Motorsports FanHouse

Newman Satisfied With Team Debut

Holly Cain — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 14:30:00 EST

Filed under: Ryan Newman, Tony Stewart, Stewart-Haas Racing

HOMESTEAD, Fla. -- If pressed to find one thing Ryan Newman would change about his season, of course, he'd like to score a win in Sunday's NASCAR Sprint Cup season finale at Homestead Miami Speedway.

After being close to victory circle a half-dozen times this season, that's about the only thing he feels is missing from a stellar debut season with the essentially start-up Stewart-Haas Racing team. Newman won two pole positions in the No. 39 U.S. Army-sponsored Chevrolet and, after an ominous start at the season-opening Daytona 500, still qualified for the 12-driver Chase for the Championship.

In our last installment of Inside the Chase for the Championship with Ryan Newman, FanHouse looks at the evolution of the season and how Newman evaluates his fresh start.

"By our own standards and expectations -- which I don't know if you'd call them high or low -- I am happy with how the season has gone, I wouldn't say ecstatic, but I'm happy,'' said Newman, who's ranked ninth entering Sunday's Ford 400 season-ender.

It's a fine conclusion, especially if you consider how Newman's season began. Great hoopla and wide-ranging expectations met the Stewart-Haas Racing team in Daytona. No one doubted Tony Stewart's commitment to this new team or track record. Same with Newman.

But there was a real wait-and-see attitude for these two successful drivers going it on their own. Newman left the mighty Penske organization, where he won the 2008 Daytona 500, and Stewart left Joe Gibbs Racing, where he won a pair of Cup championships.

But Newman's Chevy blew two motors and, of all things, Stewart and Newman crashed together in the final practice for the Daytona 500. So before the first green flag had even dropped, Newman was coming from behind. It didn't get much better in the race, he finished in the same position he started -- 36th.

It was a month before Newman got a top-10 finish -- but that seventh-place performance at Bristol, Tenn., was the start of the turnaround that would propel him to the playoffs.

"Blown motors, wrecks, loose wheels, it was such a nasty start,'' Newman's crew chief Tony Gibson said. "It was tough, but I've been in this sport when it's bad, bad, bad, and you know it's going to turn around.

"And when it starts turning around, it makes it even sweeter.''

That Bristol race started a string of 10 races in which Newman had only two finishes worse than eighth place, including four straight top-four finishes. Newman won the pole and finished runner-up at the Coca-Cola 600 in Charlotte during Memorial Day weekend -- still his best single outing of the year.

By June, Newman had moved from a season-low 36th in the standings to a season-high fourth.

Stewart scored the team's first victory at Pocono the first week of June and was leading the points standings. Only Stewart, Jeff Gordon and Jimmie Johnson were ranked higher than Newman.

"Daytona just set the tone and showed us that we could overcome adversity,'' Newman said. "What Tony and I share are a lot of desire, a lot of fight and a little bit of old-school mixed in with new-school thinking.

"I never looked at it like we had certain expectations. If you're spending time expecting things, you're in neutral in my eyes. You need to be moving forward.''

And that's exactly what Newman has done.

A highlight reel of his 2009 season will undoubtedly include a pair of horrific-looking accidents at Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway, but what he'll remember most is the tenacity and unwavering commitment his new team showed to convert the tough times into an elite season.

It's difficult enough in this competitive era to make the Chase for the Championship with an established team. Newman did it driving a new car, fielded by a new team, led by a new crew chief.

"I'm like a proud father,'' Stewart said of the organization's successes.

"I don't see how I could be any happier. For a first-year team, I'd give us an A.''

Newman Satisfied With Team Debut originally appeared on Motorsports FanHouse on Sat, 21 Nov 2009 14:30:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Ryan Newman Chats With FanHouse About His Case for the Chase

Holly Cain — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 14:39:00 EST

Filed under: Ryan Newman, Chase for the Sprint Cup, Stewart-Haas Racing

Ryan Newman is back where he's spent his entire career proving he belongs: contending for a season championship.

For the first time since 2006, last year's Daytona 500 winner Newman is part of NASCAR's Chase for the Championship, a 10-race playoff stretch that kicks off Sunday at New Hampshire International Raceway.

He enters the Sylvania 300 ranked 10th in the standings, only 40 points back from leader Mark Martin, and coming off three consecutive top-10 finishes in the No. 39 U.S. Army-sponsored Chevrolet.

Newman, 31, will be FanHouse's exclusive go-fast, go-to man for the Chase for the Championship partnering with FanHouse for weekly features and interviews every week throughout the next 10 races determining the 2009 Sprint Cup champion.

The South Bend, Indiana, native joined the other 11 Chase contenders Thursday in New York City on a press blitz, visiting with media outlets before heading up to Loudon, New Hampshire, for Sunday's race.

While traveling to a luncheon at the Hard Rock Cafe in Manhattan, he spoke on the telephone with me.

-- On the extra media responsibilities that come with making The Chase:

Newman: "It's not on my list of favorite things to do, but I realize it's a reward for our sponsors and all the people on our team. It's neat and my wife (Krissie) is from up here (New Jersey) so she definitely enjoys the time we can spend here. But all of us (drivers) really are looking forward to sitting in our race cars. This is just a different part of the job.''

-- On the one-mile New Hampshire International Speedway, where Newman scored has two victories including his first career Cup win in 2002 and won three pole positions, most recently in 2006:

Newman: "It's always been a good track for me personally and good for the team. Tony's (Stewart) done well there too.''

-- On his mindset entering the Chase:

Newman: "We still have to do the same things we've been doing and make sure we're consistent. Of course, everyone will take that same approach.

-- On how the non-Chase drivers might affect the standings:

Newman: "I think those guys will be aggressive, no different than they always are. There are those drivers with respect for the guys in the Chase and those drivers that don't care. It'll be pretty evident from the very beginning who they are.''

-- On the reception he and Stewart received back at the Stewart-Haas Racing shop this week following the first-year team's first championship berth:

Newman: "It was wild. We had our usual team meeting on Monday and then a separate meeting with lots of pats on the back. It was a nice chance to thank everyone, all the people back at the shop who have worked so hard on this.

