Ryan Newman Practice Num 3 For Toyota/Savemart 350 Results

Ryan Newman and the #12 Alltel Dodge team had their third practice at Infineon Raceway today for the NASCAR Nextel Cup Toyota/Savemart 350

Newman had the 6 fastest practice speed of 91.398 mph / 78.382 sec.

Newman was -0.163 seconds behind the leader Denny Hamlin who had a practice time of 91.589 / 78.219.


Practice 1 --- Newman had the 8 fastest practice speed of 92.196 mph / 77.704 sec.
practice 2--- Newman had the 12 fastest practice speed of 91.853 mph / 77.994 sec.
.
Ryan Newman Qualified 9 for the Toyota/Savemart 350.
Good luck to Ryan Newman and the #12 Alltel Dodge Penske Racing Team in the Toyota/Savemart 350 at Infineon Raceway

Practice 3 Results

Practice 2 Results

Practice 1 Results

Qualifying Order

Ryan Newman 12 For Toyota/Savemart 350 2nd Practice

Ryan Newman and the #12 Alltel Dodge team had their second practice at Infineon Raceway today for the NASCAR Nextel Cup Toyota/Savemart 350
Newman had the 12 fastest practice speed of 91.853 mph / 77.994 sec.

Newman was -0.403 seconds behind the leader Juan Montoya* who had a practice time of 92.33 / 77.591.


Practice 2 Results

Practice 1 Results

Qualifying Order



Good luck to Ryan Newman and the #12 Alltel Dodge Penske Racing Team in the Toyota/Savemart 350 at Infineon Raceway

Ryan Newman Qualified 9 for the Toyota/Savemart 350.

Ryan Newman has qualified 9 for the Toyota/Savemart 350 at the Infineon Raceway. Newman had a speed of 92.051 / 77.826 / -0.305.

Today's 9 place qualifying will give Newman and his #12 NASCAR Nextel Cup Team and average start this season of 16.67.

Jamie McMurray got the pole position for the Toyota/Savemart 350 with a time of 184.8 / 38.961.

Good luck to Ryan Newman and the #12 Alltel Dodge Penske Racing Team in the Toyota/Savemart 350 at Infineon Raceway

Qualifying Order

Practice 1 Results

Ryan Newman 8 For Toyota/Savemart 350 1st Practice

Ryan Newman and the #12 Alltel Dodge team had their first practice at Infineon Raceway today for the NASCAR Nextel Cup Toyota/Savemart 350

Newman had the 8 fastest practice speed of 92.196 mph / 77.704 sec.

Newman was -0.165 seconds behind the leader Bobby Labonte who had a practice time of 92.392 / 77.539.



Practice 1 Results

Good luck to Ryan Newman and the #12 Alltel Dodge Penske Racing Team in the Toyota/Savemart 350 at Infineon Raceway

Newman hopes hot streak continues at Sonoma race

Ryan Newman this week didn't completely close the door on speculation he's part of the Nextel Cup Series' "Silly Season" mix, but he hinted a driver shortage might be behind team owners being more interested in him, than he is in leaving his Penske Racing team.

Penske has fielded Newman's cars since his first ARCA RE/MAX Series stock car start in 2000 and his Cup debut at the end of that year.

"Yeah, I have no reason not to be [where I want to be]," Newman said. "Roger has given me great resources. I'm happy where I'm at [but] I think with the quality rides that are open that they're looking for some drivers to put in there, and I think there is somewhat of a driver shortage right now in the Cup Series.

"It doesn't surprise me, but I'll approach any situation the way I feel I need to."

Newman made no bones about the fact he and his Penske Racing No. 12 Dodge teammates are keen to continue a streak of strong runs this weekend in Sunday's Toyota/Save Mart 350 at Infineon Raceway.

"I think we have a really good opportunity to get in the Chase," Newman said. "At this point last year I thought we had a mathematical chance to make it, but I didn't think we were going to with our performances.

"This year with our recent performances and even the problems we had at Michigan, blowing that tire, we still had a top-seven racecar. We ran on the racetrack and would have finished seventh or eighth or so.

"That's a lot of hope. I'm looking forward to these next races and our COT program, on top of that, has been very strong. I think we're one of the top COT teams, and with the stretch of races of that's right before the Chase, I think we'll have a good shot before, during and after."

Newman, who was akin to a supernova on the Cup horizon in 2003 and 2004, when he scored 20 of his 41 career Bud Poles and 10 of his 12 victories, has been more reserved of late.

