The Official Ryan Newman Website

STEWART-HAAS RACING: WEEKEND LINEUP

April 17-18, 2009

NASCAR Sprint Cup Series - Subway Fresh Fit 500k

Venue / Location:     Phoenix International Raceway (1-mile oval)

SHR Driver Lineup:   Tony Stewart in the No. 14 Office Depot / Old Spice Chevrolet Impala SS

                             Ryan Newman in the No. 39 Haas Automation Chevrolet Impala SS

Qualifying:                  7 p.m. EDT on Friday, April 17 with live broadcast on SPEED

Time / Date / TV:      8 p.m. EDT on Saturday, April 18 with live broadcast on FOX (race starts at 8:30 p.m.)

RYAN NEWMAN

Hoping Site of First Start is The Place for Another First

Phoenix International Raceway in Avondale, Ariz., is where it all began for Ryan Newman.

On Nov. 5, 2000, Newman made his NASCAR Sprint Cup Series debut at Phoenix. The then-22-year-old driver had already impressed in the open-wheel divisions of the United States Auto Club (USAC), collecting numerous wins and honors, as well as capturing the 1999 Silver Crown championship. He had also received accolades following his stellar performance behind the wheel of an ARCA stock car in a five-race schedule that produced two poles, three wins and four top-10 finishes.

But none of it meant more to Newman than that day at Phoenix. It was the day that dreams came true for the boy who had imagined being a NASCAR driver since he was 4½ years old and climbing behind the wheel of his first Quarter-Midget. Being from South Bend, Ind., stock car racing wasn't exactly popular. In Newman's home state, racing meant one thing - open-wheel cars. Little boys dreamed of competing in the Indianapolis 500. But not Newman. He always preferred his NASCAR slot cars over the Indy-style slot cars when he raced with his friends.

Newman wasted no time showing the Sprint Cup regulars his penchant for turning a quick lap as he qualified 10^th in the No. 02 Penske Racing entry in his maiden effort. He went on to be competitive during the race, too, although the final results show a 41^st-place finish due to an engine failure.

Fast forward nine years later. In 267 Sprint Cup starts, Newman has collected 43 pole positions and 13 wins. He returns to Phoenix this weekend with his new Stewart-Haas Racing (SHR) team and the No. 39 Haas Automation Chevrolet Impala SS, along with a new dream that Newman hopes to turn into reality.

In his first seven races with SHR, Newman and the No. 39 team have posted two top-10 finishes and missed claiming the pole position at Bristol (Tenn.) Motor Speedway by one-thousandth of a second. Most importantly, the team has improved each and every week.

Heading into Phoenix, Newman and his team want more. The driver, who was given the nickname "Rocketman" because of his ability to win poles, has a track-record four of them at Phoenix, including one last spring. That was the last time Newman took the top spot, and he is ready to add another pole position to the record book. Newman wants to put his No. 39 on top of the board for SHR's first pole. In addition, Newman is still looking for his first top-five finish and, ultimately, his first win with SHR.

History shows that Newman knows what dreams are made of, and Phoenix was part of that dream. As he wheels his No. 39 Haas Automation Chevrolet around the 1-mile oval during this weekend's Subway Fresh Fit 500k, Newman hopes that Phoenix will once again be the place where dreams come true.

RYAN NEWMAN, Driver of the No. 39 Haas Automation Chevrolet Impala SS for Stewart-Haas Racing:

Talk about your season so far, and what has meant the most to you since joining Stewart-Haas Racing?

"It's been an interesting ride. When we started out the season, I made it very clear that I believed this team had the pieces and the personnel to make the Chase - and that belief has not changed. We had some issues those first few races - some bad luck and some things that I think may have been self-inflicted, but then we hit our stride at Bristol. We had two top-10 finishes at Bristol and Martinsville. Then we just battled all day at Texas and we were able to come out of there with a 15^th-place finish, which is not the finish that I wanted, but we didn't give up. I was a little frustrated after the race, but Tony Gibson (crew chief) said something and it made me think. He said that it was days like that when we can take a 30^th-place car and run 15^th, where we battle all day and don't give up - that's a sign of a strong team. And I think that is a great way to describe this No. 39 team. A lot of the guys on this team have been together for years, and I'm the new guy. They have been through a lot together, and I have been so impressed with how they have persevered.

