NASCAR Sprint Cup Series: Allstate 400 at The Brickyard

Topics:  Allstate 400 at The Brickyard

Ryan Newman
July 26, 2008

INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA

HERB BRANHAM: We're joined by our Third place qualifier, Ryan Newman, driver of the No. 12 Alltel Dodge. Ryan, good effort. Tell us about your qualifying run today?
RYAN NEWMAN: Well, we obviously had a great draw. We had a good car from yesterday's practice session. Just, basically, put in a good, solid lap and it was good enough for third. It will be a good starting spot for the Alltel Dodge.
I was watching the highlights last night from last year on ESPN Classic, and I forgot that we had qualified third there, but didn't have any good results in the race. So look forward to improving this year.

Q. Qualifying is one thing, what do you expect in race trim?
RYAN NEWMAN: We did about eight laps in race trim in the first practice yesterday. Our car was decent. We were basically spending time filling the track in with rubber.
We'll see today, just due to the fact that it's probably not going to rain, what the track's going to be like. Hopefully, it doesn't rain tonight for tomorrow so that we can have some good green flag runs.
Honestly, we didn't change a whole lot on our race car from race trim to qualifying trim, so I think we'll be in good shape for race trim.

Q. As late as Mark went out, were you surprised by the lap he put down?
RYAN NEWMAN: He was stout. He was really stout around the straightaways. If you look at the Tracker, he was making a lot of ground on the straightaways. But you have to make it through the corners to make it on the straightaways.
If had he would have had an earlier draw, he and Johnson would have had a good shot. If he went out nose to tail, they would have had a good shot tying each other in my opinion.

Q. When you look at Mark Martin, can you imagine yourself at that age? Will you have any difficulty getting out of a car and staying out of a car, or will you have three or four farewell tours?
RYAN NEWMAN: Well, Mark's doing all right on merchandise when it comes to that stuff. I would say that for me would I imagine for what my long‑term goal is I wouldn't necessarily be here when he is.
My intention is to win a championship before I'm 40‑whatever years old. And I know he hasn't, and I know that's what he's going for. That's what his goal is.
Obviously, he's got a great opportunity next year with the Hendrick ride and a full‑time schedule. Mark's a great competitor, and he's a great racer. Honestly, I don't think the age makes a difference as much as what people think the age makes a difference.

Q. Gillette‑Evernham has seen a huge pick‑up with the new engine package they're using. Have you experienced similar gains at Penske as well?
RYAN NEWMAN: We don't have the new engine in our cars yet. It's still being developed.