Tuesday, February 24, 2015

Ryan Newman looking for 'good balance' on his car at Atlanta this weekend

Ryan Newman is 30/1 to win at Atlanta on Sunday
Ryan Newman
No. 31 Caterpillar Chevrolet SS

Race Notes and Quotes:

This Week’s Caterpillar Chevrolet SS at Atlanta Motor Speedway
… Ryan Newman will drive chassis No. 486 in the second event on the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series schedule at Atlanta Motor Speedway. This No. 31 Chevrolet SS is a new car and will be utilized for the first time duringThursday’s test session.

Newman at AMS … In 22 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series events at Atlanta Motor Speedway, Newman owns seven pole awards, including sweeping six straight encompassing the 2003 to 2005 Sprint Cup seasons. He owns two top-five and eight top-10 finishes. His best results of fifth place came in 2013 and at the spring 2004 event. The South Bend, Ind., native has an average start of 7.4 and average finish of 17.2. He’s led a total of 175 laps in competition. In the Camping World Trucks Series, he captured victory in the fall 2008 race.

Welcome Aboard … This weekend, Newman’s No. 31 Chevrolet will feature the Caterpillar BuildingConstruction Products (BCP) Division paint scheme to help kick off the launch of two new products from Caterpillar giving their customers increased productivity while saving more fuel than ever before. Let’s Rethink the Tank!

The new Cat® D3K2, D4K2, and D5K2 Track Type Tractors have been upgraded with cleaner engines meeting U.S. EPA Tier 4 Final emissions standards and enhanced with new features that improve performance in utility and grading applications. Features such as Automatic Traction-Control, Slope-Indicate, which accuratelydisplay the machine’s blade angle, eliminating guesswork, and Slope-Assist, which facilitates grading by automatically maintaining pre-established blade angles. Consistent grades are attained more quickly and less experienced operators are more productive. #CatSlopeAssist.

The Building Construction Products Division is a global division of Caterpillar Inc. that employs several thousand employees located at facilities worldwide. BCP has production facilities in the U.S. (Clayton, N.C.; Sanford, N.C.; Athens, Ga.), UK, China, India and Brazil. Products designed, manufactured, and distributed by BCP include skid steer loaders, backhoe loaders, compact track loaders, multi-terrain loaders, small wheel loaders, small track-type tractors and mini-hydraulic excavators.

About Caterpillar … For nearly 90 years, Caterpillar Inc., has been making sustainable progress possible and driving positive change on every continent. Customers turn to Caterpillar to help them develop infrastructure, energy and natural resource assets. Caterpillar is the world’s leading manufacturer of construction and mining equipment, diesel and natural gas engines, industrial gas turbines and diesel-electric locomotives. The company principally operates through its three product segments – Resource Industries, Construction Industries and Power Systems – and also provides financing and related services through its Financial Products segment. More information is available at: www.caterpillar.com.

Point of Interest … Newman ranks 34th in the NSCS point standings entering this weekend’s second race on the Cup schedule. The RCR driver’s 38th-place showing in Sunday’s Daytona 500 was a result of a late-race accident with 40 laps remaining. Damage sustained in the mishap caused the No. 31 Chevrolet to go behind the wall for repairs. The team worked vigorously allowing Newman to return to the track and finish the event.

Media Availability … Newman will be accessible to media in attendance at AMS on Friday at noon Eastern Time. The media availability will be held outside the No. 31 hauler in the NSCS garage.

AMS Public Appearances … Newman is scheduled to participate in a question and answer session at the track on Sunday. He’ll be at the Coke Stage at 9:25 a.m. ET located in the QuikTrip Fan Zone.

Race Rewind … Last season in the Caterpillar Chevrolet at Atlanta Motor Speedway, Newman lined up eighth on the third and final green-white-checkered-flag restart and picked up one position to finish seventh. It was the team’s ninth top-10 result of the season.

Rescue Ranch Easter Portraits … Do you want to have that special picture of your little one(s) with an adorable bunny for Easter? Rescue Ranch’s own Hank, Hershey and Ivy will be camera ready on Saturday, March 14 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. ET. For details, visit http://www.rescueranch.com/special-events.

RYAN NEWMAN QUOTES:

What is the key to running well at Atlanta Motor Speedway?

“Its like any other track. Its about having a good balance on your car. That’s important because the tires fall off so quickly. If you lose one end of your car versus the other, the front or the back, it becomes exponential. With having that good balance, having good forward drive off Turn 2 and obviously having some speed, it’s a fast track where good downforce keeps the tires alive.”

Both Daytona and Atlanta produce fast speeds. Can you describe the difference?
“We are at the limit of speed at Daytona, not because of grip, but because of terminal velocity. At Atlanta, it’s more of a matter of grip than it is terminal velocity. We can go a lot faster if I could keep it wide open. At Atlanta it is still really fast, but it’s a mile-and-a-half instead of a two-and-a-half-mile track. It’s a lot tighter radius and really grippy on new tires.”

Do you have any concerns about the new rules package?
“I really don’t have any concerns. I think the tire at Atlanta will live. It’s the tires we take to other tracks that we need to be having that resembles the Atlanta tire. Its not always easy to replicate. Its easier said than done. Everyone looks forward to Atlanta.”

- Richard Childress Racing

No comments: