- Stremme buys house, helps those out of work: #12-David Stremme added another title to his name this week. The 32-year-old driver just finalized the purchase of a new home in North Carolina. Stremme hired members of the racing community, who lost their jobs in the economic downturn, to help him move into his new abode. Stremme has completed all but one lap of NASCAR Cup Series competition at Daytona International Speedway. The 32-year-old has completed 99.8% of all the laps he has attempted at the historic speedway.(Penske Racing)(7-1-2009)
- 4th team for Penske? UPDATE denied: hearing Penske Racing could run a 4th team car this season, running the #22 Dodge with Justin Allgaier as the possible driver. Allgaier is currently 10th in the Nationwide Series Points for Penske Racing and won the ARCA championship in 2008.(5-25-2009)
UPDATE: [Roger Penske] added that there are no plans to expand Penske Racing's three-car organization of #2-Kurt Busch, #77-Sam Hornish Jr. and #12-David Stremme. There have been reports he would move to a fourth team with Justin Allgaier, a rookie in the Nationwide Series. "We've made some good progress this year and we've got to maintain that," Penske said. "We're not in the silly season at all. ... We've got plenty of time."(ESPN)(6-7-2009) Comment here
- Penske may make bid for Saturn UPDATE 2 no move to NASCAR: Roger Penske says he is contemplating a bid for the Saturn automotive brand that General Motors Corp. plans to sell or shut down. While Penske has not yet made an offer, he said Friday a decision would have to come soon and that a number of unidentified details need to be worked out. Penske has a vested interest in the automotive industry. He owns the second-largest U.S. automobile retail chain in terms of sales, Bloomfield Hills, Mich.-based Penske Automotive Group Inc. He also owns heavy-duty engine manufacturer Detroit Diesel and has race teams in the IndyCar, NASCAR and Grand-Am series. But Penske denied that he has made a deal and said published reports are ahead of the process.(ESPN.com/AP)(5-8-2009)
UPDATE: General Motors Corp. has struck a tentative deal to sell its Saturn brand to former race car driver and auto dealer Roger Penske. Penske, who owns the Penske Automotive Group dealership chain, told reporters on Friday that he plans to offer all 350 Saturn dealerships new franchise agreements. He says Saturn's 13,000 employees will stay on with the company for at least the immediate future. He declined to name the price for the deal. Penske says GM will continue to produce Saturn vehicles, though he is in discussions with manufacturers worldwide about building the vehicles going forward.(AP/ESPN)(6-5-2009)
UPDATE 2: Team owner Roger Penske has no plans to move Saturn into the Sprint Cup series, saying Sunday he plans to stick with Dodge for at least the remaining three years of his contract with the manufacturer. General Motors Corp. announced on Friday an agreement for Penske to purchase the Saturn brand. Penske said he would like to get Saturn involved in motorsports, perhaps at the Grand-Am level, but not NASCAR's top series. "We have three more years with Dodge, they have not let us down," the owner of Penske Motorsports said before the Sprint Cup race at Pocono Raceway. "We see that continuing. They are current with all the obligations they have. I don't expect anything different." Richard Petty, the co-owner of Richard Petty Motorsports, said last weekend at Dover that RMP's cash flow from Dodge has ceased since Chrysler filed for bankruptcy. "I don't know what he means by cash [flow]," Penske said. "They paid the bills we submitted to them and they're on time. I don't know what he's talking about." As for Saturn, Penske said the key was saving 13,000 jobs and keeping 350 retailers in business. He said the plan is to provide them with products that will make them stronger going forward. "We'll be sourcing products from General Motors for at least two years," he said. "We will not be a manufacturer. We'll be a distributor." Penske did say the Saturn Aura is "tailor-made for NASCAR," but that any such plans would be 200 miles down the road.(ESPN)(6-7-2009) Comment here
- Dodge support "on hold" Team owner Richard Petty says the Chrysler bankruptcy has put cash flow from the manufacturer to the Richard Petty Motorsports organization he co-owns with George Gillett "in a holding pattern." From the point of view of the Dodge Motorsports program, however, the commitment to racing is undiminished. "They've stopped everything," Petty said in the garage at Dover International Speedway this past weekend. "They went into bankruptcy, and they're sort of in a floating stage right now. They're trying to see where they come out of this at. If they've got new people running the show, are they still going to continue to back everything exactly like they are, or whatever? They're in a holding pattern right now. I think GM's that way -- I don't know about Ford -- and I know Chrysler's that way. The rest of them I don't know. I don't deal with them." Walter Czarnecki, vice chairman of Penske Racing, which has three Dodge teams, said the legal proceedings also have held up payments to his organization. "In the legal procedure, you have to file what's called a 'Cure Letter' that lists all the things that you are owed. And when it's submitted and approved, they'll pay. We have money that was due April 30 that has not been received yet and probably won't be received for several weeks." Mike Accavitti, director of brand marketing and strategy for Chrysler, acknowledged the reorganization has affected the flow of cash from Chrysler but affirmed the company remains committed to Cup racing and that at-track services provided to the teams continue to be available.(NASCAR.com/Sporting News)(6-2-2009) Comment here
