“Given the significance of Memorial Day weekend, we obviously want to do well for our Army Strong Soldiers,” said Newman, who has eight top-10 finishes in 22 career Sprint Cup starts at Charlotte. “If we can get a victory, it would be the perfect way to honor those who made the ultimate sacrifice. It was a solid lap around a track I really like. We definitely improved from where we were in practice and the car felt a lot better. We were on the pole for a brief moment there, but I knew it really wouldn’t stick. There were too many good cars behind us. We’ll just go put it in race trim and get ready for Sunday.”

Tony Stewart, driver of the No. 14 Office Depot/Mobil 1 Chevrolet for SHR, will start 21st after turning a lap of 28.485 seconds at 189.573 mph.

“It was OK,” said Stewart, who won at Charlotte in October 2003. “We’ve been fighting a little loose. We got better, but we’re still just trying to get that last little bit tightened up. From where we went out here, looking at the guys that went out around us, it’s a pretty decent lap.”

SHR driver Danica Patrick, who is driving the No. 10 GoDaddy.com Chevrolet for Tommy Baldwin Racing via a collaborative agreement with SHR, qualified 40th with a lap of 29.161 seconds at 185.179 mph.

“I was just a little loose,” said Patrick, who will make her first Sprint Cup start at Charlotte and just the third of her career when she takes the green for the Coca-Cola 600. “I was really loose getting up to speed and loose on the first timed lap. That is kind of where it’s at. I don’t know if maybe my line wasn’t perfect for those conditions or what I needed to do. It just definitely felt loose – looser than in practice. That is alright. Zippy (Greg Zipadelli, race strategist) said ‘Sorry we loosened you up.’ I said, ‘That’s fine. It’s not like I crashed.’ Good news is we are in the 600. We just have to regroup and go out there and do a good job on Sunday night.”

Aric Almirola, driver of the No. 43 Ford for Richard Petty Motorsports, captured his first career Sprint Cup pole by posting a lap of 27.988 seconds at 192.940 mph. The last time the No. 43 car was on the pole for the Coca-Cola 600 was in 1966 when the race was known as the World 600 and the iconic Richard Petty was at the wheel.

Almirola’s Richard Petty Motorsports teammate, Marcos Ambrose, will start on the outside of row one as he timed in at 28.184 seconds at 191.598 mph. Jimmie Johnson was third at 28.217 seconds at 191.374, while Greg Biffle (28.234 seconds at 191.259 mph) and Clint Bowyer (28.243 seconds at 191.198 mph) rounded out the top five.

Forty-seven drivers attempted to qualify for the Coca-Cola 600. Those not making the cut in the 43-car field were Mike Bliss, David Reutimann, J.J. Yeley and Scott Riggs.

As far as manufacturers went, Ford took the top spot via Almirola’s pole run. Chevrolet was next best at the hands of Johnson, while Toyota was the third-fastest make thanks to Bowyer. Eleventh-quick A.J. Allmendinger (28.372 seconds at 190.328 mph) carried the flag for Dodge.

The Coca-Cola 600 gets underway at 6 p.m. EDT on Sunday with live coverage provided by FOX beginning with a pre-race show at 5:30 p.m.

WHAT ARE YOUR EXPECTATIONS FOR TONIGHT’S QUALIFYING SESSION?  IF YOU CLAIM TONIGHT’S POLE IT WILL MARK YOUR 10^TH AT CHARLOTTE MOTOR SPEEDWAY.
“Well we were 21^st I think in practice so we’ve got a little bit of work ahead of us. It’s pretty tight.  For me it is more of a gauge of figuring out how much grip there is on the race track and cranking that out for one lap.  I felt like our U.S. Army Chevrolet had a pretty good balance.  We need to work on just a little bit of speed.  From my stand point just getting everything I can out of the race car is probably a bigger gain to have than what we can do on the race car.  I look forward to the opportunity tonight.”

WITH ALL THE STUFF GOING ON WITH THE MILITARY SPONSORSHIP HAVE YOU CALLED ANY OF THOSE CONGRESS MEN OR SENATORS OR WHOEVER THOSE POLITICIANS ARE AND OFFER TO THEM TO COME SEE WHAT THIS IS ALL ABOUT?
“No, I’ll let (Dale Earnhardt) Junior do the political work.  I’ll do the engineering work when it comes down to it.  I have read some of the things that he has said and I’ve read some of the things that the senators have talked about.  In the end there is a reason why the Army and National Guard and everybody else is doing what they are doing.  We are raising awareness, we are raising education, we are helping them recruitment wise.  From a financial stand point we can argue until we are blue in the eyes about the price of gasoline and everything else.  From my stand point I’m proud to represent them.  I’m proud to do what we are doing and have the relationship and to represent the soldiers.  I think (Dale Earnhardt) Junior feels the same way.  It’s special.  It’s a special sponsorship for us.  I think it is a nice outlet for the soldiers to be able to come and enjoy what we do.  There is a bunch of them that are race fans too.  Obviously, some senators aren’t but that is okay.”

WHEN YOU GO OUT ON THE TRACK TO LAY DOWN WHAT LOOKS LIKE IS GOING TO BE A ONE LAP RUN TONIGHT DO YOU USE THE RUN UP TO SPEED THROUGH TURNS ONE AND TWO TO MENTALLY GAUGE WHAT THAT GRIP LEVEL IS TO KNOW HOW HARD YOU CAN SAIL IT INTO TURN ONE WHEN YOU TAKE THE GREEN FLAG?
“Most of the experience in that is going to be what we did last weekend and how hard we pushed the cars.  Obviously, watching what the track does and what the cars beforehand that go how much they pick up and trying to get and engage whether you are picking up two, three, four, five, six tenths, it all depends. The track today seemed to be a good bit slower than what it was last weekend in practice, but again that is partially a representation of the weather and the hotter conditions.”

YOU TESTED TIRES AT DOVER CAN YOU TALK ABOUT HOW THAT WENT AND WHAT YOU EXPECT THE RACING TO BE LIKE AT DOVER ANY DIFFERENT THAN WHAT WE HAVE SEEN BEFORE?
“It was a really good tire test as far as not seeing any failures at a track that is prone to pushing a tire to its limits.  The biggest thing that we saw was a lack of fall off.  That is something that we talk about when we go back to a place like Bristol where the cars, what you have is what you have and they don’t really change a whole lot.  I hope that we see with the different conditions, it was 60-65 degrees when we were up there testing, it was not that hot. Hopefully, the cars will fall off a little bit more and we will have to rely on the driver pedaling the car and things like that which is always given us a better opportunity at great racing.  We have seen that in the past at a place like Bristol which to me is just a smaller version of Dover.”

