Ryan Newman/Pocono Advance
Notes:
Ryan Newman, driver of the No. 12 Alltel Dodge, will make his seventh Pocono Raceway start and his 130th in the NASCAR Cup Series this Sunday.
In his six previous Pocono starts, Newman has posted one pole and three top-five finishes, including one victory in 2003.
Newman earned the pole position for the July 2003 Pocono event. Newman led 88 laps during the race before the Alltel team gambled on fuel to earn its fourth victory of the season.
Newman finished 30th in this race one year ago following a late-race accident with Robby Gordon. The June 2004 race was the Alltel team's first and only DNF at Pocono.
Newman has earned three top-10 starts at Pocono Raceway. Newman scored his three top-five finishes in the same races where he started in the top 10.
Newman has led at least one lap in four of his six Pocono starts for a total of 126 laps.
Matt Borland, crew chief of the No. 12 Alltel Dodge, is taking chassis PRS-48, "Olive Oyl", to Pocono this weekend. "Olive Oyl" won the Alltel team's first career Cup victory at New Hampshire International Speedway in 2002. In 2003, "Olive Oyl" was raced once again at NHIS and Phoenix International Raceway where she earned two poles and two top-10 finishes.
Newman's first stock car victory came at Pocono Raceway in an ARCA event in 2000. It was only his second career stock car start.
Newman and the Alltel team are on a hot streak, scoring top-10 finishes in the past four NNCS races. Newman has advanced 11 positions in the point standings over the past four weeks.
Newman extended his streak of top-10 starts to 20 consecutive weeks last week at Dover International Speedway. Newman is the only driver in the NNCS to start in the top 10 for all 13 races this season.
Newman and the Alltel team remained fourth in the NNCS point standings following an eighth-place finish at Dover International Speedway. The team was 10th in the standings at this point in the 2004 season.
The Pocono 500 at Pocono Raceway will air live on FOX at 1 p.m., EDT on Sunday, June 12 and also can be heard on MRN Radio.
Stats:
Pocono Raceway Starts: 6
Victories: 1 (July 2003)
Best Start: 1
Best Finish: 1
June 2004 Start: 11
June 2004 Finish: 30
Quotes:
Newman on Pocono Raceway:
"We struggled a little bit at Pocono last year. We were on a hot streak there for awhile in 2002 and 2003, but last year just kind of caught us by surprise. Two finishes outside the top-10 were not what we were looking for. We're really getting a handle on the Dodge Charger now and I think our past few weeks' performance has shown that. Hopefully that will continue this weekend at Pocono.
Newman's key to Pocono:
Horsepower is the key to winning at Pocono. With the straightaways being so long, and the corners so tight, engine power becomes very important, if not the most important factor of the weekend. We'll definitely be bringing out best engine with us this weekend."