- Kenwood partners up with Penske: Kenwood USA Corporation has once again partnered with Penske Racing to sponsor two NASCAR drivers for the 2009 Sprint Cup season. The Kenwood logo appears on the #12 Dodge driven by David Stremme and the #77 Dodge driven by Sam Hornish, Jr. Kenwood is an associate sponsor of the #12 and #77 cars for all 38 Sprint Cup Series races in 2009.(Penske Racing PR)(5-14-2009)
- Star Trek scheme back at Darlington: The #12 Dodge Charger of David Stremme will have a new look for the Saturday night race in Darlington. For the second consecutive week, the #12 Dodge Charger will sport a special paint scheme to help promote the theatrical release of “Star Trek.” The movie hit theaters nationwide yesterday. The #12 Penske Racing Star Trek Dodge team will use chassis PRS-610 during Saturday night’s 500-mile race at the famed Darlington Raceway. PRS-610 is a new car to the #12 Penske Dodge Charger team.(Penske Racing PR), see images of the scheme on my #12 Team Schemes page.(5-6-2009)
- Stremme hopes to 'Live Long and Prosper' at Richmond: The #12 Penske Racing Dodge of David Stremme will have a new look for the Saturday night showdown at Richmond International Raceway. The car will sport a special paint scheme to help promote the up-coming theatrical release of “Star Trek.” The movie hits theaters May 7, 2009.(Penske Racing PR)(4-29-2009) Comment here
- Newman's Pit Road Pets crew to photograph fans with their pets: NASCAR's pet loving fans will have an opportunity to join their favorite drivers in the upcoming book Pit Road Pets: NASCAR Stars and Their Pets, the Second Lap. The Pit Road Pets crew will be photographing fans with their pets during the upcoming Bristol, TN race weekend. Following the success of the Ryan Newman Foundation's first charity book, Pit Road Pets: NASCAR Stars and Their Pets, the foundation will be producing a second edition that will not only feature NASCAR's biggest stars with their furry family members, but also NASCAR's biggest fans with their own pets. One hundred percent of the net proceeds will be donated to humane efforts nationwide. Photographer Karen Will Rogers will be taking pictures of NASCAR fans with their pets at the Pit Road Pets tent in the Earnhardt Campground at the Bristol Motor Speedway from 9am to 2pm on Saturday, March 21 and from 9am to 2pm on Sunday, March 22. Fans are encouraged to stop by the booth with their pets to have their family photos taken. The first edition of the Pit Road Pets book will be on sale at the Pit Road Pets booth from Noon to 4 PM on Friday, March 20 for a special discounted price of $18, which is a savings of $7. Everyone who purchases a book at the tent will receive a complimentary Pit Road Pets tee-shirt. Books can also be purchased at Newman's track-side merchandise trailer or ordered online at www.ryannewman.org.(Ryan Newman Foundation PR)(3-18-2009)
- Greener Paint for Penske: PPG Automotive Refinish announced they are assisting Penske Racing in converting their state-of-the-art, racecar painting facility in Mooresville, NC to the environmentally-friendly PPG Envirobase High Performance waterborne coatings system. The conversion began with the painting of the #2 Miller Lite and #77 Mobil 1 Penske Racing Dodge, which made their debut this weekend at the Kobalt Tools 500 at Atlanta Motor Speedway. The #2 Miller Lite Dodge features the PPG Automotive Refinish logo on the deck lid for today's race. To address the environment, NASCAR, the sport's sanctioning body, is developing an industry-wide green initiative led by Dr. Mike Lynch. The initiative will address environmental issues including reducing air emissions, lubricants recycling, building efficiencies and land preservation. It will include the sport's various stakeholders and will seek to mobilize the NASCAR fan base in this important issue.(Penske Racing PR)(3-8-2009) Comment here
- NASCAR approves #12 paint scheme: NASCAR has approved a paint scheme and uniform for Penske Racing’s #12 car and driver David Stremme that has the Verizon and Penske red and black colors but neither with the Verizon logo featuring a thin red check.
NASCAR must approve all uniforms and paint schemes, and the Penske team had to go through a more scrutinized process because of the Cup series sponsorship from Sprint. NASCAR is responsible for making sure that none of Sprint’s rivals have branding in the garage, and Verizon, which bought out Penske sponsor Alltel earlier this month, is a sponsor of the organization and has its logos on the Nationwide Series car. Penske Racing crewmen spent part of Friday morning covering up a little bit of red striping near the front of the car with black strips. NASCAR spokesman Ramsey Poston said NASCAR asked for the minor change but the rest of the paint scheme has been approved. None of uniforms nor the car has the red check that would make people think of Verizon. The red stripes are at angles but there are no markings in the shape of a check. Penske Racing officials had said last month that even though Verizon’s logos could not be on the Cup car, that the #12 Cup car would not need primary sponsorship at least through 2010 because Verizon had assumed Alltel’s commitment.(SceneDaily), see images of the scheme on my #12 Team Schemes page.(2-7-2009) Comment here
- New name for Penske's team: Bill Davis has become a minority owner of the team now known as Penske Championship Racing, a move giving Sam Hornish Jr. points that will guarantee him a spot in the season's first five races. With the addition of Davis, the team changed its name to Penske Championship Racing from Penske Racing. Bud Denker, the senior vice president of Penske Corporation, confirmed the move on Wednesday.(ESPN)(2-4-2009)
