Budweiser Shootout
February 14, 2008

Chassis Notes

PRS-517: Newman's Shootout car has never been used in a superspeedway configuration. The team tested with it earlier this year at Daytona. "The Shootout will be a good preliminary for the 150s and how the cars and tires will react in the draft," crew chief Roy McCauley said.

Daytona International Speedway

Daytona Beach, FL

Track Facts

Banking/Turns: 31
Distance: 2.5 miles
Shape: Tri-oval
Daytona International Speedway opened in 1959, but the history of auto racing at Daytona goes back much farther than that.

Contact Information

P.O. Box 2801
Daytona Beach, FL 32120
(386) 253-7223

Appearance Dates

Below are the dates that Ryan will make an autograph appearance at Motorsports Authentics:

• Fri., Feb. 8 - Autograph Session at Gillette Young Guns Display Unit - 2-3 p.m.
• Sat., Feb. 9 - Gillette Young Guns New Members Intro & Shave Event - Stage is Daytona International Speedway Fan Zone - 4-5 p.m. (* This is non-autograph event)
• Sun., Feb. 10 - Ryan will be signing autographs at the Ryan Newman/Sports Design Trackside Souvenir trailer from 10 am - 11 am prior to Sprint Cup qualifying.
• Wed., Feb. 13 - Partners for Paws Event - Daytona 500 Club - 6-10 p.m. (Autograph session, dinner, auction) - Tickets $20 - Proceeds benefit the Ryan Newman Foundation and other charities
• Thurs., Feb. 14 - Fast Talk Live at Volusia Mall - 6:15 p.m. (Fans can see Ryan on a radio show)
• Thurs., Feb. 14 - NASCAR Live at Daytona 500 Experience - 7:15 p.m. (Fans can see Ryan on a radio show)
• Sat., Feb. 16 - Pit Road Pets book signing at Meaty Bone tent - 1-2 p.m.

Track Stats

Newman Finishes 17th In Budweiser Shootout

Daytona Beach, Fla. (Feb. 10, 2008) - Ryan Newman called Saturday night's Budweiser Shootout a good learning experience for the No. 12 Penske Racing Alltel Dodge team. Newman says the 70-lap event, in which the team finished 17th in a backup car that had never turned a lap on a race track, will help the team be one step ahead for next weekend's Daytona 500. "It was a good learning experience for us there," Newman said after the race. "I think it's definitely a leg up for the practice on Wednesday and for sure the Gatorade Duel on Thursday." Newman and the No. 12 Penske Racing team didn't have an easy road to the Shootout. After drawing the last starting spot for the Shootout on Thursday night, Newman said he wanted to go from worst to first. That order became even taller after a multi-car accident in final practice claimed the team's primary car for the race. The team had another car delivered from North Carolina to the race track on Saturday morning. Newman piloted a brand new superspeedway car that had never been on the track for the non-points race. Newman was one of eight drivers who were in backup cars when the green flag waved on Saturday night. Due to the high attrition rate in practice and the fact that Newman wasn't sure what to expect behind the wheel of his new No. 12 Alltel Dodge, he opted to play it conservatively during the first 20-lap segment of the race. When the first segment was complete and the team went to work during a 10-minute intermission, Newman told crew chief Roy McCauley that he had a "better car than what I am showing," but that he was protecting it. The Alltel Pit Crew changed four tires, added fuel and made an air pressure adjustment during the intermission. When the race restarted for the final 50-lap segment, Newman restarted in 20th-place. It was only four laps before the team pitted again under a caution flag for four fresh tires and fuel. Newman returned to the race track in 16th-place. Newman began making a charge from the back of the pack and was gaining ground. He was 13th on the board when Newman told his crew that the car was a little too free. "I'm wicked loose with a car behind me in (turns) one and two, but I'm good in three and four," Newman said. "We have to tighten it up a little bit the next stop." A caution at Lap 48 was just what Newman's No. 12 Alltel Dodge needed. The pit crew changed four tires, added fuel and put two rounds in the left rear in an attempt to help the car's loose- handling condition. Newman restarted in 12th-place. The adjustments appeared to be just what Newman's car needed as he was able to maneuver better in the tight pack of drafting cars. Newman moved as high as sixth-place before being shuffuled back and getting caught up in a minor altercation on the race track. Teammate Kurt Busch began spinning in front of Newman, and he slowed to avoid wrecking. As Newman slowed, J.J. Yeley got into him, causing some left side body damage to the No. 12 Dodge. "I saw Kurt (Busch) spinning in front of us there," Newman said of the wreck, following the race. "I checked up and the No. 96 got into my door and almost spun me around so it was unfortunate for the Alltel My Circle Dodge." Newman pitted under the caution flag at Lap 64 for four tires. The pit crew also had to do some repair work to the car's splitter and pulled out the left rear quarter panel where the two cars tangled. Newman returned to the track in 17th-place, which is where he would finish. "We were very conservative in the first run tonight," Newman said. "We were worried about the tires a little bit and the cars just don't handle well. I mean, if you can't go more than 21 laps without guys spinning, crashing or blowing the tires it's just very poor racing. "Our car, I thought handled well, we just never put ourselves in position. All in all though, I think we learned some valuable information tonight for next week."

Notes

• Ryan Newman, driver of the Penske Racing No. 12 Alltel Dodge Charger, will make his seventh start in the Budweiser Shootout on Saturday night. Newman made his first start in the Shootout in 2002, his rookie season in the NASCAR Cup Series. His best finish is second-place in 2005.
• Newman ranks second in career poles earned by current full-time NASCAR Cup Series drivers. Newman has 42 poles. He won his first pole in his third career start (2001 -Lowe's Motor Speedway).
• The Shootout marks Newman's first Cup race with crew chief Roy McCauley calling the shots for the No. 12 Alltel Dodge. Newman and McCauley were first paired together at Penske Racing in 2005 in a Nationwide Series effort that scored six victories in just nine starts.
• Newman collected five poles in 2007-Atlanta, Charlotte (spring and fall), Dover and Pocono.

Newman Quotes

• "We work really hard each year to win poles and have the No. 12 Alltel Dodge start up front. It's an honor being in the Budweiser Shootout each year because it recognizes the hard work that the entire team has done to put our car on the pole."
• "Roy McCauley and I are really looking forward to the Shootout because it is our first race together since 2005. Our speedway program has been really good the past few years, and we think that we're going to make a strong run in the Shootout."
• SPECIAL SATURDAY
• "I've always wanted to give my dad a birthday present that he would never forget," Newman has said.
• This weekend, Newman will have just that chance. Newman's father and spotter, Greg Newman, will be celebrating his birthday on Saturday - the night of the Budweiser Shootout.
• "My dad has done more for me than I could ever repay him for. Celebrating in victory lane at Daytona on his birthday would mean the world to both of us. I would love to make that happen."

McCauley Quotes

• "We're going to the Shootout with guns ablazing. I have no desire to lose a race or finish second in a race. We are there to win. We drafted a lot with our Alltel Dodge during testing, and we learned quite a bit about how the car will handle."
• "Ryan and I had a lot of fun together the first time we worked together in 2005. We have a lot of respect for each other. And that respect comes from the fact that we are both racers. That mutual respect is very important and Ryan and I see to eye to eye on that. We all have high expectations for this year."