"To me, this team's never-give-up attitude has been one of the most impressive things for me about Stewart-Haas Racing. The first four races were really tough, but I learned a lot from those races and how the team reacted to what we faced. The guys have done a good job keeping their chins up and staying focused and doing their jobs and fixing the problems that we've had. They've done a very good job of overcoming adversity, and I am so proud of what we have accomplished. I look forward to every weekend at the track with them."

How do you feel about your chances going into Phoenix this weekend?

"Phoenix is a very unique track because the ends are so different and it has a crook there in the backstretch. The design of the racetrack makes it fun and challenging to drive. We ran really well at both short tracks earlier this season, and you run Phoenix with a short-track package and a short-track mentality, so that makes me think that our No. 39 Haas Automation Chevrolet should have a good weekend.

"Phoenix is a special track to me. It's where I started my Sprint Cup career. It's the first track I raced on in NASCAR so, it's an important place. I've had some good runs at Phoenix, but I just haven't been able to get a victory there. I've come close with a second-place and a third-place, but close isn't winning. I'm looking forward to my first start at Phoenix with Stewart-Haas Racing."

Last spring at Phoenix, you won the pole. It was your fourth pole at the track, which is the track record. However, you haven't had a pole since that time. What would it mean for you to win the pole this weekend at Phoenix in the No. 39 car?

"I want to win the pole at every racetrack we go to. Each weekend, there are a couple of different races leading up to the big race - there's the race to be the fastest in each practice, and there's the race to be the best in qualifying. I'm not the only guy out there who wants to be on top of that board after every practice session and every qualifying session and every race. That's our competitive nature.

"I am fully aware that my last pole came at Phoenix last spring. I guess you could say it's been a long dry spell, and the competitor in me is ready to end that dry spell. We came pretty close during Daytona 500 qualifying, and even closer at Bristol. We were one-thousandth of a second off the pole speed - that's not even an inch. Winning the pole at Phoenix for the 39 team and Stewart-Haas Racing would be really special for me. It would be the first pole for SHR and that's a goal that I set for myself back at the start of the season. I want to win the first pole for SHR. It doesn't matter to me where it happens, but I want to win the pole. I know that Tony Gibson and the guys are working hard to get me the car that can win the pole - and believe me, if I have a chance to win the pole this weekend, I don't plan on leaving anything out on the track."

TONY GIBSON, Crew Chief of the No. 39 Haas Automation Chevrolet Impala SS for Stewart-Haas Racing:

The No. 39 team turned in solid finishes at two short tracks just a couple of weeks ago - a seventh at Bristol Motor Speedway and a sixth at Martinsville (Va.) Speedway. What do you think about your chances as you head to Phoenix International Raceway this weekend?

"I think our team is pretty confident heading into Phoenix. Most of the guys on this team came with me from the No. 8 team at Dale Earnhardt, Inc., and we had some good runs there with both Dale Earnhardt Jr., and then last year with Mark Martin. In fact, we led a lot of laps last year. We were leading with 11 laps to go and had to come in and pit for fuel, so it's a track that this group of guys feel comfortable with and are confident going to. And we know that Ryan has had some good runs there, too.

"For us, Phoenix has a lot of similarities to Martinsville and the setup that we ran in the 39 car there. You carry more entry speed into the corners at Phoenix, but it is more-or-less a short-track package. We had a really strong car at Martinsville. Who knows what the outcome would have been had we been able to qualify instead of having to start 27^th because of the rainout. Ryan did a heck of a job driving through the field, but I would've liked to see what we could've done if we would've started closer to the front. So we are looking forward to going to Phoenix, being able to qualify and seeing just how good the package we have really is. If we are as competitive as we were in Martinsville, I feel confident that we can come out of Phoenix with a solid top-five finish."

The No. 39 team had a rough start to the season, but the team has now had three consecutive top-15 finishes. What have you learned about this team that has impressed you?