- Verizon sponsorship to Penske NNS team; new look for #12 Cup team in 2009 UPDATE: Penske Racing announced that it will team with Verizon Wireless to field a full-season entry in the 2009 Nationwide Series. The #12 Verizon Wireless Dodge will be driven by young standout Justin Allgaier, the 2008 ARCA RE/MAX Series champion. Allgaier made four Nationwide Series starts for Penske Racing in 2008 after joining the team in late September. The 22-year-old driver from Riverton, Illinois is looking to lead the team to a breakout season, beginning next month in Daytona. Penske Racing will also continue its participation in the Sprint Cup Series with the #12 Penske Dodge driven by David Stremme. He will be joined by teammates Kurt Busch in the #2 Miller Lite Dodge and Sam Hornish Jr., driving the #77 Mobil 1 Dodge in the three-car effort. Stremme, the 2003 Nationwide Series Rookie of the Year, also promises to be extremely competitive in the coming season in Cup Series competition. The #12 Cup team also retains Roy McCauley as its crew chief. The #12 Penske Dodge will debut a new paint scheme in 2009, beginning with the Budweiser Shootout on Saturday, February 7. “Penske Racing enjoyed a productive, winning relationship with Alltel over the last decade,” said Roger Penske, Chairman of Penske Racing. "We look forward to building on that solid foundation and in sharing many future successes with our new partner, Verizon Wireless."(Penske Racing PR)
UPDATE: Verizon will fully fund the #12 Sprint Cup car of Penske Racing this season but the company's logo and name will not be allowed on the paint scheme. "The [Cup] car will be identified and branded as the Penske Dodge Charger,'' said Walt Czarnecki, the executive vice president of Penske Corporation. That means David Stremme, who replaces Ryan Newman in the #12, could find himself promoting Verizon even though the name can't be on the car, thanks to a 2004 ruling after Nextel became the top series sponsor (it was since become Sprint). That ruling allowed existing wireless communication companies with teams and tracks to keep their sponsorship, unless a team or company changed hands. Verizon took over Alltel, the long-time sponsor of the #12, on Jan. 9. Earlier, the ruling forced Richard Childress Racing to seek a replacement for Cingular Wireless on the #31 car of Jeff Burton after it merged with AT&T and kept the AT&T name. Czarnecki doesn't believe Penske will have to find a replacement for Verizon because of the multi-year deal it signed with Alltel. "Once the business transaction occurred NASCAR was kept fully informed of what was transpiring," he said. "NASCAR has made it very clear, even with Alltel, what their requirements were as far as branding on the cars and branding at the track. We're working with NASCAR and the people at Verizon. I believe we'll be able to accommodate all of those requirements." Verizon will be on the #12 Nationwide Series entry driven by Justin Allgaier.(ESPN)(1-19-2009) Comment here
- Verizon completes buy of Alltel...so...UPDATE: Verizon Wireless on Friday [1/9/2009] completed its $5.9 billion purchase of Little Rock, Ark.-based Alltel Corp., making Verizon the nation's largest mobile phone company. Verizon said Friday it will also take on $22.2 billion in Alltel debt. The buyout is expected to result in the loss of many of the best-paying positions among the nearly 3,000 employees at Alltel's Little Rock headquarters. Verizon picks up Alltel's 12.9 million customers, though 2.1 million of them are in territory that will be sold. Verizon will have 83.7 million total customers before the divestiture. Verizon says Alltel customers do not need to take any action at present, though they will soon receive a letter explaining the transition. Most will be able to keep their same handsets as Verizon and Alltel are on the same system. Alltel customers will see Verizon begin to place its own brand name starting in the second quarter, a process that will continue through the third quarter, Verizon said. As the transition is being made, Alltel's retail stores will remain open. Verizon Wireless announced in June it would buy Alltel. The FCC approved the purchase in November after the Justice Department gave its approval in October. Verizon says the purchase will bring more than $9 billion in synergies from capital and operating expenses, after costs.(Associated Press), no word how this will affect the sponsorship of the #12 Alltel Penske Racing Dodge of David Stremme, Penske Racing has said in the past, they were good with Alltel thru 2009.(1-15-2009)
UPDATE: Last night (January 14, 2009) on “Dialed In” on SIRIUS NASCAR Radio, host Claire B. Lang spoke with Penkse Racing president Tim Cindric about Verizon’s purchase of Alltel Corp. and what effect it might have on Alltel’s sponsorship of the #12 Alltel Penske Racing Dodge of David Stremme.
Host Claire B. Lang: “You’re headed to Daytona. Alltel, at this point, is on the car?”
Penske Racing president Tim Cindric: “Certainly as we work through this I wouldn’t speculate in what form or how or how it is all going to turn out because we really haven’t gotten to the point where it makes sense to really speculate on how it’s going to look, how we’re going to present ourselves, what our strategy is going to be. Because we’re looking for some direction and in those situations sometimes you have to sit on the sidelines a little bit to understand exactly what all that means. And right now we’re just starting to get the focus of the people who make those kinds of decisions.”
Lang: “So the contract runs and stays?”
Cindric: “They (Verizon) take on the obligations of the people they acquire, I guess, and obviously they have stipulations with how they have to do their business when these things occur and I don’t pretend to understand it all.”
Lang: “You know for sure that NASCAR’s not going to let you take Alltel off the car and put Verizon on.”
Cindric: “That’s what I’ve understood. We’ve all watched how it all played out in the past. Anything that we do we certainly do in step with everybody else.”