"But now it's time to step it up and get our A-game going.''

And judging by his resume, Newman brings a good A-game to the Chase.

He has 44 career pole positions - including an astonishing 11 pole wins in 2003 while driving for the legendary Penske Racing operation, where he spent the first seven full time seasons of his career before joining the newly-formed Stewart-Haas operation this year.

Newman has 13 Cup wins, his last coming in the 50th anniversary edition of the Daytona 500 in February 2008.

He started defense of that title with a rough outing, going through three cars at Daytona this year and ultimately finishing 36th in the race. It took three more weeks for him to crack the top 30, which makes his championship effort to close out the regular season all the more impressive.

He answered a frustrating opening month with eight top-10s in the next 10 races including a streak of six straight late April to early June. He's led laps in 11 races with a best showing of runner-up in Charlotte's 600-miler on Memorial Day weekend.

And the Chase features a track lineup that heavily favors Newman.

He has victories at four (Dover, Texas, New Hampshire, Kansas) of the 10 Chase tracks and has started from pole position at seven (Martinsville, Charlotte, Phoenix, California, New Hampshire, Las Vegas, Dover) of them.

"(Team owner Tony Stewart) trusted a lot in me and I am glad that I have delivered up to this point,'' Newman said after clinching a spot in the 12-driver Chase last Saturday at Richmond, Va.

"We have got to pick up our performance a little bit, I mean if you look at the last few races, we've gotten better, but if you want to win this championship statistically, it take a lot better finish than what we did (10th at Richmond).

"This is a great opportunity that Sprint gives us to be able to do what we do. I'm happy to be in this situation.

"We are not taking a go-for-broke attitude but we are going to have fun in these next 10 races.''

Ryan Newman Chats With FanHouse About His Case for the Chase originally appeared on Motorsports FanHouse on Thu, 17 Sep 2009 14:39:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Meet Tony Stewart, King of the Road

Geoffrey Miller — Mon, 10 Aug 2009 20:23:00 EST

Filed under: Tony Stewart, Stewart-Haas Racing

Road course aces and Jeff Gordon have stepped aside, as the new sheriff in the NASCAR Sprint Cup road racing town has arrived and conquered.

Tony Stewart, of course, added to his sizable reputation on the lefts and rights of the mostly oval series Monday with his rain-postponed win at Watkins Glen International Raceway -- the eighth such win of his career on the twisty layouts.

And in doing so, Stewart erased all doubts that he's going to be the man to beat on the road courses for a long, long time.

More: Pain for Jeff Gordon | Smoke Heats Up the Glen | Sprint Cup Standings

It took just 46 laps of the 90-lap event for Stewart to assume control, and when he finally got back by Kyle Busch on lap 67 in just the opposite fashion of what he did on lap 46, it was tough to believe that anyone could top him -- though second-place Marcos Ambrose tried as hard as he could late in the race. Older tires on Ambrose's car were a factor, but getting to and around Stewart may have taken a little something more.

And in victory lane, Stewart made sure to make it known that he was the king of Watkins Glen.

"This is my house right here," Stewart said.

That's sure hard to dispute, as those words came in a victory lane that he has failed to visit just three times since 2002, and in that time has yet to go more than a single season without a win. His 34 laps led Monday brought his career total laps led to 225 -- just two shy of Jeff Gordon's career total of 227.

Gordon, of course, was the resident NASCAR road course ringer just a few years ago after he totaled a still NASCAR-high of nine career wins on the only courses with intentional right turns. And while he still may hold that record, Gordon hasn't won on a road course since the June 2006 event at Sonoma.

At Watkins Glen, it's been 2001 since Gordon was in victory lane.

Monday, Gordon started deep in the field with what appeared to be a decent car and good strategy to gain track position, but the two crashes he was involved in -- including the nasty crash with Sam Hornish Jr., and Jeff Burton -- never allowed that to materialize.

This isn't to say that Gordon has lost his knack for the road courses (remember, he was just two laps from winning in 2007 before spinning in turn one while in the lead in front of eventual race winner Stewart) but it does show that his team hasn't been as solid getting a strategy and race car under the Vallejo, Calif., driver.

The rate Stewart has been hitting lately, however, doesn't appear to have any end in sight. Stewart's Monday win was especially important because it marked the second time he's won a road course in the Car of Tomorrow chassis at The Glen, and third overall. Gordon has yet to win in the CoT platform.

Doubly important was that Stewart won in his new Stewart-Haas Racing team, showing that it wasn't just Joe Gibbs Racing cars that Stewart found comfort in at the road courses.

Guys like Gordon, Marcos Ambrose and Kyle Busch will obviously remain staunch competition for Stewart in the future, but there's no doubt that Stewart has gained an upper hand.

Of course, it's possible that with the success he's had on the road courses, we might just hear Stewart not only playfully lobbying for a NASCAR dirt track race, but also for a few more of the left and right turns on the Sprint Cup schedule.

After all, Tony Stewart -- road course sheriff -- would probably like to add a few more victory lane 'houses' to his collection.

Meet Tony Stewart, King of the Road originally appeared on Motorsports FanHouse on Mon, 10 Aug 2009 20:23:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Last-Lap Dramatics Bump Busch, Give Stewart Victory at Daytona

Holly Cain — Sun, 05 Jul 2009 01:45:00 EST

Filed under: Kyle Busch, Tony Stewart, Daytona Int'l Speedway, Sprint Cup, Stewart-Haas Racing

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. -- The celebratory Fourth of July pyrotechnics going off along the backstretch following Saturday night's NASCAR race at Daytona International Speedway were nothing compared to the last-lap fireworks show minutes earlier on the frontstretch.

Two-time NASCAR champ Tony Stewart muscled his way by Kyle Busch about 100 yards before the finish line -- holding his line as Busch tried to block him. Ultimately, Stewart was able to get his nose in position for the pass. When Busch tried to stop Stewart's final push, the two cars collided and Busch's car spun out, hitting the wall and paving the way for Stewart to capture the victory.