"I'm proud of the whole company. The guys on this team and Ryan, they have never given up. And for me, personally, one of the biggest things has been seeing Ryan and Tony (Stewart) in the shop, talking to the guys, keeping them pumped up. ‘Smoke' is there almost every day, and to see your owner walking through the shop and just encouraging the guys has really meant a lot to me. Being around these people who believe in you and what you are doing really helped to keep our spirits up and kept everyone from losing faith.

"We've had three good weekends, and we've made up a ton of ground in the points. Going into Bristol, I would be lying to you if I told you that I wasn't nervous. You can have a good car at Bristol and walk out of there miserable because things just happen there. But we had a good car and we were able to keep our nose clean at Bristol and at Martinsville and we made huge gains in the points.

"We were really solid at both short tracks, and then we had some issues at Texas. In the end, we salvaged a good finish, and that's what I told my guys afterward. You're going to have days like that, where you don't have a great car. We had a 30^th-place car, in my opinion, but we finished 15^th, and that's something to be proud of. To me, that's the sign of a strong team. The guys on pit road did a tremendous job and Ryan drove his heart out. No one gave up. They kept their head in the game. We were able to get a good finish and move up in the points. That's the sign of a solid team. I was proud of them, and I told them that they should be proud of themselves, too.

"Now, we've got to just keep going on the same path that we are on. We need to have three or four more good weeks. We need to keep focusing on getting those top-10 and top-five finishes so that we can keep moving up in the points. We're only 92 points out of the Chase right now. It's a lot of ground to make up, but there is time and it is in reach. Our guys are working hard and pouring their hearts into their work and, hopefully, it's going to pay off and we'll be sitting in the Chase when it is time to go."

Ryan has four poles at Phoenix, and it is actually the site of his last pole win. Does that make you approach qualifying any differently?

"Yeah, I know about Ryan and poles at Phoenix. Ryan actually knocked us (Gibson's former DEI team with driver Mark Martin) off the pole there last year, and we ended up starting fourth for the race. We thought that pole was ours, so I know that for me and the guys who were on the (No.) 8 team last year, we are anxious to get back to Phoenix and get that pole we wanted last year. I have said all along that one of our goals as a team was to give Ryan the cars that he needs to be able to go out there each and every week and contend for the pole like we know that he can. He got the nickname "Rocketman" for a reason, and we want to get him back to that form. We've been close a couple of times. We were second at Bristol by just one-thousandth of a second. I know that Ryan wants a pole, and I know that we want to get Ryan back out front for the drop of the green flag. Hopefully, we can do that this weekend at Phoenix."

RYAN NEWMAN'S PHOENIX PERFORMANCE PROFILE

× Race length extended due to green-white-checker finish.

Round 8 of 36 - Subway Fresh Fit 500k -

Phoenix International Raceway

Car No.: 39 - Haas Automation Chevrolet Impala SS for Stewart-Haas Racing

Teammate: Tony Stewart, driver of the No. 14 Office Depot/Old Spice Chevrolet Impala SS for Stewart-Haas Racing

Primary Team Members:

Over-The-Wall Crew Members:

Other Crew Members:

Chassis No. 39-536:

This is a brand new racecar that has only been tested in the wind tunnel.  Phoenix will mark the first time Chassis No. 39-536 turns a wheel on the racetrack.

Notes of Interest:

