RYAN NEWMAN – Creating Another Magical Moment at ‘The Magic Mile’

KANNAPOLIS, N.C. (June 23, 2010) – Over the course of his nine-year NASCAR Sprint Cup Series career, Ryan Newman has enjoyed some magical moments at New Hampshire Motor Speedway in Loudon. After all, the 1.058-mile flat track commonly known as “The Magic Mile” was the site of Newman’s first point-paying Sprint Cup victory during his rookie season in 2002. On that September afternoon, the South Bend, Ind., native started from the pole and dominated the rain-shortened race, leading 143 of 207 laps.

The win was proof that the young driver, who had climbed through the open-wheel ranks and was known for turning a quick lap in qualifying, had what it took to win in NASCAR’s elite series. The victory was emotional for Newman and his family, as all had worked and sacrificed for years so that Newman could follow his dream into NASCAR.

It was the first of 14 Sprint Cup wins for the 2001 Purdue University graduate, and the first of two at New Hampshire.

The second victory came three years later in September 2005. Newman, who had narrowly squeaked into the inaugural Chase for the Championship, used pit strategy to gain the lead late in the race after starting 13th. In the closing laps, he dueled with now team owner and teammate Tony Stewart for the lead. Newman passed Stewart with two laps remaining and held on to take the win, renewing Newman’s hopes for a run at the championship.

In addition to those very big wins, Newman has recorded four poles, five top-five and 10 top-10 finishes in 16 races at New Hampshire. In fact, Newman has finished outside of the top-15 just four times.

Entering this weekend’s Lenox Industrial Tools 301, Newman is 15th in points, 82 points back of the 12th-place cutoff for the Chase for the Championship. With 10 races remaining before the Chase begins, New Hampshire could be just the place for Newman and his No. 39 Haas Automation team to stir up a little magic of their own, just like they did earlier this season at Phoenix International Raceway.

At Phoenix – another flat, 1-mile oval – Newman ran in the top-10 for most of the race. A bold pit call by crew chief Tony Gibson on the final caution of the night put Newman in position to capture the win. On the final restart, Newman took the lead from four-time Sprint Cup champion Jeff Gordon and held onto the top spot for the final two laps to score the No. 39 team’s first victory.

It was a magical moment for Newman and his team, and one they would like to repeat.

This weekend, at the track where he scored his first point-paying Sprint Cup victory, Newman will pilot Chassis No. 39-536 – the same chassis that he drove to victory at Phoenix.

Is there kismet or karma in Sprint Cup racing? Absolutely. And Newman & Company have it, plus the preparation and the expertise to make more magic happen this weekend in New Hampshire.