His career hit its post-nova nadir in 2006 when Newman neither won nor qualified for the Chase for the Nextel Cup. He was 18th in the standings, the first year since he started full-time in 2002 that he was out of the year-end top 10.

So far in 2007, Newman's looking to correct that.

He has double the poles (four to two), more top fives (three to two) and one less top 10 (six to seven) in 15 races than he achieved all of last season in 36.

"I can't really quantify it, I can just tell you from a team standpoint the guys are doing a good job of preparing the racecars," Newman said. "The cars are faster, which makes my job easier."

Newman might not be able to tell you exactly how, but he's certainly enjoying the results.

"I think the most important part is just from a mental standpoint," Newman said. "My confidence in driving the car, [crew chief] Michael Nelson's confidence in my reports about what the car is doing and the changes we've made to make the car faster have been the biggest thing.

"My confidence to be able to hit my marks and drive the car the way I want to drive it for that extra tenth of a second is really big."

And he has no reason to believe it won't continue this weekend at Infineon, where he and Penske teammate Kurt Busch finished second and fifth, respectively, last season.

"In my opinion, the COT has been better on the road course as far as testing goes compared to the COT on the short track so I don't think it's going to be that much different [than the standard cars]," Newman said. "I think the biggest reason why, is the COT is a non offset car, so it's more conducive to road-course racing."

Newman cited his teammates' cooperation as a big part of both teams' success, which has resulted in them sitting 15th and 16th in the standings, 11 races before the cutoff for the Chase.

"I think the third part of [our improvement] is the two teams are really working good together," Newman said. "They've never worked better together, I can tell you that -- and I think there's still room for the two teams to grow working together.

"That's been a big part of our improvement as well."

Newman expecting a difficult race this weekend

Ryan Newman enjoys driving road-course cars, but that doesn't mean he's a huge fan of this style of racing.

Newman finished second at Infineon Raceway last year, so he's obviously figured something out. But he points out some of the more frustrating aspects of this style of racing we well.

"It's fun to drive the cars," he said. "It's more fun to drive a road-race car than it is to race a road-race car, because it seems like any time you have somebody in front of you, you're falling behind in nine of the 11 corners because there's only two good passing zones. It's not like an oval as far as having the opportunity to pass the guy four times a lap."

The races are demanding on drivers as well.

Newman says that the timing of the races as well as their nature can make things tough.

"They're more demanding, both physically and mentally," he said. "Last year, the toughest race I had physically was Sonoma because of the heat. I was uncomfortable in the race car.

"I had a charley horse and some burns on my butt afterwards."

He says that's one challenge, but the mental wear may be even worse.

"Mentally, keeping the car on the race track, knowing what you have to do because you get basically two opportunities to pit the car, maybe three this year because of the strategy with the fuel cell ... with either way, you've got to stay on top of your game," he said. "You've got to keep it on the race track. You can't afford to give up any track position whatsoever throughout the entire race.

"That keeps it mentally demanding."

Recovering from the race can take a couple of days, too.

"Dehydration is a big part of it," Newman said. "If you can stay hydrated, it takes a lot less time to rebound. Last year, when I was burned a little bit, it took four, five or six days."

AT&T files response to NASCAR's appeal

Claiming that Sprint Nextel is trying to increase the value of its NASCAR series sponsorship by "booting" AT&T from the sport, AT&T filed its answer to NASCAR and Sprint Nextel's appeal of an injunction that allows the AT&T logos on the No. 31 Richard Childress Racing car.

AT&T's response was filed earlier this week in U.S. appeals court in Atlanta.

A U.S. district court judge ruled May 18 that NASCAR could not prohibit a change from Cingular to AT&T logos on the car driven by Jeff Burton. The judge concluded that the change was not prohibited by the grandfather clause that went into effect when Nextel began sponsoring NASCAR's premier series in 2004. The grandfather clause is part of RCR's annual licensing contract with NASCAR.

AT&T and Cingular were involved in a merger in December 2006, sparking the change in the Cingular name to AT&T.

A hearing on the appeal is scheduled for Aug. 2, and AT&T's brief argues that the appeal should be denied.

"Although NASCAR asserts without support that the court's injunction compromises its ability to govern the sport and attract sponsors, NASCAR in fact retains today the same rights over stock-car racing that it held before the district court acted, which includes the right to govern the sport and to contract with sponsors regarding promotional rights," AT&T argues in its court filing.