• The Subway Fresh Fit 500k will mark Newman's 268^th career NASCAR Sprint Cup Series start and his 14^th career Sprint Cup start at Phoenix International Raceway in Avondale, Ariz.
• Phoenix will mark Newman's eighth Sprint Cup race with Stewart-Haas Racing, which is co-owned by two-time Sprint Cup champion Tony Stewart and Oxnard, Calif.-based Haas Automation, the largest CNC machine tool builder in the western world. Haas Automation is Newman's sponsor this weekend at Phoenix.
• In seven Sprint Cup starts with Stewart-Haas Racing, Newman has scored two top-10 finishes - a seventh-place effort at Bristol (Tenn.) Motor Speedway and a sixth-place run at Martinsville (Va.) Speedway. Newman has climbed to 17^th in the Sprint Cup championship point standings, just 91 points outside the 12^th-place cutoff for the Chase for the Sprint Cup.
• Newman made his Sprint Cup debut at Phoenix on Nov. 5, 2000. Newman showed his competitors early on his penchant for turning a quick lap by securing the 10^th-place starting spot in his first-ever Sprint Cup race. He finished that race 41^st due to an engine problem.
• Newman has a track-record four poles at Phoenix, including three consecutive pole positions (2002, 2003 and 2004). Newman also claimed the top starting spot for last year's spring race at the mile oval.
• Newman holds the track record at Phoenix. Newman set the qualifying record on Nov. 5, 2004, when he turned a lap of 135.854 mph (26.499 seconds).
• Newman has collected 43 poles since making his Sprint Cup debut in 2000. He is tied for 10^th in all-time career poles with Buck Baker and Mark Martin. He also is tied with Martin for second among active full-time drivers in Sprint Cup poles. Newman's last pole came at Phoenix in April 2008.
• Newman has three top-five and three top-10 finishes in 13 Sprint Cup starts at Phoenix. His best finish came in 2004, when he started on the pole and led 59 laps before finishing second.
• Numerology and Newman's No. 39 - For Newman, the No. 39 has been lucky a lucky one throughout his racing career. His first major USAC (United States Auto Club) win came in May 1997 when he drove the No. 39 Midget car to victory in the 52^nd Night Before the 500 race at O'Reilly Raceway Park near Indianapolis on the Saturday night prior to that year's Indianapolis 500. It was the biggest win of Newman's young career, and one that he credits with putting him on the racing map. In 2005, Newman piloted the No. 39 in select NASCAR Nationwide Series races for Penske Racing. His team was dominant during a limited schedule, winning six of nine races entered that season. Newman finished outside the top-three only once in those nine races. The No. 39 has never been to victory lane in Sprint Cup competition, and Newman expects to be the driver to change that.
• Newman has a total of 13 wins, 43 poles, 63 top-fives and 108 top-10 finishes in 267 career Sprint Cup starts. His most recent Sprint Cup win came 43 races ago in the 50^th running of the Daytona 500 in February 2008, which ended a winless streak of 81 races that dated back to New Hampshire Motor Speedway in Loudon in 2005.

STEWART-HAAS RACING

Subway Fresh Fit 500k Qualifying

Date:                 April 17, 2009

Event:               Subway Fresh Fit 500k Qualifying (Round 8 of 36)

Series:              NASCAR Sprint Cup Series

Location:          Phoenix International Raceway in Avondale, Ariz. (1-mile oval)

Pole Winner:   Mark Martin of Hendrick Motorsports (26.903 seconds at 133.814 mph)

SHR Lineup:    Tony Stewart (6^th, 26.969 seconds at 133.487 mph)

                     Ryan Newman (30^th, 27.200 seconds at 132.353 mph)

Tony Stewart, driver of the No. 14 Office Depot/Old Spice Chevrolet Impala SS, led the two-car Stewart-Haas Racing (SHR) contingent in time trials at Phoenix International Raceway by qualifying sixth for Saturday night's Subway Fresh Fit 500k NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race.  Stewart turned a lap of 26.969 seconds at 133.487 mph on the 1-mile oval.

"The car was good, the driver wasn't," said Stewart, who scored the second of his 33 career Sprint Cup wins at Phoenix during his rookie season in November 1999.  "I overdrove it in (turn) three.  The good news is that I think we're going to be pretty good tomorrow night." 

Ryan Newman, driver of the No. 39 Haas Automation/U.S. Army Chevrolet Impala SS for SHR, qualified 30^th with a time of 27.200 seconds at 132.353 mph.

"We're definitely not where we wanted to be after qualifying," said Newman, who still holds the track qualifying record at Phoenix with a time of 26.499 seconds at 135.854 mph - a mark Newman set on Nov. 5, 2004.  "I thought the lap times were better than what came up, but we never could make any gains during practice today when we were in qualifying trim.  The good thing is that we had a lot of practice time in race trim, and I was really happy with the handling and the speed that we had.  We have our work cut out for us, but Phoenix is a racetrack where you can pass, and I expect to be moving through the field tomorrow night."   