Cindric: “The good thing with David [Stremme] is he’s really focused on driving the race car and letting the other things around him take their course. And to him, however it sorts out, he said to me, ‘As long as I know that I’ve got the best people behind me and the best efforts going forward the rest of it will sort itself out. I’m just fortunate to have this opportunity.’ That’s really the approach that when you hear that it’s refreshing because you know you have someone that has focus.”(SIRIUS NASCAR Radio)(1-15-2009) Comment here
- David Stremme Racing signs driver: Ryan Glenski is making a big off-track move this year becoming the driver of the #35 Chevy in Pro All-Star Series (PASS) Late Model ride owned by NASCAR driver #12-David Stremme for the 2009 season. The 16-year old Glenski is coming off a successful season of Allison Legacy Series racing winning one race, one pole, eight top fives and 15 top-10 finishes to place fourth in points. He also drove in the Summer Shootout Series at Lowe’s Motor Speedway and won his first Pro Challenge Series race entered, doing so at the historic Bristol Motor Speedway last summer.(Speed51.com)(1-15-2009)
- Dodge: smaller budget, less team, high hopes: Although it will have fewer cars on the track and fewer promotional displays in cutting 30 percent of its NASCAR budget, Dodge has not cut back its Sprint Cup research and development for the 2009 season. The automaker hopes that even with fewer cars, it will have better results after a season where it failed to put a car in the Chase For The Sprint Cup. With Chip Ganassi Racing’s merger with Dale Earnhardt Inc. eliminating three Cup teams from where Dodge started in 2008, Dodge has at least one fewer organization to support in 2009. Dodge could end up with only six cars next season if the pending Gillett Evernham Motorsports-Petty Enterprises merger eliminates two more from the manufacturer’s stable, which also included Robby Gordon in 2008. That leaves three cars at Penske Racing [#2,#12,#77] and three or four at the GEM-Petty consolidation [#9,#10?,#19,#43]. “You want to have a portfolio of drivers that can at any given time deliver a top-five or a victory,” said Mike Accavitti, director of the Dodge, Chrysler and Jeep brands. “We feel with the lineup that we have remaining that we can do that. … The seven cars that we have – or eight cars or six cars or whatever it ends up to be – will be sufficient. We can give Dodge customers a good show. We can give NASCAR fans a good show and we can represent the brand well.” Accavitti said that his budget was set and would not get increased by the authorization of the bridge loan for Chrysler. He said it will remain at 30% below 2008, just as it was planned prior to President George W. Bush’s approval of the loan last month. “The entire operation was contingent upon the bridge loans being passed,” he said. “It was a critical element for the viability of our company and we’re very appreciative to have that behind us and be able to move forward."(SceneDaily)(1-8-2009) Comment here
- McCauley to remain #12 crew chief: Penske Racing driver #12-David Stremme confirmed Wednesday that Roy McCauley will remain the team’s crew chief for the upcoming 2009 Sprint Cup season. McCauley has been crew chief of the #12 Penske team since the start of the 2008 season with driver Ryan Newman but wasn’t sure if he wanted to return to the team for this season. Stremme replaces Ryan Newman, who moved to Stewart-Haas Racing. Stremme said the three-car Penske organization has made some internal changes, moving people around between his team, Kurt Busch’s #2 team and Sam Hornish Jr.’s #77 team. Stremme also said Tom German, an engineer from Penske Racing’s IndyCar team, will be part of the NASCAR side of things.(SceneDaily)(1-8-2009) Comment here
- Penske-Jasper split? hearing that Penske Racing and Jasper Engines/Transmissions are going to dissolve their partnership in the engine building program. Supposedly Jasper will continue to build and supply transmissions to race teams.(12-27-2008) Comment here
- Tire Testing at Las Vegas UPDATE: there is a Goodyear Tire test scheduled at Las Vegas Motor Speedway on December 10-11, 2008, hearing the drivers to test will be #99-Carl Edwards, #5-Mark Martin, #83-Brian Vickers and #12-David Stremme.(12-4-2008)
UPDATE: #99-Carl Edwards, who won this year's Sprint Cup event at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, will be joined by #5-Mark Martin, #83-Brian Vickers and #12-David Stremme for a two-day Goodyear tire test this Wednesday and Thursday at LVMS. For Martin, it will be a chance to get acquainted with Hendrick Motorsports' #5 Chevrolet, which he will pilot in the 2009 season. Vickers will be in the Red Bull Toyota, and Stremme will be in his new Penske Dodge. Stremme has replaced Ryan Newman in the #12 car for next season. "These two days in Vegas are going to be, quite possibly, the two most important days of our 2009 season," said Alan Gustafson, crew chief for Martin. "With NASCAR's new ‘no testing' rule, we are very fortunate to have been invited by Goodyear to this test. This gives us two extra days on an intermediate track that only three other teams are getting. We need to maximize that time all we can." The race teams and Goodyear will be testing in preparation for the March 1 Shelby 427 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race. The test will be closed to the public. Tickets are available for the 2009 NASCAR Weekend, more info by calling 1-800-644-4444 or logging on to www.lvms.com.(LVMS PR)(12-9-2008)
- Kodak Marks Conclusion of Motorsports Sponsorships: Eastman Kodak Company is taking another step to realign its corporate sponsorship activity to better support the company’s digital business model. Kodak said today it will conclude its corporate sponsorship of motorsports with NASCAR and Penske Racing effective at the end of 2008. “NASCAR and Penske Racing have been great partners for Kodak. These have been wonderful relationships that have served us well and we celebrate all we have done together,” said Kodak’s Betty Noonan, Director and Vice President, Corporate Marketing and Branding. “Just as we have transformed our company, we are transforming our marketing. We want to express our deepest thanks to our friends at NASCAR and Penske Racing for their partnership and support. We remain big fans and wish them continued success.” In December 2007, Kodak announced a new marketing partnership with the PGA TOUR that includes the Kodak Challenge competition and Kodak branding on digital scoreboards. Noonan added that Kodak is now focusing on opportunities to engage customers in other countries. About 60% of Kodak’s sales are outside the United States. Kodak has been a sponsor of NASCAR since 1986 and Penske Racing since 2004. In 2008, Kodak was a primary sponsor of the #12 Dodge in six NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races and an associate sponsor on the #3 and #6 Team Penske cars in the IndyCar Series. Kodak has been a part of four Daytona 500 wins, this year with Ryan Newman, in 1994 and 1995 with Sterling Marlin, and in 1991 with Ernie Irvan. To celebrate the Kodak Moments in motorsports, Kodak has posted a story on its A Thousand Words blog at 1000words.kodak.com.(Kodak PR)(10-27-2008) Comment here
