It took nearly 80 laps and six pit stops with multiple adjustments for Newman to finally get the No. 39 Tornados Chevrolet to his liking. And while Newman’s car handled the way he wanted, he was mired deep in the field and didn’t have the track position needed to be a contender in the final 10-lap dash for $1 million.

“Honestly, it was too little too late for us,” said Newman, who has participated in each All-Star Race since joining the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series as a rookie in 2002, the same year that he won the non-points event. “The Tornados Chevy was way too loose, but we finally got the car right during that last caution period. But in the end we didn’t have the track position to go with it.”

Newman battled a loose racecar from the drop of the green flag. The Tornados team pitted at the end of the first three 20-lap segments to work on the racecar, making multiple chassis and air pressure adjustments to help improve the loose-handling condition. But it wasn’t until an extended caution during the fourth segment that the team finally hit on a series of adjustments that helped Newman’s ill-handling racecar.

During the extended caution period beginning at lap 67, Newman’s team pitted three times to make wholesale changes to the No. 39 Chevy. Newman restarted in 16th-place at lap 74. By the end of the fourth segment, he had moved into the 13th position and told his crew that his car was the “best it had been.”

Newman started the final segment in 11th place. While his racecar was right, the track position wasn’t there. He finished the night in 10th place.

For Newman & Company, the 90-lap All-Star Race served as test session for the Coca-Cola 600 next Sunday evening at Charlotte – a point-paying race that also happens to be the longest event on the Sprint Cup schedule.

“That’s probably the best thing that came out of the race,” Newman said. “I just didn’t have any confidence in the car for most of the race. We got it right there at the end, and I think that’s going to help us figure out where we need to be going in to next weekend’s race.”

Teammate Tony Stewart, driver of the No. 14 Bass Pro Shops/National Wild Turkey Federation Chevrolet for Stewart-Haas Racing, finished 17th.

Jimmie Johnson won the All-Star Race. It was his third All-Star Race win and his ninth Sprint Cup victory at Charlotte.

Brad Keselowski finished .841 of a second behind Johnson in the runner-up spot, while Matt Kenseth, Kyle Busch and Dale Earnhardt Jr. rounded out the top-five. Kevin Harvick, Marcos Ambrose, Kurt Busch, Kasey Kahne and Newman comprised the remainder of the top-10.

The NASCAR Sprint Cup Series returns to point-paying racing Sunday, May 27 with the Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte. The longest race on the Sprint Cup schedule gets underway at 6 p.m. EDT, with live coverage provided by FOX beginning at 5:30 p.m.

It takes a flawless performance from an ensemble cast (the driver and the pit crew), and it even takes a little help from the extras (the other competitors on the racetrack and their respective pit crews) to capture the victory and bring home the top prize.

It was 10 years ago Friday night that Ryan Newman and his team had an impressive performance at Charlotte (N.C.) Motor Speedway, when they earned the title of NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race winners.

The year was 2002 and it was Newman, the eventual Rookie of the Year winner, and his No. 12 Penske Racing team who earned their first-ever victory in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series ranks, although it came in the non-points-paying All-Star Race.

On that night, Newman wasn’t even qualified in the main event at the start of the night but raced his way into the main event, which was then called The Winston, by winning the 16-lap No-Bull Sprint.

After that already amazing feat, Newman and his rookie team had nothing to lose. After all, they weren’t even supposed to be part of the show. The team strategized, Newman was able to drive his race, and he benefited when fans voted to invert the field for the final 20 laps. He took the lead with 17 laps to go and never looked back.

With that win, Newman and his team proved that a new kid on the circuit had what it took to come out on top. He became only the second rookie in series history to win the All-Star Race.

This weekend, the South Bend, Ind., native and now-Sprint Cup veteran is ready to earn his second All-Star title.

So far this season, Newman has one win, two top-five finishes and three top-10s. He currently sits 14th in points. And after disappointing finishes in the last few races, Newman & Company are looking forward to a chance to regroup at this Saturday night’s non-points-paying event.

Unlike any other race, the All-Star Race is about the fame, the glory and a cool $1 million. And with no points on the line, Newman and his crew can go off-script, using their improvisation skills to really do what it takes to earn that top prize in this unique event.

After all, as Newman says, this race is all about winning or bringing home nothing but the steering wheel.

So, for Newman and his No. 39 Tornados Chevy team for Stewart-Haas Racing, this weekend’s All-Star Race is a chance to showcase their skills and prove their performance is worthy.

And if things work out for Newman, he’ll be able to hoist the trophy and perhaps even earn the praises of one of his favorite TV personalities – Joan Rivers, most recently of Oscar Night Red Carpet fame – for his bold moves and stylish performance while on NASCAR’s version of the Red Carpet – victory lane at the Sprint All-Star Race.

RYAN NEWMAN, Driver of the No. 39 Tornados Chevrolet for Stewart-Haas Racing:

What makes the All-Star Race so different from any other race?

“When push comes to shove in the All-Star Race on Saturday night, you do what you have to do to win. This race is about the glory and the big prize. There are no points on the line so, the way I see it, you want to either win it or bring back just the steering wheel in your hands, knowing you did everything you could to be the best of the best that night.”

