Newman to leave Penske at end of season
Quote selected text Published July 14th, 2008 in NASCAR News
Penske Racing and Ryan Newman have mutually agreed to move in new directions at the conclusion of the 2008 season.
“We want to thank Ryan for his hard work and contributions to Penske Racing over the past nine years,” said team owner Roger Penske. “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, driver of the No. 12 Alltel Dodge Charger, is currently in his ninth season competing for Penske Racing. He is ranked 16th in the Cup Series standings through 19 races this season.
“I appreciate Penske Racing and all they have done for me, but more importantly, I appreciate their friendship and what they have done for my career,” said Ryan Newman. “I would also like to thank all of the sponsors, especially Alltel, who have supported me.”
The driver of the Penske Racing No. 12 Alltel car for the 2009 NASCAR Cup season will be announced in the near future.
- Wallace says Newman was fired
- Newman confirmed for Tony Stewart team
- Newman may or may not stay at Penske
- Penske Racing South President to retire, Newman to get new crew chief
- Penske says they will stay with Dodge
I guess it will be announced by next weekend that he’s signed with
Stewart Haas Racing.
No Surprise, but a great move for Ryan and maybe a great future for Stewart/Haas, The Hoosiers will rock next Feb. with a kid from Jersey. This is actually shaping up to be a great silly season. One more to go. Martin must now see the light and get away from DEI and save his career.
Howie Motorsports Photography wrote:
Yup. I think everyone knew this was coming with Ryan. Just a matter of whether or not Martin comes to his senses before they lock him up long-term at DEI!
I am enjoying this silly season much more than last year!
its funny how Tony is looking to get 2 numbers from NASCAR, the 4 and the 14. I know about the 14 being AJ’s and I know that he said to us this weekend that Scott might be in the mix for next year so I wonder if he wont have a 4 car team with himself, Ryan, Martin, and Scott. its not like Stewart/Haas doesnt have the money, they have more money than any other team out there.
Sam wrote:
Same here… Probably because it hasn’t been Jr, Jr, Jr all day every day! This year it’s been Carl, Biffle, Smoke, Newman, Truex, HAAS Racing, and so on. Granted, a lot of it is Stewart, but it’s nowhere as bad as last year.
Aside from Jr and Shrub, I can’t name anyone that moved last year because that whole deal overshadowed everything else, but it seems like some other guys moved. Or maybe it was just the news of the open-wheel invasion (that kind of fell flat on its face this year).
Last years was better.
We had the greatest driver ever to grace a stock car leave the team his father, who also was the greatest to drive a stock car, and move to a team that is the greatest to ever build a stock car.
what do we have this year?
some fat guy who needs to learn how to shave buying into a field filler team signing fellow drivers to their career ending dooms.
eh id give it 7/10
The truth wrote:
you are crazy! Tony is not fat and he didnt buy into anything, it was given to him. and as far as Tony failing he own 4 tracks and 3 race teams and hasnt failed at anything yet in his life.
The truth wrote:
now im a jr fan this is no secret, but he is not the “greatest driver to ever grace a stock car” I can think of a few others that are WAY better than he will ever be, his father being one of them.
And I am also no stewart fan HOWEVER it is nice to see him making the moves that he is making, we will have to see if he ends up like waltrip or not but This years drama is much more interesting IMO anyway.
The truth wrote:
Are you saying that Er=arnhardt Jr is the best driver ever? Are you serious?
The truth wrote:
Do you realize how many trophy’s the “fat guy” has including
two cup championships?? WOW…..
The truth wrote:
Richard Petty did not leave Petty Enterprises last year, or at all. So I’m not exactly sure what you are talking about but maybe if you’d actually pay attention you’d be able to make more sense.
The truth wrote:
Let me go back to my last point about Paying attention. Smoke DID NOT Pay anything for that 50%, he agreed to drive for the team in exchange for 50% ownership.
TonyRocks20 wrote:
He owns 1 race track, and co-owns two (and the two that he co-owns it’s with like 10 different people)
JR THE GREATEST LOL LOL THETRUTH HAS TO BE KIDDING THERE IS NO WAY ANYONE CAN TRULY BELEIVE HE IS THE GREATEST EVER, HE MAY THE BEST OF THE WORST, AND THATS IT.
Fisha695 wrote:
He owns Eldora, and is majority owner in Paducah and Macon with Kenny and the Hermanater
I’m just ecstatic that Tony will be coming home…to CHEVROLET! It was extremely difficult to care about the ‘yota. Ryan was, after 9 years, probably needing a change/charge.
Mark Martin is signed with Hendricks so why all the idiot remarks about getting away from DEI? Hho is remarking about him getting away from Dei. Must have been sleep the last few weeks or just doesnt keep up with Nascar. Please before you make stupid statements Know what’s going on.
Steve
Wow. Once I read “The Truth”’s comment, I knew everyone would
be quoting and responding! Lol. Anyways, I’m a huge Dale Jr
fan, and no. He is not even close to being called “the greatest driver”.
I don’t think he’ll ever get his name into that mix, he has a long ways to
go for that. And I’m just fine with that. Go Junior!
I’m so glad for Stewart spiting that Jap car out and going to Chev. I give him and his team my best for next year.
I hope he slaps Kyle Busch silly before he leaves JGR.