Mark Martin captured his 44^th career Sprint Cup pole, his third of the season and his first at Phoenix with a time of 26.903 seconds at 133.814 mph.  Kyle Busch will start alongside Martin on the outside of row one, as he timed in at 26.921 seconds at 133.725 mph.  Kurt Busch (26.926 seconds at 133.700 mph) was third, while Jeff Gordon (26.928 seconds at 133.690 mph) and Brian Vickers (26.956 seconds at 133.551 mph) rounded out the top-five.

Forty-eight drivers attempted to qualify for the Subway Fresh Fit 500k.  Those not making the cut in the 43-car field were Todd Bodine, Jeremy Mayfield, Dexter Bean, Brandon Ash and Trevor Boys.

As far as manufacturers went, Chevrolet took the top spot via the pole run made by Martin.  Toyota was next best at the hands of Kyle Busch, while Dodge was the third-fastest make thanks to older brother Kurt Busch.  Carrying the flag for Ford was seventh-quick Paul Menard (26.970 seconds at 133.482 mph).

The Subway Fresh Fit 500k gets underway at 8 p.m. EDT on Saturday, April 18 with live coverage provided by FOX beginning with its pre-race show at 8:30 p.m.

STEWART-HAAS RACING

Subway Fresh Fit 500k Race Report

Date:                April 18, 2009

Event:              Subway Fresh Fit 500k (Round 8 of 36)

Series:             NASCAR Sprint Cup Series

Location:         Phoenix International Raceway in Avondale, Ariz. (1-mile oval)

Winner:           Mark Martin of Hendrick Motorsports (Chevrolet)

SHR Finish:     Tony Stewart (Started 6^th, Finished 2^nd / Running, completed 312 of 312 laps)

                    Ryan Newman (Started 30^th, Finished 16^th / Running, completed 312 of 312 laps)                 

Tony Stewart, driver of the No. 14 Office Depot/Old Spice Chevrolet Impala SS, led the two-car Stewart-Haas Racing (SHR) contingent at Phoenix International Raceway by finishing second in Saturday night's Subway Fresh Fit 500k NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race.

Stewart, who led once for a total 19 laps in the 312-lap race, recorded the best finish for SHR since the team's inception, and has notched three straight top-five finishes and five top-10 results in the eight races run so far this season.

Ryan Newman, driver of the No. 39 Haas Automation/U.S. Army Chevrolet Impala SS for SHR, soldiered to a 16^th-place finish after dealing with radio communication issues throughout the 500-kilometer race.

Stewart continues to lead the SHR driver lineup in the championship point race, as his second-place finish bumped him up one spot to fourth.  Newman maintained his 17^th-place position in the standings.  Stewart lopped 87 points off the advantage held by series leader Jeff Gordon to close to within 104 points of the four-time Sprint Cup champion.  Newman is 379 points out of first, but only 83 points out of 12^th - the cutoff position for the Chase for the Championship, with the 12-driver field being determined following the 26^th race of the year at Richmond (Va.) International Raceway.

Beating Stewart to the finish by .734 of a second to win the Subway Fresh Fit 500k was venerable Mark Martin.  The 50-year-old driver scored his 36^th career Sprint Cup victory and his second at Phoenix.

Finishing third was Kurt Busch, while Jimmie Johnson and Greg Biffle rounded out the top-five.  Denny Hamlin, Martin Truex Jr., David Reutimann, Sam Hornish Jr., and Carl Edwards comprised the remainder of the top-10.

There were six caution periods for 29 laps, with four drivers failing to finish the race.

The next event on the Sprint Cup schedule is the April 26 Aaron's 499 at Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway  The race begins at 2 p.m. EDT with live coverage provided by FOX beginning with its pre-race show at 1 p.m.

Radio Communication Issues Hinder Newman's Run at Phoenix

Haas Automation/U.S. Army Driver Finishes 16^th in Subway Fresh Fit 500K

Date:                    April 18, 2009

Event:                   Subway Fresh Fit 500k (Round 8 of 36)

Series:                   NASCAR Sprint Cup Series

Location:               Phoenix International Raceway in Avondale, Ariz. (1-mile oval)

Start/Finish:        30^th/16^th (Running, completed 312 of 312 laps)

Winner:                 Mark Martin of Hendrick Motorsports (Chevrolet)

Ryan Newman and the No. 39 Haas Automation/U.S. Army team battled their way to a 16^th-place finish in Saturday night's Subway Fresh Fit 500k NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race at Phoenix International Raceway despite being plagued with radio communication issues throughout the majority of the 312-lap race.

