June 6 was the first Ryan Newman Day in the state of Michigan, and the four-time MIS winner wants to make sure it wasn’t his last. With his first MIS appearance of 2006 in the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup 3M Performance 400 just a week and a half away, Newman took the Michigan State Capitol in Lansing by storm on Tuesday. Along with Governor Jennifer Granholm’s proclamation of June 6, 2006 as NASCAR Day, Senator Mark Schauer and Representative Leslie Mortimer delivered a resolution to announce the day as Ryan Newman Day in the state. Granholm, Schauer, Mortimer and several other key state legislators applauded Newman not only for his on-track success but for his off-track endeavors as well. Newman was on hand to promote several important causes throughout his day at the Capitol, the first of which was the recently-approved $18.5 million allocation for highway improvement in the area surrounding MIS. Newman applauded the government leaders for their devotion to the loyal Michigan fan base. Along with the discussion on local highway improvement, Newman also promoted his Ryan Newman Foundation and the book Pit Road Pets, which features several top NASCAR drivers and their beloved animals. Newman and his wife, Krissie, have joined with local humane societies in many areas for the cause of animal preservation, and he continued to promote this cause during his day in Lansing. Before leaving the Capitol in the afternoon, Newman got the chance to be introduced on the floor of the House of Representatives. As the legislators representing the MIS area explained their district alignments to Newman, he maintained that there was really only one locale that concerned him. Tickets for both NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series races, the June 18 3M Performance 400 and the August 20 GFS Marketplace 400, are currently on sale at MIS’s official website, http://www.mispeedway.com or by calling the MIS ticket hotline at 1-800-354-1010.(MIS PR)(6-8-2006)