YOU RACED FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS FOR ROGER PENSKE WHEN IT CAME TO THIS TIME OF YEAR COULD YOU SENSE AN UP TAKE OF INTENSITY BECAUSE OF THE FOCUS ON THE INDY 500 AND THE 600?
“Roger was always so busy with the IndyCar side of things that when he came here it was to show up and watch the race.  It wasn’t the month of May at Charlotte.  I guess maybe a different mentality that we saw from a stock car side than what the IndyCar guys saw with his dedication toward the open wheel side.  I know what it means to him because it means the same to me and Tony Stewart and Rick Hendrick and everybody else in this garage.  This is a big race and we obviously know how big of a race the Indianapolis 500 is.  That intensity is there no doubt that I don’t think it is any different or any different expectations than any other week.”

HAVE YOU EVER RUN A WINGED SPRINT CAR?  IS THERE ANY THOUGHT OF TALKING TONY (STEWART) INTO GETTING ONE UP FOR YOU TOMORROW NIGHT?
“I have never run one on dirt; I have run one on pavement, just at a private test session one time.  I know they are a lot of fun. I know he is having a blast running the winged sprint car in dirt.  I would entertain it but I would do some extensive testing just as he has done before hand because I know it is a beast.  Those cars are amazing what they do and the hand-eye coordination you have to have.  These types of cars here are the stock cars, the Sprint Cup cars are tough, but the hand-eye coordination, the reaction time you have to with the winged sprint car is probably four times tougher.”

IN THE PAST, PEOPLE HAVE SAID CHARLOTTE MOTOR SPEEDWAY AND INDIANAPOLIS MOTOR SPEEDWAY WERE AMONG THE MORE TEMPERATURE SENSITIVE TRACKS. IN LIGHT OF THE REPAVING GOING ON AT OTHER TRACKS, ARE THE SKILLS THAT IT TAKES TO HANDLE A CHANGING TRACK BECOMING A LOST ART OR IS THERE A DIFFERENT ART IN TIRES THAT DON’T GIVE UP AND TRACKS THAT HAVE GRIP? DOES A DRIVER NEED THAT TO CHANGE OR ARE SOME OF THESE NEW GUYS NOT GETTING WHAT YOU’VE GOTTEN BECAUSE YOU’VE RACED AT THESE TYPES OF TRACKS?
“Seems like a triple-compound question (laughter). I really think that we would talk about the sensitivity of a race track if we had this schedule at other race tracks. If we had lights at Michigan, we would have the same comments of the track changing that much and figuring those things out and the balance change that is associated with that. Indianapolis is its own beast because it’s so flat and the speeds are up aerodynamically its super-sensitive. And what little bit of grip changes with the tire and the asphalt interaction at Indianapolis is a big part of the grip we can get because of the aerodynamic part. It’s kind of a goofy equation I guess you could say. Part of my point is if we raced different race tracks from different race tracks from 6 p.m. to whatever it is, p.m. at night, then it would be that much of a bigger issue. Driver-wise, I think it’s more up to the crew chief to be able to make compensation for what the track needs as the balance changes throughout the night and throughout the runs and throughout the runs of the night. But it is the driver.  The driver, to me, is more responsible for giving the feedback of what the car is doing. And the crew chief should have the experience in predicting in what the track is going to do, depending on your track position.”

THAT SHOULD HAPPEN?
“It should happen, yeah. It’s still a collective effort, don’t get me wrong. But these cars are so sensitive now because of the way we’re suspending them that it’s very critical; and a little change can do a lot more than it ever used to.”

YOU HAVE A REPUTATION FOR BEING THE TOUGHEST GUY ON THE TRACK TO PASS. IS THAT A FAIR REPUTATION?
“I guess that’s a good award to win. Unfortunately I’ve been passed so somebody found out (laughs). And I’ve talked to several different drivers about this. I was never taught to give-and-take. I was always taught to race hard. And starting going back to Quarter Midgets and then especially in the Stock Cars, I was always taught to race hard. Buddy Baker never taught me that. And I don’t think that they did that back in the ‘80’s let’s say. Maybe drivers didn’t race quite like that and I think that was more of a Mark Martin late nineties and early 2000’s thing and I think when you’ve got a guy like Tony Stewart who had help from Mark Martin that taught him that; and I always had fast-enough race cars that I never had to give. I could always take. And that came back to haunt me I guess for a few years there because I was the one getting turned around because I wasn’t giving it up; and rightfully so, probably, because I didn’t know and didn’t get taught that. So, I’m trying to be better at the give-and-take thing and I’m still trying to win that award.”

ON SHORTENING THE POCONO RACE
“The shorter the race, the more intense it is. We all grew up, wherever we went to, whether it was a 25 or 30 or 35-lap race at a short track, that’s what you showed up with; that was the level of intensity for that short amount of time and there’s a lot to be said for that. The history of NASCAR hasn’t done that, but I think there is going to be some rewards in us having some shorter races and having some longer races. It all depends on the venue, in my opinion. At a place like Pocono with the long straightaways, it’s nice to be a little bit shorter. I think it’s a good change.”

ON GIVE-AND-TAKE, IF A YOUNG DRIVER CAME TO YOU, WHAT DO YOU TELL THEM ABOUT THAT?
“I really haven’t in all honesty. Joey (Logano) has probably been the only guy that’s come along that’s young that would need that lesson, in my eyes. You’ve got a guy like Trevor Bayne who’s got some experience, but he’s not really full time and never really had that running. I’ve had problems with other guys who are just as bull-headed as I am and I’m not afraid to say it. A guy like Paul Menard is just that. We race each other hard every time we got around each other. That’s just how we did it. And it was frustrating to both of us, but we made good out of it. We never crashed each other per se, so it was just the way we raced. So, we don’t do that quite so much anymore. We’ve both learned how to adjust to that a little bit and be faster in the end for both of us. But if you look at the roster of rookies, there’s really, the last three or four years, there hasn’t been any.”

YOU HAD TO MAKE THE TRANSITION EARLIER IN YOUR CAREER KNOWING THAT YOU WOULDN’T BE DRIVING AT THE INDY 500 ON MEMORIAL DAY WEEKEND HOW DO YOU THINK SHE IS DEALING WITH IT?
“I don’t know I haven’t asked her yet.”

YOU DON’T HAVE AN IDEA OF WHERE HER MIND SET IS?
“No, it’s not the end of the world.  It’s putting one chapter behind you and starting another chapter.  You would truly have to ask her.  She is going to know a lot better than me.  She’s on the other side of the garage.”

CAN YOU TALK ABOUT QUALIFYING HERE?
“This is one of the few days that we just strictly work on qualifying trim.  Normally, we will do some race runs and then go into qualifying trim.  But, we spent the whole session in qualifying trim.  Watching last week it’s going to be important to start up front and keep good track position all night.”

HOW WAS YOUR PRACTICE?
“We are struggling still.  Still from last week, we will keep working on it.  I’m convinced that (Steve, crew chief) Addington and these guys they will find something.”