What is it about the All-Star Race that you like so much as a driver?

“I think one of the coolest things about the All-Star Race for us is that it’s a short race. It’s kind of like the races we all grew up racing. It’s a make your move and make it now kind of thing. It’s a unique layout, and to me that’s what makes it fun. You have the different segments and the rules, and the strategy changes each and every lap. The All-Star Race is huge in our eyes because it’s the All-Star Race, and it’s in our backyard, everybody’s backyard. It’s all about bragging rights. We’re all about beating each other at our own game at our home field, I guess you would say. It’s definitely a challenging race but it’s a lot of fun. Everyone wants to come out on top not just for the $1 million, but also for the bragging rights. ”

This weekend, so much focus is put on the pit crews of each team. There’s the pit crew competition on Thursday night and then, on Friday night, the pit crew is actually part of qualifying because it has to perform a four-tire stop. Talk about what that means.

“So much emphasis in this sport is put on the driver, but what people don’t understand is that this is truly a team sport. How well our pit crews do in the pits for any given stop can truly make or break us during the course of the race. I rely on them to get me out of the pits quickly, and they rely on me to be solid on the racetrack. I really like the format for qualifying because it shows the importance of the entire team, and it really puts our guys in the spotlight. I know it would mean a lot to them to win the pit crew challenge on Thursday, or for us to get the pole on Friday night.”

In 2002, you got your first-ever NASCAR Sprint Cup Series win in the non-points-paying All-Star Race. Talk a little bit about that All-Star win and what it meant to you.

“Honestly, until I won the Daytona 500 in 2008, the win in the All-Star Race was my greatest win, I thought, as a driver and as a team. What we did and what we achieved that night, it’s all for the glory. Obviously, there’s some money on the line, but you’re in your own backyard and you’re in everybody’s backyard. When you win on the home field and it’s the race that’s the All-Star Race, it meant a lot to me. We weren’t even expected to be in it and that’s why it was even sweeter, yet, because we had to race our way in. I mean, we raced our way into the race and got the invert and walked away with it for a while, there. It was a close finish at the end, with (Dale) Earnhardt Jr. It was just a great team victory and that’s what we’re here for as a team and as an organization – to put those events together – and it always doesn’t happen like that. In an All-Star Race, it’s that much more pride.”

What is your favorite moment at Charlotte Motor Speedway?

“My All-Star win was really my only one. I won an ARCA race there. We led every lap. And I won a Nationwide race there. That was a lot of fun. But the All-Star Race, when we raced our way into the race and then started last, made the cut, then got the invert and had a fast racecar, that was really cool because nobody expected us to even be in the race. When you race your way in then beat the best, in my opinion, that was a true All-Star moment.”

I think people would be surprised to know that you like Joan Rivers. Is that true?

“Oh yeah. I watch that show, ‘Fashion Police.’ I think she is hysterical. I sit there and just laugh. She’s bold, she’s brash. I love that she says exactly what’s on her mind, and she doesn’t hold back.”

RYAN NEWMAN’S NASCAR SPRINT ALL-STAR RACE PERFORMANCE PROFILE

Eldora Speedway will once again play host to the all-star dirt Late Model race featuring more than 25 world renowned drivers as they battle for dirt supremacy on the half-mile clay oval where HBO Pay-Per-View® will present the event LIVE in high-definition to the entire nation. Net proceeds from the telecast will support Feed The Children, a U.S.-based charity that domestically has helped more than 365,000 families since 2009 through its Americans Feeding Americans Caravan.

The eighth annual Prelude To The Dream joins racing luminaries from all disciplines at one track, on one night as they pilot 2,300-pound dirt Late Model stock cars capable of putting out more than 800 horsepower. It is One Perfect Night.

Tony Kanaan of the IZOD IndyCar Series will again compete against Danica Patrick, who in 2012 has made the full transition from IndyCar to NASCAR. They’ll rub fenders with straight-liners Ron Capps and Cruz Pedregon of the NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series. Dirt regulars Steve Kinser and Donny Schatz, who have collectively won 24 World of Outlaws championships, will race for the first time in dirt Late Models. All will join NASCAR stars such as Tony Stewart, Jimmie Johnson, Clint Bowyer, Ryan Newman, Kasey Kahne, Bobby Labonte and many others, including a band of brothers: the Busch brothers – Kurt and Kyle – and the Dillon brothers – Austin and Ty.

The live, commercial-free, high-definition broadcast will begin at 8 p.m. EDT (5 p.m. PDT) with an immediate replay. The Prelude To The Dream has a suggested retail price of $24.95 and is available to more than 92 million pay-per-view homes. HBO Pay-Per-View is the leading supplier of event programming in the pay-per-view industry. Ordering information and up-to-the minute racing information is available at either www.PreludeToTheDream.org or www.HBO.com. Updates can also be found on Facebook at www.facebook.com/PreludeToDream and on Twitter at twitter.com/PreludeToDream (@PreludeToDream).

