An Interview With Ryan Newman

SCR: Where did that come from? What compelled you to measure the banking in the first place?

Newman: You've got to know what it is to be able to tune things. Flat is flat, 26 is 26, and 36 is 36. Bristol is not 36 degrees.

SCR: When you measured it, were you surprised by that?

Newman: I thought it would have been closer to 36. But it's as much a false advertisement as there ever has been.

SCR: Do you think it seems steeper because it's such a short track?

Newman: You're misreading me. It is 26. It's not 36, so it doesn't seem any steeper. It is 26.

SCR: How did the folks at Bristol react to that?

Newman: They haven't yet.

SCR: Last year, of course, you had eight wins and won 11 poles, but you won a lot of races on fuel mileage. And when you win a lot, rumors start flying. The biggest one I heard was that you had a double firewall on your car, with the fuel line snaked through the firewall, and you were getting extra fuel from that.

Newman: I don't think they've done that since Junior Johnson was around, or Smokey Yunick. I can honestly say that our car is and always will be straight-up legal. Usually the guys complaining are the ones that are cheating and still getting beat.

SCR: You're not touching any gray areas when you say it's completely legal?

Newman: No, it's completely legal. Everything about it is and always will be completely legal.

SCR: Who do you look up to most in this sport, historically, or even one of your contemporaries?

Newman: Nobody in particular as far as drivers go. I've learned a lot from Buddy Baker and Don Miller. My father in racing and everyday life. But there's no individual that I start running to and asking questions.

SCR: You mentioned Buddy Baker, and he certainly has gotten a lot of credit for helping you. Didn't he encourage Mr. Penske to hire you?

Newman: He's a very smart man when it comes to driving a race car. All you've got to have is a good set of ears and tune into the Buddy Baker station, and he'll help you out quite a bit. SCR: I guess that he would be more of a seat-of-the-pants driver.

Newman: We're all seat-of-the-pants drivers, so we've got to use our voice box to communicate.

SCR: The cars haven't changed so much in the last 20 years that he's lost touch?

Newman: They still have an engine and four tires and a steering wheel. And the racetracks, ironically, are still about the same.

SCR: Even with the level of engineering in this sport today, it still all comes down to what you're feeling on the track?

Newman: It doesn't all come down to that, but it's a big part of it.

SCR: Where do you see yourself in 10 years?

Newman: Don't know. Probably not where I am right now, as far as doing what I'm doing. But whatever I can do to enjoy life with my wife, and whatever else, is what I'll be aiming for.

SCR: Not driving or not driving in this series? Let's clarify that.

Newman: I would say 10 years will probably be max.