

Ryan Newman, driver of the No. 12 ALLTEL Dodge, will make his sixth career start at Richmond International Speedway this Saturday. Newman has posted one victory and four top-10 finishes at RIR.

Newman is the defending winner of RIR's fall event. Last September, Newman started fourth and outlasted his competitors in fuel mileage to score his sixth victory of the 2003 season.

In five previous starts at RIR, Newman has scored four top-10 finishes, including his 2003 victory. He earned back-to-back runner-up finishes at the raceway during his 2002 rookie season, and finished ninth earlier this year.

Newman has posted four straight top-five starts, including two outside front row, in his five races at RIR, but has yet to earn a pole at the raceway. Newman's average start of 4.80 leads all active drivers who have started three or more races at RIR.

Newman is one of only two drivers to have led a lap in every start at RIR. Newman has led five races for a total of 351 laps; Brian Vickers has led one race for a total of 32 laps.

Newman and the ALLTEL team completed their "best test session to date" at RIR on Monday, Aug. 24 and Tuesday, Aug. 25.

Crew chief Matt Borland and the ALLTEL team will take chassis PRS-59 to RIR this weekend. PRS-59 earned the nickname "Brutus" after winning at RIR in 2003. "Brutus" has earned four top-five starting positions in all four races in which it has competed. "Brutus" was named after Popeye's nemesis on the Popeye cartoon series.

Newman will compete in the third of four IROC Crown Royal series events this Thursday night at RIR. Newman is currently tied for the series' point lead with fellow NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series competitor Kevin Harvick.

Thus far in the 2004 season, Newman is one of two drivers to post 16 top-10 starts this season. He is also one of only two drivers to have an average starting position of 10th or better.

The No. 12 ALLTEL Dodge team currently sits eighth in the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series point standings, 45 points ahead of 11th place and 105 points behind seventh place.

The Chevy Rock and Roll 400 at Richmond International Raceway will air live on TNT at 7 p.m. EDT. MRN Radio also will cover the event, starting at 7 p.m. EDT.

Stats:
Richmond International Raceway Starts: 5 Victories: 1 (September 2003)
Top-five finishes: 3 Top-10 finishes: 4

Appearances:

IROC Press Conference, Infield Media Center, Richmond International Raceway, Thursday, Sept. 9 at 4:45 p.m., EDT.

Newman on Richmond: "Richmond is a fun race track. It's the only short track we go to that we can actually race on. The good thing about Richmond is that there is lots of room to pass and get to the front. The bad thing is that, like all short track races, it could turn out to be a night of beating and banging racing.

Newman on the 26th race: "The ALLTEL team looks at this race like every other race. We're going there with all intentions of winning. If we can win Saturday night, the points will take care of themselves. The point system has not changed the way that I drive. We, as a team, can only try as hard as we have been. We have the opportunity to earn the same amount of points this weekend as we do every weekend, so for us, it's just another race.

Newman on the point standings: "Right now, we have two opportunities to get into the "Chase." Being in the top-10, of course, but also mathematically. We're only 404 points behind Jimmie (Johnson), so the 400-point deal could also work for us. My team is really excited at this point that we have a shot at being in that top-10. We're the only ones from the Penske organization that does right now, so the other two teams (2, 77) are also pulling for us, and that's a great morale boost too.

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