The 2012 edition of the Prelude To The Dream includes hot laps, qualifying, heat races and a 40-lap feature with double-file “shootout style” restarts. New participants include Patrick, Kinser, Schatz and Ty Dillon, who will join Stewart, Capps, Kenny Wallace and Kenny Schrader as drivers who have participated in every Prelude To The Dream since 2005, where Wallace was the inaugural winner.

“We have the most diverse group of drivers we’ve ever had for the Prelude, and for the first time, the Prelude will be broadcast in high-definition,” said Stewart, owner of Eldora Speedway and a three-time winner of the Prelude To The Dream. “This year’s event is going to be a can’t-miss show. We’ve added 10 laps to the feature and partnered with a great charity in Feed The Children. You’re going to see some intense racing by everyone, including some drivers completely out of their comfort zone. We’ll all be racing for a trophy, but also to make an impact with the more than 16 million children who are at risk of going hungry right here in America.”

For the top-10 finishers in the Prelude To The Dream, Feed The Children will send a food truck to each driver’s hometown or city of their choice.

“This is an excellent opportunity to bring attention to the nationwide problem of child hunger by working with these world-class drivers,” said Rick England, chairman, Feed The Children board of directors. “Their efforts will allow more families to put food on the table and help us provide a solution to those hard hit by the current economy.”

The seven previous Prelude To The Dream events have collectively raised more than $3.5 million. With each year’s event gaining significant stature and mainstream interest, Stewart’s ultimate goal is to have the 2012 Prelude To The Dream raise $1 million, with the proceeds benefitting Feed The Children.

“It’s an ambitious goal,” admits Stewart, “but if we don’t set the bar high, we’re not pushing ourselves the way we should. That’s our goal, and me and everybody else associated with this event is going to do everything we can to meet that goal. Now, we just need everyone out there to purchase the event, enjoy all the action going on at Eldora, and know that their dollars are going to a very worthy cause.”

“Each year we are thrilled to bring the exciting live action from Eldora into living rooms across the country,” said Tammy Ross, Vice President, HBO Pay-Per-View & Sports. “This year’s benefitting organization, Feed The Children charities’ mission is that no child should go to bed hungry, and the HBO Pay-Per-View team is thrilled to bring the Prelude To The Dream to fans everywhere to help further that mission.”

With no points and no pressure, the Prelude To The Dream is a throwback race, allowing drivers to step back in time and compete for the reasons they all went racing in the first place – pride and a trophy. And they’ll do it on the same surface racing legends A.J. Foyt and Mario Andretti competed on nearly 50 years ago.

For those who want to see the Prelude To The Dream in person, tickets are available online at www.EldoraSpeedway.com or by calling the track office (937) 338-3815. Act fast – the race has sold out in previous years.

Newman fought an ill-handling racecar for much of the evening but was still in pursuit of a top-15 result with five laps to go. However, an incident involving Newman, Kurt Busch and Aric Almirola pushed Newman back to 23rd once the checkered flag fell.

“We were chasing it for much of the night,” Newman said. “With that said, we were in good shape to finish 15th or so. But Busch spun in front of me coming around turn four, and when I checked up Almirola just got into the back of me. It’s unfortunate the night had to end that way.”

After starting fourth, Newman had his racecar go from being too tight to too loose to too tight throughout the race.

“For some reason, we couldn’t get the balance right,” Newman said. “We certainly tried a lot of things, but it seemed that when we got it good on one end of the track, the other end wasn’t good.”

At one point, just past halfway, Newman was two laps down to the leader, but he was able to grab the “Lucky Dog” and return to the lead lap where he rode until his late-race meeting with Busch and Almirola.

“We got ourselves back in position to mix it up a little with the guys up front,” Newman said. “But it all went bad there at the end. We’ll just try to get back to where we need to be the next couple of weeks in Charlotte.”

Newman’s teammate and team co-owner, Tony Stewart, finished third in the No. 14 Mobil 1/Office Depot Chevrolet Impala for SHR.

Jimmie Johnson won the Southern 500, marking the 56th Sprint Cup victory of his career and his third at Darlington. It also brought Hendrick Motorsports its milestone 200th Sprint Cup win.

Denny Hamlin finished .781 of second behind Johnson in the runner-up spot, while Stewart, Kyle Busch and Martin Truex Jr. rounded out the top-five. Matt Kenseth, Carl Edwards, Kasey Kahne, Marcos Ambrose and Joey Logano comprised the remainder of the top-10.

There were eight caution periods for 38 laps, with seven drivers failing to finish the 368-lap race, which was extended one lap by a green-white-checkered finish.

The next event on the Sprint Cup schedule is the NASCAR Sprint All-Star race Saturday, May 19 at Charlotte (N.C.) Motor Speedway. The non-point-paying event begins at 7:30 p.m. EDT, with live coverage provided by SPEED beginning with its pre-race show at 7 p.m. SPEED’s RaceDay” will begin at 4 p.m.

As the story goes, the 1.366-mile oval is uniquely configured thanks to a pond that the owner refused to relocate when constructing the racetrack in the late 1940s. The track’s architect made one end of the track tight, narrow and high-banked while the other he made wide, sweeping and flat.