- Newman becomes 19th driver to win a race in all National series: When Ryan Newman won the Truck Series race at Atlanta Motor Speedway on Saturday, October 25th, he became the 19th driver to win at least one race in the Sprint Cup Series, Nationwide Series and Craftsman Truck Series race [the three National Series]. Newman has won 13 Cup races, 7 NNS races and 1 CTS race for a total of 21. See the full list of 19 drivers who have won on my Misc Stats page - All 3 wins section.(10-25-2008)
- Newman could break Atlanta pole record: Should #12-Ryan Newman claim the pole during Friday’s Hot Shot Qualifying Night at Atlanta Motor Speedway, Newman would surpass his mentor, Buddy Baker, with eight-career pole wins at Atlanta Motor Speedway. Currently tied with Baker at seven poles. More info about poles, records, all time pole list and 2008 poles, see my All Time Pole Wins page.(10-24-2008) Comment here
- Stremme beats Busch at Winschester: David Stremme won the 37th Annual Winchester 400 Sunday in Winchester, IN beating Kyle Busch.(CRA Racing)(10-13-2008)
- Newman vs. the lawn mower: #12-Ryan Newman has four stitches on his forehead, courtesy of a bout this week with his lawn mower. Newman was down on the ground putting a belt on his mower when it snapped off and caused him to knock his head on the crossbar of the handle. It left a nasty cut at the hairline of his forehead. His helmet rubs up against the stitching, but Newman doesn't think it will cause any problems in Sunday's race.(ESPN)(10-5-2008) Comment here
- Stremme named 2009 #12 Driver: Penske Racing today announced that David Stremme, 31, will pilot the #12 Alltel Dodge for the 2009 Cup Series season. Stremme is currently ranked 12th in the 2008 Nationwide Series driver points standings after starting 24 of 27 races. Driving for Penske Racing alumnus Rusty Wallace, Stremme has posted five top-five and 13 top-10 finishes. In April 2008, Stremme was announced as an official Penske Racing test driver and has accelerated the understanding of the new Cup Series Dodge that made its full-season debut in 2008. “We’re pleased to have David join Penske Racing as the driver of the #12 Alltel Dodge,” said Roger Penske. “His past accomplishments and current experience as our NASCAR test driver, as well as his character and desire for success, make him a good fit into our culture.” Alltel has been a longtime partner of Penske Racing, and the near-decade association between the two organizations has produced impressive results with 23 victories and 55 pole positions in Cup, Nationwide and ARCA. Stremme is only the second driver in Penske Racing history to wear the Alltel blue-and-white. “Alltel is proud to welcome David into our ‘Circle’ and have him behind the wheel of the #12 Alltel Dodge in 2009,” said Frank O’Mara, chief marketing officer, Alltel Wireless. “We look forward to having him serve as an ambassador for Alltel both on and off the track.”
“It’s an honor to join Penske Racing as the driver of the #12 Alltel Dodge,” said Stremme. “To be a part of Penske Racing’s 40-plus-year legacy has been a longtime dream of mine. I cannot wait to join my new teammates and work to get the #12 into the 2009 Chase.”(Penske Racing PR)(9-3-2008) Comment here
- Latest on the #12 ride UPDATE 2: Marty Smith of ESPN reports that he was told by Penske Racing that Brad Keselowski [JR Motorsports in the NNS] was never offered the #12 Dodge [ride] Jonathan Gibson, vice president at Penske, tells [Smith] they've spoken with a lot of drivers, but made just one offer -- and that's to the individual they plan to sign. All signs point to that person being David Stremme, but Gibson would not confirm Stremme as the team's leading candidate.(ESPN.com)(8-28-2008)
UPDATE: Brad Keselowski said he visited Penske Racing last week but did not have an offer on the table to drive the Sprint Cup #12 car next season. "I just went down and said, 'Hi,' and checked everything out, looked at their beautiful building," Keselowski said Friday at Auto Club Speedway. "I only live like a mile from the place. I heard it's a cool shop, and I had to check it out." Keselowski said the Penske officials asked him what his contract situation was, and Keselowski said he was committed to JR Motorsports. Penske Racing is looking for a replacement for Ryan Newman. Penske test driver David Stremme is considered one of the candidates for that ride. "I basically told them flat out that I have a contract to drive for JR Motorsports, and I'm committed to it," Keselowski said. "The biggest thing is I've got a good ride. We won last week, so it has to be pretty good. We're winning races and we're happy, so why [mess] with that?(SceneDaily.com)(8-30-2008)
UPDATE: David Stremme doesn't seem worried at all about talk that other people have possibly spoken to Penske Racing about driving the #12 Sprint Cup car next year. Stremme, who signed earlier this year as a test driver for Penske to go along with his Nationwide Series driving duties for Rusty Wallace Racing, has been considered the primary candidate for the job the last few weeks. Stremme said that he might be able to talk about his future next week. "I don't have anything [to say]," a terse but polite Stremme said Saturday at Auto Club (Calif.) Speedway. "We'll see [what happens]." When asked if he was worried about the talk that Penske's people talked with Brad Keselowski (Keselowski says he was never offered the ride), Stremme said he wasn't. "Talk to them at Penske, they probably know what's going on," Stremme said.(SceneDaily.com)(9-1-2008) Comment here
- Hornish unsure of points, team swap: Sam Hornish Jr. says he hasn't had any conversations with Penske Racing officials regarding a possible move from the team's #77 Dodge to the #12 for 2009, or a possible points swap between the two. "All I know about it is that no decision has been made," Hornish said Friday while at Auto Club Speedway. "I just know they need a driver for the 12 car." Teammate Ryan Newman's impending departure means the Penske organization has one driver opening to fill. Putting Hornish in the 12 would likely placate primary sponsor Alltel and would guarantee the driver a spot in the field through a minimum of next season's first five races (when final owner points from 2008 are used).(SceneDaily.com)(8-30-2008) Comment here