The accident collected a half-dozen cars behind him as Stewart, Jimmie Johnson and Denny Hamlin zipped by to the checkered flag.

Busch climbed out of his mangled Toyota, which was resting in the infield, and walked angrily down pit road toward Stewart's car, which was on its way to victory circle. Two NASCAR officials intercepted Busch, each taking one arm and physically guiding him into a NASCAR vehicle for a trip to the infield care center.

Busch refused to comment after the race but was seen and cleared by the medical staff. He finished 14th.

While in his No. 14 Burger King Chevy driving to Victory Lane, Stewart was almost apologetic, telling his crew in the radio, "That's not the way I wanted to do this, but I did all I could do.''

The finish was as predictable as it was spectacular.

Tony Stewart Photos

DAYTONA BEACH, FL - JULY 04: Tony Stewart, driver of the #14 Burger King Chevrolet, celebrates in victory lane after winning the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series 51st Annual Coke Zero 400 at Daytona International Speedway on July 4, 2009 in Daytona Beach, Florida. (Photo by Geoff Burke/Getty Images for NASCAR)

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DAYTONA BEACH, FL - JULY 04: Tony Stewart, driver of the #14 Burger King Chevrolet, leads Denny Hamlin, driver of the #11 FedEx Office Toyota, to win the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series 51st Annual Coke Zero 400 at Daytona International Speedway on July 4, 2009 in Daytona Beach, Florida. (Photo by Streeter Lecka/Getty Images)

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DAYTONA BEACH, FL - JULY 04: Tony Stewart, driver of the #14 Burger King Chevrolet, leads Jimmie Johnson, driver of the #48 Lowe's/Kobalt Tools Chevrolet, to win the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series 51st Annual Coke Zero 400 at Daytona International Speedway on July 4, 2009 in Daytona Beach, Florida. (Photo by Streeter Lecka/Getty Images)

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DAYTONA BEACH, FL - JULY 04: Tony Stewart, driver of the #14 Burger King Chevrolet, leads Kyle Busch, driver of the #18 Interstate Batteries Toyota, and Denny Hamlin, driver of the #11 FedEx Office Toyota, during the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series 51st Annual Coke Zero 400 at Daytona International Speedway on July 4, 2009 in Daytona Beach, Florida. (Photo by John Harrelson/Getty Images for NASCAR)

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DAYTONA BEACH, FL - JULY 04: Tony Stewart, driver of the #14 Burger King Chevrolet, leads Kyle Busch, driver of the #18 Interstate Battereis Toyota, during the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series 51st Annual Coke Zero 400 at Daytona International Speedway on July 4, 2009 in Daytona Beach, Florida. (Photo by John Harrelson/Getty Images for NASCAR)

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DAYTONA BEACH, FL - JULY 04: Denny Hamlin, driver of the #11 FedEx Office Toyota, leads Tony Stewart, driver of the #14 Burger King Chevrolet, Kyle Busch, driver of the #18 Interstate Batteries Toyota, during the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series 51st Annual Coke Zero 400 at Daytona International Speedway on July 4, 2009 in Daytona Beach, Florida. (Photo by Sam Greenwood/Getty Images)

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DAYTONA BEACH, FL - JULY 04: Tony Stewart, driver of the #14 Burger King Chevrolet, leads Kyle Busch, driver of the #18 Interstate Batteries Toyota, during the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series 51st Annual Coke Zero 400 at Daytona International Speedway on July 4, 2009 in Daytona Beach, Florida. (Photo by Sam Greenwood/Getty Images)

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DAYTONA BEACH, FL - JULY 04: Tony Stewart, driver of the #14 Burger King Chevrolet, leads Kyle Busch, driver of the #18 Interstate Batteries Toyota, Matt Kenseth, driver of the #17 R&L Carriers Ford, and Jimmie Johnson, driver of the #48 Lowe's/Kobalt Tools Chevrolet, during the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series 51st Annual Coke Zero 400 at Daytona International Speedway on July 4, 2009 in Daytona Beach, Florida. (Photo by Sam Greenwood/Getty Images)

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DAYTONA BEACH, FL - JULY 04: Tony Stewart, driver of the #14 Burger King Chevrolet, leads Kyle Busch, driver of the #18 Interstate Batteries Toyota, and the field during the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series 51st Annual Coke Zero 400 at Daytona International Speedway on July 4, 2009 in Daytona Beach, Florida. (Photo by Sam Greenwood/Getty Images)

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It is what we've come to expect in restrictor-plate racing here, and at the series' other restrictor-plate track in Talladega, Ala. where a similar bump and go at the checkered flag sent a car flying into catch fence this past April.

It's the nature of the beast -- close-quarter, pack racing.

"I just saw two guys seeing the checkered flag in front of them, that's all that happened,'' said third-place finisher Hamlin, who was just behind the collision.

Race runner-up Johnson agreed.

"It's just (restrictor) plate racing and we're damned if we do and damned if we don't,'' Johnson said. "Tony didn't mean to dump him. They were racing. It's restrictor-plate racing.''

Even Busch's own crew chief Steve Addington conceded, "I can't say anything. ... I'm not pointing any fingers at Tony. He was trying to win the race, Kyle was trying to block him for the win and we got turned around.''

Unlike at Talladega, where eight fans suffered minor injuries from flying debris off Carl Edwards' airborne car, the hardest hit Saturday was to pride.

Stewart and Busch were teammates at Joe Gibbs Racing last year and even worked together on the restarts throughout Saturday's race. And it probably didn't help Stewart's conscience any when the crowd cheered as Busch's car was driven away on a flatbed tow truck. Busch is the series' newly designated black hat, Stewart the former.

"You don't want a race decided like that,'' said Stewart, who picked up his second victory for his new namesake team, Stewart-Haas Racing and now leads the championship by a comfortable 180 points over Jeff Gordon. "I know it takes a lot of work to get a car to the race track. And maybe I don't feel as much gratification for winning this race as I should.

"I don't want any part of winning a race because the guy leading wrecked. But I don't know that we did anything wrong.''