WILL YOU TALK ABOUT HOW MUCH THIS HEAT IS GOING TO PLAY A FACTOR FOR YOU? NOT ONLY TRACK TEMPERATURE THE CARS RUNNING PRETTY FAST YOU THINK?
“Well when it is hot it slows down a little bit in all reality.  I mean the cooler temperatures will run quicker.  I like it when it gets hot and slick like this.  Hopefully, we will have a pretty clear weekend that the track will soak up a lot of heat because overnight it doesn’t just go all the way down.  If you have consecutive days where it is really nice it will keep that heat in the track and hopefully make it a little slicker than it was last week.”

WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE TO DANICA, SHE IS RUNNING 900 MILES IN TWO DAYS?
You have a break in between it we ran 1100 miles in one day. She did a good job at Darlington, if you can get through Darlington weekend you can get through this weekend. Those extra hundred miles here aren’t near as hard as it is at Darlington I believe.”

DANICA SAID SHE IS PAYING ATTENTION TO WHAT IS GOING ON THERE THIS WEEKEND BUT SHE IS BUSY HERE.  WAS IT HARD FOR YOU TO LEAVE INDYCAR AND COME HERE? 
“I paid attention last she is probably doing.  I made sure I watched as much practice as I could.  Just like we are used to coming here on Memorial Day weekend, running on Thursday then Saturday and Sunday you get used to the month of May being busy for you.  It’s not something that you just totally walk away from and lose interest in it altogether.  I’m sure she has been watching practice and qualifying like we have.  She will pay attention to it on race day.”

IF SHE WANTED TO DO THE DOUBLE WOULD YOU SAY ‘OKAY I WILL DO IT WITH YOU’?
“I’m not going to do it with her, but she is more than welcome to do it.  I put in my time.”

HOW BIG OF A DEAL WOULD IT BE FOR ALL THE ATTENTION SHE WOULD GAIN WITH SUCH AN ATTEMPT?
“I’m sure it would be big.”

CAN YOU TALK ABOUT WHAT MEMORIAL DAY MEANS TO YOU AND ESPECIALLY TO YOUR TEAM?
“It’s always huge.  Especially with our relationship with the U.S. Army we get to meet so many soldiers and marines across the country.  To be that much closer and that much closer to what is going on you really realize what Memorial Day really means.  It’s a shame that more of the people in our country can’t do a better job of getting behind our service men and women and realizing what they sacrifice so we can go do the fun things we get to do and the freedoms that we get to have.  When you hear everybody complaining all the time about this and about that they have no idea what these soldiers are going through just to give us that opportunity to do it so people can sit behind computer screens and talk trash about other people and never have to face up to it. Which not saying this group just been reading a lot of stuff on the internet and it’s amazing that people have no clue what our troops really do and what freedoms they allow us to have with what they do.  It kind of makes you disappointed in your country but I’m really proud of our service men and women that give us the opportunity to get to do what we do.”

DESCRIBE THE CHALLENGES OF GETTING SLOWED DOWN TO GET ONTO PIT ROAD AT DOVER.
“Yeah, it’s always been tricky, but it is kind of like Darlington is.  You really have to plan ahead.  It’s one of those deals that if you’ve missed it on the entry you cannot make up for it.  You are diving in as hard as you can.  It seems like once you’ve missed it you might as well throw it away and go around another lap because you are not going to get it back.”

ARE YOU SURPRISED AT HOW BIG DANICA HAS BECOME IN THE ADVERTISING OF THE SPORT OF NASCAR?
“No, not at all.  It’s been a long time since we’ve had a female in the sport at this level.  It’s the only time that we have ever had a female that is this competitive.  I think it is good.  It brings a whole new demographic of people.  It brings a whole new fan base to the sport that we haven’t had before.  I think it is a very good thing for everybody involved.”

IS IT FAIR TO SAY STILL THAT THIS TRACK AND INDIANAPOLIS ARE THE TWO MOST TEMPERATURE SENSITIVE TRACKS? DO YOU STILL SEE IT THAT WAY?
“I don’t know if it is the top two.  For sure this track is very temperature sensitive and Indy always has been.  I would say it’s pretty fair.  It’s ironic that their races are on the same day.  It’s two places that you are always watching, especially today you are hoping that before you go out even though it is late in the evening you hope that you get a cloud that cools the track down before you get out there.”

AS THERE ARE MORE AND MORE REPAVES OF TRACKS DOES THE ABILITY TO DEAL WITH A CAR OVER A LONG RUN DOES THAT BECOME A LOST ART?  THE PERCEPTION TO SOME DEGREE IS THAT THE TIRES ARE SO GOOD, THE TRACK IS SO GOOD THAT IT IS MAYBE NOT AS BIG OF A CHALLENGE AS MAYBE THIS PLACE IS?
“Anytime they repave a track it’s got a ton of grip for the first couple of races that you go there.  You aren’t going to get around that.  We had that repave at Phoenix and guys over the course of a long run would hold on better than others.  I don’t think it’s totally a lost art but when it’s a freshly paved track you are not going to have as much difference there as you would on an older race track.”

TALK ABOUT YOUR THOUGHTS AS YOU MAKE YOU’RE DEBUT IN THE COCA-COLA 600:

“I don’t really know what to think yet (laughs), but I feel like I’ve got a good distance preview with Darlington being 500 (miles), what’s another hundred after that right?  I am excited.  I’m fortunate to have the opportunity to race in both of them because of GoDaddy.com and because of Stewart-Haas willing to put me in these 10 races this year.  I’m in a very fortunate situation; mind you I will be quite busy today.  I believe there is like 10 minutes between each session today that I’m running in.  I will be running back and forth, but it’s nothing other driver’s haven’t done before.”

THIS IS YOUR NORTH CAROLINA NASCAR DEBUT, WHERE DOES THE COCA-COLA 600 RANK FOR YOU IN YOUR CAREER AND HOW MANY FEMALE FANS DO YOU THINK WILL BE COMING OUT THIS WEEKEND SPECIFICALLY TO WATCH YOU?

“Okay first question was about racing here in Charlotte for the first time.  I did come here in 2010 in the Nationwide Series, so I have been here once before.  Obviously, not on Memorial Day weekend as I have been rather busy in another state for the last seven years.  I’m excited to see the festivities.  Actually, as I look out the window there is a massive American flag.  I’m excited to see the sites and see the fans.  Driving in last night I saw the sea of campers.  It is a nice feeling as a driver, I love to be a part of events that are a big deal and that people watch and follow.   Obviously experiencing the race weekend, but I have to say just because it’s a big weekend from a spectators stand point it doesn’t necessarily mean that the racing changes.  More than anything it’s about the atmosphere and how that makes you feel and the energy that gives you.

