06/09/2020
Ryan Newman – Martinsville I Advance
ADVANCE NOTES
NASCAR Returns to Action
- NASCAR’s return to the track continues with another short turnaround to Wednesday night, where the Cup Series (NCS) visits Martinsville Speedway for a race that was originally scheduled to be run May 9.
- For the first time in its more than 70-year history, Martinsville will host the NCS under the lights with a 7 p.m. start time. Following action at the Paperclip, the schedule flips to Homestead-Miami Speedway on Sunday.
- Four weeks of NASCAR action were completed prior to the hiatus with races at Atlanta, Homestead, Texas, Bristol, Richmond, Talladega, Dover and Martinsville postponed.
Bristol Recap, Sunday Preview
- Newman overcame an early speeding penalty and picked off multiple positions to finish 14th in the Progressive Ford, his second-straight top-15 and fourth since returning to racing.
- Wednesday’s starting lineup was determined by a random draw based on teams’ order in owners points. Newman and the No. 6 team – 20th in owners’ points – drew the 16th spot in the random draw.
Newman Historically at Martinsville Speedway
- Newman – a former winner at Martinsville – will make his 37th Cup start Wednesday night at the .526-mile track. In 36 prior events, he has an average finish of 14.8 with 17 top-10s and eight top-fives.
- Newman won the spring race back in 2012, leading the final 12 laps after starting fifth. He’s completed more than 97 percent of the laps, and finished top-10 more than 47 percent of the time.
- Outside of his win in 2012, Newman’s other top finishes include a runner-up result in 2007 and two third-place finishes (2004, 2014).
- Newman has an average starting spot of 10.9 at the Paperclip with three career poles (2002, 2004, 2009).
Scott Graves at Martinsville Speedway
- Graves will call his eighth NCS event at Martinsville. In seven prior starts, Graves has a best finish of 10th, most recently with Newman last fall.
- Prior to 2019, Graves had a best result of 15th with Daniel Suarez in 2017.
QUOTE WORTHY
Newman on racing at Martinsville:
“Anytime we can get back to a short track, we feel confident and are excited to see what we’ve got. We drastically improved from last spring to finish 10th last fall. Despite being a short track, Martinsville tends to be a long race in terms of action happening throughout the track, so keeping the fenders clean and car together is important when it comes down to the final few laps. We’re glad to have Koch back on the car and appreciate their support, and look forward to finishing the deal off this time around.”
On the Car
Koch Industries (pronounced ‘Coke’) – who teamed up with RFR in Daytona – returns to the No. 6 machine Wednesday at Martinsville. Koch was on the verge of back-to-back victories, first in the Busch Clash exhibition event before going on to finish fifth, followed by the horrific last-lap crash in the Daytona 500 in which Newman led coming to the stripe, before finishing ninth despite the crash.
About Koch Industries
Based in Wichita, Kansas, Koch Industries, Inc. is one of the largest private companies in America, with estimated annual revenues as high as $110 billion, according to Forbes. It owns a diverse group of companies involved in refining, chemicals, and biofuels; forest and consumer products; fertilizers; polymers and fibers; process and pollution control systems; electronics, software and data analytics; minerals; glass; automotive components; ranching; commodity trading; and investments. Since 2003, Koch companies have invested nearly $105 billion in growth and improvements. With a presence in 60 countries, Koch companies employ nearly 130,000 people worldwide, with about 67,000 of those in the United States. From January 2009 to present, Koch companies have earned more than 1,300 awards for safety, environmental excellence, community stewardship, innovation, and customer service. For more news and information, visit www.KOCHind.com.