AT&T claims that because Nextel allowed NASCAR to grandfather in Cingular and Alltel, it already diluted the value of its sponsorship.

"Nextel not only agreed to grandfather competitors but also acknowledged [in its NASCAR contract] that this grandfathering would limit the value of its exclusivity," AT&T states in its filing. "Beyond that, although Sprint Nextel emphasizes that the 'AT&T' brand is used to sell more services than the 'Cingular' brand, Nextel is a wireless company; it does not even sell those other services (several of which are in any event excluded from Nextel's exclusivity)."

As far as NASCAR's argument that it can approve or deny sponsors as dictated in the rule book, AT&T said that the grandfather clause overrules the rule book.

"Because NASCAR grandfathered [AT&T's] and RCR's sponsorship relationship and thereby promised 'to preserve and protect' [AT&T's] sponsorship rights, ... it cannot in good faith exercise any discretion that it may have under the Rule Book in derogation of that promise," AT&T's claim states.

NASCAR had argued that if AT&T wanted to stay in the sport, it could do so but just not sponsor a car in the Nextel Cup Series. AT&T scoffs at that philosophy.

"The ability to advertise in, for example, the 'Busch Series' is no more a substitute for sponsoring the #31 car than the ability to advertise on the uniforms of the Durham Bulls could supplant the right to do so with the Atlanta Braves," AT&T states.

The AT&T brief does not mention the $100 million counterclaim NASCAR filed last Sunday against AT&T because that is not part of the appeal on the injunction.

Ryan Newman and the Infineon Raceway

Welcome to Infineon Raceway located in Sonoma, CA.

Ryan Newman and his Penske Racing #12 Alltel Dodge will be racing here this weekend in the Toyota/Save Mart 350.
Infineon Raceway


***Location : Sonoma, CA
***Completed : 1968
***Distance : 1.99 miles
***Shape : Road course
***Turns : 12


***Nextel Cup Top Race Speed : 81.413 by Ernie Irvan on 6/7/1992
***Nextel Cup Top Qualifying Speed : 99.309 by Rusty Wallace on 6/23/2000


MANUFATURER WINS AT Infineon Raceway SINCE 2002
DODGE = 0
FORD = 1
CHEVROLET = 4


RYAN NEWMAN'S STATS AT Infineon Raceway

Ryan Newman's Stats
At Infineon Raceway		At Road Tracks
STARTS	5	10
POLES	0	NA
WINS	0	0
TOP 5	2	3
TOP 10	4	7
AVG START	13.4	10.5
AVG FINISH	7.8	11.4
LAPS COMP	550	NA
% COMP	-1	NA
LAPS LED	11	NA
TOTAL $$$	647598	NA

-- This weekend, Newman and the Alltel team will use chassis PRS-517. It is a new COT car that Newman tested at Virginia International Raceway on June 13. It has not been on any other track. The backup car is PRS-511. This COT car ran at Martinsville in April. Newman qualified 24th after spinning during his second qualifying lap and avoiding the wall. He finished 14th in the race.

Newman On Sonoma: “I like driving the road courses; it’s a nice change of pace. I’ve had some success at both Infineon and Watkins Glen, so I always look forward to driving at those two tracks.”

“We had a little bit of a setback at Michigan. There was nothing we could’ve done differently. We had a good car, we just ran into some bad luck. We’ve got a really good COT program, so we’ll head out to Sonoma and try to get back some of the momentum we lost this weekend.”

Good luck to Ryan Newman and the Penske Racing's #12 Alltel Dodge NASCAR Nextel Cup Team at Infineon Raceway for the Toyota/Save Mart 350 this coming week and weekend!!!


Mike Pratt

Michigan: Dodge teams race quotes

RYAN NEWMAN (No. 12 alltel Dodge Charger)

“We had a real good car, but we didn’t have a car that could have beat Carl Edwards today. We just caught a piece of debris or something and it popped that tire. It wrapped itself around the caliper and rotor and stuff and it cost us three laps. Jeff Green ran out of talent there off turn two and caused a big crash. The race track is capable of going three and four wide. We saw it all day, but he couldn’t do it. We’re just like everybody else. We’ll work hard on our road course program and hopefully Sonoma goes better for us.”

JUAN PABLO MONTOYA (No. 42 Texaco/Havoline Dodge Charger)

“My right front tire went flat and I just hit the hell out of the wall. The car was very loose. I’d got in the wall a couple of laps before. I didn’t think it was anything major. My spotter said it looked good. It was wrinkled, but it looks good, and five or six laps later the tire went flat and it went straight into the wall.”

