Newman seeking better results -- in '10 and at AMS

Ryan Newman can look at the bright side: he's not off to as bad a start as last season.

Newman, 32nd in points after three consecutive finishes outside the top 15 (two of which were outside the top 30), actually is having a better start to the 2010 season than he did in 2009. After three races last season, Newman was 33rd in the points.

Clearly, slow starts don't much matter to Newman, who easily made the Chase in 2009 and ended the season ninth. Last season after three races, Newman's Driver Rating was 60.0. Currently, he has a 66.1.

Though the climb back up the standings is once again a daunting one, Newman can take solace in the fact that he has run much better than his statistics would suggest. In all three races this season, Newman has had a better Average Running Position than his finish. On average, his finishes have been nine positions lower than his in-race position.

Also like last year, Newman's turnaround might have to wait.

Though he qualifies well at Atlanta Motor Speedway -- his seven poles there are tied for most all time -- Newman's finishes have all been mostly crooked numbers.

Since the inception of Loop Data in 2005, a span of 10 races at Atlanta, Newman has posted just one top-10 finish (a ninth-place run this past September).

Newman's best Driver Rating at Atlanta was just 88.7 in a 14th-place finish in March 2008. His overall Driver Rating of 71.2 makes Atlanta his fifth-worst track, behind only Kansas, Texas, Indianapolis and Michigan.

FANTASY FIX

A quirky stat for fantasy players -- and reporters -- this week. The 15th-ranked driver in pre-race Driver Rating has won twice at Atlanta, more than any other position.

In March 2008, Kyle Busch was ranked 15th and won. It happened again this past September with Kasey Kahne. The 15th-ranked driver in pre-race Driver Rating going into this Sunday's event: Clint Bowyer, with an 83.8 rating.

Related:
• Look at Fontana, Vegas to get your read on Atlanta