“The other part of your question was about women coming out to the track.  I don’t know.  I don’t think about that.  I don’t think about who is going to be here different than normal.  The only thing that I think is really nice is when I see families coming out to the track because their little girls or their kids have someone that they like to cheer for. If that is me, then that gives them a good family outing and that is a good way to spend time together as a family.  I know that is why I started racing was because it was a way for my mom and dad, my sister and I to do things together as a family on the weekends.  That is how it started for us. I think it is great whenever you can do things together as a family.  But outside of that I’m just hoping that it is an entertaining race.  I hope it is a good weekend for me that would be great it is always nice to do well on these big weekends.  We will soon find out how the weekend is going to unfold with some practice here soon.”

WHAT IS IT LIKE TO WORK FOR KELLEY EARNHARDT AND HER BROTHER DALE (EARNHARDT JR.) COMPARED TO TONY STEWART?

“Well, Kelley (Earnhardt-Miller) has a new baby so I haven’t seen her very much lately.  I don’t see her a ton but she is a great person to work with and work for.  She is very straight forward and to the point.  Obviously, Dale (Earnhardt Jr.) I don’t feel like I have necessarily a much of a ‘boss’ relationship with him.  Although, yes that is true, it is more of a teammate feel for me from learning from him.  As far as that compares to the Stewart-Haas side everybody is different and unique and that is what makes this world fun.  That is what makes it interesting.  I can only really describe what it is like and describe the different personalities.  Tony (Stewart) has that, you do feel a little bit more of that boss side to him because he is a little more involved I feel like with the team and the operations and keeping things where he wants them, but a significant teammate feel of course too, because we are.  I’ve been very fortunate that everyone in NASCAR has been very kind and welcoming and helpful.  They are examples.”

A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO YOU JOKED THAT YOU DIDN’T KNOW WHAT TYPE OF SNACKS YOU MIGHT WANT IN THE CAR AND I’M CURIOUS WITH THE 600 MILES CAN YOU TALK ABOUT IN GENERAL YOUR DIET, WHAT YOU EAT TO KEEP FIT AND IF YOU HAVE FOUND OUT ANY SNACKS YOU MIGHT GET DURING THE RACE?

“I eat healthy all the time.  It makes me feel better as well as makes it easier to do photo shoots and look the way I want to look.  I work out a lot because I need to obviously stay fit and have endurance for the car.  For all those reasons I eat egg whites and oatmeal, salads, sandwiches with good bread and things like that.  Try to mix it up at night there was a point in time that I ate a heck of a lot of salmon and vegetables.  I still do that too, I would say the track meal every night is salmon, brown rice, grilled peppers and grilled onions, pretty much that is dinner the first night every time because you have to eat the fish first, then it is chicken the next night and so on.  I mean I eat healthy all day long yogurts, cottage cheese, etc.  Anything healthy I eat.  Inside of the car I have a drink mix that I put in my camelback that is a blend of carbohydrate and protein that is recommended by my trainer.  As far as snacks go have you ever asked any other drivers what they have?  I’m the first?  I only said it because I have heard other drivers have snacks. I will have to ask around about that.  I think I need a pocket inside my car to have snacks.  Maybe I will just put extra drink mix in my drink bottle. I managed okay in the 500 at Darlington so hopefully that last hundred will not be too big of a deal.  Although I think it is going to be a fair bit hotter.  I think more than anything in all seriousness hydration is going to be the most important element.”

OBVIOUSLY OVER THE LAST YEAR OR SO A LOT HAS BEEN MADE ABOUT YOU BEING A FEMALE DRIVER IN A MANS WORLD HERE, LAST WEEK DARRELL WALLACE MADE HIS NATIONWIDE DEBUT AT IOWA.  WHAT WERE YOUR IMPRESSIONS OF THAT AND DO YOU THINK NASCAR IS MOVING CLOSER TO DIVERSITY WHERE ONE DAY YOU ARE NOT GOING TO HAVE PEOPLE  SAYING YOU ARE A FEMALE DRIVER HE IS A BLACK DRIVER?

“I met him; he was on the truck with me on the ride around.  He was a nice guy; he is from Charlotte I found.  We got a couple of minutes to talk and he did a great job in the race for sure.  I don’t know.  I think that over time it just happens.  I know that there is a diversity program in NASCAR to bring it to the series more.  But, I always use and example as being a girl is that there are girls that come through in racing.  If it takes one out of a hundred guys to find a good one (I’m just using a random number) one out of hundred girls takes a hell of a lot longer than a guy.  It just takes more time.  I’m sure that there are all kinds of different genders and ethnicities out there trying racing and it just takes time.  I think that in general as a culture in this country we are very open to new and different things.  It is just going to take time.”

DO YOU GET MANY OPPORTUNITIES TO ENCOUNTER THE TROOPS OR THE MILITARY FOLKS AND YOUR THOUGHTS ABOUT MEMORIAL DAY?

“Actually I was just in Rock Hill, South Carolina last night.  Apparently not very far away, just down I-77.  I did an appearance for Academy which is a sports and outdoors store.  They have been a partner of mine for a few years.  They took care of a few military families, husband and wife, the kids everybody.  I met them got to talk to them all individually, sign some diecast cars for them and them Academy gave them all hundred dollar gift cards to go shopping, everyone including the kids.  That was very cool.  We made yesterday special for the military families.  What it reminds you is that they are families and these men and women that serve our country they are leaving behind a lot.  They are not just young kids they have children.  I think it’s a great thing that we have Memorial Day to put that in front of our mind instead of letting it be a sub thought to things.  It’s a good reason to celebrate for those who aren’t here hopefully they come home soon.”

IS IT ONLY NATURAL THAT SOME OF YOUR THOUGHTS GO TO INDY? ARE THERE ANY PANGS AT ALL WISHING YOU COULD BE THERE?

“Whenever I’m busy that is sort of what I am focused on.  Last weekend when I had time to watch qualifying I was thinking about Indy and I was thinking about how I would be doing if I was there.  I can imagine every thought that is going through all those drivers’ heads.  When someone comes off the track and says ‘I don’t know I don’t think we can go any faster that was a pretty tough run as it was’ I can imagine what that is like.  I know what that is like for those drivers that are on the spot and trying to qualify. I can imagine all those thoughts.  I didn’t feel like I wanted to be there.  I just had a lot of memories of what was going on.  I’m very pleased that I’m in NASCAR.  I’m very happy; I’m having a lot of fun.  I’m looking forward to a different challenge this weekend.”

WERE YOU SURPRISED THAT BUMP DAY ONLY HAD 33 CARS TO FULFILL?  IT SEEMED SO ANTICLIMACTIC EVEN COMPARED TO LAST YEAR IT WAS REALLY SURPRISING.

