Over the past four seasons, from Winston Cup to Nextel Cup, no one has won more Bud Pole Awards than "Rocket"
Ryan Newman.
So it's fitting that, as the opening session of NASCAR Preseason Thunder from Daytona International Speedway winds down, Newman assumes the pole position for the 2006 version of 10 Questions.
Newman sat down after Tuesday's test session to answer 10 questions not necessarily related to his racing career.
 |  | | Ryan Newman's "honey do" list is included in his "to do" list. Credit: Autostock | |
1. What's at the bottom of your "honey do" list?
Ryan Newman: It's a long list, so I'll have to try to figure that out. Actually, as I was walking over here I was thinking about what I have on my own "to do" list -- which consists of the "honey do" list.
My wife, Krissie, wants me to get a fence around our property so our dogs won't run away, which is important to me, but it's a big task, so it's not at the top.
Q: How about an electric fence, because I've heard that's a good solution?
Ryan Newman: No -- we're talking 64 acres.
2. What's your favorite recent movie and your all-time favorite flick?
Ryan Newman: My favorite recent movie, I'd have to say, would be Wedding Crashers. I thought it was funny and I like the characters, like Vince Vaughn and Will Ferrell -- those guys are awesome.
Q: Does that bring to mind any episodes from your own youth?
Ryan Newman: No, I only had two cousins growing up, so timing-wise there really wasn't much to do. My point is, I guess I only got the chance to crash two parties, and I never was interested in that and never really had a good wedding crasher friend that was interested in that, either.
I have a couple favorite all-time movies, if that's OK? They would be The Waterboy with Adam Sandler and Tombstone with Kurt Russell. I thought those were awesome.
That's pretty much it. I've got some others that are really cool, Rain Man and some other movies, that are all pretty cool.
3. Up to the age of 15, who do you feel made the greatest impact on your life?
Ryan Newman: Up to the age of 15, my father, for sure. You know, working hand in hand with him in his auto repair shop, day in and day out, after school just going up there.
Just working on racecars, he taught me so many things about life, and I'm just so grateful for that. That was a person I always looked up to and continue to -- but up to the age of 15, for sure -- without a doubt.
That's even though he always said that once I turned 13, I was a different person.
Q: Taking that a step further, a lot of kids can't wait to grow up and leave home and get away, but you've managed to maintain a close relationship with dad driving your coach and maintaining a role in your racing to this day, so is that even more special?
Ryan Newman: It was and it is, because like I say, my dad is very important to myself as a person and to my racing career -- the two at the same time.
For him to be a part of what I continue to do is very important to me. Obviously, his role has changed a lot, going from a crew chief as a Quarter Midget driver to coach driver to spotter and working on the pit crew.
He's done a lot of things and he's enjoyed it. He's a race nut and he's got it in his blood, like I do. It's fun to have him around, and we have a good relationship.
4. What time do you go to bed most nights, and what time do you typically get up?
Ryan Newman: Usually, most of the time I go to bed at 12 and get up at 8. That's the best average.
5. Which show is must-see TV for you?
Ryan Newman: Must-see TV for me would probably be That '70s Show.
Q: What's the best aspect of it, in your opinion?
|  | | With a cowboy hat, Newman could easily portray Wyatt Earp. Credit: Autostock | |
Ryan Newman: It's just funny, and I like the characters. I guess it's kind of patterned off of people my age and it fits my character.
6. If possible, who would you trade places with and why?
Ryan Newman: This is probably the weirdest answer you've got, but I think it would be cool to trade places with God, just for a little while.
Q: Assuming that would be a short-term deal, what would your greatest act be as God?
Ryan Newman: Well, I like it here on earth, but what I'd like to do as God is just to experience it, kind of like the whole Bruce Almighty thing, to experience a day in his life -- to see absolutely everything at one time.
That's far-out, isn't it?
7. Which prime vacation spot have you not yet visited? I understand Hawaii was pretty good, when you set up a wedding trip for you and a buddy as a wedding present?
Ryan Newman: Hawaii was alright, yeah -- it was neat to go to Hawaii. I don't think I've ever been to Jamaica, and Jamaica is a big vacation spot. That's probably the best that I can do.
I mean, like Spain and Europe, I've never been there; and I'd like to go and see the Swiss Alps and some of that stuff -- like riding in a train alongside the Swiss Alps and hoping there wasn't an avalanche.
8. What was your first car?
Ryan Newman: My first car was a 1974 Triumph TR-6, and I still have it. My grandfather had it, and he had a stroke and couldn't drive it. They were going to sell it, and my dad talked him into keeping it and giving it to me for my 16th birthday.
So I got it, and my dad and I fixed it up. We had it painted, my dad rebuilt the engine and I still have it.
|  | | Ryan Newman is glad his No. 12 Dodge isn't a convertable. Credit: Autostock | |
Q: Convertible?
Ryan Newman: Oh yeah.
Q: That had to be a pretty cool car to have as a 16-year-old?
Ryan Newman: It was, and it still is. It doesn't have a big market value or anything like that -- obviously it has way more sentimental value than anything. No. 1, it's a cool car -- but it's a cool car with meaning.
Q: As a kid you've got a lot of buddies, and the back seat of that thing doesn't have much room, so how did you deal with that?
Ryan Newman: No, it doesn't. But actually a buddy of mine and I would just take it and go up to my grandparents' place and go fishing. That was the biggest part of it, though obviously going out on Friday and Saturday nights and stuff like that was, too.
Actually, one year I drove it out to a Midget race in Colorado, and that was fun, you know, an old road trip going out to Colorado, a buddy and me. It ran good all the way out there, and then the altitude kind of killed it.
9. What would you consider to be your biggest vice?
Ryan Newman: My biggest vice? I don't know, I'm a big pizza buff -- though I don't know if that's a vice or not.
Q: If you don't put the training mileage in afterwards, it might be, no?
Ryan Newman: Kind of, I guess. Yes and no.
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10. What do you consider to be your greatest accomplishment in NASCAR to this point?
Ryan Newman: It's hard to limit it to one thing, but I still think our victory in The Winston in 2002 was absolutely awesome.
From a team standpoint, to do what we did on a given night and come out of the [Winston] Open race and to win the all-star race was awesome.
After growing up as a Friday and Saturday night Midget racer, racing 30-lappers and doing that -- whatever it was, 80 laps on that given night and beating everybody for money and pride -- not points racing was really awesome.
Q: Was it even better to do it as a young driver with a young race team?
Ryan Newman: That was a big part of it -- but we beat everybody. I mean, [Dale Earnhardt] Junior had just won it I think the year before, or two years before, and he ran second to us. It wasn't like it was just handed to us.
The best picture was when I was all crossed-up coming off Turn 2 and he was right underneath me. And we still went on and won the race. That was cool.
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