Team: No. 6 Performance Plus Ford Mustang
Crew Chief: Scott Graves
Twitter: @Roush6Team, @RoushFenway and @RyanJNewman
Gander RV 400 – Sunday, July 28 at 3 p.m. ET on NBCSN, MRN, SiriusXM Channel 90
ADVANCE NOTES
Newman at Pocono Raceway
· Newman will make his 36th MENCS start at Pocono on Sunday. In 35 prior starts, Newman has one win, nine top-five and 15 top-10 finishes. His overall average finish if 13.1 with 185 laps led at the 2.5-mile track.
· Newman claimed the win at ‘The Tricky Triangle’ back in 2003 from the pole. He also finished runner-up in the spring of 2007 after starting from the pole.
· Newman finished eighth in this event last July after starting ninth. Most recently he crossed the line 16th just last month.
· Newman has two career Cup poles (2003, 2007) at Pocono with an average starting spot of 11.4. He has 19 top-10 starts all-time, 10 of which were inside the top five.
Scott Graves at Pocono Raceway
· Graves will be atop the pit box for his eighth MENCS race at Pocono this weekend. In seven prior events, Graves has two top-10s and one top five.
· Graves led Daniel Suarez to the pole in this race last July before going on to finish second, and finished seventh with Suarez in July of 2017.
· Graves also called one Xfinity Series event at ‘The Tricky Triangle’ with Suarez in 2016, finishing ninth after starting third.
Last Time at Pocono
Newman finished fifth in stage two of the June race just a month ago earning valuable stage points, before going on to finish 16th in the 160-lap event.
QUOTE WORTHY
Newman on racing at Pocono:
“Pocono starts the stretch where we go back to tracks for the second time this season, which is exciting for our team as we’re hopeful in our improvements from race one. Pocono is unique and challenging as each turn requires a specific approach both in driving and in the setup. We’re able to carry a ton of speed on the long straightaways, which makes for a fun race. We’re looking forward to the weekend in our Performance Plus Ford.”
Tracking the Playoff Hunt
· Newman made the biggest jump of the week following Loudon, going from the second driver out of the playoff field to 21 points above the cutline in 15th. Newman earned 38 total points at New Hampshire thanks to a third-place finish in stage two and the seventh-place overall result.
· With six races remaining until the playoffs, Newman is just 10 points out of 13th behind Kyle Larson and Erik Jones. A 19-point gap now separates Newman from the 17th spot (Jimmie Johnson).
On the Car
Performance Plus makes its third appearance on board Ryan Newman’s machine in 2019 as the primary partner. Performance Plus has served as Roush Fenway’s official oil since 2014, and teamed up as the primary partner on the Fords of NASCAR Champions Matt Kenseth and Greg Biffle, and now with Newman.
About Performance Plus
Performance Plus is a premium brand of lubricants that provide superior quality and unmatched performance at a competitive price. Produced and distributed by Safety-Kleen, a subsidiary of Clean Harbors (NYSE: CLH), Performance Plus products use conventionally refined oils and proprietary twice-refined oils, blended with industry-leading additives, to meet and exceed industry certifications, licenses, approvals and OEM warranty requirements. With more than 30 years of innovation, research and testing, Performance Plus formulations are relied on by some of the largest commercial fleets and U.S. military combat vehicles, as well as race teams at events across North America. Visit PerformancePlusOils.com.
Recapping Loudon
Newman overcame starting from the rear, a mechanical issue, and sliding through the box halfway through Sunday’s race in Loudon to finish third in stage two and eventually drive his way to seventh, his fifth top-10 in six races.
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