The resulting egg-shaped oval has created quite the challenge for engineers, crew chiefs and drivers for decades. But the small pond located right outside the racetrack was not disturbed and could still be fished.

Not surprisingly, Newman, the South Bend, Ind., native, ranks the South Carolina racetrack among his favorites, considering he’s an avid outdoorsman who has been fishing as long as he has been racing – since the tender age of 4.

But it isn’t simply the fact there’s a pond right outside the racetrack that makes Newman look forward to the 63^rd annual running of the Southern 500.

While he’s fished the pond, his affinity for the place is mostly because of its on-track action.

For Newman, there’s nothing quite like the challenges of racing at Darlington, where drivers and their teams are constantly adjusting to the tires, the bumps and the overall character of the racetrack – and racing that predominantly occurs just inches from the outside SAFER Barrier.

From racing the racetrack to racing the 42 other competitors on the track, Newman says there’s none better on the circuit. It’s the most challenging and the most rewarding. It’s also one of the most historic Sprint Cup races, which is why a win at the Southern 500 ranks among the top wins a driver can earn, in Newman’s opinion.

While the 11-year Sprint Cup veteran has yet to find victory lane at the 1.366-mile oval, he has amassed impressive stats at the “Track Too Tough To Tame.”

Newman has scored top-five finishes in more than half of his 13 starts at Darlington, with seven top-five finishes and nine top-10s.

His best finish at Darlington came during his rookie campaign in the fall 2002 Southern 500. In just his second start at the legendary racetrack, Newman was 12^th on the grid, led one lap and finished second to Jeff Gordon. Newman also has one third-place finish (spring 2004), two fourth-place efforts (2007 and 2009) and three fifth-place finishes (spring 2002, 2005 and 2011) at Darlington.

And since joining Stewart-Haas Racing in 2009, Newman & Company has produced solid performances in each of its three outings at the racetrack. Newman has not started worse than sixth in the No. 39 car, nor has he finished worse than ninth. He has two top-five finishes and three top-10s in the three starts.

After an engine failure relegated him to a disappointing 36^th-place finish last Sunday at Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway, Newman is ready to get his No. 39 WIX Filters Chevy back up front and contending for a win this weekend.

With Newman’s recent history at Darlington, this could be the place for him to add his name to the impressive list of drivers who have made NASCAR history by winning the Southern 500.

RYAN NEWMAN, Driver of the No. 39 WIX Filters Chevrolet for Stewart-Haas Racing:

Talk about racing at Darlington Raceway.

“Well, I’ve always said this is one of my favorite racetracks. I really look forward to it, just racing the racetrack and the competition. The way you drive this racetrack, it’s rewarding in several different aspects, but it can reach out and bite you at any second. It has always been my favorite track because you are always adjusting. You adjust to the tires, the bumps, the character of the track. The fact that you are running right next to the wall is challenging. It’s the most challenging track we have, and that is why I enjoy it the most.”

Considering the degree to which you’re racing the track here versus racing your opponents, how aggressive can you afford to be? How bold can you afford to be at Darlington? Is there an element of patience that you need to be successful?

“It’s more like 90 percent racing the racetrack and 10 percent racing the competition. But there are times where it can be almost 50 percent racing the competition, like on restarts. You have to just be respectful of the racetrack, respectful of the wall. Any kind of slip-up, and you can get in trouble. It’s not like at Richmond, where you get a little hot, you can slide up to the second lane. It doesn’t happen like that at Darlington. You ride up to the second lane, your right side is 6 inches from the wall. It’s just demanding. You have to race the racetrack the entire time. There are things that change around different racetracks, but there it’s 90 percent racing the racetrack.

“Racing-wise, I’ve always said Darlington is not the perfect racetrack. To me, it’s my favorite racetrack to drive. But racing-wise, going three- and four-wide, you’re not going to see that at Darlington. It’s going to be a very important track-position race in the sense that, if you’re out front, it’s going to be easier to stay out front because it’s difficult to pass there. It’s always been a give-and-take racetrack. It’s a give-and-take racetrack when it comes to passing.”

You mentioned that Darlington is 90 percent about the wall collecting right sides and fenders. Do you consider that something you can use to your advantage?

“I guess it’s an ally. You just have to respect the track. I enjoy racing there. I always have, from the very first lap I went there with Buddy Baker. The opportunity to drive there in the Nationwide Series was a lot of fun. On the racetrack and off, I like the area, I like the people, I like the places, I like the history of NASCAR. The racetrack just makes it that much more icing on the top of the cake, and I like icing.”

What would a win at Darlington mean to you?

“Winning a Southern 500 at Darlington has always been a goal of mine. For me, personally, it ranks right up there with the Daytona 500, the Brickyard and the Coca-Cola 600, as a race I want to win before I retire. I’ve always considered myself to be a driver who appreciates the history of our sport and someone who respects the drivers, the races – really, everything that has come before us. The Southern 500 is part of this sport’s heritage. It’s tradition. It has been such an important race and the track has been such a legendary place to race that, to be added to the list of drivers who have won it – David Pearson, Dale Earnhardt, Richard Petty – is a dream of mine.”

