Sylvania 300

STEWART-HAAS RACING: WEEKEND LINEUP

Sept. 18-20, 2009

NASCAR Sprint Cup Series - Sylvania 300

Venue / Location: New Hampshire Motor Speedway in Loudon (1.058-mile oval)

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

Ryan Newman in the No. 39 U.S. Army / Haas Automation Chevrolet Impala SS

Qualifying: 3 p.m. EDT on Friday, Sept. 18 with live broadcast on ESPN2

Time / Date / TV: 1 p.m. EDT on Sunday, Sept. 20 with live broadcast on ABC (race starts at 2 p.m.)

Newman Looking to Repeat History at New Hampshire

LOUDON, N.H. (Sept. 15, 2009) -- If history is any indicator, then look for Ryan Newman to make an early statement in Sunday's opening round of the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup at New Hampshire Motor Speedway.

As one of the 12 drivers who secured a spot in the Chase, Newman can't think of a better place than the New England facility where he has enjoyed success since his 2002 rookie season.

The last time the U.S. Army/Haas Automation driver qualified for the Chase (2005), he kicked off the championship format with a victory at New Hampshire's 1.058-mile oval.

Known as the Magic Mile, the New Hampshire track was also the site of Newman's first career Cup win in September 2002.

In 15 New Hampshire starts, Newman has garnered two wins, five top fives, nine top 10s and four poles. He has an average finish of 14.2 and ranks fourth all-time for most laps led at 537.

"New Hampshire has always been a strong suit for me," stated Newman, who drives the No. 39 Chevrolet Impala SS for Stewart-Haas Racing. "I don't know exactly why. I don't know if I just adapted to the track really soon. I'm not sure but it's a place I look forward to going to. I really enjoy the area and the race track."

While he would like to jump out to a fast start in New Hampshire's Sylvania 300, Newman knows that consistency with strong performances throughout the 10 Chase races will be the key to determining who will hoist the NASCAR Sprint Cup trophy following the season-ending race -- Nov. 22 at Homestead-Miami Speedway.

Speaking of consistency Newman enters the New Hampshire race as the leader in laps completed during the first 26 races of the 2009 season. He has completed 7,323 laps out of 7,336 for a 99.82 percentage. Second is Newman's teammate, Tony Stewart, with 7,322 laps completed (99.81 percent).

"It usually comes down to the team that's been the most consistent -- it's as simple as that," noted Newman, who begins the Chase as the 10th seed. "Our U.S. Army/Haas Automation team has had a pretty decent run lately, but we still need to step it up in order to be a contender in the next 10 races. Those 10 races are all about having fun -- can't really lose anything, but there's a lot to gain."

When asked by the media who he thinks is the Chase favorite, Newman said, "That's a tough question to answer because I think there is more potential for any team to beat themselves than they are to beat who they think is a better competitor. If you're sitting here thinking about who you have to beat then you're not thinking about your own race car and what you have to do to be successful."

Regarding making the Chase for the first time in three years, Newman responded with his thoughts after clinching the prestigious position with a 10th-place finish Saturday night at Richmond International Raceway.

"If feels awesome, especially after not making it (Chase) for so many years," said Newman. "We just never let up all season in the Army/Haas Automation Chevrolet Impala SS. When things wouldn't go right we would just battle harder.

"This is our payback to our Soldiers who give us the mental strength and inspiration to keep on pounding away until the mission is completed. I'm so proud to represent the U.S. Army and knowing that I'm driving for over a million Soldiers fighting for our freedom. This is a win for them, too."

Newman added, "We just did what we wanted to do and that's why it feels so good. It's a dream come true. To think back to Daytona going through basically three race cars and make it to Richmond here and be in this position, it says a lot about the hard work that (crew chief) Tony Gibson, (owner) Tony Stewart and everybody at Stewart-Haas Racing have put into this effort."

Newman's New Hampshire Motor Speedway Career Cup Record:

Year St Fn

2002 7 5

1 1

2003 16 4

1 9

2004 1 3

10 33

2005 4 7

13 1

2006 1 39

4 12

2007 12 10

5 9

2008 16 15

17 36

2009 6 29

No. 39 Over-the-Wall Crew (city is hometown)

Front-tire changer: Scott Brzozowski, Sterling Heights, Mich.

Front-tire carrier: Josh Mick, Houston, Texas

Rear-tire changer: Daniel Rankin, Chattanooga, Tenn.

Rear-tire carrier: Jason Fowler, Winston-Salem, N.C.

Gasman: Michael Moore, Springfield, Mass.

Jackman: Andrew Turner, Coloma, Mich.

Catch Can: Andy Rueger, Seymour, Ind.

Windshield: Jay Guarneri, Naples, Fla.

