Ryan Newman | Darlington II Advance

Ryan Newman | Darlington II Advance

Team:                   No. 6 Oscar Mayer Ford Mustang
Crew Chief:         Scott Graves

PR Contact:         Brandon Lee; blee@roushfenway.com; 704-783-5446

Twitter:                @Roush6Team, @RoushFenway and @RyanJNewman
Race Format:     311.4 miles, 228 laps, Stage Lengths: 60-65-103

Toyota 500 – Wednesday, May 20 at 7:30 p.m. ET on FS1, MRN, SiriusXM Channel 90

                                                                                                                                                                 

ADVANCE NOTES

NASCAR Returns to Action

  • Following its return to racing Sunday at Darlington Raceway, NASCAR continues its modified schedule with a second event at ‘The Lady in Black’ Wednesday night in primetime. It will mark the third of seven NASCAR national series races in an 11-day span.
  • Once competition wraps at Darlington on Wednesday, the NCS will transition to Charlotte Motor Speedway for two-consecutive events, the first on May 24 with the crown jewel Coca-Cola 600. It will be followed by a shorter event on May 27.
  • Four weeks of NASCAR action were completed prior to the hiatus with races at Atlanta, Homestead, Texas, Bristol, Richmond, Talladega, Dover and Martinsville postponed.

 

Sunday Recap, Wednesday Preview

  • In his first race back since the Daytona 500, Newman fought his way inside the top-10 early on in Sunday’s 293-lap race at Darlington before finishing 15th. He crossed the line ninth in stage one to earn two stage points, and came back from a speeding penalty and cut tire in the closing laps to earn a top-15 finish.
  • The starting lineup for Wednesday’s 311.4-mile race will be determined by an invert for positions 1-20, putting Newman sixth on the grid for Wednesday night’s race.

 

Newman Historically at Darlington Raceway

  • Wednesday will be Newman’s 23rd Cup Series start at Darlington, where he has 13 top-10s and seven top fives. He carries a 12.7 average finish – his second-best of any track on the circuit behind only Richmond (12.3).
  • Newman has finished top-10 in 59 percent of the races at the 1.366-mile track, including a runner-up finish in his first ever-Southern 500 back in 2002. Dating back eight events, Newman has five finishes of 13th or better including four top-10s.
  • Newman has one career pole at ‘The Lady in Black’, which came back in the 2003 Southern 500. Overall he has an average starting position of 11.1 with 13 top-10 starts, eight of which were inside the top five.
  • Newman also made five starts at Darlington in the Xfinity Series, earning the pole in each of the first two events in 2001. He went on to finish fourth in the 2001 fall race – his best career Xfinity result – with an overall finish of 13.6 in the series at the famed track.

Scott Graves at Darlington Raceway

  • Graves will call his sixth NCS race at Darlington atop the pit box. In five prior events, Graves has an average finish of 24.6, coming off Newman’s 15th-place finish on Sunday.
  • In Xfinity Series action, Graves led Suarez to a third-place finish in 2016 after starting fifth. A year prior, he and Chris Buescher paired up for a fifth-place result.

QUOTE WORTHY
Newman on Wednesday’s race:
“I felt like we unloaded pretty well Sunday and had a good run going for a good portion of the race. We just got a little off in terms of adjustments and had a couple things go south, but battled back for a top-15. With those notes and our performance early on I feel pretty good heading into Wednesday. Looking forward to putting together another strong race in our Oscar Mayer Ford and once again showing everyone how NASCAR is coming back during these times.”

The Real Heroes Project Continues at Darlington
NASCAR is collaborating with other professional sports properties across the country to embark on The Real Heroes Project. The goal is to motivate and inspire healthcare workers as sports only can, by turning its greatest heroes (the athletes) into their greatest fans. To that end, the name of a COVID-19 frontline worker will be displayed above the driver’s side door on each entry Wednesday night.

NASCAR allowed teams to select the names of the frontline workers to appear on their cars, and Newman chose a name special to him, Fe Roster, VP & Chief Care Continuum Officer at Halifax Health. Fe played a vital role in Newman’s life in the days following his horrific, last-lap crash in the Daytona 500, where he walked out of Halifax Medical Center three days later under the care of Roster and others. Dr. Jerry Petty, a partner with NASCAR for 40+ years, also played a vital role in Newman’s recovery all the way up until clearing him for NASCAR action, and – at Newman’s request – Petty will be on the name rail of the No. 17 machine Wednesday night.

On the Car
Oscar Mayer returns for Wednesday’s race at Darlington, this time promoting its love for hot dogs. Oscar Mayer and Roush Fenway announced their continued partnership at the end of the 2019 season, as the company continues to highlight its quality meat offerings via its paint schemes throughout the season.

