NEWMAN 7TH FASTEST IN POLE DAY QUALIFYING

Topics:  Ryan Newman, Daytona 500

U.S. Army Racing
February 13, 2011

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (Feb. 13, 2011) -- Ryan Newman was the seventh fastest driver in Sunday's Pole Day qualifying at Daytona International Speedway.

Newman's No. 39 U.S. Army Chevrolet covered the 2.5-mile oval in 48.648 seconds at 185.002 miles per hour.

The two-lap show before a nationally televised audience locked in the front row for next Sunday's (Feb. 20) Daytona 500 and also set the starting lineup for Thursday's (Feb. 17) 150-mile qualifying races. The first qualifying race will start at 2 p.m. ET and be televised on SPEED.

Newman will start third (inside of Row 2) in Thursday’s first qualifying race. The results from the qualifying races will determine the starting lineup for the 43-car Daytona 500.

"I am proud of the guys with the U. S. Army Chevrolet," said Newman, who finished third in Saturday night's Budweiser Shootout. "I feel we have a good race car and good speed. I look forward to the rest of Speedweeks and want to do everything we can to get the Soldiers' car into Victory Lane."

The front row for the 500 was captured by the Hendrick Motorsports team with the pole going to Dale Earnhardt Jr. (186.089 mph) and the outside pole to Jeff Gordon (185.966).

The third through fifth fastest Pole Day drivers were: Trevor Bayne, Paul Menard and Clint Bowyer.

Newman's Stewart-Haas Racing teammate, Tony Stewart, was 10th fastest with a time and speed of 48.672 at 184.911. Stewart will start fifth in Thursday's first qualifying race.

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