***

REED SORENSON (No. 41 Target Dodge Charger)

“We had a real fast car in practice, and I thought we were going to qualify better than we did. I really didn’t know what to expect in the race, but we hung in there and got a decent finish. I guess we had the best finishing Dodge, but the Dodge Boys didn’t have a real good day today. We’ll get ‘em next week in Sonoma.”

***

KURT BUSCH (No. 2 Miller Lite Dodge Charger)

“We had a good car that ran in the top five most of the day. We had to come in on lap 166 to change a loose lugnut, and the car got really loose after that.”

***

KASEY KAHNE (No. 9 Dodge Dealers/UAW Dodge Charger)

“We were able to get the car to turn in the corners with the 2006 nose, but we couldn’t get the back of the car hooked up. We made progress as the race went on, but we couldn’t overcome the early deficit. I thought we made progress with the car yesterday and was optimistic we could have a good finish. It didn’t work out that way.”

***

SCOTT RIGGS (No. 10 Valvoline/Stanley Tools Dodge Charger)

“We were way too free on entry for most of the race. By the time we got the handling improved we had already been caught two laps down after a green flag stop. The guys on pit road did an incredible job today, and everyone has been working really hard and doing the right things. But finishing this far back is not going to be enough to get us into the top 35.”

[Dodge Motorsports]

Burton, AT&T agree upon extensions with Childress

---This is GREAT! AT&T signs an extension right as NASCAR sues them. I don't know the state of Allte's contract, I believe it is through 2008 but I am not sure. But they need to get going on the extension as well. I assume AT&T has sped this process up a little as "fighting power" against NASCAR's law suit.

GO AT&T !!!! Down with NEXTEL - have I mentioned that I work for Alltel --- Oh well!!

STORY from NASCAR.com -

ATLANTA -- Jeff Burton has reached an agreement with Richard Childress Racing on a contract extension and at the same time AT&T has exercised the option in its current contract with RCR by signing an extension that will ensure that the No. 31 AT&T Chevrolet remains a competitor in the Nextel Cup Series for years to come.

"As long-time supporters of racing and its fans, we are very pleased to continue our involvement with the sport as a team sponsor in the wireless category," said Dave Garver, executive director of high growth segments and sponsorships for the wireless division at AT&T. "We've enjoyed our relationship with Jeff and RCR, and look forward to continuing to work with them through many more winning seasons.

"In the past decade, we've developed innovative ways to bring fans closer to racing, with interactive content that can be accessed via their wireless handsets, alerts sent directly to their phones and on-the-ground activities promoting wireless services at and around racing events. We're looking ahead, planning even more engaging ways to bring the latest in wireless technology to fans."

AT&T, formerly Cingular, has sponsored a Cup Series team for 10 years, and is in its sixth season with RCR's No. 31 Chevrolet program. Since 2002, with Burton and Robby Gordon behind the wheel, the team has earned four wins, four pole positions, 22 top-five and 54 top-10 finishes.

"AT&T has been an important part of RCR since 2002 so we're very excited about renewing our contract with them and continuing that great relationship," Richard Childress said. "AT&T has been a tremendous supporter of RCR's fans and racing fans throughout the sport for more than a decade and I am eager to turn our full attention back to winning a championship.

"Jeff has been an important piece of the puzzle since he arrived at RCR in 2004. He's helped our entire organization since that time and will continue in that role. He's a true professional, whether it's with his crew or with sponsors, so we're very pleased to have him signed to a new long-term contract."

Burton began driving for RCR in August 2004 and was named the driver of its No. 31 team for the 2005 Cup season. He has earned two victories, four pole positions, 15 top-five and 33 top-10 finishes in 85 races driving the No. 31 AT&T Chevrolet.

"I'm really excited about AT&T extending their involvement with RCR. They've been a great company to work with," Burton said. "They have great people and great products. It's a real honor to represent AT&T both on and off the track."

"My enthusiasm about what we are doing at RCR is as high as it's ever been. I've never even considered doing something different. I'm glad we were able to re-sign with AT&T so that Richard and I could get our deal done. It's a real honor to drive for Richard and I am looking forward to continue working with him over the next few years."

NASCAR Sues AT&T for $100 mil - Wants Alltel and AT&T Out

WOW - $100 Million and Kick AT&T and Alltel out of the cup series. Are they serious? I don't see this going anywhere, especially not kicking anyone out.