RYAN NEWMAN’S DARLINGTON RACEWAY PERFORMANCE PROFILE

× Race length extended due to green-white-checker finish.

† Qualifying canceled due to weather, starting position set via car owner points.

“I smelled oil off of (Turn) 2 and felt the motor tightening up, and I lost oil pressure and gained a bunch of water pressure,” Newman said. “I just pulled it out of gear. I knew it was blowing up, but just seeing if we had a chance to fix it and hoping we could. But I’m pretty sure it’s hurt.

“I’ve got to thank Johnny Morris and everybody from Bass Pro Shops for jumping on board for this race.”

Newman, who ran in the top-five early before dropping to the back of the pack, was just riding around and biding his time at Talladega when he reported to his crew that his motor was “blowing up” at lap 40.

Bass Pro Shops/Tracker Boats driver Newman told crew chief Tony Gibson the water temperature was rising, oil pressure was lost, and water was spewing from the car. Gibson told Newman to bring his Chevrolet to the garage so the crew could diagnose the problem and see if there was a chance that Newman could get back on track.

But the problem was determined terminal after members of the Stewart-Haas Racing crew and the Hendrick Motorsports engine shop inspected under the hood. Newman’s day was over after just 42 laps.

Brad Keselowski won the Aaron’s 499 to score his sixth career Sprint Cup victory, his second of the season and his second at Talladega. Keselowski’s race win marked the first time in 36 years that a Dodge won at the 2.66-mile superspeedway. The manufacturer’s last win at Talladega came in August 1976 with Dave Marcis behind the wheel. It was also the first Sprint Cup win at Talladega for Penske Racing.

Kyle Busch finished .304 of a second behind Keselowski in the runner-up spot, while Matt Kenseth, Kasey Kahne and Greg Biffle rounded out the top-five. Clint Bowyer, David Ragan, Trevor Bayne, Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Jeff Burton comprised the remainder of the top-10.

There were five caution periods for 24 laps, with 19 drivers failing to finish the 194-lap race, which was extended six laps by a green-white-checkered finish.

With round 10 of 36 complete, Tony Stewart leads the SHR contingent in the championship point standings. He is seventh with 328 points, 50 behind series leader Biffle. Newman is 13th with 286 points, 92 out of first.

The next event on the Sprint Cup schedule is the 63rd running of the Southern 500 on Saturday, May 12 at Darlington (S.C.) Raceway. The race starts at 7 p.m. EDT, with live coverage provided by FOX beginning with its pre-race show at 6:30 p.m.

Next to his family and racing, there’s no greater passion for Ryan Newman than fishing.

An avid outdoorsman, Newman is always looking for an opportunity to make his way to the local fishing hole nearest the track where the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series is in action on any given weekend. While on the road, Newman carries about 12 fishing rods, tackle boxes and a three-piece boat with a trolling motor and battery so he can head out to fish whenever he can.

For Newman, fishing provides a much-needed escape from the hectic schedule he has on the weekends. He can turn off the outside world for a little while and simply relax and enjoy the peacefulness of the scenery around him.

Newman’s been fishing as long as he can remember. His grandfather bought him his first fishing rod and took him fishing on a lake in Michigan when he was just a kid. In fact, he started fishing and racing right around the same time – at the tender age of 4.

Perhaps that’s why the always-analytical Newman can find a connection between the two very different sports he loves, which will come together this weekend at Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway as the South Bend, Ind., native pilots the No. 39 Bass Pro Shops/Tracker Boats Chevy for Stewart-Haas Racing (SHR) in Sunday’s Aaron’s 499 Sprint Cup race.

So, what’s the common thread between fishing and racing?

In Newman’s eyes, there’s one thing any good fisherman or good racecar driver must have to have to be successful –patience. It’s important to take your time and not get frustrated, whether at the pond or on the racetrack, because that can affect the outcome.

As a fisherman, Newman knows there’s a good chance he won’t catch a fish in his first few minutes on the lake. In fact, he knows it’s a process that could take hours. Cast your line, reel it in, repeat. If there’s no fish, then find another area of water and cast your line, reel it in, repeat.

The same goes on the racetrack. As Newman explains it, patience behind the wheel is crucial, particularly in the extremely tight packs of cars that will circle the famed Talladega Superspeedway this weekend in the Aaron’s 499. The temporary phenomenon of two-car tandem racing that took center stage at the 2.66-mile racetrack the last two seasons is already a thing of the past. With that, the old, familiar tight-pack racing that is so conducive to the multi-car melee is expected to be back in full effect this weekend.

Thus, the series’ biggest and fastest racetracks – Talladega and its sister track, Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway – remain the ones where Newman’s patience is continually tested more than any other racetrack.

The key to survival in such circumstances is to stay calm and just wait for your turn, Newman says. Eventually, the opening will be there and the driver will be able to make his move. Patience keeps you from getting frustrated, losing your cool and making a mistake that could end your day, as well as that of many others.