"We basically lost the ability to hear Ryan around lap 30," said crew chief Tony Gibson after the race. "Ryan tried to talk to us at different parts of the track throughout the race, but that didn't work. We tried hand signals - things like if you're loose, touch the door and if you're tight, touch the roof - and we tried to do a code using the touch to talk button. It was a struggle.

"It's a challenge to work on a racecar when the driver doesn't have the ability to key up his radio and tell you what you need to do to make it better. I know it was a frustrating night for everybody, but I'm proud of Ryan for not giving up on the track and I'm proud of the guys for doing all they could in the pits."

Newman, who had said he was pleased with his No. 39 Stewart-Haas Racing (SHR) Chevrolet in race trim following Friday's two practice sessions, showed just how strong his car was early in the race. Thirty laps into the first run, he had moved up 10 spots to 20^th-place. As Newman began to tell Gibson and his crew about the handling of his racecar, his radio became static-filled. Over the course of the next few laps, the crew was able to interpret what Newman was saying - the car was tight in the center of the turns and loose on exit. However, the poor radio transmission was a sign of things to come for the team.

When the first caution flag waved at lap 54, Newman pitted for four tires, fuel, and an air pressure and track bar adjustment to help the car's handling. Newman was temporarily held up on pit road by the car in the pit stall in front of him, so he returned to the track in 23^rd-place.

Again, Newman went to work picking off spots, and moved into the top-15 by lap 100. However, the team's radio transmissions continued to deteriorate.  Newman tried to talk at different spots on the racetrack, but it was to no avail. He told the team through static that he was struggling hearing them, too. Finally, the team turned to using hand signals as their method of communication.

With spotter Greg Newman and Gibson questioning Newman throughout his run about the car's handling and asking him to use his hands to respond, the team was able to determine which adjustments needed to be made and what was not working on the racecar. When the caution flag waved at lap 137, Newman was able to signal to his team that he was still too loose off the track's corners. With that information, the crew changed four tires, added fuel and made a left rear air pressure adjustment to help give the car forward bite.

Despite the communication difficulties, Newman was able to run as high as 12^th in the latter stages of the race.

However, the radio issues would come into play on the final caution of the night on lap 301. Newman and his Haas Automation/U.S. Army Chevrolet remained on the racetrack while the other lead lap cars pitted. Newman led through lap 306 when the race restarted, but without fresh tires, he was quickly passed by the leaders. The No. 39 team finished the race in 16^th-place.

Tony Stewart, Newman's teammate at SHR and driver of the No. 14 Office Depot/Old Spice Chevrolet Impala SS, finished second. Stewart, who led once for a total 19 laps, recorded the best finish for SHR since the team's inception, and has notched three straight top-five finishes.

Stewart continues to lead the SHR driver lineup in the championship point race, as his second-place finish bumped him up one spot to fourth. Newman maintained his 17^th-place position in the standings. Stewart lopped 87 points off the advantage held by series leader Jeff Gordon to close to within 104 points of the four-time Sprint Cup champion. Newman is 379 points out of first, but only 83 points out of 12^th - the cutoff position for the Chase for the Championship, with the 12-driver field being determined following the 26^th race of the year at Richmond (Va.) International Raceway.

Beating Stewart to the finish by .734 of a second to win the Subway Fresh Fit 500k was venerable Mark Martin. The 50-year-old driver scored his 36^th career Sprint Cup victory and his second at Phoenix. Finishing third was Kurt Busch, while Jimmie Johnson and Greg Biffle rounded out the top-five. Denny Hamlin, Martin Truex Jr., David Reutimann, Sam Hornish Jr., and Carl Edwards comprised the remainder of the top-10.

There were six caution periods for 29 laps, with four drivers failing to finish the 500-kilometer race.

The next event on the Sprint Cup schedule is the April 26 Aaron's 499 at Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway  The race begins at 2 p.m. EDT with live coverage provided by FOX beginning with its pre-race show at 1 p.m.