New track record for Ryan Newman at New Hampshire

Ryan Newman

It certainly feels good to be a Ryan Newman fan these days!

Congratulations to Ryan Newman for qualifying on the pole and at the same time setting a new track record at New Hampshire Motor Speedway with a time of 27.904 at 136.497 mph.

The Loudon, NH track is a special one for Newman. It was here that he won his first official cup race in 2002. Since then he has scored two more wins.

Today marks Newman's 51st pole, the sixth of which he has earned at this track.

Starting at the front of the field plays right into Newman's strategy, since he believes track position is important. He said passing at Loudon is difficult. And, winning the pole allows Newman to choose the first pit stall, which is just icing on the cake.

This is the second race of the Chase for the Sprint Cup Championship. Last week at Richmond, Newman ran a great race, finishing tenth, which moved him up to 8th in points. He started the Chase in 12th.

It's Bristol Baby!

It is always exciting to get back to racing after an off-week, but never so much as when getting back to racing means It's Bristol Baby!

Racing at Bristol Motor Speedway, dubbed the World's Fastest Half-Mile, is always exciting to watch. For drivers like Ryan Newman, racing at Bristol is like getting back to basics where he can draw on his extensive short-track racing experience.

Newman set the record at the high-banked, half mile oval in 2003 where he clocked a qualifying speed of 128.709 miles per hour. He made it around the track in a mere 14.908 seconds. 

Not only does Newman hold the track record, but he has a good 'track record' at Bristol Motor Speedway. With 18 career starts there, he has finished in the top 10 ten times; once in the top five, and has sat on the pole twice. While at Stewart-Haas Racing, he has started four times, and finished better than seventh at three of them. 

Newman goes to Bristol Motor Speedway with momentum on his side. He is currently ranked 5th in points, just 10 points back from his owner/teammate Tony Stewart who tops the points standings. Newman has finished the last two races in the top five. While a crash, not of his doing, took him out in the last laps at Daytona's season opener, Newman led the most laps in that race.
 

This year, which marks the 50th Anniversary of racing at Bristol Motor Speedway, promises to be as action-packed as ever.
 

Wouldn't it be nice to see Ryan Newman be the first to cross the checkers this Sunday at Bristol Motor Speedway?