Tuesday, June 21, 2016

Ryan Newman fourth-best at Sonoma with 12.6 average finish

Ryan Newman is 30/1 to win at Sonoma for first time in 14 starts. 
This Week’s WIX Filters Chevrolet SS at Sonoma Raceway … Ryan Newman will pilot car No. 477 in the season’s first road course event at Sonoma Raceway. The Sonoma 350 marks the first time this year that the No. 31 team will utilize this Chevrolet in competition.

Newman at Sonoma … In 14 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series events at the 10-turn, 1.99-mile road course, Newman owns two top-five and six top-10 finishes. He has led 11 laps and completed all 1,547 laps of competition. The South Bend, Ind., native has an average start of 12.4 and average finish of 12.6. In the last 10 races at the road course, the Richard Childress Racing driver ranks sixth in most points earned.

WIX Filters … WIX Filters provides technical support for both RCR and ECR Engines by supplying air and oil filters as well as providing research and development support. RCR’s relationship with WIX Filters started back in the late 1960s and in 2011 at Bristol Motor Speedway, the No. 1 filter in motorsports began its association with Ryan Newman.

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RYAN NEWMAN QUOTES:

What is the key to success at Sonoma Raceway?

“It’s usually all about forward drive and then braking and then strategy. Obviously having good track position is key as well because it is difficult to pass there. Forward drive seems to be the premium and it seems like getting off of what I call, Turns 6 and 11 are the most important parts of the track and just having a good launch and keeping the rear tires under you are keys to running a good lap. It seems like you can so easily abuse the rear tires and make the car loose for the rest of the track. If that happens then you can’t go forward.”

What’s the toughest part of the track for you to figure out?

“It seems like every time we go there, it’s a different tire or something is a little bit different and you have to find the balance in strategy … do you pit twice and stay out, max out your windows and stay out on old tires or do you come in and get new tires? In my opinion, it’s the strategy part that is the toughest to figure out. Driving the car there isn’t that difficult except for keeping the rear tires on it. That’s difficult to do, but I think what’s most difficult is figuring out the right strategy.”

What is your favorite part about that track?

“I just like driving the car at road courses. They are fun to hustle around. You are using the brake pedal and it lends itself to better racing.”

- Richard Childress Racing


Top 10 Driver Ratings at Sonoma
Kurt Busch................................ 109.3
Jimmie Johnson........................ 101.0
Tony Stewart.............................. 98.1
Clint Bowyer............................... 96.7
Ryan Newman............................ 88.5
Kyle Busch................................. 88.3
Carl Edwards.............................. 88.3
Jamie McMurray......................... 87.1
Kevin Harvick.............................. 86.9
Kasey Kahne.............................. 86.7
Note: Driver Ratings compiled from 2005-2015 races (11 total) among active drivers at Sonoma Raceway.

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