“Yeah it was climatic last year for me as I’m sitting at the front of the line and it starts raining.  I think that is obviously a result and I’m not there anymore to know exactly what is going on, but I know it’s a big result of there being a lack of engines.  With some of the teams changing away from Lotus engines and everybody wanting Chevy engines.  Go Chevy!  I think that is more of the source of it.  I believe that there were quite a few more drivers that probably wanted to do it that just couldn’t get the package put together, couldn’t get the engine to do it.  It is a bummer, obviously the race has been around, what is it the 96^th running this year.  It has been around for a hundred years.  It is a shame whenever you see things take a hit but I think it was more of a product of the engine situation than anything.”

WHAT CHALLENGES DO YOU EXPECT TO FACE THIS WEEKEND BEING HERE IN CHARLOTTE AS OPPOSED TO INDIANAPOLIS?  DO YOU THINK ANYTHING YOU LEARNED FROM DRIVING THE INDIANAPOLIS 500 WILL PREPARE YOU FOR THIS WEEKEND?

“Yeah, it is a whole different weekend.  It is a whole different car it is a whole different everything.  I don’t think that my experiences from Indy necessarily will help me this weekend as a direct result.  I think that my experience over the last few years of racing and seven professional years in IndyCar are what’s going to help me overall.  I’m sure it’s going to be a challenging weekend obviously putting the Cup schedule together and doing this race is going to be a challenge.  In practice I go from Nationwide to Cup car to Nationwide to qualifying the Cup car.  On Saturday I go from two practices straight into the race of the Nationwide.  That is going to be my challenge.  That is something that I have only experienced, I mean I experienced it at Darlington and a little bit at Daytona.  It was quite spread out at Daytona and the cars felt so similar.  Really I’ve only done it one other time.  That is going to be my challenge.  For me it’s just a matter of staying focused, staying positive and staying hydrated.”

IT SOUNDS LIKE YOU ARE SO COMFORTABLE IN THIS ENVIRONMENT AND YOU ARE SO CONTENT TO BE HERE THAT IT’S NOT STRANGE TO NOT BE SOMEWHERE ELSE THIS WEEKEND IS THAT ACCURATE?

“Yeah, that is probably right.  That is right. The reason why I came to race NASCAR was to do all of these things.  I was ready to leave IndyCar.  I wanted to be here.  When you are not missing something, longing for something you don’t really think about it that much.  It’s like that girlfriend you didn’t want to have anymore.  You don’t think about her anymore.  Or ex-husband, we all seem old enough to be of that point.  You just don’t.  Indy, I have lots of great memories from there and probably the part of me that doesn’t feel quite as longing for it is that there is still a chance that I could do it again. It’s not gone.  I’m excited about this weekend.”

Memorial Day weekend provides a motorsports mosaic, from stock cars in Charlotte to Formula 1 in Monaco to the cornerstone of the weekend – the Indianapolis 500. Stewart pays attention to all of it, and for the better part of his career, Indy reigned supreme. And why not?

The recently turned 41-year-old grew up 45 minutes from the corner of 16^th Street and Georgetown Road in Columbus. His first in-person look at the Indy 500 came when he was five, but by his eighth birthday, Stewart was no longer content to be a spectator.

His first go-kart race came in 1978 in Westport, Ind. His first go-kart win came in 1979 in Westport. And the first of his three go-kart championships came in 1980 at the Columbus Fairgrounds. They were all a prelude of things to come, as Stewart would go on to win four USAC championships, an IZOD IndyCar Series title, three Sprint Cup Series championships and the final International Race of Champions (IROC) crown.

Along that path, particularly when Stewart became a champion in USAC in 1994, won the USAC “Triple Crown” in 1995 and then advanced to Indy cars in 1996, the Hoosier seemed destined to become a mainstay at Indy. And he would, but in stock cars.

Like many other promising open-wheelers, Stewart made his racing home in NASCAR. He ran a five-race NASCAR Nationwide Series schedule in 1997 while simultaneously capturing the IZOD IndyCar Series championship. Twenty-two Nationwide Series races followed in 1998 in preparation for his rookie year in Sprint Cup in 1999.

With the exception of two “Double Duty” stints in 1999 and 2001 where Stewart competed in the Indianapolis 500 and the Coca-Cola 600 on the same weekend, Stewart hasn’t looked back.

Long gone are the G-Forces and Dallaras. It’s a Chevy now and for Stewart’s immediate future. That’s because the owner of five Indianapolis 500 starts – with a best finish of fifth in 1997 – is now a NASCAR lifer. He’s the co-owner of Stewart-Haas Racing, the Sprint Cup team he co-owns with Gene Haas, founder of Haas Automation – the largest machine tool manufacturer in the western world. And he’s running for a fourth Sprint Cup championship, among the top-10 in points after just 11 of 36 rounds of racing.

Another foray to Indy while performing his regular job in NASCAR as the driver of the No. 14 Office Depot/Mobil 1 Chevy would take Stewart’s eyes off the prize, and with more than 160 employees toiling at his shop in Kannapolis, it’s a compromise he’s unwilling to make.

As such, Stewart’s mindset is like the old Coca-Cola slogan from 1982: “Coke Is It.” He’ll watch the Indianapolis 500 as an interested television viewer, but will participate in the Coca-Cola 600 as a tenacious competitor. And at the end of the 600-miler, which will wrap close to midnight, Stewart is intent on having “A Coke and a Smile” from Charlotte’s victory lane.

TONY STEWART, Driver of the No. 14 Office Depot/Mobil 1 Chevrolet for Stewart-Haas Racing:

Do you ever want to get back to Indy and run the 500?

“In my heart? Absolutely. I would love to do it. The problem with it is that Indy cars have become so competitive now. There are so many things that have changed since I ran Indy cars so many years ago, I’m not sure I would be up to speed and be able to get competitive enough, quickly enough. I have all the confidence in the world the cars I would drive would be competitive. But to really do it and do it right, and to feel like you have a legitimate shot to win the Indy 500, you would have to start at the beginning of the year with the team you’re going to race with during the month of May.”

The first year you did the double – 1999 – you said you felt like you were hallucinating during the last 100 miles of the Coca-Cola 600. Is that true?

“Obviously, I’m not Mr. Olympia and I’m not the healthiest guy in the world compared to a lot of the other drivers on the circuit, and the first year we were so worried about dehydration that I drank and I drank and I drank and I drank. I just never ate enough solid, nutritious food the night before. And the day of the race, I wasn’t hungry because I was drinking so much to try to ensure that I was being hydrated. I got my body so out of whack that, by the time the 600 was done in Charlotte, I’d had enough. I was hungry 50 laps into the race. It’s a 400-lap race in the 600, so 50 laps into it, it was still daylight. It was early in the race and there wasn’t a drive-thru in sight. It made for a long day. We actually tried to get one of Bobby Labonte’s PowerBars – try to get something in me to tide me over until the race was over. It didn’t work. I got two bites of it and two bites did not make it the next 350 laps around Charlotte. It was a good learning experience. I think we finished ninth and fourth that year in the two races. It was a good learning year. We got our feet wet and raised a lot of money for charity that first year. Then we did it two years later with Ganassi at Indy and Gibbs in Charlotte. We had a nutritionist who was with us the entire month of May, so I was in a lot better shape. The first year, my girlfriend drove me home and I was sick the whole ride. The second time around, I drove her home and she slept. So, I was in a lot better shape the second time.”