Certainly few people other than Busch, his family, girlfriend and fan club would argue with that. Few doubt that Busch would have tried the same thing if the situation had been reversed. But here was Stewart, NASCAR's one-time tough guy, lamenting a victory that everyone else felt he deserved.

"Even if it was 100 percent his fault, I still don't feel good about it,'' Stewart said. "Maybe I am being hard on myself, I just don't like the way it ended up.

"But it's a product of the environment. He did what he had to do and I did what I had to do.''

Stewart will keep the trophy, the paycheck and the championship points. And maybe Sunday morning he'll wake up and give himself some credit and a break. He led a race-high 86 of the 160 laps and his pit crew put him out first in line after all seven pit stops.

Stewart also said he planned to get in touch with Busch this week so the former teammates can speak and move on.

"It's important to talk to him,'' Stewart said in a soft, reflective tone. "His opinion matters to me.''

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DAYTONA BEACH, FL - JULY 04: Jeff Gordon, driver of the #24 DuPont Chevrolet, pits during the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series 51st Annual Coke Zero 400 at Daytona International Speedway on July 4, 2009 in Daytona Beach, Florida. (Photo by Streeter Lecka/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Jeff Gordon

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DAYTONA BEACH, FL - JULY 04: Dale Earnhardt Jr, driver of the #88 National Guard/AMP Energy Chevrolet, speaks to the media in the garage after wrecking his car during the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series 51st Annual Coke Zero 400 at Daytona International Speedway on July 4, 2009 in Daytona Beach, Florida. (Photo by Rusty Jarrett/Getty Images for NASCAR) *** Local Caption *** Dale Earnhardt Jr

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DAYTONA BEACH, FL - JULY 04: Kasey Kahne, driver of the #9 Budweiser Dodge, pits during the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series 51st Annual Coke Zero 400 at Daytona International Speedway on July 4, 2009 in Daytona Beach, Florida. (Photo by Rusty Jarrett/Getty Images for NASCAR) *** Local Caption *** Kasey Kahne

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A fireworks display is seen over the infield of the speedway after the NASCAR Coke Zero 400 auto race at Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Fla., Saturday, July 4, 2009.(AP Photo/Glenn Smith)

DAYTONA BEACH, FL - JULY 04: Jimmie Johnson, driver of the #48 Lowe's/Kobalt Tools Chevrolet, pits during the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series 51st Annual Coke Zero 400 at Daytona International Speedway on July 4, 2009 in Daytona Beach, Florida. (Photo by Sam Greenwood/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Jimmie Johnson

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DAYTONA BEACH, FL - JULY 04: A general view of the American Flag stretched across the tri-oval prior to the start of the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series 51st Annual Coke Zero 400 at Daytona International Speedway on July 4, 2009 in Daytona Beach, Florida. (Photo by Sam Greenwood/Getty Images)

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DAYTONA BEACH, FL - JULY 04: Jeff Gordon, driver of the #24 DuPont Chevrolet, pits during the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series 51st Annual Coke Zero 400 at Daytona International Speedway on July 4, 2009 in Daytona Beach, Florida. (Photo by Rusty Jarrett/Getty Images for NASCAR) *** Local Caption *** Jeff Gordon

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DAYTONA BEACH, FL - JULY 04: Kyle Busch, driver of the #18 Interstate Batteries Toyota, leads Jimmie Johnson, driver of the #48 Lowe's/Kobalt Tools Chevrolet, during the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series 51st Annual Coke Zero 400 at Daytona International Speedway on July 4, 2009 in Daytona Beach, Florida. (Photo by John Harrelson/Getty Images for NASCAR) *** Local Caption *** Kyle Busch;Jimmie Johnson

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DAYTONA BEACH, FL - JULY 04: Dale Earnhardt Jr, driver of the #88 National Guard/AMP Energy Chevrolet, drives to pit road after colliding with carsduring the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series 51st Annual Coke Zero 400 at Daytona International Speedway on July 4, 2009 in Daytona Beach, Florida. (Photo by Sam Greenwood/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Dale Earnhardt Jr

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DAYTONA BEACH, FL - JULY 04: Denny Hamlin, driver of the #11 FedEx Office Toyota, pits during the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series 51st Annual Coke Zero 400 at Daytona International Speedway on July 4, 2009 in Daytona Beach, Florida. (Photo by Rusty Jarrett/Getty Images for NASCAR) *** Local Caption *** Denny Hamlin

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In his post-race press conference, the formerly volatile Stewart readily acknowledged this kinder, gentler version of himself was perhaps a product of maturity and team ownership.

"I don't want to disappoint you guys that much, I want to try to help out with as many good articles as I can,'' Stewart sarcastically joked with reporters who suggested he had mellowed.

"I don't know, the last couple years it just seems like we pick our battles a little differently. I think honestly, owning a race track and owning race teams has been a really big part of helping me understand the big picture. ... it was probably inevitable.

"I still enjoy the same things, I just don't get as riled up. ... Now with that hopefully you guys will let me put the past behind me. I'm enjoying my new role.

"I've still got the same passions and dreams and desires, maybe there's just not the low sides that go with it anymore. It's kind of neat to be in that position.''

Last-Lap Dramatics Bump Busch, Give Stewart Victory at Daytona originally appeared on Motorsports FanHouse on Sun, 05 Jul 2009 01:45:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Tony Stewart Open to Adding 3rd Team

FanHouse Newswire — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 21:10:00 EST

Filed under: Tony Stewart, Stewart-Haas Racing

SONOMA, Calif. (AP) -- Tony Stewart is off to such a strong first season as a team owner, he's already open to expansion.

The Sprint Cup Series points leader said Friday he'd consider adding a third team to Stewart-Haas Racing next year if the right combination was available. Although he promised his team not to expand too quickly, their success so far this season has made him consider his options.

"I wanted to make sure we had two cars that were competitive and had a chance to win a championship," he said Friday at Infineon Raceway. "I'm proud of the fact that I think we're at that point. So if the right situation came along, we would entertain it."

