South Bend’s Ryan Newman enjoys racing at Michigan International

Published 7:01 am Wednesday, August 17, 2005

By By SCOTT NOVAK / Dowagiac Daily News
Being from northern Indiana, Ryan Newman feels like Michigan International Speedway is his home track.
Newman returns to Michigan this weekend looking for his first victory of the 2005 season in the NEXTEL Cup Series.
Newman comes to Michigan with a Busch Series victory under his belt. Newman won on Saturday at Watkins Glen, N.Y.
Newman hails from South Bend, Ind. He graduated from South Bend LaSalle and went to college and earned an engineering degree from Purdue University.
Usually Newman spends some time at home and doing some fishing this weekend, but since he will be running in the Busch Series again on Saturday, those plans have been put on hold.
Instead, he will be concentrating on getting his first NEXTEL Cup victory of the season, something he did in the June race at Michigan in 2004.
Newman has five Top 5 and 10 Top 10 finishes in 22 starts this season. He was won five poles, including the June race at MIS this year.
Why is Newman so successful at Michigan?
Newman said because Michigan is so wide and fast, it is one of the best tracks to race on.
Newman and the rest of the NEXTEL Cup competitors are chasing a red-hot Tony Stewart, who finished second in June at Michigan.
Newman went on to say that Stewart, Jimmie Johnson and Greg Biffle have dominated the circuit this season, but things can change in a hurry as seen with Johnson and Biffle of late.
Newman hopes to take advantage of that this week at a place he likes to think of as home.