Seeing his day end early at Talladega is something Newman knows all too well. Over the years, the superspeedway hasn’t been particularly kind to the 2008 Daytona 500 champion. He’s been spun, turned end-over-end and has landed on his roof in the infield.

In 20 starts at Talladega, Newman has four top-five finishes and seven top-10s. In six starts there since joining SHR in 2009, Newman has just one top-five finish and three finishes of 35th or worse.

His third-place effort during the 2009 spring race is his best-ever finish at the superspeedway, and it actually ended with a demolished racecar. Newman managed to finish third despite not being able to see through the massive front-end damage his car received during a spectacular last-lap altercation with Carl Edwards.

Even though Newman has endured his share of Talladega tribulations, he remains patient and confident his luck will turn around and he will finally get that elusive win at the Alabama track. While everyone will be talking about avoiding the “Big One” – the multi-car accident that’s been a trademark occurrence at the 2.66-mile superspeedway – Newman will be angling for his own version of the “Big One,” both while trying to reel in the largest fish from the local pond, and while piloting the No. 39 Bass Pro Shops/Tracker Boats Chevy to his first restrictor-plate race win with SHR.

RYAN NEWMAN, Driver of the No. 39 Bass Pro Shops/Tracker Boats Chevrolet for Stewart-Haas Racing:

Talk a little bit about racing luck Talladega.

“I’m just wanting to know, when the dice get rolled, if they’re going to play in our favor or not. In all honesty, Talladega is a crapshoot. This team has proven time and again at the restrictor-plate tracks that we will do what we have to do to put ourselves in position to go for the win, and we’ll just have to see if luck is on our side on Sunday when we’re in that spot. If you think about the law of averages, sooner or later we’re not only going to finish a race at Daytona and Talladega, we’re going to get a good finish – maybe even a win – considering all the wrong-place, wrong-time wrecks we’ve been caught up in at both tracks. Hopefully, this is our time to come out of Talladega with a strong finish and a racecar in one piece.”

You’ve had some bad experiences at Talladega and have been quite vocal about the racing there. So, what are your thoughts on coming to Talladega and how do you approach coming here?

“I wouldn’t say that I dread coming to Talladega. It’s not my favorite racetrack, but I don’t say that I dread it. I love doing what I do. I love driving a racecar even at Talladega. I think the difference is there’s more potential to get involved in something not of your making there, and that’s frustrating to me. But that’s not just me. Everyone hopes they can avoid the big crash there. And, to be honest, when you’re up front at Talladega, it’s great. When you’re not, it can be miserable. When you’re the recipient of somebody else’s lack of judgment, then it’s not easy to talk about it. And that’s pretty much it. It’s just that there is way more potential for that there than there is at most other racetracks. So, I don’t think I’m any different than anybody else. I’d love to win the race but, when I’m the recipient of somebody else’s misjudgment, that’s even more aggravating to me. But what I can say is we’ve had very good superspeedway cars since I’ve been at Stewart-Haas Racing. We’ve led the most laps and we’ve been in position to win a couple of races. And (Tony) Stewart has won a couple of races. So, I’m very confident coming into Talladega, and I feel good about our racecars. Now, we just have to have some luck on our side to finish the deal.”

You mention luck a lot. How much of winning a restrictor-plate race is luck, as opposed to skill?

“I’ve always said there is always luck in racing. You can create the destiny of your own luck. That luck can be good luck or bad luck. You have to prepare yourself to get out of the bad luck and into the good luck. When I won the Daytona 500 in 2008, part of it was lucky, part of it was the timing of things, part of it was Kurt (Busch) driving his tail off to get behind me coming off turn two. That was skill and, for me, it was luck. It is all a matter of opinion. You can ask 42 other guys out there, they might have thought I got lucky when I won. For me I thought it was skill.”

RYAN NEWMAN’S TALLADEGA SUPERSPEEDWAY PERFORMANCE PROFILE

× Race length extended due to green-white-checker finish.

† Qualifying canceled due to weather, starting position set via car owner points.

Unfortunately, Newman and crew chief Tony Gibson just couldn’t find the magic combination, and the Army Reserve team had to settle for a respectable 15th-place finish at the .75-mile oval.

Newman started 12th and said early that his car was loose on the entry and exit of the corners, but tight in the center of the turns. In what would become a recurring theme throughout the night, Gibson tried a series of chassis and tire pressure adjustments, and each time the car’s handling would improve slightly.

But Newman reported with 125 laps remaining that his car was the same as it was at the beginning of the race, even though track conditions evolved throughout the night as more rubber was laid down and temperatures got cooler.

Two more pit stops – and two more attempts at chassis and tire pressure changes – did little to improve the handling of the car. Newman had to settle for 15th.

“I think we had a pretty good Army Reserve Chevrolet,” Newman said. “We just couldn’t quite get it to the point where we could roll the center of the corner well enough to compete with the top-10 guys. Tony Gibson and the Army guys did all they could to adapt and overcome, just like our Army Strong Soldiers do. We’ll get back to the shop and get ready for Talladega and hope that we complete our mission, which is to win the race. It wasn’t the finish we were hoping for, but our Soldiers don’t get down and give up, and neither do we. We’ll come back stronger next week.”