- Stremme to the #12? Alltel out? David Stremme, the driver for Rusty Wallace’s Nationwide effort, appears to have the inside track to replace Ryan Newman in the #12 Dodge at Penske racing next season. While refusing to acknowledge that a decision has been made, all signs from within the organization point to an announcement within a matter of days, as soon as the details on sponsorship for the team have been finalized. Current primary sponsor Alltel, which merged with Verizon this spring [but the deal has not been closed and probably won't be in late 2009], has been forced to leave at the conclusion of 2008.(Yahoo Sports)(8-20-2008)
- Newman's 2009 plans to be announced Friday? UPDATE Official: #12-Ryan Newman will be introduced as the second driver at Stewart-Haas Racing on Friday at Michigan International Speedway, a source close to the situation told ESPN.com on Wednesday. Newman reached a verbal agreement with Tony Stewart a few weeks ago, but details about his sponsor and other contractual details had to be ironed out before the deal could be officially announced. Stewart, who recently took over 50% of Haas CNC Racing, will drive the #14 sponsored by Office Depot and Old Spice. Newman will drive the #4, with Burger King, U.S. Army and UPS being mentioned as potential sponsors. Newman also was pursued by Evernham Motorsports, Richard Childress Racing and Petty Enterprises after announcing he would not return to Penske Racing next season. Newman will be reunited with Matt Borland, now the competition director at Stewart-Haas. Borland was Newman's crew chief at Penske for 12 of his 13 Cup victories. Attempts to reach Newman and Stewart were unsuccessful.(ESPN.com)(8-13-2008)
UPDATE: Stewart Haas Racing announced the Ryan Newman would be the driver of their 2nd team, the #4 Chevy. No sponsor or crew chief was announced. Newman said the contract is multi-year, but no exact term mention.(8-15-2008)
UPDATE 2 - the press release: Stewart-Haas Racing has signed Ryan Newman to a multi-year contract to drive the team's #4 Chevrolet beginning with the 2009 Sprint Cup Series season. Newman, winner of 13 Sprint Cup races, including this year's Daytona
500, will be a teammate to Tony Stewart, the two-time Sprint Cup champion who will drive the #14 Office Depot/Old Spice Chevrolet in
2009. The announcement pairs two Indiana natives and two former United States Auto Club (USAC) champions under one roof. "We're obviously very excited to have Ryan join our team," said Stewart, who will serve as both driver and owner of Stewart-Haas Racing, with
Stewart owning Newman's #4 entry. "Long before Ryan came to NASCAR, I knew he was talented. His success in USAC has continued in stock cars, and to have someone of his caliber as my teammate makes both the driver part of me and the owner part of me very happy."
"All I want to do is win, and Tony is a proven winner as both a driver and a team owner," Newman said. "Tony is a racer who has seen all sides of this sport. He knows what it takes to win, and I know that he's going to give me everything I need to be successful. We share the same goals, the same background and the same mindset. There's a comfort level at Stewart-Haas Racing that's very unique, and it's why I've made it my new home." Newman, who enjoys fishing and restoring vintage cars, resides in Statesville, N.C., with his wife, Krissie.(True Speed Communications PR)(8-15-2008) Comment here
- Verizon/Alltel hopes to continue sponsorship: Scott Ford's speaking appearance at a July 22 gathering of the Rotary Club of Little Rock produced a couple of anecdotes related to the planned $28.1 billion sale to Verizon Corp. The CEO of Little Rock's Alltel Corp. said Verizon was interested in continuing the sponsorship of Ryan Newman's #12 Dodge Charger on the NASCAR circuit. Ford described the publicity gained from the Alltel car as providing a 6-1 advertising leverage. He said the only better investment, on a cost-per-eyeball basis, was Alltel Arena in North Little Rock. Newman's #12 car, sporting Alltel's familiar blue and white colors, won the Daytona 500 back in February.(Arkansas Business), for Verizon to keep the sponsorship, they would have to keep the Alltel brand. AT&T was allowed to switch from Cingular on the #31 car for about 18 months after Cingular and Alltel were grandfathered in after Nextel/Sprint became the Cup Series sponsor in 2004.(8-4-2008) Comment here
- Newman Commits to Stewart-Haas? UPDATE 2: hearing that Ryan Newman has agreed in prinicipal to drive for Stewart Haas racing in 2009.(7-30-2008)
UPDATE: Ryan Newman has reached a verbal agreement to drive for Stewart-Haas Racing next season, a NASCAR source close to the situation told ESPN.com on Wednesday. The deal could take up to a month to finalize and announce as negotiations continue for car sponsors. Newman reached the agreement after Joe Gibbs Racing was unable to nail down sponsorship to start a fourth team. JGR president J.D. Gibbs confirmed on Sunday at Indianapolis that Newman no longer was a factor in the team's plans and that a fourth team was unlikely for 2009. Stewart will drive the #14 and Newman the #4. Newman also has been pursued by Evernham Motorsports, Richard Childress Racing and Petty Enterprises since announcing he would not return to Penske Racing next season, sources said.(ESPN.com)(7-30-2008)
UPDATE2: Amidst all the speculation surrounding Ryan Newman's future, the driver and even his wife maintain no official deal has been signed to drive for Stewart-Haas Racing next season. Despite several online reports that the driver of the #12 Penske Dodge verbally agreed to join Stewart-Haas in 2009, Newman issued a statement Friday saying, "I am still working on my 2009 plans at this time. I have no timetable on finalizing anything at this point." Also, a blog posted this week from wife Krissie Newman said, "Don't get too excited just yet."
Nevertheless, Newman said he doesn't have anything on paper. "I've got my search pretty narrowed down I just don't have everything finalized," he said last week. Newman said there is no time frame for his decision, but admits time is of the essence and said the sooner he can work out an agreement the better in order to prepare for the 2009 season-opener in Daytona.(NASCAR.com)(8-2-2008) Comment here
- Avis scheme for Newman: #12-Ryan Newman will run a red and white Avis [rental cars] in the Sunoco Red Cross Pennsylvania 500 at Pocono Raceway. This is the first and only race this year that Avis has served as the primary sponsor for the No. 12 Dodge in 2008.
