Ryan Newman
No. 12 Alltel Dodge Charger
Checker Auto Parts 500 Advance
NNCS Notes:
Ryan Newman, driver of the No. 12 Alltel Dodge Charger, will make his ninth NASCAR Cup Series start at Phoenix International Raceway on Sunday and his 187th in the NASCAR Cup Series.
Newman has had three straight Bud Pole Awards at PIR – 2002, 2003 and 2004 – and is tied with former teammate Rusty Wallace for earning the most poles at the one-mile track. Newman has never started outside the top 25 and has earned two other top-10 starts, including a 10th in his first-career Cup race, which occurred at PIR in 2000, and a seventh during the first spring race held at the track in 2005. Newman’s average start at Phoenix is 8.625.
In eight Phoenix races, Newman has earned just two top-five finishes – a second in 2004 and a third in 2003. His other finishes have all come outside the top 10. Newman has had three DNFs at PIR, all results of accidents, and in each of those three races, Newman has finished 39th or lower. His average finish at PIR is 21.125.
Newman has led three races at the Arizona track for a total of 114 laps. He has completed 2,212 laps out of a possible 2,499 for a completion rate of 88.5 percent.
The Alltel team will take chassis PRS-55 to this weekend’s Checker Auto Parts 500. This is the same car that Newman drove in both races at New Hampshire International Speedway and also to victory in September 2005 at NHIS. The car has been rebuilt a couple of times since then, however. Last November, the team took the same chassis to Phoenix where Newman was involved in a wreck during practice. The car was taken back to Phoenix in April 2006 and was involved in a wreck during the race.
The backup car for PIR is chassis PRS-91. This car was run at the last two spring Richmond races. In May 2005, Newman finished third after qualifying second and in May of this year, Newman finished eighth after he started from the 14th position.
Newman on Phoenix International Raceway:
“Phoenix has not been the kindest track to us in the past. I really like driving there because it’s a short track and I always enjoy driving at the short tracks, but we’ve had some tough runs there.”
“We’re going into PIR knowing that we only have two races left in the season, which is a little bit of a relief after the season we’ve had, but we also know that we’ve got two more races to try and win and I think we have a good shot at accomplishing that before this season ends.”
Quick Stats:
Phoenix International Raceway: 8
Races Led/Laps Led: 3/114
Best Start: 1 (three times)
Best Finish: 2 (Nov. 2004)
November 2005 Start: 11
November 2005 Finish: 12