About The Kraft Heinz Company
For 150 years, we have produced some of the world’s most beloved products at The Kraft Heinz Company (NASDAQ: KHC). Our Vision is To Be the Best Food Company, Growing a Better World. We are one of the largest global food and beverage companies, with 2018 net sales of approximately $26 billion. Our portfolio is a diverse mix of iconic and emerging brands. As the guardians of these brands and the creators of innovative new products, we are dedicated to the sustainable health of our people and our planet. To learn more, visit https://www.kraftheinzcompany.com/or follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter.

Ryan Newman | Darlington II Advance Read More

Newman Earns Hard-Fought Top-15 in Racing Return

Newman Earns Hard-Fought Top-15 in Racing Return

DARLINGTON, S.C. (May 17, 2020) – In his return to the track – and NASCAR’s return to action – Ryan Newman turned in a gutty performance, recovering from a late spin to drive his No. 6 Oscar Mayer Ford to a 15th-place finish in Sunday’s NASCAR Cup Series event at the famed Darlington Raceway.

“Really proud of everybody’s effort today to unload the Oscar Mayer Ford as good as we did,” Newman said following the race. “We started pretty strong and for the first 180 laps or so we were really good, then we got the car too free and we needed it to turn better, but we never got the front to work and made the back loose. Overall, great to be back in the racecar, proud of how everybody worked, not just our team, but everyone in NASCAR to break the ice on getting the world back in motion.”

Newman – making his return since the Daytona 500 – powered his way into the top-10 by the end of stage one, finishing ninth to earn valuable stage points. He maintained the top-15 position throughout much of stage two before the car’s handling went away late and a cut tire caused the car to spin out and ending the team’s bid for a top 10.

A random draw determined the starting lineup for #TheRealHeroes400, as drivers were grouped into their respective positions by points, with a draw for each spot from there. With the No. 6 20th in owners’ points, Newman rolled off 21st after the random draw.

Newman reported he was tight 30 laps in when the competition caution flew, in which teams were allowed two pit stops with no change in position. Crew chief Scott Graves and the team made a series of adjusting on the Oscar Mayer machine, setting him back up 15th for the restart.

From there, the South Bend, Indiana, native wasted no time charging his way forward, entering the top-10 less than 20 laps later before finishing the stage in ninth. He was caught speeding on pit road under the stage break, setting him back to the rear for the ensuing restart.

After restarting 27th, Newman again worked his way back up to 15th by lap 123, reporting the car felt good as stage two cycled through. A series of yellows flew from lap 124-172 in which he worked his way up to ninth, before crossing the line 15th for the second stage.

From there the handling went away, as he lacked grip with 90 to go. With 41 to go, Newman was running 17th when the right rear tire went down, sending his Oscar Mayer Ford for a spin to bring out the yellow. After a pit stop for fresh tires and cosmetic repairs, Newman restarted 25th with 34 laps left, but battled his way back to 15th by the checkered flag.

The No. 6 team returns to Darlington Raceway for the second race in four days Wednesday night for a primetime race under the lights (7:30 p.m. ET, FS1, MRN, SiriusXM Channel 90). The starting lineup for Wednesday’s 228-lap race will be set by a random draw for positions 1-20, meaning Newman will roll off sixth in his Oscar Mayer Ford.

Newman Earns Hard-Fought Top-15 in Racing Return Read More

Ryan Newman on Darlington: I’m so excited and thankful to be healthy to get back into the race car.

Ryan Newman on Darlington:  I’m so excited and thankful to be healthy to get back into the race car.

Team:                   No. 6 Oscar Mayer Ford Mustang
Crew Chief:         Scott Graves

Twitter:                @Roush6Team, @RoushFenway and @RyanJNewman
Race Format:     400.2 miles, 293 laps, Stage Lengths: 90-95-108

Darlington 400 – Sunday, May 17 at 3:30 p.m. ET on FOX, MRN, SiriusXM Channel 90

                                                                                                                                                                 

ADVANCE NOTES

NASCAR Returns to Action

  • NASCAR makes its return to racing this weekend with a NASCAR Cup Series race that will serve as the first of seven national series races over an 11-day span at two different tracks throughout May.
  • The race at the historic South Carolina track will be held without fans in attendance and is slated to be NASCAR’s first on-track action in more than two months as the sport and world have been on pause during COVID-19.
  • Following the initial race back on Sunday, the NCS will again visit Darlington for a midweek race under the lights three days later. The May schedule also includes the crown jewel Coca-Cola 600 in its traditional Memorial Day Weekend home for the 60th consecutive season, plus other midweek races in prime time.
  • Four weeks of NASCAR action were completed prior to the outbreak before races at Atlanta, Homestead, Texas, Bristol, Richmond, Talladega, Dover and Martinsville were later postponed.