___________________________________________________

Crew Chief: Tony Gibson, Daytona Beach, Fla.

Car Chief: Kevin Pennell, Kannapolis, N.C.

Spotter: Greg Newman, South Bend, Ind.

Engine Specialist: Jay Nolan, Jacksonville, Fla.

Engineer: Johnny Klausmeier, Perry Hall, Md.

Engine: Hendrick Motorsports

Shock Specialist: Brian Holshouser, Charlotte

Tire Specialist: Ray Osian, Salisbury, N.C.

Mechanic: Joe Cline, Maiden, N.C.

Mechanic: Shawn Warren, Concord, N.C.

Pit Support: Chris Miller, Kannapolis, N.C.

Truck Drivers: Rick Hodges, Raleigh, N.C.

Todd Cable, Shelby, N.C.

Newman Qualifies 18th in New Hampshire

LOUDON, N.H. (Sept. 18, 2009) -- Ryan Newman will start 18th in Sunday's Sylvania 300, the opening round of the 10-race Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup.

In Friday's qualifying session at New Hampshire Motor Speedway, Newman's No. 39 U.S. Army/Haas Automation Chevrolet Impala SS covered the 1.058-mile oval in 29.024 seconds at 131.229 miles per hour.

"That was not the lap we were looking for," said Newman, one of the 12 Chase drivers. "The car got a little free and that cost us valuable time. The good news for the Army/Haas Automation team is that we were strong in race trim in today's practice and we'll have a couple of more practice sessions tomorrow to get the car dialed-in for Sunday."

Newman added, "I'm just so proud of the team for working so hard to get to this point and give us an opportunity with the U.S. Army/Haas Automation Chevrolet to go for a championship. I'm just going to do my best with each and every lap. I look forward to the opportunity."

Newman's teammate, Tony Stewart, qualified second.

The pole winner was Juan Pablo Montoya (133.431 mph). Rounding out the top-five in order were: Stewart, Kurt Busch, Denny Hamlin and Carl Edwards.

Sunday's race will be televised on ABC, beginning with a prerace show at 1 p.m. ET.

Note: Newman will be competing in Saturday's NASCAR Whelen Modified Touring Series race at New Hampshire Motor Speedway.

STEWART-HAAS RACING

Sylvania 300 Qualifying

Date: Sept. 18, 2009

Event: Sylvania 300 Qualifying (Round 27 of 36)

Series: NASCAR Sprint Cup Series

Location: New Hampshire Motor Speedway in Loudon (1.058-mile oval)

Pole Winner: Juan Pablo Montoya of Earnhardt Ganassi Racing (28.545 seconds at 133.431 mph - new track record)

SHR Lineup: Tony Stewart (2^nd, 28.728 seconds at 132.581 mph)

Ryan Newman (18^th, 29.024 seconds at 131.229 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 New Hampshire Motor Speedway in Loudon by qualifying second for Sunday's Sylvania 300 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race. Stewart turned a lap of 28.728 seconds at 132.581 mph around the 1.058-mile oval.

"I'm really happy with how we qualified," said Stewart, who has two Sprint Cup wins at New Hampshire (July 2001 and July 2005). "Really proud of Darian Grubb (crew chief) and these guys. They did an awesome job on the Office Depot/Old Spice Chevy. If we qualify good here, we normally race good here. So, I'm pretty excited about today so far. This is the best I've qualified here in a long time."

Ryan Newman, driver of the No. 39 U.S. Army/Haas Automation Chevrolet Impala SS for SHR, qualified 18^th with a time of 29.024 seconds at 131.229 mph.

"That was not the lap we were looking for, by any means," said Newman, who also has two wins at New Hampshire (September 2002 and September 2005). "We backed up what we ran in practice, but we were looking for more than that. The U.S. Army/Haas Automation Chevrolet felt really good in race trim, so although we won't start where we want to, I think we'll be fine when it comes to the race on Sunday."

Juan Pablo Montoya captured his second career Sprint Cup pole and his first at New Hampshire with a track record time of 28.545 seconds at 133.431 mph. Kurt Busch, who ran the exact same time as Stewart, will start third, as Stewart won the tiebreaker via his second-place standing in points to Busch's seventh-place rank. Denny Hamlin qualified fourth (28.848 seconds at 132.030 mph), while Carl Edwards (28.852 seconds at 132.012 mph) rounded out the top-five.

Forty-five drivers attempted to qualify for the Sylvania 300. Those not making the cut in the 43-car field were Dexter Bean and Derrike Cope.

As far as manufacturers went, qualifying at New Hampshire was a model of parity. Chevrolet swept the front row via the runs made by Montoya and Stewart. Dodge was next best at the hands of Busch. Toyota was the third-fastest make thanks to Hamlin, and carrying the flag for Ford was Edwards.

