Stewart-Haas puzzle nearly complete with Newman
Both drivers eager for early success, but will it happen?
By Joe Menzer, NASCAR.COM
August 15, 2008

Tony Stewart and Ryan Newman enjoyed the first of what they hope to be many light moments together on Friday at Michigan International Speedway.

As they walked from the garage area to the media center to formally make the announcement that Newman will become the second driver for newly formed Stewart-Haas Racing beginning next season, Newman nudged Stewart and said with a wink, "This is the best-kept secret."

"Are you kidding me? I don't know that anything I've done in the last eight months has been a secret," Stewart replied.

Indeed, Friday's announcement came as no surprise (read more). Newman had been long rumored as the leading candidate to join Stewart and complete the 2009 driver lineup for the new team, even if Newman insisted Friday that he only recently came to the decision to do so.

Yeah, yeah. And Stewart wasn't really sure he wanted to do this, either, until he and his current employer, Joe Gibbs Racing, decided mutually to split sooner rather than later.

The fact is, this whole Stewart-Haas deal has been coming together all summer like a jigsaw puzzle missing fewer and fewer pieces. The biggest are in place now in Stewart and Newman, and all else should be able to flow forth and fit together neatly from here.

What else can you say about a couple of guys who have known each other since they were working their way through the lower racing ranks in Indiana? Furthermore, both like to fish and, as Stewart noted Friday, "both raise baby deer." Obviously, these two Bambi lovers were meant to be together.

Stewart also already has lined up sponsorship for what will be his No. 14 Chevrolet in Office Depot and Old Spice, not to mention what he got Chevy to contribute to the Stewart-Haas financial pot as well. Sponsors are sure to come soon for Newman, although Stewart stressed Friday that nothing is completed just yet.

Therein lies the ultimate reason why this is such a good fit. Newman can bring sponsors and ultimately good people to the budding organization -- plus he knows how to drive good cars fast.

The bigger concern is how fast Stewart can put Newman in said good car. While the parties involved keep saying they fully expect to run up front and compete for victories right off the bat next season, others polled in the garage area are much more skeptical.

"I wish them both the best of luck. I think that it'll be fine, but I think it's going to take some time to build that organization to where Tony might want to see it in a few years," said Kyle Busch, Stewart's current teammate at Joe Gibbs Racing.

Busch and others noted that neither of the cars Stewart-Haas will inherit for next season, currently the No. 66 driven by Scott Riggs and the No. 70 that has been driven by committee, resides in the top 35 in owner points. That's important because the teams whose cars finish this season in the top 35 automatically qualify for entry into the first five races in 2009.

Those who don't -- and aren't former champions such as Stewart -- will have to race their way in. With the No. 70 (which will become the Newman's No. 4 next season) mired in 43rd heading into this Sunday's 3M Performance 400 at MIS, that no doubt will include Newman, who at least is considered one of the top qualifiers in the Sprint Cup Series.

But merely getting into the races won't be enough to satisfy Newman and Stewart, and Busch said he isn't so sure how they will react if life on the track after qualifying proves to be more than a little bumpy at the beginning of next season.

"I'd rather not see them struggle and see them be competitive right out of the gate -- but realistically, I think there are going to be some growing pains," Busch said. "I think they've got to build up their relationships with their crew chiefs, whoever those guys are going to be, and just get that organization to where it's running a little bit better. I don't foresee just putting a driver in that car and making it perform way better. I think they're a little bit behind, and we'll have to find out."

Old friends
Newman, 30, has known Stewart, 37, for a long time. Newman hails from South Bend, Ind., and Stewart from Columbus, Ind., and the state is not that big.

"From racing USAC midgets, Silver Crown cars, he was, I'd say, always two to three years ahead of me as far as where his curve was, and moving up," Newman said.

He added that Stewart always seemed to know "where I wanted to go, where he was and where he was going. He's always been a friend. He's looked out for me."

At one point, they even drove for the same USAC owner in Steve Chrisman.

"He drove all that stuff after I tore it all up and had gone to another team. He got to drive all the bent stuff," joked Stewart, laughing.

Now it's on Stewart to give Newman the good stuff, if he can. Newman won the season-opening Daytona 500 this season in the No. 12 Dodge he currently drives for Penske Racing, but has for the most part over the last four seasons become increasingly frustrated in his inability to win. After winning a series-high eight races in 2003 (yet finishing only sixth in points), Newman won twice in 2004, once in 2005, and then got shut out both in 2006 and '07 before breaking the victory drought in Daytona.

Before he signed on the bottom line to make Friday's announcement official, Newman told his new boss/teammate that he wants to get back to having fun at the track. That, of course, comes with winning races and contending for championships.

"I told Tony, 'The bottom line is, I'm here to have fun,'" Newman said. "I know he wants to have fun doing this, too. That's what racing hasn't been a whole lot of for me lately due to the fact that we had success in '02, '03 and part of '04, and since then it hasn't been successful. Therefore, some of the fun is gone with that. I look forward to having fun again."

The bottom line before Newman gets to his bottom line is that he very well may have to wait a while longer than he or his new boss realizes in the euphoria of the present.

Newman putting faith in Stewart
By Bob Pockrass - Associate Editor
Friday, August 15, 2008

BROOKLYN, Mich. – When Ryan Newman embarked on a stock-car career after a successful stint in USAC, he put his faith in Roger Penske.

Now eight years removed from his first ARCA race with Penske, he is putting his faith in another well-known racer: Tony Stewart.

Newman announced Friday that he would join Stewart-Haas Racing next season as Stewart’s teammate. Newman wouldn’t reveal what other teams he negotiated with before settling on Stewart-Haas Racing, which will absorb Haas CNC Racing after the season.

“There were an easy three other teams that made me offers on offer sheets,” Newman said. “It was mostly Tony [why I signed]. Obviously I saw the shop. I saw the backbone, the foundation that Haas had laid with their efforts. You know, talking to Tony and his people, it seemed to be the best decision for the right reasons.

“That's what it was all about. I always said I was fortunate having options, to have that option to go [to] what I thought was the best place to do the best thing for me and my long-term goals. When Tony's situation came to light and those things became more public, it was easier to understand those things for me.”

Newman said he signed the deal “recently” and would not revel terms except that it was a multi-year deal. He said he is happy about a possible reunification with team competition director Matt Borland, who was his crew chief at Penske Racing. Borland is signed beyond this season, said Haas CNC Racing General Manager Joe Custer.

“He's still a great friend of mine,” Newman said. “Obviously [he’s] a super technical person [and] has obviously a huge influence at Stewart-Haas with respect to the race cars.”

While he said he was offered ownership from other teams, Newman said he has no ownership stake in the Stewart-Haas team. He said he does not anticipate driving for Haas later this year as he will finish out the year with Penske.

Newman said he still has respect for Penske.

“[It] is extremely important to me to have somebody that understands the driving part of it, the ownership part of it, the teammate part of it, the personnel part of it, which is extremely important nowadays,” Newman said. “That meant a lot. … Roger, I still have a lot of respect for him, and look forward to the rest of the season, fulfilling my obligations. But I definitely see the true racer and the potential future businessman in Tony Stewart.”