Stewart won the All-Star Series race in May, then followed it with his first Cup points victory two weeks ago at Pocono. He's the first car owner to lead the points since the late Alan Kulwicki won the 1992 championship, and teammate Ryan Newman is fifth in the standings.

Stewart did not offer any potential drivers or sponsors that would pique his interest. Of the current free agents, Brian Vickers is not looking to leave Red Bull Racing and Martin Truex Jr. is widely believed to be headed to Michael Waltrip Racing.

That leaves Jamie McMurray as the only driver in a contract year still trying to finalize his 2010 plans.

But, Hendrick Motorsports developmental driver Brad Keselowski wants a Cup ride next season and Hendrick doesn't currently have an open seat to offer. Stewart has a technical alliance with Hendrick.

Then there's a handful of drivers-Kasey Kahne or Kurt Busch-who would potentially try to negotiate a release from the current contract for the opportunity to join SHR. Kahne and Stewart are both represented by Motorports Management Inc., which typically does not encourage its drivers from breaking their contracts.

But Stewart successfully negotiated an early release from Joe Gibbs Racing last season, and Kahne could do the same with Richard Petty Motorsports if the slumping organization doesn't turn things around.

One name Stewart isn't chasing, though, is IndyCar Series racer Danica Patrick. She's been dogged by questions about NASCAR the past few weeks, but said she'll wait until the end of the IRL season to make a decision.

Stewart said he's not following the Danica drama.

"Sorry, we don't pay attention to that stuff," he said. "Contrary to what people may think, we're pretty busy around here. We don't watch others. I have no idea. I have enough to worry about."

By JENNA FRYER, AP Auto Racing Writer

Copyright 2009 The Associated Press. The information contained in the AP news report may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or otherwise distributed without the prior written authority of The Associated Press. Active hyperlinks have been inserted by AOL.

Tony Stewart Open to Adding 3rd Team originally appeared on Motorsports FanHouse on Fri, 19 Jun 2009 21:10:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Where There's Smoke There's Fire

Holly Cain — Sun, 07 Jun 2009 21:35:00 EST

Filed under: Tony Stewart, Chevrolet, Sprint Cup, Stewart-Haas Racing

Really now, was there any more fitting way for Tony Stewart to claim his first win as owner-driver in NASCAR's Sprint Cup Series?

After crashing in Saturday practice, Stewart started a backup No. 14 Office Depot Chevrolet last in the 43-car field and had to massage the throttle for the last few laps so as not to run out of fuel -- while keeping a hard-charging Carl Edwards and Jimmie Johnson at bay. ... all to earn the Cup Series' first win for an owner-driver in 11 years.

Sunday's effort at Pocono, Pa. was the kind of driving mastery, grit and determination that proves why the masterful, gritty, determined Stewart is the best true, all-around talent of NASCAR's new generation of racers.

Pocono 500: Stewart Wins on Fumes | Check Results | Series Standings

Stewart has won races and championships in everything he's put foot to pedal -- midgets, sprint cars, Indy cars, and NASCAR's elite Sprint Cup Series. He spends his spare time winning dirt late model races and raising millions of dollars for charity.

He had a cushy championship-caliber existence with Joe Gibbs Racing for the first 10 years of his NASCAR career. The reverent Super Bowl-winning coach and the tell-it-like-it-is racing prodigy formed an unlikely match that produced two championships and made Stewart the first true open-wheel star to challenge the stock car good ol' boys in a generation.

And with all that going for him, Stewart defied skeptics who doubted whether he'd be much of a factor after leaving such a good situation and going it on his own this season with his namesake organization, Stewart-Haas Racing.

For all his off-the-cuff demeanor, Stewart is also very calculating and result-driven. He is the ultimate example of what hard work and extreme talent can produce. He is blue-collar ethic and Ivy League ability.

And even his biggest rivals seem genuinely pleased for him... if not very worried about what this means in the championship hunt.

"The things that he set out to accomplish this year were huge,'' said Edwards. "I personally didn't believe he could get it done -- I did not think he would succeed the way he has so far. So, I'm extremely impressed with that. I can only imagine how good that feels to be able to do what he's done."

Latest NASCAR Images

Tony Stewart (14), Carl Edwards (99) and Matt Kenseth (17) follow the pace car during a restart in the NASCAR Pocono 500 auto race at Pocono Raceway in Long Pond, Pa., Sunday, June 7, 2009. Stewart won the race, with Edwards in second. Kenseth finished 16th. NASCAR debuted revamped restarts at Pocono in an effort to add more competitive spice and give in to fans clamoring for more excitement. The most obvious change: the race leader has the option to restart on the inside or outside, with the second-place driver pulling alongside. (AP Photo/Mel Evans)

Lance McGrew, new crew chief for Dale Earnhardt, Jr., watches the Pocono 500 NASCAR Sprint Cup race at Pocono International Raceway in Long Pond, Pennsylvania, Sunday, June 7, 2009. (Steven M. Falk/Philadelphia Daily News/MCT)

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LONG POND, PA - JUNE 07: Tony Stewart, driver of the #14 Office Depot/Old Spice Chevrolet celebrates with the Sunoco checkered flag after winning the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Pocono 500 on June 7, 2009 at Pocono Raceway in Long Pond, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Rusty Jarrett/Getty Images for NASCAR) *** Local Caption *** Tony Stewart

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LONG POND, PA - JUNE 07: Tony Stewart, driver of the #14 Office Depot/Old Spice Chevrolet, celebrates in victory lane after winning the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Pocono 500 on June 7, 2009 at Pocono Raceway in Long Pond, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Geoff Burke/Getty Images for NASCAR) *** Local Caption *** Tony Stewart

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Fans watch the Pocono 500 auto race Sunday, June 7, 2009, from a platform on the top of a camper at Pocono Raceway in Long Pond, Pa. (AP Photo/Mel Evans)

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Carl Edwards makes a pit stop at Pocono Raceway in Long Pond, Pa., during the NASCAR Pocono 500 auto race Sunday, June 7, 2009. Edwards finished in second place. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)

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Stewart's success is a very big deal, especially when you consider that Stewart isn't just leading the championship by a comfortable 71 points over four-time champ Jeff Gordon; his team's second car, driven by Ryan Newman is ranked fifth as well and coming off a seventh top-10 run in the last nine races.

