Daytona 500 - Ryan Newman Notes

Ryan Newman/Daytona 500 Advance

Notes:

Ryan Newman, driver of the No. 12 ALLTEL Dodge, will make his fourth Daytona 500 start and the seventh of his Cup career at Daytona International Speedway this Sunday. In his six previous starts, Newman has earned one top-10, which occurred in his rookie start at the speedway.

Newman finished second in last Saturday's Budweiser Shootout. He started 16th and clever pit strategy helped him take the lead on lap 51. Newman led four laps before settling for the runner-up finish. The second-place finish was Newman's best in a Cup car at DIS.

Crew chief Matt Borland and the No. 12 ALLTEL team qualified PRS-67 for the Daytona 500 last Sunday. PRS-67 was most recently raced last October at Talladega Superspeedway where Newman finished 16th.

The team turned the 29th fastest lap during Daytona 500 qualifying last Sunday and will start 16th in the first Gatorade Duel 150-mile race on Thursday. Newman's starting position in the Daytona 500 will be determined by his finish in the 150-mile qualifying race.

Newman has earned victories in an IROC race and an ARCA race at DIS, but has yet to win in NASCAR's NEXTEL Cup Series at the speedway. His career-high Cup finish in a points race at Daytona-seventh-came in his inaugural Cup race at the track, the 2002 Daytona 500.

Newman will take on New Smyrna's finest pee-wee football players in the Mobil High-Endurance Slot Car Challenge at Dodge City on Friday, Feb. 18, at 5:30 p.m., EST. Newman will be available for interviews following the event.

Newman will team up with wife Krissie to battle Mark Martin and his son, Matt, in the Gatorade Lemonade Duel at Daytona on Saturday, Feb. 19, at 8:45 a.m. in the FanZone section of the new DIS infield. Proceeds from the Newman and the Martin lemonade stands will benefit the Victory Junction Gang Camp.

The Gatorade Duel will air live on FX at 1 p.m., EST on Thursday, Feb. 17. The 150-mile qualifying races can also be heard on MRN Radio.

The Daytona 500 will air live on FOX at 1 p.m., EST on Sunday, Feb. 20. The prestigious race also will be broadcast on MRN Radio.

Quotes:

Newman on the Daytona 500: "This race definitely means something to me and the ALLTEL team. We try not to put emphasis on any one race over another, but this is the Daytona 500. It would mean so much to win this race to me and to my crew. Roger Penske has won so many Indianapolis 500s, but has yet to win a Daytona 500. I want to get him that win.

"In the past few years, we, as a team, have not been overly successful on restrictor-plate tracks. Last Saturday's Budweiser Shootout results have definitely given the ALLTEL team a boost. That was a great race car, and PRS-67 is going to be just as good in race trim. The guys back in the engine department have done a lot of work getting our speedway program ready for the 2005 season. I think that Saturday showed what kind of progress they've made. Hopefully Sunday will too."

Stats:
Daytona International Speedway Starts: 6
Daytona 500 Starts: 3
Best DIS Start: 13 (July 2004)
Best 500 Start: 20 (2004)
Best DIS Finish: 7 (Feb. 2002)
Best 500 Finish: 7 (2002)

Appearances (2/16-2/20):

Autograph Session, Team Caliber Souvenir Trailer, Wednesday, Feb. 16, at 5 p.m., EST.

Fast Talk with Benny Parsons interview, Volusia Mall, Wednesday, Feb. 16, at 6:15 p.m., EST.

Halifax Humane Society Charity Auction, Daytona Club, Wednesday, Feb. 16, at 7 p.m., EST.

NASCAR Live interview, Daytona USA, Thursday, Feb. 17, at 7 p.m., EST.

Mobil High-Endurance Stock Car Challenge race, Dodge City, Friday, Feb. 18, at 5:30 p.m., EST.

Q&A Session, Dodge City, Friday, Feb. 18, at 6 p.m., EST.

Gatorade Lemonade Duel in Daytona lemonade sell-off, DIS FanZone, Saturday, Feb. 19, at 8:45 a.m., EST.