Danica Patrick ties to Indy car and the Indianapolis 500 are much like yours, especially now that she’s running stock cars fulltime. If she wanted to do the double, what would you tell her, considering it’s your team that employs her?

“It would be hard for me to tell her no considering I did it twice. It wouldn’t be a very smart thing for me to tell her no. If she wants to do it, I want her to do it. I never told Ryan Newman he can’t drive anything, and I won’t tell Danica she can’t drive anything. You only get to live life once. When you have goals you want to accomplish, you don’t want to sit there and tell people no. You want them to be able to do what they want to do. I would support her 100 percent.”

You’re still the only driver who has a top-10 in the Indy 500 and a top-10 in the Coca-Cola 600 on the same day.

“We’re still the only guy who’s completed all 1,100 miles of the double duty, which is something I’m really proud of. I think the best two finishes we had was sixth in the 500 and third in the 600. It makes for a very, very long day. When you’re done with the 600, after running Indy and the flight and helicopter rides and police escorts and all that during the day, you’re very, very content to lay your head on a pillow. And even when you do that, it still feels like it’s not stopped moving, yet.”

You’ve won just about every race in Sprint Cup. How important would it be to add a Coca-Cola 600 win to your resume?

“Any time you win a race at Charlotte, it’s big. It’s a speedway with a lot of history and, obviously, the Coke 600 is a huge event. I’m a big fan of shorter races nowadays, but the 600 is truly a special event, with it being on Memorial Day weekend and the history of the Coke 600, when it was known as the World 600. There’s just a lot of tradition that surrounds the month of May in Charlotte. So, this is a big race. This is an important race to win.”

Even though the two races take place on the same racetrack, how different is the All-Star Race from the Coca-Cola 600?

“We go from the shortest race of the year to the longest race of the year. The main difference, besides the distance, is that the Coke 600 starts in the daytime and ends at night, whereas the All-Star Race starts and finishes at night. We go from a sprint race to an endurance race.”

You’ve had a handful of races in your career that you feel like you should’ve won, but is the 2008 Coca-Cola 600 the one that sticks out most?

“Yeah, that’s definitely the one that sticks out the most in my mind. I mean, we had a five-second lead with three laps to go. We lost the right-front tire, but it wasn’t because of a mistake by Goodyear. It was the fact that we had run 100 laps on the right-side tires, so it just physically melted the bead on the right-front. So it wasn’t any fault of Goodyear’s. It was just circumstances.”

TONY STEWART’S CHARLOTTE PERFORMANCE PROFILE

* Race cut short due to weather.
† Qualifying canceled due to weather, starting position set via car owner points.
× Race length extended due to green-white-checker finish.

For the past seven years on Memorial Day weekend, Patrick has competed in the Indianapolis 500-Mile Race at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. And nowhere did Patrick perform better than in the “Greatest Spectacle in Racing.” She burst onto the scene at Indy in May 2005 when she stunned the world by leading three times for 19 laps and finishing fourth in her first “500” – becoming the first woman to lead laps and score a top-five finish in the historic race.

She set numerous records during her Indianapolis 500 debut and set the tone early when she posted the fastest lap on the opening day of practice. She went on to set the fastest practice lap five times throughout the month – more than any other driver – including Pole Day and Carburetion Day.

Patrick’s practice lap of 229.880 mph on Pole Day was the fastest of any driver during the month and the fastest turned by any woman in the history of Indianapolis Motor Speedway. During her qualification attempt, Patrick made an impressive save as her car bobbled in turn one on her first lap, earning her rave reviews for her car control by longtime Speedway observers. She ended up qualifying fourth, the best-ever starting position for a woman in the race.

On race day, with 11 laps remaining in the 200-lap event, Patrick blew past leader Dan Wheldon and held the point until lap 194, when she was forced to slow down in order to conserve fuel to make it to the finish. Her efforts earned her Rookie of the Year honors.

Patrick scored six top-10 finishes in seven starts at Indianapolis and qualified 10^th or better five times. Her third-place result in 2009 is the best finish ever for a woman in the history of the Indianapolis 500.

This Sunday will be different for Patrick, though, as she’ll watch the start of the Indianapolis 500 on television from her motorhome as she prepares to drive in the Coca-Cola 600 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series event at Charlotte (N.C.) Motor Speedway.

The driver of the No. 10 GoDaddy.com Chevrolet will compete in a race that is 100 miles longer than the Indianapolis 500, starts six hours later than the “500” and takes place on a 1.5-mile high-banked oval rather than a 2.5-mile nearly flat rectangle.

It will be part of the continuing education for Patrick as she transitions from INDYCAR to NASCAR, much like Stewart-Haas Racing (SHR) owner-driver Tony Stewart did more than a decade ago.

And while it will be different for Patrick, she’s hoping the success she had at Indianapolis follows her south.

DANICA PATRICK, Driver of the No. 10 GoDaddy.com Chevrolet:

Can you talk about your season thus far in the Nationwide Series and your limited Sprint Cup Series schedule?

“I think it’s been an up-and-down season. There have been times where we’ve caught some bad luck, there have been times where we’ve had disappointing races, and there have been some times where we’ve been good and things just didn’t happen right. I think there also have been times where some great things have happened but, unfortunately, all the great things that happened haven’t materialized into a great result in the race. Sometimes it’s a good qualifying effort, sometimes it’s being really good in practice, just doing things I wasn’t doing before.”

Two weeks ago at Darlington (S.C.) Raceway, one of the toughest tracks on the circuit, you finished both the Nationwide and Sprint Cup Series races and gained valuable seat time. How important was that for your confidence and development?

“I think Darlington was one of those weekends that could have confirmed opinions, or sort of developed new ones for people. And I think it ‘developed new ones’ more than it confirmed if someone didn’t think I was doing a good job. I think just the difficulty of the race, being there for the first time and putting a doubleheader on top of it in addition to the Nationwide race – I went into it basically knowing it was going to be difficult. I was plenty worried and disappointed after the first practice in Cup because I was last. A lot of people said ‘good job’ and I appreciate it because, let’s face it, I had a 12^th and a 31^st. But I appreciate it and it means that a lot of people with experience are watching, and it did go well for the circumstances, so it was a little bit of a confidence-booster.