It's one thing to drive well for a good team. It's another to win races for your own team. It's yet another to contend for the championship for your own team. Even the great Dale Earnhardt Sr. chose the safer option of owning a team yet driving for another.

Over the years Stewart has taken heat for politically incorrect answers and temperamental reactions. He does not suffer fools -- or the press -- well. But the few that know him well or have worked alongside him would not trade the opportunity. He is the ultimate team player and has the ability to make those that work with him, want to work with him.

When the season started at Daytona Beach in February, Stewart was a wild card. The year was either going to be a disappointing overly-ambitious go for Stewart. Or he would distinguish himself, again.

"It is [more special] because of the group of guys I am working with,'' Stewart said. "I have always had a great group of people to work with at Gibbs. It is just a little different when it is your own.

"You know when you are the one at the end of the day that has to be accountable
for it."

For those that questioned how Stewart would wear so many hats, he's answered with the two hats that matter most -- winning driver, championship leader.

And he's not done yet.

Where There's Smoke There's Fire originally appeared on Motorsports FanHouse on Sun, 07 Jun 2009 21:35:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Stewart Surges to Victory on Fumes

FanHouse Newswire — Sun, 07 Jun 2009 18:00:00 EST

Filed under: Tony Stewart, Sprint Cup, Stewart-Haas Racing

LONG POND, Pa. (AP) - All Tony Stewart could do the final laps at Pocono Raceway was use every trick available to stretch out his fuel and creep toward the finish line.

Like the gamble he made to leave Joe Gibbs Racing and start his own team, the fuel-mileage call was the right one. Stewart matched his win in the All-Star race with his first Cup points victory as a team owner Sunday, coming from the rear of the field in his backup car at Pocono.

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"We're just thankful we could make it,'' Stewart said.

He crossed the line on fumes, even as his own Stewart-Haas Racing operation seems to have plenty of fuel.

"It's easy when you've got the tools in place,'' Stewart said. "When you've got a car like we had today, you know that you've got a shot at it. It's just going to be a long day and it's going to take a long time to get there.''

Stewart needed time to reach the front of the 500-mile race because of a practice accident that forced him into his backup car and dropped him to the back of the pack.

"I'd hate to think I've got to screw up every week to win a race,'' Stewart said.

Crew chief Darian Grubb's late-race strategy worked and Stewart became the first owner/driver to win a points race since Ricky Rudd at Martinsville in 1998.

Stewart made his last pit stop with 41 laps to go and figured he could drive the rest of the way without another break. He took the lead in the No. 14 Chevrolet with 37 laps remaining and roared to a 6-second lead over Carl Edwards that gave him a crucial buffer down the stretch.

Edwards pushed Stewart and whittled the lead down to about 2 seconds with inside 10 laps remaining, and the two-time Cup champion unsure of how much gas he had left in the tank.

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LONG POND, PA - JUNE 07: Tony Stewart, driver of the #14 Office Depot/Old Spice Chevrolet, drives during the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Pocono 500 on June 7, 2009 at Pocono Raceway in Long Pond, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Todd Warshaw/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Tony Stewart

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LONG POND, PA - JUNE 07: Kasey Kahne, driver of the #9 Budweiser Dodge, leads a pack of cars during the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Pocono 500 on June 7, 2009 at Pocono Raceway in Long Pond, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Todd Warshaw/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Kasey Kahne

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LONG POND, PA - JUNE 07: Marcos Ambrose, driver of the #47 Little Debbie/Kingsford/Clorox Toyota, during the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Pocono 500 on June 7, 2009 at Pocono Raceway in Long Pond, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Jason Smith/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Marcos Ambrose

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Tony Stewart celebrates in victory lane at Pocono Raceway in Long Pond, Pa., after winning the NASCAR Pocono 500 auto race, Sunday, June 7, 2009. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)

LONG POND, PA - JUNE 07: Joey Lgano, driver of the #20 Home Depot Toyota, pits during the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Pocono 500 on June 7, 2009 at Pocono Raceway in Long Pond, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Geoff Burke/Getty Images for NASCAR) *** Local Caption *** Joey Logano

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LONG POND, PA - JUNE 07: Jamie McMurray, driver of the #26 IRWIN Vise-Grip Ford, pits during the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Pocono 500 on June 7, 2009 at Pocono Raceway in Long Pond, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Jason Smith/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Jamie McMurray

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LONG POND, PA - JUNE 07: Kevin Harvick, driver of the #29 of the Shell/Pennzoil Chevrolet, pits during the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Pocono 500 on June 7, 2009 at Pocono Raceway in Long Pond, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Jason Smith/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Kevin Harvick

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LONG POND, PA - JUNE 07: David Ragan, driver of the #6 UPS Ford, pits during the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Pocono 500 on June 7, 2009 at Pocono Raceway in Long Pond, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Jason Smith/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** David Ragan

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"I didn't know how close we really were,'' Stewart said.

With a lead in the points standings and a spot in the Chase for the championship all but assured, Stewart could afford to take a risk.

Edwards was second, followed by David Reutimann and Jeff Gordon. Stewart's SHR teammate Ryan Newman was fifth.

Edwards, still looking for his first win of 2009, was convinced Stewart would run out of fuel. He was also sure Stewart would need more time to become so dominant and lead the points standings like he is only 14 races into the season.

Edwards was wrong on both counts.

"The things that he set out to accomplish this year were huge. I personally didn't believe he could get it done,'' Edwards said. "I'm extremely impressed with that. I can only imagine how good that feels to get that done.''

The first Cup points race with double-file restarts finished without any confusion. The drivers meeting lasted nearly 30 minutes as final questions were answered on the new restart rules that line up the 43-car field following a yellow.

"I'm sure they'll refine it and make it better, but I think it worked out pretty good,'' Reutimann said.

So has Stewart's decision to bolt JGR to buy a 50-percent stake in his own team.

He's destroyed all expectations in his first season as owner and driver. It was the first points victory since he left JGR at the end of last year after 10 successful seasons and snapped a 19-race points winless streak.

