Ryan Newman, driver of the No. 12 ALLTEL Dodge, how does it feel to win the 50th running of the Daytona 500?

RYAN NEWMAN: Don’t have the words. It’s awesome. It’s probably one of the most awesome things that’s ever happened to me. To understand all the history of NASCAR, of racing in general, you know, the drivers meeting, to be looking face to face with all the guys, the greats that were on stage up there, and now to be part of one of those guys and part of that team, it’s just awesome. I’ve always said that Indianapolis was great to be able to walk in the garage area and know that you’re touching the same footprints as other guys that were such great drivers for the last hundred years there. Just to be part of the 50th running of the Daytona 500, you know, 15 years ago I was sitting in the grandstands in the Seagrave Tower. It’s awesome to make the changes.Got to thank Roger Penske, Don Miller, everybody at Penske Racing, Roy McCauley obviously. But obviously Kurt Busch. Without a doubt, he could have easily gone three wide and split us through the center and made one heck of a mess there going into three, but he chose to be a teammate. That’s the most honorable thing that he could do. I would have done the same thing to him. Just thank him a bunch. Thank our Penske/Jasper engine group for the great horsepower. I felt at times we had a really good car. I felt at times we were struggling. To be coming out on top, as Roy said, with maybe not the best tires or the best situation, but to have the track position was a great effort.

Q. Ryan, can you walk us through the last lap? What were you thinking was going to happen? How did it go?

RYAN NEWMAN: You honestly don’t know. I mean, I would say for sure the leader was a sitting duck on every restart. I didn’t think the 31 had the greatest car all day. We were fortunate that when they split apart that I got the chance to push Tony. That made a difference ‘cause that lane moved, it gave Kurt the opportunity to run the high line, which he wanted to. Kind of the moons just aligned. When I pushed Tony through one and two, part of one and two, I was hoping he was going to hang on to it because I was pushing as hard as I could. We broke free. Kurt came up behind me off of two and just gave me the push from heaven. It was awesome. Listening to my dad on the radio spotting for me, all the other things, all the other emotions, all the hard work, people that gave me a shot racing quarter midgets, midgets, Sprint cars, Silver Crown cars, I have to thank everybody, including the fans.

Q. Ryan, when you’re coming off two the last lap, you see Tony go low, you must have been dumbfounded. What were you thinking right then the next two or three seconds?

RYAN NEWMAN: I know Tony was mirror driving. I was doing the same thing. Tony saw his teammate coming. Obviously you want that push. You want that push from your teammate versus anybody else. I was going to do what I had to to shuck and jibe him there to make a rundown the back straightaway. You’re right. He opened the door. The seas parted. Like I said, Kurt was the push from heaven that made it all happen. I have to thank Kurt first and foremost. But, you know, Tony was very much a sportsman. He could have made that Home Depot Dodge extremely wide, and he chose to race.

Q. Ryan, when you’re coming down the backstretch, you have Kurt Busch underneath you, half a lap to go for the Daytona 500. Is there a moment where you have to push the thoughts of winning the 500 out of your head to finish the job? Talk about that inner struggle. Do you have time to think about that?

RYAN NEWMAN: My dad was spotting for me. I could hear the tears dripping going down the back straightaway over the radio. He was emotional, as he always is. Rightfully so. He’s put so much effort into making me a race car driver and the person that I am. My mother, as well. But to listen to him, I knew I had a really good push from Kurt. I knew when Kurt pushed me that he was locked in. Granted, if we had the opportunity at the start/finish line, I would have raced him like I raced anybody else. But he did a great job. It was just awesome. I mean, I got that tingly feeling. You only get that in certain things, you know what I mean (smiling)? I didn’t get it there; just down my back (smiling). Everybody’s toes curl two ways (winking).

Q. Ryan, you broke an 81 race winless drought. Can you talk about what you have gone through since your last win in ‘05. A lot of times last year it looked like you were going to do it. What’s it like?

RYAN NEWMAN: It was tough last year knowing that we were that close so many times. Going back to even Charlotte, when the track bar mount broke. It’s like, Man, what do you got to do? I’ve told a few people, I just hope when I get back to Victory Lane it’s a big one. Honestly, actually it was.It’s great to do it as a team, to have a rebounding year like we did last year. Everybody, Michael Nelson, the guys on the team that helped get the team back on pace, you know, they’re here today, too. That’s awesome. Just all the hard work and the effort that all the Penske organization puts into it, it’s all played out tonight.

Q. How did you feel tonight putting your hands and feet in the concrete?

RYAN NEWMAN: That was pretty wild. The crazy part was you’d only do your right foot and then both hands. I guess they assume the left foot does nothing to get you in Victory Lane around here.
It was pretty cool. That’s the first time I’ve ever done it, so I’m not sure where my casting is going. I’m not sure if I get a Walk of Fame or a square on a sidewalk someplace, but it was definitely cool.