Ryan Newman/Michigan Advance
NNCS Notes:
Ryan Newman, driver of the No. 12 Alltel Dodge, will make his ninth Michigan International Speedway start and his 139th in the NASCAR Cup Series this Sunday.
In his eight previous MIS starts, Newman has posted four top-five finishes, including two victories.
Newman and the Alltel team scored back-to-back MIS victories in August 2003 and June 2004.
Newman has posted six top-15 finishes in his eight MIS starts for an average finishing position of 13.875 at the speedway.
Newman earned his first career MIS pole, and set a track qualifying record in June. Newman circled the 2-mile track in 37.069 seconds for an average lap speed of 194.232-mph lap.
In eight previous qualifying attempts, Newman has posted six top-10 starts. His average MIS career start of 6.75 leads all active drivers.
Matt Borland, crew chief of the No. 12 Alltel Dodge, is taking chassis PRS-87 to MIS this weekend. PRS-87 has never been raced, but was tested at Indianapolis Motor Speedway and at Atlanta Motor Speedway.
Newman and the Alltel team dropped to eighth in the NNCS point standings, following a 30th-place finish at Watkins Glen International. The team was 12th in the standings at this point in the 2004 season.
Newman spent Tuesday night at Victory Junction Gang Camp fishing with the campers during "Siblings Week".
The GFS Marketplace 400 will air live on TNT at 1:30 p.m., EDT on Sunday, Aug. 21 and can be heard on MRN Radio.
Stats:
MIS Cup Starts: 8
Best Cup Start: 1 (June 2004)
Best Cup Finish: 1 (Aug. 2003, June 2004)
Quotes:
Newman on MIS: "I definitely have a lot of confidence going to Michigan. It's a fun racetrack to drive and a fun racetrack to race, but it's a relatively easy track to get around. It's wide. From a driver's standpoint you get to draft and bump draft on the straightaways. You can get off line and go three or four-wide in the corners. It's relatively not bumpy and that makes it good for racing. The team and I are hoping we can go there and get things rolling again."