This was the first points victory for the team since their 2002 debut as Haas CNC Racing.

His second-place finish last week at Dover allowed him to become the first driver/owner to lead the points since Alan Kulwicki won the 1992 Cup championship, a span of 556 races.

Stewart stretched his lead over Gordon in the standings to 71 points.

"There will be a banner hanging in the shop that marks this day and time in history for the organization,'' Stewart said. "But you can't sit on it too long.''

When rain washed out qualifying on Friday, Stewart automatically sat on the pole as the points leader. He called this season one big dream and hoped he didn't wake up and realize it was time to get ready to go to Daytona.

Stewart wrecked his car in practice Saturday, then took some of the fastest laps of the day in his backup. He joked that if he knew the backup would run that strong, he would have crashed the first one right away.

Edwards is still looking for his first victory of the season.

"I'll probably be happy later today, but man, to be that close to victory and not win, that was frustrating,'' he said. "The points are great though. I'll definitely take something good out of this.''

Dale Earnhardt Jr. had a tough second week with crew chief Lance McGrew and was 27th. Jimmie Johnson ran out of fuel at the end and finished seventh.

"At the end, we were just playing the fuel game and I didn't play it hard enough,'' Johnson said.

Reutimann, long a journeyman driver, jumped into 11th place in the points standings. Mark Martin fell out of the top 12 with a 19th-place finish.

By DAN GELSTON

Copyright 2009 The Associated Press. The information contained in the AP news report may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or otherwise distributed without the prior written authority of The Associated Press. Active hyperlinks have been inserted by AOL.

Stewart Surges to Victory on Fumes originally appeared on Motorsports FanHouse on Sun, 07 Jun 2009 18:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Story of the Season: Tony Stewart Takes Points Lead

Holly Cain — Mon, 01 Jun 2009 00:14:00 EST

Filed under: Tony Stewart, Chevrolet, Sprint Cup, Stewart-Haas Racing

This week Tony Stewart is holding his annual, HBO pay-per-view all-star charity race, a multi-million dollar fundraiser that he named, the "Prelude to the Dream."

As of Sunday afternoon's NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race at Dover, Del., it's clear Stewart -- the new championship leader -- is already living the dream, no matter how unlikely or far fetched it may have seemed five months ago.

"You hope that you don't wake up tomorrow and all of a sudden realize that we're just getting ready to go to Daytona or something and it's all been a dream,'' said Stewart, who's runner-up showing at Dover has propelled him to become the first owner-driver to lead the championship standings since 1992, when the late Alan Kulwicki won the title in that season's last race.

"We probably all lost bets that at this point we would be this far along,'' Stewart conceded Sunday. "But it's a good bet to lose, I guess."

And if so, it is the only losing proposition Stewart's been a part of this year

Halfway through the Sprint Cup Series' "regular season" you could make a case that Jeff Gordon's resurgence (nine weeks atop the standings, before falling 46 points behind Stewart) or Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s volatile start or Kyle Busch's three-series victory tear are story-of-the-year contenders.

Fifty-year old Mark Martin's two wins and Chase-worthy effort; Michael Waltrip Racing's coming of age; and certainly Jimmie Johnson's legitimate run at a historic four straight championships are also worthy of distinction.

For my money, the most compelling storyline of the 13-week old NASCAR season must be Stewart's immediate success as an owner-driver -- a compound feat that eclipses any of the other choices.

With the level of today's competition, it's hard enough to race yourself in the 12-man Chase, much less drive yourself to the championship lead. And that's only half of Stewart's amazing performance.

Stewart, 38, is leading the driver's championship while owning, operating and guiding the two-car Stewart-Haas Racing team which has BOTH drivers (Ryan Newman, too) comfortably in position for the playoffs. A team that prior to Stewart's arrival had never won a race. A team that before his winning touch hadn't been even an afterthought at fielding a car in the 10-race Chase for the championship that wraps up the season.

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Jimmy Johnson takes a moment to catch his breath in victory lane after winning the Autism Speaks 400 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race at Dover International Speedway in Dover, Delaware, Sunday, May 31, 2009. (Steven M. Falk/Philadelphia Daily News/MCT)

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Jimmy Johnson (48) gains on Greg Biffle (16) during the Autism Speaks 400 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race at Dover International Speedway in Dover, Delaware, Sunday, May 31, 2009. Johnson won the race and Biffle finished third. (Steven M. Falk/Philadelphia Daily News/MCT)

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Jimmy Johnson, right, with his crew chief Chad Knaus hold up the Monster Mile trophy after winning the Autism Speaks 400 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race at Dover International Speedway in Dover, Delaware, Sunday, May 31, 2009. (Steven M. Falk/Philadelphia Daily News/MCT)

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NASCAR rookie driver Joey Logano, right, has a last chat with his crew chief Greg Zipadelli before the start of the Autism Speaks 400 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race at Dover International Speedway in Dover, Delaware, Sunday, May 31, 2009. (Steven M. Falk/Philadelphia Daily News/MCT)

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The Dale Earnhardt Jr., number 88 car on it's way to pre-race inspection before the start of the Autism Speaks 400 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race at Dover International Speedway in Dover, Delaware, Sunday, May 31, 2009. (Steven M. Falk/Philadelphia Daily News/MCT)

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Driver Tony Stewart is all smiles before the start of the Autism Speaks 400 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race at Dover International Speedway in Dover, Delaware, Sunday, May 31, 2009. Stewart finished second behind winner Jimmy Johnson. (Steven M. Falk/Philadelphia Daily News/MCT)

MCT

NASCAR legend Richard Petty greets fans after the drivers meeting before the start of the Autism Speaks 400 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race at Dover International Speedway in Dover, Delaware, Sunday, May 31, 2009. (Steven M. Falk/Philadelphia Daily News/MCT)

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Dale Earnhardt Jr., takes a picture with 8-year-old Jake Wesley from Trevose, Pennsylvania, before the start of the Autism Speaks 400 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race at Dover International Speedway in Dover, Delaware, Sunday, May 31, 2009. (Steven M. Falk/Philadelphia Daily News/MCT)

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Driver Mark Martin sits on the wall before the driver introductions Autism Speaks 400 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race at Dover International Speedway in Dover, Delaware, Sunday, May 31, 2009. Martin finished the race in 10th place. (Steven M. Falk/Philadelphia Daily News/MCT)

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Jimmy Johnson celebrates winning the Autism Speaks 400 NASCAR Sprint Cup race at Dover International Speedway in Dover, Delaware, Sunday, May 31, 2009. (Steven M. Falk/Philadelphia Daily News/MCT)

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Gordon, Johnson, Martin and Busch have demonstrated stellar driving displays. Stewart's done that, PLUS run a two-car Cup team, in addition to a full slate of other business ventures that include track ownership and fielding a USAC and World of Outlaws championship team.