Howie Motorsports Photography wrote:
Actually Paducah is, Jr, Shrader, Smoke, & Bob Sargent
Macon is Bob Sargent, Schrader, Herm, and Smoke
Well now that we have all the track ownerships straightened out and the fact that Smoke is not fat let’s talk about what the article states! Newman is leaving Penske. I can’t blame him I have never cared for Roger Penske. He thinks he is God in the IRL for many years. I adore Ryan. He is a terrific young man with intelligence and that is what attracted him to Penske but now he sees that he is an after thought. Since Kurt came over it’s been more about him. I loved him winning Daytona but it’s apparent Penske is not giving him what he wants. Going to Tony will also open up his engineering knowledge to the team. Ryan could move on to that when he is done driving so maybe he saw no growth at Penske but with his fellow Hoosier and Stewart-Haas he sees this. Ryan is a smart man he will make the right choice for him.
BTW Tony Stewart has at least 11 championships, IRL, 2 in Nascar, IROC and several in USAC and Silver Crown. I also think World of Outlaws I just can’t remember them all. But he’s pretty much won every championship that he has set his butt down in the car and his butt is far from fat. Sure he has a little middle-aged belly but name me a 37 year old man that doesn’t!
ROTFL Mel, i’d die laughing. I do like Kyle, but only for his driving talent and not his crappy attitude. THAT pisses me off. When he won last year, he didn’t make those hang gestures at the crowd. “The bow” is enough to piss off even the grand wizard of the Jr Nation (LOL).
I think Newman and Tony will blow everyone out of the water next year. Once they hit their marks, that’s it..i’m sure if Newman has better equiptment, he’ll take off and win some. If Truex is there…then 2 drivers will get their chance to shine. I think this whole deal is awesome. Can’t wait to see it… although I don’t like having to change every 20 sticker on my car..change all my passwords that currently have the #20 in it..my BEDSHEETS HAVE #20 ON THEM!!
Dan wrote:
well, all the posts on here that mention the name Martin are Martin Truex and not Mark Martin
The truth wrote:
I dont think Dale is the greatest driver yet!!!
I dont think Tony is fat!!!
He didnt buy into anything, it was given to him in exchange for his driving abilitities and his ability to bring sponsors!!!
and as far as doomed drivers you better think again because Tony does not fail.
I’m just worried about Roger Penske and if he will be able to cope after what Erin said about him. After all, he owns one of the most successful racing operations in the history of this country, not counting what he accomplished as a driver. He’s not God, but a lot of people in the racing world think he’s pretty damn close to it when you look at his overall statistics.
And as far as Stewart ‘hitting his mark’ next season, his day is done. Stewart could have been one of the great ones if only he had ‘character’ instead of being one.
4 Speed wrote:
if hell cope??? what is that supposed to mean???
Tonys day is done??? I don’t think so, maybe just beginning should be the right words to use.as far as Tony being one of the great ones, he is on his way 32 wins and 2 championships.
for all you people out there who call your selves race fans if you think Tony will fail you will all be eating your words next season.this isn’t Michael Waltrip were talking about here, this is one of the smartest men in the garage area and as far as anyone in the sport the only 2 people that would carry this sport on into the future after Sr. died was Tony and Jeff and everyone I know still thinks that.this team is just an extension of HMS, that’s all. the motors and chassis are the same as Jeff’s, Jimmy’s, and Dales. and for the people out there that think he will get 2nd rate equipment. think again. every motor that comes off the bench at HMS is within 5% of each other. Stewart / Haas will be a mega team within 2 years with full factory backing from Chevy. this deal has taken 8 months to finalize and Tony is already dropping by the shop and making his present know. JD made a big mistake going to Toyotas, his dad said on saturday that he wanted Tony at JGR till the day he retired and we all know that JD and his decision making caused this breakup and now he has to live with it. JGR might have some good drivers but if you ask around nobody thinks they will get a championship this season.
I disagree Howie. Although the Chase has yet to begin, Shrub has proved he will be a force to be reckoned with. However, I would love to see Vickers break into the top 12 and just take the championship.
Byaah wrote:
that fine but we have seen this before that a driver is hot only to stumble in the last 10 races. I dont think that Kyle will win the cup.
I think what happened to Jeff Gordon last year will happen to Kyle. I don’t think it will be Jimmie Johnson taking the cup from Kyle I think it will be like last year–one of his teammates. We probably can all guess who I think that could be and it isn’t Denny Hamlin! After all I am Smokesbiggestfan!
I heard Penske has been ill can’t remember what the particulars are. Penske ruled Indy car for years with drivers like Rick Mears, Sam Hornish Jr and of course Helio. He also has been disliked in Indy car by guys like Chip and the Andretti’s because of his lobbying. No one could beat him for years. AGR and CGR have raised the bar in Indy car but neither CGR or Penske have kept up in NASCAR. I am not only a NASCAR fan but I follow open wheel racing avidly also. This is where I began following Smoke and I had lost interest in NASCAR during the 90’s because I was busy raising my family. Smoke brought me back to both and for that I am grateful.
I agree with Howie that Smoke will make this work.
I’m sorry but I never cared for Roger, In the late 70’s when I started working USAC I was all AJ and Mario. being from Jersey and NE PA that was who you liked. As far as Penske I think their was always conflict there with Rusty and Jeremy and then Rusty and Ryan. it has never been roses. I think Roger should have shut the doors long ago. I remember when things were so bad that Rusty and Jeremy had to ride on separate Golf Carts to their autograph sessions and Chris would park the souvenir trailers away from each other just to keep them apart.
Howie remember Roger has ties to this area too….
WOW I was being sarcastic through my entire post.
Dale Jr is one of the most overrated drivers ever.
Kyle Busch is the best, know it and deal with it.
Howie Motorsports Photography wrote:
Tony is obviously over weight.
Thats why hes sponsored by subway because he and jarrod have (had) something in common
TheTruth wrote:
whatever, when hes in Jeans he is not over weight, he just lookks like that in his cool suit
TheTruth wrote:
who cares about Kyle he has not proved a thing except he can win some races, and this subject is not about Kyle so go to a forum for Kyle