The Sylvania 300 - the first race of the 10-race Chase for the Championship - gets underway at 2 p.m. EDT on Sunday, Sept. 20 with live coverage provided by ABC beginning with its pre-race show at 1 p.m.

STEWART-HAAS RACING

Sylvania 300 Race Report

Date: Sept. 20, 2009

Event: Sylvania 300 (Round 27 of 36)

Series: NASCAR Sprint Cup Series

Location: New Hampshire Motor Speedway in Loudon (1.058-mile oval)

Winner: Mark Martin of Hendrick Motorsports (Chevrolet)

SHR Finish: Ryan Newman (Started 18^th, Finished 7^th / Running, completed 300 of 300 laps)

Tony Stewart (Started 2^nd, Finished 14^th / Running, completed 300 of 300 laps)

Ryan Newman, driver of the No. 39 U.S. Army/Haas Automation Chevrolet Impala SS, led the two-car Stewart-Haas Racing (SHR) contingent at New Hampshire Motor Speedway in Loudon by finishing seventh in Sunday's Sylvania 300 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race. It was his 13^th top-10 finish this season and his 10^th top-10 in 16 career Sprint Cup starts at New Hampshire.

Tony Stewart, driver of the No. 14 Office Depot/Old Spice Chevrolet Impala SS for SHR, finished 14^th after leading four times for 52 laps. A loose axle cap on the left-rear wheel dropped Stewart from fourth to 30^th when he had to spend extra time during a scheduled pit stop on lap 194 to affix a new axle cap. While he battled his way back through the field, track position was too much to overcome before the checkered flag dropped.

Mark Martin beat Denny Hamlin by .159 of a second to win the Sylvania 300 and score the 40^th victory of his Sprint Cup career, his series-leading fifth of the season and his first at New Hampshire.

Finishing third was pole-sitter Juan Pablo Montoya, while reigning Sprint Cup Jimmie Johnson and Kyle Busch rounded out the top-five. Kurt Busch, Newman, Elliott Sadler, Greg Biffle and Clint Bowyer comprised the remainder of the top-10.

There were 11 caution periods for 48 laps, with eight drivers failing to finish the 300-lap race.

Both SHR drivers are represented in this year's Chase for the Championship. Stewart, who came into New Hampshire seeded second, 10 points behind Chase leader Martin, leaves sixth in points, 74 markers arrears Martin. Newman gained three spots and now sits seventh, 79 points behind Martin.

With nine races remaining before a champion is crowned following the season-finale Nov. 22 at Homestead-Miami Speedway, the top-12 drivers competing for the title rank as follows:

1. Mark Martin (5,230 points)

2. Jimmie Johnson (5,195 points, -35)

3. Denny Hamlin (5,195 points, -35)

4. Juan Pablo Montoya (5,175 points, -55)

5. Kurt Busch (5,165 points, -65)

6. Tony Stewart (5,156 points, -74)

7. Ryan Newman (5,151 points, -79)

8. Brian Vickers (5,140 points, -90)

9. Greg Biffle (5,138 points, -92)

10. Jeff Gordon (5,128 points, -102)

11. Carl Edwards (5,117 points, -113)

12. Kasey Kahne (5,069 points, -161)

The next event on the Sprint Cup schedule - the second race of the 10-race Chase for the Championship - is the Sept. 27 AAA 400 at Dover (Del.) International Speedway. The race begins at 2 p.m. EDT with live coverage provided by ABC beginning with its pre-race show at 1 p.m.

Newman Finishes 7th in Opening Round of Chase

LOUDON, N.H. (Sept. 20, 2009) -- Ryan Newman posted a seventh-place finish in Sunday's Sylvania 300 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway, the first round of the 10-race Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup.

Among the 12-Chase drivers Newman had the sixth-best finish and jumped from 10th to seventh in the championship point standings. (see complete Chase standings below).

"A strong team effort, great pit stops, good points day and a solid start in the Chase," said Newman as he exited his No. 39 U.S. Army/Haas Automation Chevy Impala SS. "We're in the hunt and in a position to make our Army Strong Soldiers proud. We will Soldier on and battle just as hard in the next nine Chase races."

The result at the 1.058-mile oval was Newman's fourth straight top-10 and the 13th of the season. It was also his 10th top-10 in 16 starts at the New England motorsports facility.

Newman, who qualified 18th, fought track position and felt his starting position cost him at least a top-five or better finish.

"If we had a better qualifying effort with our U.S. Army Chevrolet I'm sure we could have had a better finish," stated the 31-year-old Newman. "We fought track position all day working our way up. I felt we had a really good car at the end, but that one restart (Lap 284 of 300) where the No. 00 (David Reutimann) got into the No. 88 (Dale Earnhardt Jr.) cost me about four spots. That was a difference between a top-five and a top-10."

