By Jim Peltz, Los Angeles Times Staff Writer
Tony Stewart on Friday picked Daytona 500 winner Ryan Newman to drive the second car of the new NASCAR Sprint Cup team that Stewart will co-own next season.
Newman, who currently drives the No. 12 Dodge for Penske Racing, already had announced plans to leave Penske after this year and was the odds-on favorite to join Stewart. Both are Indiana natives and cut their teeth driving USAC midget cars before eventually moving to stock-car racing.
Stewart, 37, is a two-time Cup champion with 32 wins on NASCAR's premier circuit. Newman, 30, has 13 series victories.
"The thing that impressed me the most about Ryan was he asked all the right questions," Stewart told a news conference at Michigan International Speedway, site of Sunday's NASCAR race.
"From day one, the questions . . . were all about how are we going to win races, how are we going to win championships, how are we going to get the right people in place to do the right jobs?" he said.
NASCAR driver Ryan Newman joining Tony Stewart's team....
By Motorsport.com staff writers
Ryan Newman visited the media at Chicagoland Speedway last Saturday, July 12, before he, along with the other 42 racers in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, ran the first race under the lights on the Joliet, Ill. oval. After is comments, it appeared that indeed, the handwriting was on the wall and Newman would leaving Penske Racing.
His comments came two days after Tony Stewart confirmed the formation of Stewart-Haas Racing. The Joe Gibbs Racing long-time star and two-time Cup champion will be back in a Chevrolet next year as a driver and team co-owner. One of the drivers showing up in the rumor mill was Stewart's friend and rival, Newman.
Newman leaves Penske, looks for new opportunity....
By Reid Spencer
JOLIET, Ill. -- Tony Stewart answered the big question Thursday afternoon at Chicagoland Speedway, but at the same time, he ensured that the slow unveiling of his future plans will continue for at least a few more weeks.
Having made a deal Stewart described as a merger with Haas CNC Racing, the two-time NASCAR Sprint Cup champion has acquired 50-percent interest in what will be called Stewart-Haas Motorsports next year. Beginning in 2009, Stewart will drive one of the cars for what will remain a two-car team.
Still unanswered after the press conference, at which Stewart appeared with Haas CNC general manager Joe Custer, is the question of sponsorship. Office Depot, currently the primary sponsor of Carl Edwards' No. 99 Roush Fenway Racing Ford, reportedly will move to Stewart-Haas Racing for the 2009 season. Stewart's current sponsor, Home Depot, will remain with the team Stewart is leaving, Joe Gibbs Racing.
Stewart announces formation of Stewart-Haas Racing....