Thoughts on missing the Indianapolis 500 this year after seven consecutive years of racing in the event?

“I watched qualifying last weekend when I had the chance during down time at Iowa. I’m happy for James Hinchcliffe and the GoDaddy team for qualifying second. It’s obviously great to see the GoDaddy car up front. I always want my sponsor to win. That’s the most important thing for me is that they are finding benefit in the things that they do and business is growing. I’m happy to see the green up front and I’m sure GoDaddy is, too.”

What’s it like not being at Indianapolis this month?

“The first time I really thought about it was last weekend. I was curious what was going on with Pole Day. Of course I was curious. I spent my whole childhood watching open-wheel racing. I went to England to race open-wheel and then came back to the States and raced open-wheel. So, it was my world for 20 years. I’ve been watching it for most of my life. I watch it and I think, ‘I know how to do it.’ I feel like I know Indy, I know what it takes to be fast. Every year I learned valuable lessons about how to be better next time and I felt like I learned a really big one last year. Hopefully that means sometime in the future I’ll get to use that.”

Can you talk about Tony Stewart since you both have experience in IndyCar racing?

“We don’t talk a lot about IndyCar and NASCAR. They’re very different worlds. I think it’s nice that I know he has the reference and can understand where I’m coming from, perhaps, with some feelings and certain ways I describe the car. But we don’t speak specifically about Indy cars because of the difference in cars. So, for me, it’s nice to have a guy like Tony, who is confident and will help me and give me answers and be honest and want to see me get better. And the IndyCar references are just nice from a background standpoint that he understands what I’m talking about.”

Notes of Interest:

• The Coca-Cola 600 will mark Danica Patrick’s third career NASCAR Sprint Cup Series start. Her first came in February’s rain-delayed 54th Daytona 500 at Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway, where she finished 38th having completed only 138 of 202 laps after being involved in a multi-car accident not of her making on lap three.

• Patrick made her second career Sprint Cup Series start two weeks ago at Darlington (S.C.) Raceway, where she started 38^th and finished 31^st, six laps down.

• Patrick has career totals of one top-five finish, four top-10s, 21 laps led and one pole in 35 career Nationwide Series races.

• In 2012 Nationwide Series competition, Patrick has one pole (Daytona) and a best finish of eighth, which came in April at Texas Motor Speedway in Fort Worth. She finished 12^th two weeks ago at Darlington (S.C.) Raceway.

• Four Score: In March 2011, Patrick finished fourth in the Nationwide Series race at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, the best-ever finish by a woman in a NASCAR national stock-car series, topping a fifth-place run by Sarah Christian in a Sprint Cup race in 1949 at Heidelberg (Pa.) Raceway.

• History Maker: Patrick became the first woman to win a major-league open-wheel race in a North American series in April 2009 by winning the IZOD IndyCar Series Indy Japan 300 at the Twin Ring Motegi oval in Japan.

• Point Taken: In 2009, Patrick finished fifth in IZOD IndyCar Series points, the best finish ever for a woman in the series.

• Big Stage: In seven Indianapolis 500 starts, Patrick finished in the top-10 six times, including a third-place result in 2009, the best finish ever for a woman in the historic race.

DANICA PATRICK’S CHARLOTTE PERFORMANCE PROFILE

DANICA PATRICK’S 2012 SPRINT CUP PERFORMANCE PROFILE

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

As the driver of the No. 39 U.S. Army Chevrolet for Stewart-Haas Racing (SHR), Ryan Newman taps into that strength throughout the 36-race NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season. But it’s in round No. 12 at Charlotte (N.C.) Motor Speedway with the running of the Coca-Cola 600 where that strength carries increased significance.

The Coca-Cola 600 is the Sprint Cup Series’ longest race, and it’s a staple of Memorial Day weekend. Beyond the mental, physical and emotional fortitude necessary to log 400 laps around Charlotte’s 1.5-mile oval, Newman carries a badge of honor in the star of the U.S. Army logo that adorns the chest of his uniform and the hood of his racecar. It’s an understatement to say the ribbons of camouflage that stretch across Newman’s racecar provide a great deal of pride for the 11-year Sprint Cup veteran.

Since taking the wheel of the U.S. Army Chevy upon joining SHR in 2009, Newman has had the privilege of meeting Army Strong Soldiers at many bases across the country and in one-on-one encounters at the racetrack.

At each opportunity, Newman makes every effort to shake the hands of Soldiers and thank them for their service. As a representative of the U.S. Army, Newman understands now, more than ever, that he is able to do the job he loves and have the freedoms we all cherish thanks to the men and women who serve and protect our country.

This Memorial Day weekend, as the nation takes a moment to remember those service members who have made the ultimate sacrifice, Newman plans to use Sunday’s Coca-Cola 600 as his moment to spotlight the heroics of those who serve in America’s all-volunteer force.

The high-banked, high-speed oval has always been a favorite of the South Bend, Ind., native ever since he wheeled a rental car with mentor Buddy Baker in the passenger seat. Newman’s love for the track was obvious in his first stock car outing there in the 2000 ARCA race, when he started on the pole and dominated the race, leading 66 of 67 laps en route to victory.

He followed up that win by claiming his first-ever Sprint Cup pole position in just his third series start in May 2001. The following season, Newman shocked the field when he went from worst to first to become only the second Sprint Cup rookie to capture a victory in the non-points All-Star Race.

Newman’s NASCAR Nationwide Series record at Charlotte is equally impressive, as he has one win (2005), three top-five and four top-10 finishes in four starts.

In 22 career Sprint Cup starts at Charlotte, Newman has nine poles – the most of any active driver and second on the all-time Sprint Cup pole list to only David Pearson, who has 14 poles. Newman has four top-five and eight top-10 finishes, with a best finish of second in October 2003 and in the 2009 Coca-Cola 600.

Newman has proven he knows what it takes to get around Charlotte, despite the fact that a win in a points-paying Sprint Cup race has so far escaped him.

Being the best in the marathon-like Coca-Cola 600 takes the same attributes the Army looks for in its Soldiers – putting the mission first, a never quit attitude and a refusal to accept defeat. To emerge as the victor in the Sprint Cup Series’ longest race, Newman will have to pass a challenge no other race presents. Succeeding in that challenge at the helm of the U.S. Army Chevrolet would be an appropriate tribute to the more than one million Soldiers actively protecting our freedom and way of life.

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

Describe the amount of pride you feel having the U.S. Army as your sponsor on Memorial Day weekend.

“Memorial Day is special. I’ve said before that I took for granted what all branches of the military do for us before I got a chance to meet the Soldiers and understand what they do and the stories they have about wearing their colors. It is an honor to wear that Army camouflage to represent Army Strong – that mental, physical and emotional strength – strength like no other. And I can only represent it. Only an Army Soldier can be that. I’m doing my best to represent the colors and those people – more than a million people who fight for our freedom each and every day. I’m proud to represent them. It’s a little bit cooler than just an ordinary product sponsor.”

