RYAN NEWMAN TO LEAVE PENSKE, Joining Tony Stewart?

Ryan Newman, projected as a possible teammate for Tony Stewart on the two-time NASCAR champion's new team, will leave Penske Racing at the end of the 2008 season.

Newman's impending departure was announced Monday in a release from the Penske team.

"We want to thank Ryan for his hard work and contributions to Penske Racing over the past nine years," team owner Roger Penske said in a statement. "We wish Ryan all the best for the future and we'll continue to focus our efforts on making the Chase with Ryan and the Alltel Dodge team this season."

Newman expressed his appreciation to Penske and to the team in a statement, but gave no indication where he will be racing in 2009.

Newman has been with the Penske team since making his Sprint Cup debut in 2000. He got a full-time Cup ride in 2002 and has notched 13 victories, including this year's Daytona 500.

The 30-year-old Newman, known as one of the best qualifiers in NASCAR history, won 11 of his 43 career poles and eight races in 2003 and finished no worse than seventh in the season points from 2002 through 2005.

 

I think Stewart/Newman will be a great combo. Especially if they can work Zippy and/or Matt Borland into the mix

David Stremme is supposedly the front-runner for this gig. He's never impressed me...certainly The Captain can do better than this.

 

Ryan Newman is an excellent driver and his engineering degree will pay off immensely. I can't see Tony as the boss of a NASCAR team unless he really becomes more of a people person. I just hope the sponsorship is there for the team since Home Despot is not leaving JGR and I doubt Alltel would leave Penske right now.

 

Didn't Alltel get bought by another carrier (verizon I think), and therefore have to exit "Sprint Cup" anyway?

I heard that Office Depot is switching to Stewart/Haas. Not sure about the 2nd car, but I can't imagine a 2-time cup champion and the reigning Daytona 500 winner will have trouble finding $$, even in a tough economy.

 

Wasn't this already discussed on the Stewart leaving JGR thread? The Newman rumor to the Stewart/Haas team has been conjecture since Stewart's original announcement. Since they are both Hoosiers and are good friends, the rumor makes good sense.

 

Matt Borland is there already! He is something like Director of Race Operations for Haas...

Ryan has signed the deal with Stewart---Official announcement forthcoming!!!!! Office Depot and Old Spice have already signed with Stewart... UPS and Burger King are rumored sponsers moving to Stewart also...

Another rumor circling is Stewart wants to add a 3rd car from the get go...Truex is rumored to get that spot...Stewart has already been in talks with him...

 

Lots of changes this off-season. Cheerios is leaving Petty to sponsor a fourth car at RCR. Jack Daniels is leaving RCR to move to Stewart (the latest rumor for Newman's car); UPS was the rumor to sposnor Bowyer's car at RCR, and Caterpillar is moving to RCR to sponsor Jeff Burton. Alltel sposnorship is going away.....
Looks like a good year for the merchandise companies...
Kevin S.
Orchard Park, NY

 

The following is a statement from Richard Childress, president and CEO of Richard Childress Racing, regarding recent unsubstantiated reports in the media about Jack Daniel's leaving RCR after the 2008 season.: "Jack Daniel's and Richard Childress Racing have a contract through the 2009 season. Any reports in the media to the contrary are simply not accurate."(RCR PR)(7-10-2008)

From Richard Childress' Press Conference Thursday at Chicago:
CAN YOU TALK ABOUT JACK DANIELS AND THEIR FUTURE AND WHAT THEY HAVE MEANT FOR YOU AS A SPONSOR?
"Jack Daniels is a great sponsor, and we have them on the car for next year and that is all about I can say about it right now."
WHY DO WE KEEP HEARING ABOUT UPS BEING ADDED TO THAT CAR?
"I don't know, I don't write those things."
WILL UPS BE INVOLVED WITH RCR NEXT YEAR IN SOME CAPACITY?
"Right now I can't comment on anything with UPS because I am not involved right now with all of that."(GM Racing PR)(7-11-2008)


UPDATE 5: been told that UPS will NOT be going to Richard Childress Racing as a sponsor on any of their cars but will head to Stewart Haas Racing in the 2nd car with Ryan Newman as the driver. Look for Newman to be named as Stewart's team mate at Indy when SHR announces Office Depot as the sponsor for Stewart, but UPS won't be announced until a later date.(7-12-2008)

 

BTW - Is Michael Waltrip racing screwed or what?

 

Michael completely screwed up his Toyata deal from the very start. An add to that, that he can't drive cattle to water. Exactly what does he bring to the table?

 

Ha, shows what I know...