Newman Looking for Boilermaker Magic
Posted On 2/8/2010 5:16:42 PM
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (Feb. 8, 2010) -- NASCAR driver Ryan Newman would like nothing more than to be the second Boilermaker in one week to lift the big trophy in the state of Florida.
Newman, who will be seeking his second Daytona 500 win Sunday, watched yesterday's Super Bowl from his North Carolina home. He was not only impressed with the game, but also with fellow Purdue Boilermaker Drew Brees, whose MVP performance in Miami led the New Orleans Saints over the Indianapolis Colts.
Newman attended Purdue at the same time when Brees was starring as a Big 10 quarterback.
"Between racing and school work there wasn't much time for anything else while I was in college," said Newman. "But even though I didn't follow the Purdue football team, I sure knew of Drew Brees."
Newman graduated from Purdue University in 2001 with a degree in vehicle structural engineering. Brees' final year of competition at Purdue was in 2000.
"Brees' Super Bowl effort was played with the same savvy that it takes to win big races," noted Newman, the 2008 Daytona 500 winner. "He didn't get flustered when his team was behind -- he stayed calm and got better as the game went on. Pretty much the same ingredients it takes to win races. I would like to have some of his magic in Sunday's Daytona 500."
Newman, driver of the No. 39 U.S. Army Chevrolet for Stewart-Haas Racing, was the third fastest qualifier in Saturday's Daytona 500 time trials. He will start on the outside pole in Thursday's first 150-mile qualifying race at Daytona International Speedway.
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