Newman’s Stewart-Haas Racing (SHR) teammate, Tony Stewart, driver of the No. 14 Mobil 1/Office Depot Chevrolet, led four times for 118 laps en route to finishing third.

Kyle Busch won the Capital City 400 to score his 24th career Sprint Cup victory, his first of the season and his fourth at Richmond. Busch has won four consecutive spring races at Richmond, breaking a tie with Richard Petty, who won three straight spring races at Richmond from 1971 through 1973.

Dale Earnhardt Jr., finished 1.095 seconds behind Busch in the runner-up spot, while Stewart, Denny Hamlin and Kasey Kahne rounded out the top-five. Jimmie Johnson, Clint Bowyer, Mark Martin, Brad Keselowski and Carl Edwards comprised the remainder of the top-10.

There were five caution periods for 31 laps, with seven drivers failing to finish the 400-lap race.

With round nine of 36 complete, Stewart leads the SHR contingent in the championship point standings. He is eighth with 307 points, 31 behind series leader Greg Biffle. Newman is 10th with 278 points, 60 out of first.

The next event on the Sprint Cup schedule is the Aaron’s 499 on Sunday, May 6 at Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway. The race starts at 1 p.m. EDT, with live coverage provided by FOX beginning with its pre-race show at noon.

Newman and his No. 39 U.S. Army Reserve team have proven they are a determined group that will never give up, as witnessed just three races ago when the team earned its first victory of the season at Martinsville (Va.) Speedway.

The South Bend, Ind., native overcame adversity to score the victory as he went a lap down to the leaders early in the race after serving a pit-road speeding penalty. Through it all, Newman and his No. 39 team refused to give up as they focused on the mission at hand and fought for every spot on the racetrack.

The team’s determination netted the ultimate in success as Newman got back on the lead lap and put himself in position to win. Once the opportunity arose, Newman – “Mr. Opportunity” – was in precisely the right place at the right time.

Newman took his first and only lead of the day on a lap-504 restart when he dove under leaders Jeff Gordon, Jimmie Johnson and Clint Bowyer, who got tangled up in turn one. Newman held off A.J. Allmendinger on the final restart on lap 514 and pulled away on the last lap for the victory.

Like U.S. Army Strong Soldiers, Newman and his team refused to give up and, in the end, completed the mission by winning the race at the Virginia short track.

As the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series rolls into another Virginia short track this weekend – the .75-mile Richmond (Va.) International Raceway oval – Newman & Company are looking to build on their Martinsville win and parlay it into another strong outing.

Having followed his Martinsville win with a pair of disappointing finishes of 21^st at Texas Motor Speedway in Fort Worth and 20^th at Kansas Speedway in Kansas City, respectively, Newman is more than ready to return to short-track racing.

Richmond has been a good racetrack for the 11-year Sprint Cup veteran. Newman has one win (September 2003) and one pole, five top-five finishes and 12 top-10s in 20 starts at Richmond.

And since joining SHR in 2009, the track has been one of the best on the circuit for the No. 39 team. In six starts, Newman has earned four top-10s and he has never finished worse than 20^th.

Currently sitting 10^th in the championship standings, 63 points behind leader Greg Biffle, and with one win already this season, Newman and his team are determined to climb upward in the point standings with strong runs each and every week. And with his solid history at Richmond, Newman is confident his team can get back in the win column this weekend.

To find victory lane at a second Virginia short track this season, Newman and the U.S. Army Reserve team will have to exhibit some of the same qualities as our Army Strong Soldiers.

A win will take determination, patience and, most of all, teamwork in the form of quick work on pit road and impressive, smart moves on the racetrack.

Following the example set by the brave men and women of the U.S. Army he proudly represents, Newman knows he and his No. 39 SHR team are ready to answer the challenge of racing under the lights at Richmond and make it two-for-two in Virginia this season.

RYAN NEWMAN, Driver of the No. 39 U.S. Army Reserve Chevrolet for Stewart-Haas Racing:

What do you need out of your car at Richmond?

“The biggest thing at Richmond is it’s pretty high braking, so you have to keep a brake pedal in the car all night. But, like I’ve always said, using that brake pedal is one of the reasons I enjoy short-track racing so much. As a driver, it’s important for me to be smart on the racetrack and keep my head about me. Like our Soldiers, we have a mission to complete, and that’s to have a solid performance and, hopefully, we’ll win that race. To do that, I have to stay focused on the task at hand, make smart moves and not let my emotions get the best of me, which is always a challenge at short tracks. Track position at Richmond is typically pretty important. It’s hard to make up a lot of ground there. You can go from the back to the front, but it takes a lot of the race to do it. It’s also a place where strategy, as far as getting off-sequence on tires, has potential to make a big difference. So this is a big race where not only is it important for the driver to be at his best, but the pit crew has to be on top of it all night. We need to maintain and gain positions in the pits. It all depends on how the yellows fly, too. It takes a lot of teamwork to win a race, and that’s part of the reason there are such parallels between racing and what we do and the U.S. Army and those Soldiers, because they want to fight. They want to go back to battle and they want to win.”