I understand NASCAR needs to protect it's "investment" with NEXTEL and I understand NEXTEL was "nice" buy letting Cingular and Alltel stay in the game.

I also believe that while NASCAR has filed this suit, NEXTEL is hammering them from all direction about this situation. NASCAR is in a sticky spot and is being made to look like the bad guy here. But I believe this is all NEXTEL having a fit and NASCAR is trying to make them happy.

But this really seems overboard to me. The story from NASCAR.com follows -

NASCAR sues AT&T for $100 million in countersuit
Also ask to kick Nextel competitors of out Cup Series

ATLANTA -- NASCAR filed a $100 million counter claim against AT&T Inc. on Sunday, accusing the wireless provider of interfering with its exclusive sponsorship agreement with rival wireless company Nextel.

The suit also asks that NASCAR be granted the right to kick AT&T -- and all telecommunications companies other than Nextel -- out of its top series in 2008.

NASCAR filed the suit electronically in U.S. District Court in Atlanta, alleging breach of contract, fraud and misrepresentation, and conspiracy to aid and abet wrongful interference with Nextel.

NASCAR and AT&T have been battling all season over NASCAR's refusal to allow AT&T to put its logos on Jeff Burton's car. Burton and his Richard Childress Racing team have a sponsorship agreement with Cingular, which has since been purchased by AT&T.

AT&T is re-branding the company, but NASCAR would not allow the logos to be changed, citing its agreement with Nextel. Cingular and Alltel were grandfathered into the sport when Nextel entered in 2004, but no changes are permitted to their deals and no other telecommunications companies are allowed into the sport.

NASCAR claims Nextel has exclusivity through its 10-year, $700 million investment.

AT&T sued, and U.S. District Judge Marvin Shoob issued a preliminary injunction last month that allowed the Cingular logos to be replaced. He also barred NASCAR and any entity affiliated with it from interfering with AT&T's rights as primary sponsor of the car in the Nextel Cup series.

Burton has raced with AT&T logos since the May 19 ruling. He and Childress both said Sunday they were close to a contract extension for both the driver and AT&T.

In its counterclaim, NASCAR charges that AT&T and Cingular breached its contract with NASCAR, noting the company agreed to abide by NASCAR rules.

NASCAR is seeking a ruling that it "may take certain actions for the 2008 season in order to protect NASCAR and all participants in the sport by placing NASCAR into full compliance with the terms and conditions of the Nextel Sponsorship Agreement.''

"Cingulars refusal to follow NASCAR rules and accept NASCARs denial of this paint scheme, and the filing of this lawsuit, has undermined NASCARs authority as the sanctioning body of stock car auto racing,'' said the suit.

Most notable among those "certain actions'' is that "NASCAR may exercise its discretion not to offer NASCAR membership to Cingular or AT&T for the 2008 Nextel Cup Series season.''

NASCAR also contends it should have the right to not offer a driver and car owner agreement for 2008 to any car sponsored by a telecommunications company other than Nextel.

Alltel sponsors Ryan Newman for Penske Racing.

NASCAR spokesman Ramsey Poston said NASCAR does not comment on pending litigation.

AT&T spokesman Mark Siegel could not be reached for comment.

Newman's promising weekend derailed

Monday, June 18, 2007
By Steve Kaminski
The Grand Rapids Press

BROOKLYN -- Ryan Newman's mother, Diane, sat down on a swivel chair atop her son's pit box and slowly rocked left to right, right to left, and left to right again.

Newman's wife, Krissie, grabbed a seat, too, and she fidgeted with her cell phone.

Race time was fast approaching.

Penske Racing South president Don Miller, team crew chief Mike Nelson and race engineer Travis Geisler sat glued in front of computers, with everything from a weather map, the starting lineup and the TNT television feed displayed on their monitors.

Moments later, the 43-car field took the green flag and raced down the Michigan International Speedway front stretch for the start of the Citizen's Bank 400 on Sunday.

Maybe it wasn't the best seat in the house. You could see only turn one and part of the front stretch, and you had to turn around and check out the Jumbotron to see what was going on down the back stretch.

However, if you wanted to know what was happening in Newman's world, this was the place to be.

The folks at Alltel, which sponsors Newman's No. 12 Dodge on the NASCAR Nextel Cup Series, invited me to watch Sunday's race from atop their pit box. Before that, they arranged an interview with Newman before Friday qualifying and time with the crew Sunday morning as they set up for the race.