A key moment for Newman and the No. 39 Stewart-Haas team came during a pit stop on Lap 266. There was a discussion about taking four tires, but Newman felt that he would be okay with two tires. The strategy paid off in the end as Newman gained a number of positions.

"Once again Ryan drove a very strong race," said crew chief Tony Gibson. "The two-tire decision turned out to be a good call even though I was getting a little nervous with all those restarts at the end. We came through today, but still feel that we need to step up our performance in the upcoming races."

Newman's teammate, Tony Stewart, finished 14th overall and is sixth in the Chase standings.

The race winner was Mark Martin. Rounding out the top-five in order were: Denny Hamlin, Juan Pablo Montoya, Jimmie Johnson and Kyle Busch.

The next race is Sunday (Sept. 27) at Dover (Del.) International Speedway, where Newman finished eighth in the June Cup event.

Points Standing After Round 1 of the 10-Race Chase

1. Mark Martin, 5230 points

2. Jimmie Johnson 5195 (-35 from leader)

3. Denny Hamlin, 5195 (-35)

4. Juan Pablo Montoya, 5175 (-55)

5. Kurt Busch, 5165 (-65)

6. Tony Stewart, 5156 (-74)

7. Ryan Newman, 5151 (-79)

8. Brian Vickers, 5140 (-90)

9. Greg Biffle, 5138 (-92)

10. Jeff Gordon, 5128 (-102)

11. Carl Edwards, 5117 (-113)

12. Kasey Kahne, 5069 (-161)

Finishing Positions for Chase Drivers at New Hampshire

1. Mark Martin

2. Denny Hamlin

3. Juan Pablo Montoya

4. Jimmie Johnson

6. Kurt Busch

7. Ryan Newman

9. Greg Biffle

11. Brian Vickers

14. Tony Stewart

15. Jeff Gordon

17. Carl Edwards

38. Kasey Kahne

Newman's Team Grabs Tissot Pit Road Award in New Hampshire

No. 39 Team is 5th multiple winner of Tissot Competition

Ryan Newman's crew won the Tissot Pit Road Precision Award in Sunday's (Sept. 20) NASCAR Sprint Cup race at New Hampshire Motor Speedway.

It was the second Tissot win of the season for the No. 39 team, which became the fifth multiple winner of the weekly competition. The first Tissot win for Newman's U.S. Army/Haas Automation team came at the April race in Phoenix.

Newman's Chevy Impala SS spent the least amount of time on pit road in New Hampshire - 137.708 seconds - during the 300-lap race at the 1.058-mile oval. The workmanlike effort on pit road helped Chase driver Newman to a seventh-place finish.

"Our guys really stepped it up in New Hampshire and played a pivotal role in our top-10 finish," said No. 39 crew chief Tony Gibson. "I am happy that they are being recognized for winning the Tissot award - they deserve it. Wearing the Army uniform inspires our crew members and they feed off the teamwork and speed concept just like our Soldiers do every day."

The No. 39 over-the-wall crew at New Hampshire consisted of: Scott Brzozowski (front tire changer), Josh Mick (front-tire carrier), Andrew Turner (jackman), Daniel Rankin (rear-tire changer), Jason Fowler (rear-tire carrier), Michael Moore (gas man), Andy Rueger (catch can) and Jay Guarneri (windshield, 8th man). The team's pit crew coach is Joe Piette.

The pit crew win, which pays $5,000, lifted the No. 39 team into a tie for fourth place in the Tissot standings with its Stewart-Haas Racing teammate - the No. 14 crew for Tony Stewart.

Greg Biffle's crew leads the competition with five wins. The team with the most Tissot Pit Road Precision Award wins at the completion of the 36-race Sprint Cup schedule will receive a $100,000 bonus plus Tissot watches for the crew and driver.

Tissot has been the official watch and timekeeper of NASCAR since 2006. The company is also the official timekeeper for a number of other sports, including the MotoGP World Championship, the Ice Hockey World Championship and the Cycling World Championship.

2009 Tissot Pit Road Precision Award Standings

Pos Team No. Pit Crew For Wins Prize Money

1 16 Greg Biffle 5 25,000

T2 24 Jeff Gordon 3 15,000

T2 48 Jimmie Johnson 3 15,000

T4 14 Tony Stewart 2 10,000

T4 39 Ryan Newman 2 10,000

T6 43 Reed Sorenson 1 5,000

T6 33 Clint Bowyer 1 5,000

T6 39 Ryan Newman 1 5,000

T6 88 Dale Earnhardt Jr. 1 5,000

T6 1 Martin Truex Jr. 1 5,000