In honor of this weekend's #12 Avis Dodge, Avis is inviting motorsports enthusiasts to experience the unique service and benefits of its award-winning technology with a special discount on its car rentals. To receive up to 25% off rentals, racing fans must mention Avis Worldwide Discount (AWD) number W009404 at the time of reservation by calling 1-800-331-1212 or visit www.avis.com and enter the AWD number when prompted. This week, the #12 Avis Dodge pit crew traveled to Victory Junction Gang Camp in Randleman, N.C., to take part in NASCARnival Nights. As part of the event, the #12 pit crew did a pit stop demonstration for the 125 campers. The pit crew also participated in the night's "Beach Blast"-themed activities - they took turns in the dunking tank, played with water guns and just enjoyed time with the campers.(Penske Racing PR), see images of the scheme on my #12 Team Scheme page.(7-30-2008)
- Newman not going to the #20 car: Strike Joe Gibbs Racing from the list of potential employers for Ryan Newman. Newman's name has been most prominently mentioned to land with Stewart-Haas Racing next season. Sources close to the situation said he also has had discussions with JGR, Richard Childress Racing and Gillett Evernham Motorsports. An RCR official said on Friday that he expected Newman to go to Stewart, and JGR president J.D. Gibbs said on Sunday it was unlikely the driver of Penske Racing's #12 could join his Toyota team. "It would be hard," Gibbs said before the Sprint Cup race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. "Another time, another day, maybe. He's a great individual. You would love to have him on your team. It's just all those ducks aren't in a row." Gibbs did say he was getting closer to naming a driver to replace Tony Stewart in the #20 next season. Joey Logano, the 18-year-old sensation in the Nationwide Series, remains the front-runner for that spot. Gibbs also said speculation JGR would expand to four teams in 2009 was unlikely. "Next year would be hard," Gibbs said.(ESPN.com)(7-28-2008) Comment here
- Stremme has talked to Penske about #12 gig: David Stremme, currently a test driver at Penske Racing and Nationwide Series driver for Rusty Wallace Racing, said he has talked with Penske officials about driving the #12 Sprint Cup car next season. The team is looking for a replacement for Ryan Newman, who will leave the team at the end of the year. “We’ve talked,” Stremme said Saturday at O’Reilly Raceway Park. “Obviously, I’m doing testing for them. But there are a lot of opportunities open, too. Who wouldn’t want to be racing for Roger Penske? He’s very successful in motorsports. I like how they do their program.”(SceneDaily)(7-28-2008) Comment here
- Newman's search narrowed down: #12-Ryan Newman said Friday at Indy that he has his search for a new ride narrowed down, just doesn't have everything finalized, it is more a matter of paperwork and finalizing everything before he can announced something.(PRN's Garage Pass Radio Show)(7-26-208) Comment here
- Rusty says Newman was fired; Newman says 'no': Rusty Wallace and Ryan Newman never were pals when they competed as teammates at Penske Racing. Now, the two men have a major difference of opinion over the circumstances of Newman's departure from the No. 12 Dodge at the end of this season. Newman has said repeatedly that he and team owner Roger Penske discussed his situation a few weeks ago when Newman decided he wanted to move on. Wallace insinuated on Friday that Newman was fired. "I'll clear this leaving thing up," Wallace said. "He didn't leave. Roger called Ryan up to his office and said, 'I don't need your services next year.' Ryan didn't come to him and say he's leaving. You all need to write that. That's exactly how it went down. Obviously, there was some bad blood there when that happened. I love Roger, so I'm going to help clear up the story for him."
However, in a clarifying statement shortly thereafter, Penske said: "I have read Rusty's comments and it is important for everyone to understand that I did not fire Ryan. His contract runs though 2008 and we sat down and agreed that we were not going forward beyond this year." Newman was told about Wallace's comments about an hour later. "I don't know what Rusty is trying to prove, but that's not the case," Newman said. "Roger and I agreed not to continue our association. If anything, it was me more than him. Our goals didn't align." Wallace, now a broadcaster for ESPN, was Newman's teammate from 2002 through 2005. Their relationship was strained during most of those four seasons.(ESPN.com)
AND Newman said Friday at Indy that it wasn't the case, that Roger and he decided mutually not continue.(PRN's Garage Pass Radio Show)(7-26-208) Comment here
- Stremme the favorite to replace Newman? Rusty Wallace Inc. to Cup? Sam Hornish Jr. said Tuesday that nobody has spoken to him about moving from Penske Racing's #77 Dodge to replace the departing #12-Ryan Newman next season, and that he has no idea who will ultimately end up in the ride. Sources close to the situation continue to tell Sirius Speedway that David Stremme is the leading candidate for the ride, but whether or not those sources are correct, it seems likely that Stremme will find his way back to the Sprint Cup ranks next season, one way or another. Stremme has turned down a number of offers to return to the Sprint Cup Series this season -- holding out for a ride that he feels is capable of running up front -- while serving as a test driver for Penske Racing. I [Dave Moody] believe that Stremme may have already received a commitment from Roger Penske for a full-time Cup ride in 2009.
AND: Yet another option for career advancement landed on Stremme's doorstep Tuesday, when an executive for ABC/ESPN confirmed that Rusty Wallace could continue as a network analyst if he moves his race team to the Sprint Cup Series. ESPN Vice President of Motorsports Rich Feinberg said that while the network did not allow Wallace to own a Cup team when he was first hired in 2006, the addition of team owners Ray Evernham and Brad Daugherty to the lineup has prompted a change in policy. Feinberg said, "The choice for Rusty to go into Cup racing is Rusty's, and we have relayed our position to him on that." Wallace has not yet commented publically on the possibility of RWI jumping to Cup in the near future. But if he does, Stremme will obviously be at the top of his list of potential drivers.(Motorsports Soapbox)(7-24-2008) Comment here
- Gillett Evernham interested in free agent drivers: Tuesday Gillett Evernham Motorsports owner Ray Evernham spoke to Sirius Speedway host Dave Moody about the possibility of bringing Ryan Newman or any other free agent drivers to his race team for next year.
