| MICHIGAN
INTERNATIONAL SPEEDWAY
Sunday,
August 17, 2008 on ESPN
Ryan
Newman Joins Stewart-Haas Racing
Source:
Michigan International Speedway
PHOTO
CREDIT: MICHIGAN INTERNATIONAL SPEEDWAY
BROOKLYN,
Mich. -- The long anticipated announcement naming
Ryan Newman as Tony Stewart’s new NASCAR Sprint
Cup team driver became a reality with the official announcement
at a press conference on Friday at Michigan International
Speedway.
We
were joking about it before we came over here to the press
conference,” said Stewart, a two-time NASCAR Sprint
Cup series champion. “This is the best kept secret.
I’m like, are you kidding me? I don’t know
anything I’ve done in the last eight months that
has been a secret.
“But
this is an exciting day. I mean, it's very important to
Stewart-Haas Racing obviously. You know, being able to
announce that we've got Ryan on board is something that
we've all been looking forward to since the day that we
first spoke with Ryan and Krissie (Newman’s wife)
about coming over here and joining the team,” Stewart
continued.
Stewart
has won twice at MIS, capturing an IROC Series race in
2001 and a Sprint Cup event in 2000. Newman has won four
times at MIS, twice in the Sprint Cup Series (2004, 2003)
and twice in the NASCAR Nationwide Series (2005, 2001).
Stewart-Haas
Racing was formed when Stewart recently received half
of the Haas CNC operation currently competing on the Sprint
Cup tour. Stewart, in addition to becoming co-owner, will
drive a No. 14 car backed by Office Depot and Old Spice.
Newman will drive the No. 4, although the sponsorship
is unclear.
“It’s
just a great opportunity,” Newman said. “I
think a lot of Tony, from a personal standpoint as well
as a driving standpoint. I've seen the success from an
ownership standpoint with the USAC cars and the World
of Outlaws cars. I've seen him get the job done at other
venues. I just look forward to the opportunity. He’s
a hard-nose racer and became a good friend as an opposing
competitor. So it says a lot about that. I just look forward
to the experience. Hopefully our main goal is that we
both achieve our goals, and that's winning championships
and both being in the Chase.”
Newman
parted ways with Penske Racing, his NASCAR home since
he first broke into the sport in 2000, on July 15. Although
Newman had other options, the 30-year-old reigning Daytona
500 champion chose to ally with Stewart, also from his
home state of Indiana.
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