Wear two hats well? Hasn't been done in 17 years and even then Kulwicki's feat was considered a true Cinderella story.

It's hard to think of the gritty, outspoken Stewart as an underdog, but really he is. Other owners -- Jack Roush, Richard Childress and Joe Gibbs -- will tell you how hard it is to best Rick Hendrick's uber-operation and beat his all-star driver lineup. Stewart's doing both. And essentially doing it with Hendrick's own equipment.

As a driver Stewart's six top-five finishes in 13 starts is tied with Gordon and Johnson for tops in the series -- three of those are runner-up showings. His nine top-10 efforts is best of all drivers. He has zero DNFs and two weeks ago claimed the $1 million-to-win All-Star Race, a non-points paying exhibition where pride and paycheck usually produce one of the most competitive shows of the year.

As an owner, Stewart's assembled a leadership team that's also helped the group's other Chevrolet, driven by his friend Newman, to a fifth place championship ranking -- a jump of 22 positions in the standings in the last eight races -- the largest gain by any driver. Newman has five consecutive top-10 finishes and seven top-10s in the last nine races.

From the first preseason race when Stewart finished third in his SHR debut, he has humbly answered that he never expected such a short learning curve. His standard and modest response each week since has been on behalf of the entire organization.

"We're excited about it," Stewart said, duly noting with each new accomplishment that SHR has exceeded expectations. Again.

Stewart never fails to thank the team or show gratitude to Hendrick, for that matter, for the chassis and engines SHR uses.

"Have good people around you; have good people in the right spots,'' Stewart said. "That's the key in any business is to have good people around you that you can trust and that have your best interests in mind. That's what we've got."

And the lead driver isn't too bad either.

Few, including myself, figured Stewart to challenge for the championship in his first year out undertaking dual roles. We've been proven wrong. And we should know better by now.

As impressive as Stewart's efforts have been throughout the first half of the regular season, the most worrisome aspect for his competition should be that he typically doesn't start piling on the wins until summer and fall. If history is an indicator, this season's best success story is only going to get better.

The expectations have changed. For Stewart and for everybody else.

Story of the Season: Tony Stewart Takes Points Lead originally appeared on Motorsports FanHouse on Mon, 01 Jun 2009 00:14:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Believe It: Stewart-Haas Ready to Win

Geoffrey Miller — Sun, 03 May 2009 17:01:00 EST

Filed under: Ryan Newman, Tony Stewart, Stewart-Haas Racing

There's a lot of folks in the NASCAR world that said Tony Stewart was straight crazy to leave his championship-winning team of Joe Gibbs Racing for the 2009 season.

Me? I didn't exactly make a prediction to stay on the safe side, mainly because I know how Stewart always produces when the odds are against him.

But for all of those that said Stewart and hired teammate Ryan Newman wouldn't find success, the still-young Stewart-Haas Racing is proving the doubters to be completely wrong.

Such a fact, of course, isn't just based on the team's marvelous performance Saturday night at Richmond International Raceway, but on the results that SHR has turned in through the season's first ten races.

That isn't to say, though, that the SHR success in the Russ Friedman 400 should be overlooked.

Team patriarch Stewart led the SHR onslaught by taking a distant second-place behind an untouchable Kyle Busch, with Newman allowing just Jeff Burton between him and Stewart to take fourth spot. Stewart's No. 14 didn't ever nose up front to lead a lap, but some crafty pit work put Newman in front of the 43-car field for some 45 laps of the 400 lap event.

After the race, though, Stewart was pleased with his finish, but felt like circumstances late in the race contributed to his runner-up spot.

"I think we backed into this one today," said Stewart. "We got lucky and got a chance to get tires there with about 50 to go and then got that green flag run at the end, which we typically don't get. So that helped us. We had a lot less laps on the tires than those guys."

Luck or not, it was still a good run and showed a team is developing past just having fast race cars.

Newman, on the other hand, thought he might have seen one slip away.

"We had a winning race car and I think the guy typically out in front had a winning car but the bottom line was we didn't get out in front when we needed to. We had the leader strategy when we got caught up in that restart behind the No. 5 car," said Newman. "I told the guys if we keep doing this we'll get what we want and obviously we want to be in victory lane."

Newman has now scored two straight top-fives -- a first for the South Bend, Ind., driver since the end of the 2007 season at Penske Racing.

"I can't wait to get to the shop Monday and see the smiles on their faces. They have been working hard," said Stewart. "It is just coming together, one piece at a time."

Indeed the season is coming together for SHR -- something that's quite an improvement over the lows the team had hit just before the season-opening Daytona 500 when both primary cars were wiped out in a crash during final practice.

What's worse for the rest of NASCAR? Tony Stewart's forte in this business has nearly always been the mid-season stretch of races at slick race tracks in the heat.

In fact, 15 of Stewart's 33 career wins have come at the next ten tracks on the Sprint Cup schedule, with just one -- the site next weekend's 500-mile jaunt around the famed Darlington Raceway -- being a track where Stewart is yet to visit victory lane.

At the clip this team is advancing, it wouldn't be a surprise for Stewart to erase that zero from his résumé.

Believe It: Stewart-Haas Ready to Win originally appeared on Motorsports FanHouse on Sun, 03 May 2009 17:01:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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