Host, Dave Moody: "Are you now, have you ever, or do you anticipate active negotiations with Ryan Newman for a spot in your stable next year?"
Ray Evernham: "We have not negotiated with Ryan but we have put out the feeler that we would be very interested, certainly, in talking to Ryan about the future as would probably all the other car owners but we've not spoken with Ryan or negotiated with him. But, yes, we are interested in talking to him."
Moody: "So if your phone rings and he does [call] you back are we talking about a fourth car?"
Evernham: "Mr. Gillett and I would love to expand to four cars. So if that's going to happen it has to happen quickly but there are opportunities to grow Gillett Evernham Motorsports. But, again, that depends on drivers and sponsors and there are sponsors available with the proper drivers."
Moody: "Would it be safe to assume then that Ryan Newman might not be the only top notch driver in the final year of his contract that you might have reached out [to] at this point?"
Evernham: "Yeah, absolutely, but there's no sense in doing a fourth team unless it can add to what we're already building and to start a fourth team without the proper sponsorship or a driver that can add to the program just doesn't make sense. There are a couple of drivers available and there are some sponsors out there that are talking to other teams, too, besides us to put packages together. But if we were to be able to put that package together to strengthen Gillett Evernham we'd certainly do it. The guys that are out there that have been talking to people, certainly that we have spoken to or are interested in speaking [to], are the same guys everybody else has talked to: Ryan Newman, Casey Mears and Martin Truex are the guys that are in the hot rumors right now."(Sirius NASCAR Radio)(7-23-2008) Comment here
- Newman gets his own road: Move aside, Abraham Lincoln: Ryan Newman’s taking over a stretch of your road. A stretch of Lincoln Way West in the driver’s hometown of South Bend, Indiana has been rededicated for the winner of this year’s Daytona 500. It will not be renamed for now. During a ceremony Wednesday, Newman noted the half-mile stretch near South Bend Regional Airport has a speed limit of 45 mph. Said Newman: “I’m kind of wondering if maybe we can up the speed limit in that stretch.” (Associated Press/Indianapolis Star)(7-18-2008) Comment here
- Newman says he has 4 options for 2009: UPDATE: Ryan Newman was "Mummy" on whether he will leave Penske Racing after this season. Newman, promoting the soon-to-be-released movie "Mummy" on his car in Saturday night's Sprint Cup race at Chicagoland Speedway, is considered the leading candidate to join Tony Stewart next season at newly-formed Stewart-Haas Racing. Sources have told ESPN.com that deal to join the Indiana natives is close to done and could be announced in two weeks at Indianapolis. Newman said he has three serious options outside of Penske and that ownership is part of at least one of the options. He also said re-signing with Penske is an option. Asked if ownership could be an option at Stewart-Haas, where Stewart was given 50 percent of the company, Newman said, "I won't answer that." Newman said last month he would not re-sign with Penske unless the performance of his team improved significantly. He said the team has made some strides to improve, but not enough to convince him it is ready to challenge for a championship. (ESPN.com)(7-13-2008)
UPDATE: Newman acknowledged on Saturday in Chicagoland that he has three serious options outside of Penske. A source close to the situation said Newman has been in discussions with Stewart Haas, Joe Gibbs Racing and Richard Childress Racing. The source added there is a firm offer from Stewart-Haas and that potential sponsors are set, but that the deal is not done. Newman said one of his options included ownership of equity in the company. Stewart-Haas general manager Joe Custer said his company is not looking to give up any more ownership than the 50 percent already given to Stewart. JGR officials have consistently said they are not interested in giving up ownership. Team owner Joe Gibbs and president J.D. Gibbs talked on Saturday as though 18-year-old sensation Joey Logano could replace Stewart in the #20 Home Depot car next season. RCR, looking for a driver for a fourth team sponsored by General Mills, and GEM already are divided into partnerships.(ESPN.com)(7-15-2008) Comment here
- Truex or Stremme to the #12? Penske has offered no hints as to who might replace Ryan Newman. Martin Truex Jr.’s name has been mentioned, but Truex’s current contract with DEI is still the subject of legal debate, and it is unclear if DEI will indeed force Truex to return for another season or give him his release. Truex has been pushing quietly to become a free agent. David Stremme, who drove for fellow Dodge owner Chip Ganassi until being released at the end of last season, has been a Penske test driver this season, and Stremme could also be under consideration.(Winston-Salem Journal)(7-15-2008) Comment here
- Newman and Penske to part ways at end of season: UPDATE: 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." The driver of the Penske Racing #12 Alltel car for the 2009 NASCAR Cup season will be announced in the near future.(Penske Racing PR)(7-14-2008)
Statement from Alltel: "From the early days in the ARCA series to our team celebration in Victory Lane at this year's Daytona 500, Alltel Wireless has enjoyed a memorable, eight-year relationship with Ryan Newman," said Jeff Fox, chief operating officer, Alltel Wireless. "Ryan has been an outstanding representative on- and off-the track, and we're very proud of the results the partnership has delivered to our brand. We remain committed to our sponsorship of the #12 Alltel Dodge and look forward to having Ryan behind the wheel for the rest of the 2008 season. We wish him all the best in his next endeavor."(Alltel PR)(7-14-2008) Comment here
- ran the #02 in 2000-2001 changed to #12 when the #12 Mobil One team folded
See past news on the old #12 Mobil One Ford Penske team here
