Hot stuff: Stewart-Haas Racing's Ryan Newman doing all he can to stay cool in Daytona
Stewart-Haas Racing's Ryan Newman is seventh in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series after 17 races this season.
// LaDon George, NASCAR Scene
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. - Ryan Newman has been one of the hottest drivers in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series this season – and not just in terms of performance.
Newman, who is seventh in the standings on the merits of eight top-10s and five top-fives, has literally been almost sizzling at times inside his race car.
So much has that been the case that the Stewart-Haas Racing driver has been forced to improvise.
“I’ve had to get different shoes this year because I kept burning my left heel,” Newman said at Daytona International Speedway, site of Saturday night’s Coke Zero 400. “So we basically just went through different brands of shoes and finally got some ones that I liked. When you have a hot spot, it gets pretty inconvenient because you start thinking about it and you’re lifting your foot up and doing different things.
“It changes the way you drive the car. It doesn’t necessarily change your performance, but it changes the way you drive the car and you don’t want that to happen at all.”
Drivers will face some of the most intense heat they’ll deal with all season in Saturday’s race at Daytona, where temperatures are expected to reach the lower 90s.
Newman says staying hydrated will be key to having a good night.
“I usually mix it up, kind of half water and half Gatorade because too much of each one doesn’t necessarily do you the most good,” he said. “I’d say I probably get 120 ounces in before the race starting 24 hours before. I’d say I probably drink maybe 30 or 40 ounces during the race through water bottles. It’s hard to measure that because there is so much ice in it.
“Weight-wise I bet I lose five pounds maybe or something like that. I typically will drink at least 120 ounces after the race and not go to the bathroom until the next morning. Your body can reabsorb pretty quick.”
