#31-Ryan Newman was involved in an accident on lap 363 at Richmond Saturday night after contact with #14-Tony Stewart:
Q: Are you okay, and why did that happen?
Newman: ‘Oh, I’m fine. I think it was pretty obvious watching the video. I don’t even have to watch it. The No. 14 (Tony Stewart) cut across my nose into Turn 1 and I got into him after that, but he’d already chopped into me and messed up my line and I clipped him a little bit coming off of (Turn) 2; but he just cut across my nose. Going down the back straightaway there, I guess he thought he was in a Sprint Car again; did not know how to control his anger. We’ll keep fighting like we always do. It’s just unfortunate not to end the way we wanted to. The Caterpillar Chevrolet and Grainger and Sprint and everybody else who helps put us on. But, it’s just disappointing that you’ve got somebody old like that, that should be retired the way he drives. It’s just ridiculous.’
Q: You were racing him pretty aggressively for 9th place in the turns before that. Do you think he had any reason to be ticked off at you?
Newman: ‘I only hit him in Turn 1 when he cut across my nose. So, I don’t think there was any reason other than him just being bipolar and having anger issues. Google Tony Stewart; you’ll see all kinds of things he’s done. Look it up. YouTube and everything else. Quite the guy.’
Q: What happened from your perspective?
Newman: ‘Tony Stewart ran across my nose twice in one lap. The second one cost him and me. It’s unfortunate. He has got issues. We all know he’s got issues. He proved it again tonight. I was clearly inside of him getting into Turn 1, he cut across my nose, I was on the brakes, on the apron and I hit him coming off of Turn 2, but only because I got loose, I was on the apron. The next thing I know he is driving across my nose on the back straightaway because he’s Tony Stewart and he thinks he owns everything. It’s unfortunate, but shouldn’t expect anything less from him.’(Chevy PR)
AND: Stewart said Newman had run across his nose early in the race and then twice again before Stewart admitted he cut across Newman but obviously didn’t want to wreck himself. ‘How many times does he get to run into you before you say, ‘You’ve had enough?’ Stewart said. As far as the harsh comments, Stewart said Newman was in a pressure-filled situation. ‘It’s a stressful night for him,’ Stewart said. ‘He was trying to make the Chase. It’s a stressful moment. He’s going to say whatever he’s going to say.’ The two drivers had been friends. ‘I’d say by that he probably doesn’t want to be friends right now,’ Stewart said. ‘It’s up to him.’(ESPN.com)
