Ryan Newman gained his own share of attention during a Richard Childress Racing event on Wednesday — and he did so with the wrong car.
As the company unveiled its throwback cars for the upcoming race at Darlington Raceway, Newman gained attention with the car he drove to the event — a General Lee-like Dodge Charger that closely resembles the one seen in "Dukes of Hazzard." One that, according to FoxSports.com, he drove his daughter to school in on Wednesday.
He said that when he went to take one of his girls to school on Wednesday, the only vehicle he had handy with a car seat in the back was his Charger.
"I stopped for gas," Newman told FoxSports. "There were only two people at the pumps and both of them came over and took pictures with the car."
He added that neither of those recognized him — just the car.
And @RyanJNewman showed up @RCRracing with the General Lee pic.twitter.com/PclObnSyBN
— tom jensen (@tomjensen100) May 11, 2016
"Nope, it was crazy," he said. " ... Which is fine with me. I don't need them to know."
It was quite the day for cars for RCR. The cars of Newman and teammate Austin Dillon will honor the organization's first win, which came on June 5, 1983, at Riverside International Raceway with driver Ricky Rudd.
.@RyanJNewman & @austindillon3 drive their RCR First Win inspired @TooToughToTame Chevys to the event. pic.twitter.com/5UFkHmQVrS
— RCR (@RCRracing) May 11, 2016
Team owner Richard Childress, who started as a driver himself, put Rudd behind the wheel of the No. 3 starting in 1982. The Childress car finished ninth in the series standings in 1982.
We've come so far with #NASCAR safety. Interior of Ricky Rudd's 1983 #Chevy vs @austindillon3's 2016 @TeamChevy. pic.twitter.com/81va96o5P3
— RCR (@RCRracing) May 11, 2016
"Ricky had a knack for the road courses especially. He started his career on road courses in go-karts. We put all the bullets in the gun for that race knowing that if we had to pick one race to win, that was it," said Kirk Shelmerdine, crew chief on the No. 3 Piedmont Airlines Chevrolet, according to a team release.
Rudd won the race by a seven-second margin over Bill Elliott.
Throwing back to June 1983, Will Lind, Ricky Rudd & Richard Childress..oh and the original car. #NASCARthrowback pic.twitter.com/BPA89OAHQB
— RCR (@RCRracing) May 11, 2016
At Darlington, Dillon's No. 3 will feature the same red, white and blue color scheme of Rudd's historic race car. American Ethanol will serve as primary sponsor. Newman's car will feature throwback logos from primary sponsor Caterpillar and a similar stylized number to Rudd's victorious race car.
"That was a special win. I'll never forget afterward the celebration in Victory Lane." Richard Childress on RCR's first win #NASCARthrowback
— RCR (@RCRracing) May 11, 2016
This week, NASCAR runs at Dover.