 

Newman at Darlington Raceway

  • Newman makes his return to the car this weekend following a last-lap crash in the Daytona 500 in which he was leading coming to the checkered flag. After recovering from the injuries sustained in the crash, Newman was cleared for racing activity on April 28 and granted a playoff waiver from NASCAR after missing three races (Las Vegas, Fontana, Phoenix).
  • Newman will make his 22nd Cup Series start at Darlington on Sunday, a track he has 13 top-10s at with seven top-five finishes. He has an average finish of 12.6 – his second best of any track on the circuit behind only Richmond (12.3).
  • Newman has finished top-10 in 62 percent of the races at the 1.366-mile track, including a runner-up finish in is first ever-Southern 500 back in 2002. Dating back seven events, Newman has five finishes of 13th or better including four top-10s.
  • Newman has one career pole at ‘The Lady in Black’, which came back in the 2003 Southern 500. Overall he has an average starting position of 10.6 with 13 top-10 starts, eight of which were inside the top five.
  • Newman also made five starts at Darlington in the Xfinity Series, earning the pole in each of the first two events in 2001. He went on to finish fourth in the 2001 fall race – his best career Xfinity result – with an overall finish of 13.6 in the series at the famed track.

Scott Graves at Darlington Raceway

  • Graves will call his fifth NCS race at Darlington atop the pit box. In four prior events, Graves has an average finish of 27th (two starts with Daniel Suarez, one each with Ricky Stenhouse, Jr., and Ryan Newman).
  • In Xfinity Series action, Graves led Suarez to a third-place finish in 2016 after starting fifth. A year prior, he and Chris Buescher paired up for a fifth-place result.

QUOTE WORTHY
Newman on return to racing:
“I’m so excited and thankful to be healthy to get back into the race car. I am thankful for all the people and support that have prayed for me and given me a multitude of miracles. I cannot think of a better track to start back at than Darlington, my favorite track and one we feel confident in. I’m excited to get back behind the wheel of the Oscar Mayer Ford.”

The Real Heroes Project Debuts at Darlington
NASCAR is collaborating with other professional sports properties across the country to embark on The Real Heroes Project. The goal is to motivate and inspire healthcare workers as sports only can, by turning its greatest heroes (the athletes) into their greatest fans. To that end, the name of a COVID-19 frontline worker will be displayed above the driver’s side door on each entry this weekend at Darlington.

For the first race back on May 17, NASCAR worked in partnership with FOX and their tune-in priority market affiliate program to select the COVID-19 worker being recognized. FOX affiliates from around the country were asked to nominate a local hero from their community to be recognized during the return. Newman’s frontline worker will be Dr. Benjamin Petty, an Emergency Medicine Physician at IU Health West Hospital in Avon, selected by WXIN FOX 59 in the Indianapolis market.

On the Car
Oscar Mayer returns to the No. 6 Ford this weekend at Darlington. Oscar Mayer and Roush Fenway announced their continued partnership at the end of the 2019 season, as the company continues to highlight its quality meat offerings via its paint schemes throughout the season.

  • Oscar Mayer’s Front Yard Cookout initiative inspired the No. 6 Oscar Mayer Ford scheme for Darlington. To celebrate the return of NASCAR and Ryan Newman, the brand is encouraging fans to recreate their own at-home infield experience by firing up the grill and connecting with fellow race fans and neighbors on their front lawn from a safe distance.
  • Snap a pic of your pre-race cookout and share for a good cause! Each usage of #FrontYardCookout on Twitter donates one additional meal to Feeding America on top of the brand’s 1 million-meal commitment. Oscar Mayer’s Front Yard Cookout runs through May 31, 2020.

About The Kraft Heinz Company
For 150 years, we have produced some of the world’s most beloved products at The Kraft Heinz Company (NASDAQ: KHC). Our Vision is To Be the Best Food Company, Growing a Better World. We are one of the largest global food and beverage companies, with 2018 net sales of approximately $26 billion. Our portfolio is a diverse mix of iconic and emerging brands. As the guardians of these brands and the creators of innovative new products, we are dedicated to the sustainable health of our people and our planet. To learn more, visit https://www.kraftheinzcompany.com/or follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter.

Ryan Newman on Darlington: I’m so excited and thankful to be healthy to get back into the race car. Read More

Oscar Mayer Gives Ryan Newman A (Deli) Fresh Wrap For Daytona

Oscar Mayer Gives Ryan Newman A (Deli) Fresh Wrap For Daytona

DAYTONA BEACH & PITTSBURGH & CHICAGO – (February 12, 2019) – On Sunday, Feb. 17, Oscar Mayer and NASCAR driver Ryan Newman will hit the track to kick off the 2019 racing season at the Daytona 500.

Newman will power the No. 6 Oscar Mayer Deli Fresh Ford Mustang as part of a season-long sponsorship with the brand. The car’s hunger-inducing paint scheme will feature Oscar Mayer’s Deli Fresh cold cuts, a premium offering made with all the flavor of the deli and with no artificial preservatives, and no added nitrates or nitrites. (more…)

Oscar Mayer Gives Ryan Newman A (Deli) Fresh Wrap For Daytona Read More