Ryan Newman
No. 12 Alltel Dodge Charger
Budweiser Shootout Advance
NNCS Notes:
Ryan Newman, driver of the No. 12 Alltel Dodge, will be making his sixth appearance in the annual Budweiser Shootout at Daytona International Speedway. The Bud Shootout is a pre-season, non-points-paying race that includes every driver who earned at least one Bud Pole Award during the previous season and any past winners.
Newman has been a competitor in the Bud Shootout every year since his rookie season in 2002. He earned his first Bud Pole at Lowe’s Motor Speedway in just his second-ever Cup start back on May 27, 2001. Seven seems to have been a good number for Newman the past two years as that is the number he drew for his starting spots in 2005 and 2006 and the position he will be making his draw this year as well. The number he draws in Thursday night’s Bud Shootout drawing (televised live on SPEED-TV at 8:00 p.m. ET) will determine where he starts in the field for Saturday night’s 175-mile race (that features coverage by FOX-TV and MRN Radio beginning at 8:00 p.m. ET.) Newman has an average starting position of 10.6 for the Shootout.
In 2005, Newman came in second to Jimmie Johnson at the Bud Shootout, earning his highest finish to date. Newman has two top-five finishes in his five attempts in the Shootout, giving him an average finish of 10.8.
Newman has led four laps in the Bud Shootout – occurring during his 2005 second-place run – and has completed 347 or 352 laps, earning Newman a 98.6 percent completion rate for the event.
Mike Nelson, crew chief of the No. 12 Alltel Dodge, and the Alltel team will race chassis PRS-65 in the 2007 Budweiser Shootout. This is the same chassis that was used during the 2006 Shootout in which Newman started seventh and finished 17th.
Newman on the Bud Shootout:
“This is a fun event for all the drivers. It’s a nice reward for winning a pole in the previous season and it gives a lot of drivers the chance to get out on the track early and see how the cars will run.”
“The chassis we’re taking for the Shootout isn’t our primary for the 500, but it is our backup, so if the car feels really good in the Shootout, there’s always a possibility of using it for the race the following weekend.”
“I’m looking forward to being back on the track in a race setting. 2006 was a tough season for everyone at Penske Racing and I think both teams are ready to get back out there and show everyone that we just had a bad season, that’s all. This team is still strong and still capable of winning races and championships and we’re all anxious to get out there and show that to everyone else.”
Quick Stats:
Budweiser Shootout: 5
Races Led/Laps Led: 1/4
Best Starting Position: 7 (2005 & 2006)
Best Finishing Position: 2 (2005)
2006 Start: 7
2006 Finish: 17