Car fast, lifestyle not

The plan was to give me a behind-the-scenes look at what goes on during race weekend for a Nextel Cup team. I like what I saw.

First, a few things about Newman.

Maybe you think all Nextel Cup drivers live a jet-set
lifestyle, and I'm sure some do. Not Newman.

Do you know what Newman likes to do if he gets a break on
race weekend? He goes to junkyards.

"Usually you get Saturday afternoon off and you are able to do something fun, and I like to go fishing or to car shows," said Newman, 29. "I like to go to junkyards and look at the old cars. We have had bonfires."

What also impressed me about Newman is he does the best he can to be accessible to his fans, and simply signing a few autographs won't do. He hosts a weekly podcast at alltelracing.com and breaks down previous races, previews ones coming up and shares insight on his life and team.

As far as the team, it is professional all the way. Sunday had to be one of the team's most disappointing races of the season, but everyone kept their cool on a hot day.

Newman and his crew were confident they could win their first race since 2005. He had finished second in each of the past two races and had climbed to 13th in Nextel Cup points.

Case of bad luck

But things went bad 12 laps into the race when Newman suffered a cut tire. He nursed his car back into the pits, where rear tire changer Joe Piette desperately tried to pull off a piece of the destroyed rubber, which had wrapped around a caliper.

Piette looked like he was trying to rip a cheeseburger out of Rosie O'Donnell's hands, it was that difficult. Newman lost three laps in the pits, then lost one more lap later after being collected in an accident. He finished 37th.

A promising weekend went bad quickly, but there were no meltdowns.

"We had a real good car, but we didn't have a car that could have beat Carl Edwards today," Newman said. "We just caught a piece of debris or something, and it popped the tire."

Edwards snapped his 52-race winless drought when he held off Martin Truex to win Sunday's race.

Newman, a 12-time winner in Nextel Cup, hasn't won in 60 races. But, like Edwards, his day is coming.

Penske Racing endures long day at Michigan

BROOKLYN, Mich. - Penske Racing's drivers looked like they had finally escaped the bad luck that has dogged the team for months. Sunday proved that's not completely the case.

Both Ryan Newman and Kurt Busch suffered ill luck that cost them during the Citizens Bank 400 at Michigan International Speedway.

Newman fell victim first, hitting something that caused a tire to fail, then getting caught up in a crash that cost him even more positions.

In the end, he finished 37th, four laps off the pace, and dropped two spots to 15th in the standings.

"We just caught a piece of debris or something and it popped that tire," he said. "It wrapped itself around the caliper and rotor and stuff and it cost us three laps."

Then came the crash.

"Jeff Green ran out of talent there ... [and] caused a big crash," Newman said. "The race track is capable of going three- and four-wide. We saw it all day, but he couldn't do it."

Green obviously saw things a little differently.

"[Newman] came across our nose on that restart," he said. "He was trying to get by [Jeff] Gordon and get a lap back, but I don't know what made him think he could squeeze in there. Maybe his spotter told him he was clear. It tore our right-front fender off, and that took us out of it."

Later, Newman's teammate would also find problems. Busch was putting together a good outing before a loose lug nut forced him to make an unscheduled pit stop and cost him his shot at a strong finish. Busch finished 25th but remained 16th in the standings.

Ryan Newman Finishes 37th at Michigan International Speedway

Ryan Newman's weekend started pretty good with a 4th place qualifying run for the Citizens Bank 400 at the Michigan International Speedway. This 4th place started ended a streak of 3 pole positions.

The race started under hot and humid conditions at MIS. As soon as the green flag dropped Newman was working his way to the front and by lap 3 he was in second.

Then Ryan Newman adn his #12 Alltel Dodge Team's bad luck fell on them once again. On lap 14 Newman fell out of the top five with a tire going down. By the time he came into the pits the tire had come apart and wrapped itself around everything in the wheel well. His crew worked frantically ripping pieces of tire out and eventually had to get the saws-all out to cut tire out from the shocks and springs.

Newman re-entered the race 3 laps down. This is where he stayed for the rest of the day and ultimatly ending up 4 laps down and in 37th place. Newman did race very hard on restarts in an attempt to regain a lap(s) but this did not work out for him.

Hopefully Newman will have better luck next week at Infineon Raceway, NASCAR Nextel Cup's first road course of the season. This will also be a COT race.