I’ve heard you tell some stories about meeting soldiers, and I heard you tell one story recently about a meeting with Greg Stube – a retired Green Beret – that really affected you. Can you recount that meeting?

“I met Greg Stube. He was injured over in Afghanistan. He was at the NASCAR Hall of Fame. He was a guest of Coca-Cola’s and he came up to me and introduced himself and told me who he was and he said you’re who we fight for. And I looked at him, and I told him I wasn’t sure I understood. I told him I was just proud to represent the Army and the Soldiers. And he said, ‘No, you are who we fight for. You’re the people who respect the freedom, who enjoy doing things with your family and not having to look over your shoulder to see if there is someone coming to shoot you or where you’re walking if there’s an IUD. You’re the kind of people we fight for.’ He took me back. I do my best to try to represent and say thank you to all the Soldiers out there, and he was thanking me for being that kind of guy he can go out there and fight for our freedom. I got a chance to go fishing with him on Tuesday in southern North Carolina, and he’s a great guy. He’s a great family man, a distinguished Soldier. He was a part of the Green Berets, so he knows what’s going on with the heavy-metal stuff. I’m just proud to call him a friend. And that’s just one of the amazing Soldiers I’ve had the opportunity to meet since being connected with the U.S. Army.”

The Coca-Cola 600 is the longest race on the Sprint Cup schedule. How difficult is it to be in the racecar for that length of time?

“It all depends on how hot it is. If it’s a superhot day, it’s very demanding because this is a fast racetrack. It’s very physical. Your transitions from day to night and those types of things are very critical for how successful you are that night. It takes a good crew chief to make the right adjustments. Being comfortable in the car is one thing, but staying cool and staying hydrated is extremely important with the duration that we’re in the racecar.I always say the most important thing I do that day is to make sure the air conditioning is working. The Coca-Cola 600 is a great race. We’ve run second there in the past. It’s the longest race and a demanding race, and this is definitely the race where I really have to represent all the qualities of an Army Strong Soldier. I have to be physically, mentally and emotionally strong to get through all this race can give you. Everybody knows that going into it. It all depends on the characteristics of the weather, the track and everything that night – if it’s a 90-degree day, or if it’s a 65-degree day. You just never know. I enjoy it. I enjoy this racetrack. I enjoy being close to home. I enjoy the fact all our friends and family get to come out and enjoy a good race. We will see if we can get the U.S. Army into victory lane.”

So, do you notice the extra 100 miles? How do you process this race?

“If your car is good, you don’t. If the conditions are good weather-wise, you don’t. But if you are struggling with your car and it’s hot out, you will. That happens at other racetracks, but that extra 100 miles is very demanding there because of the speeds, because of that extra little bit in the car. If you’re not comfortable, you’re not going to be comfortable for a long time. The race here is usually four hours-plus. That extra hour in the racecar is huge when you are going 200-plus mph into a corner, or when its 90 degrees outside.”

One thing you have said about the Coca-Cola 600 is that you have to be “patiently aggressive” to have a good race. Can you explain what that means?

“Every good racecar driver has to be patient and aggressive, and at the same time. You have to know when to choose your battles and make your holes and do those things. You typically can’t make things happen, sometimes, so you have to be patiently aggressive. And the 600 miles is just another extension of that because you have to put yourself in position, and position doesn’t happen until 100 miles later.”

You have nine poles at Charlotte. You are first among active drivers in pole positions at the track, and second behind David Pearson, who has 14. What makes you so good at qualifying at Charlotte, and what does it mean for you to win the pole there?

“In general, I like this racetrack, I like the speed, I like the banking. When I first came here with Buddy Baker, we drove around in a rental car and, after one lap, I told him I was going to like this place. I always have. It’s a place I like. I’ve been fortunate to have good equipment and I’ve been able to take that good equipment and make it fast. It’s just a combination of team effort and, nine times out of 22, we’ve been able to pull it off (winning the pole). Ultimately, it’s what we all strive for is to be the fastest, to be the best, to be the quickest and get to victory lane. It would mean a lot to me. I think David Pearson was an excellent racecar driver. Still is. Ultimately, it is just a number, but to be where I am and have a shot at it, that’s cool. But I’m still a long way away. It took me this long to get nine. Not that it took me that long, but it’s not easy to win one, and five more is not going to be easy at all. But I know that, when we go to Charlotte, we know we want to have to what it takes to have a shot at the pole. I really enjoy the racetrack – the speed, obviously, and the banking. I’ve always said I really enjoy banked racetracks and this is one of the best and fastest banked racetracks out there. I’ve had fast racecars with Penske Racing and now with Stewart-Haas Racing and just have been blessed with fast racecars. I couldn’t do it without fast racecars. I’ve always told my crew chief, whoever it is at the time, ‘If you give me a straight arrow, I’ll shoot it straight. But don’t expect me to shoot a crooked arrow to the pole.’ And they’ve done a very good job for me.”

RYAN NEWMAN’S CHARLOTTE SPRINT CUP SERIES PERFORMANCE PROFILE

× Race length extended due to green-white-checkered finish.
* Race cut short due to weather.
† Qualifying canceled due to weather, starting position set via car owner points.

“We just weren’t very good. We struggled all night,” said Stewart, who has participated in each All-Star Race since joining the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series as a rookie in 1999 and won the 2009 All-Star Race. “We just missed it tonight. I mean, we’re not going to hit it every week, and if you’re going to miss it, you’d rather miss it on a night like tonight.”

Stewart’s run in the All-Star Race served as test session for the Coca-Cola 600 next Sunday at Charlotte – a point-paying race that also happens to be the longest event on the Sprint Cup schedule. When asked what he learned from the All-Star Race that could be applied to the Coca-Cola 600, Stewart was succinct, “Yeah, don’t bring back what we just ran tonight.”

The run was disappointment for Stewart, who carried the colors of Bass Pro Shops and the National Wild Turkey Federation on his No. 14 Chevrolet.

“I wanted to run really well for Johnny Morris (founder, Bass Pro Shops) and the guys at Bass Pro Shops and the National Wild Turkey Federation,” said Stewart after the race that was made up of four 20-lap segments followed by a 10-lap shootout. “It was an important night for me to run well for those guys, and I just let ‘em down.”

Teammate Ryan Newman, driver of the No. 39 Tornados Chevrolet for Stewart-Haas Racing, finished 10th to score his seventh top-10 finish in 11 career All-Star Races.

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 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 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.

Tony Stewart, driver of the No. 14 Bass Pro Shops/National Wild Turkey Federation Chevrolet for SHR, finished 17th to end a five-race streak of top-five finishes in the non-points event.

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.