How difficult is it to make passes at Richmond?

“I’d say this is not the easiest place or it’s not the hardest place at the same time as far as passing. It is great side-by-side racing at Richmond. I enjoy it. I’ve won there. We did it in 2003, staying out on old tires, and had a good car to be able to do that.”

You have already won on a short track this season – at Martinsville. Why do you like short tracks so much and what makes you so good on those types of tracks?

“I like using the middle (brake) pedal. In all seriousness, I think it adds another parameter of a driver’s input when you have to modulate that third pedal. We have to go to places like Vegas and you’re using very little brake. When you are using a little bit, it’s hard to screw it up. I think our team has done a really good job with the brake package we have. I like the short tracks. I like having the character added to the program of modulating the brake. Places like Martinsville, Phoenix and Richmond, we’ve been really strong as a team. For us at Martinsville, our team didn’t give up when everything was against us. I was really proud of how we fought back from being a lap down on the racetrack, with our strategy and in the pits. Then we put ourselves in position to win the race, and we did what we needed to do. We’re looking forward to getting back to a short track this weekend.”

How important is this race in terms of looking at the Chase, since the fall Richmond race is the final race before the Chase?

“No matter what, in September, it has the potential to be a guaranteed make-or-break just because of the way the win situation works, not to mention the points. The points could be one perspective of it, but somebody breaking a tie for a win or of getting a win that puts them into the Chase could be a different perspective of it, as well. Richmond has more importance with respect to the spring race, and obviously the fall race, for that matter, now more than it ever has.”

This weekend, your car represents the U.S. Army Reserve. Can you talk about what it means to have the U.S. Army adorn the sides of the No. 39 car and to wear the U.S. Army logo on your chest?

“It’s an honor, as I’ve said, to drive the racecar. You can stand at driver introductions and see all these Soldiers who are wearing their uniform. Without these people, we couldn’t be here doing what we’re doing right now or have the opportunity to drive the racecars or, as fans, sit in the grandstands. I try to say, ‘Thank you,’ to every Soldier I see, and it doesn’t matter if they are active duty or not because I truly mean it.”

RYAN NEWMAN’S RICHMOND SPRINT CUP SERIES PERFORMANCE PROFILE

× Race length extended due to green-white-checkered finish.

† Qualifying canceled due to weather, starting position set via car owner points.

* Race cut short due to weather.

“I told the guys I was sorry after the race,” Newman said. “I don’t know what the deal was with that tire, but there was something wrong. The car got way, way tight and started chattering really bad right after we restarted the race (the crew had pitted under caution at lap 188 for right-side tires). I thought we had a right-front issue, so I brought the car in.

“We fought with the handling of our Haas Automation Chevy all day, but (Tony) Gibson and the team worked on it every stop, and it had gotten better. We had a fast racecar, and I think we would have had a top-10 finish if we wouldn’t have had that problem.”

The disappointing chain of events began immediately following the team’s pit stop on lap 188, when Newman pitted under caution for right-side tires and fuel. Newman restarted 13th. Once the race restarted, Newman radioed his crew that his racecar was “plowing.” Just seconds later, he came back on the radio and told his crew to be ready because he believed he had a right-front tire going down.

A lap later, Newman felt the car was getting worse, so he chose to bring his Haas Automation Chevy to the pits for four fresh tires and fuel.

Unfortunately, once the crew examined the tires that were removed from the No. 39 Chevy, there were no apparent issues as all four tires had the appropriate amount of air.

The disappointment continued for Newman as there was not another caution flag before the end of the race, so he was unable to make up the ground lost to the leaders.

“He did the right thing bringing the car in when he did,” Gibson said after the race of Newman’s decision. “When the driver feels like he has a tire going down and there’s an issue like that with the car, we can’t take a chance at not coming down pit road and having something happen. We’ll figure out what was wrong.

“I don’t think we gave Newman the best car today, but we were able to work on it, and I think we got it about right for him at one point. And the guys had really good pit stops all day long.”

Teammate Tony Stewart, driver of the No. 14 Office Depot/Mobil Chevrolet for SHR, finished 13th.

Denny Hamlin won the STP 400 to score his 19th career Sprint Cup victory, his second of the season and his first at Kansas.

Martin Truex Jr. finished .700 of a second behind Hamlin in the runner-up spot, while Jimmie Johnson, Matt Kenseth and Greg Biffle rounded out the top-five. Kevin Harvick, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Kasey Kahne, Carl Edwards and Kyle Busch comprised the remainder of the top-10.

There were three caution periods for 18 laps, with 10 drivers failing to finish the 267-lap race.

With round eight of 36 complete, Stewart leads the SHR contingent in the championship point standings. He is eighth with 265 points, 47 behind series leader Biffle. Newman is 10th with 249 points, 63 out of first.

The next event on the Sprint Cup schedule is the Richmond 400 on Saturday, April 28 at Richmond (Va.) International Raceway. The race starts at 7:30 p.m. EDT, with live coverage provided by FOX beginning with its pre-race show at 7 p.m.