#12-Ryan Newman already has been in discussions about his future with Penske Racing, and now the issue is complicated with the uncertainty over sponsor Alltel. Alltel and Verizon announced Thursday that Verizon has agreed to purchase Alltel, with the transaction completed by the end of the year pending approval from industry regulators. Verizon plans to drop the Alltel brand, and NASCAR officials are adamant that Verizon cannot replace Alltel on the car because Verizon was not grandfathered in when NASCAR signed Nextel as its premier series sponsor in 2003. Will the uncertainty of the sponsor impact negotiations? “Long term, yeah, it’s going to have an influence,” Newman said on Friday after qualifying at Pocono Raceway. “I don’t know what that influence is yet. Obviously, it’s new news to everybody, including most of the people at Alltel. I’ll keep doing what I usually do and see what happens.” Penske Racing has a long-term deal with Alltel beyond this season, and its status might not be determined until late in the season or early next year depending on when the deal is completed and when Verizon drops the Alltel name. Newman could sign a contract without a committed sponsor but that is rare for marquee drivers. “I don’t know,” Newman said when asked if he would sign without a sponsor commitment. “I have no idea how long things are going to take and what the situation is going to be like.”(SceneDaily)(6-7-2008) UPDATE: Team owner Roger Penske said he does not believe uncertainty surrounding primary sponsor Alltel will affect negotiations with driver #12-Ryan Newman. Communications company Alltel last week indicated it has agreed to sell to its business Verizon in a deal that should conclude by the end of this year. Verizon will not be able to replace Alltel as a sponsor on Newman’s car, NASCAR officials said, citing the ATT/Cingular issue involving Richard Childress Racing and Jeff Burton’s car last year. “We have not had any discussion strategically how that [sale] will affect the brand at this point,” Penske said Sunday at Pocono Raceway. “They have a number of options. It’s way too early for me to speculate what’s going to happen with the sponsorship. We’re waiting to see when the transaction, if it happens, when it gets executed and what’s going to be the brand strategy.” Penske said his team could absorb any financial issues if Alltel has to withdraw. “We have a long-term commitment with Alltel, and I’m certainly sure they wouldn’t leave us high and dry,” Penske said. “We’re a team that can operate with or without a sponsor. We have done it in the past.” Newman, who joined Penske Racing with Alltel in 2002, continues to negotiate with Penske Racing. Newman, whose contract expires at the end of this year, said he is not concerned about this future. “I know that once you’re in this place [Sprint Cup racing], you’re pretty much locked in unless you screw up,” Newman said. “There’s no point in being emotional about something that doesn’t require emotion.” Newman also said he is talking to other teams. “I have to do that to be fair to myself,” Newman said. “I’m not leading the points, and if I was, it would be a no-brainer. It’s not like marriage. It’s not like we’re locked in for life. You can stop with whoever you’re dating and date someone else. You can have more than one phone number in your phone.” Penske said the negotiations with Newman have been “very open.” “I’ve talked to drivers, and drivers have talked to us,” Penske said. “[Newman] and I have had very open conversations for several months. It’s good that everybody gets a chance to see what’s out there and what are the opportunities and at the time we’ve got to make a decision, we’ll make it.” Penske also addressed a rumor that he is interested in buying Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates, saying there is nothing to it. “Chip’s been a friend of mine for a long time, and I think that all came out of a comment, ‘How can we work together to get better?’ ” Penske said.(ESPN.com)(6-9-2008)
