[LSC9901]

CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- Ryan Newman's palms were relatively smooth for one who spends much of his time away from the racetrack working outdoors. The blisters often found on the hands of the 30-year-old Sprint Cup driver from hours of chopping wood were calloused over. But there were blisters.Mental ones.Between agonizing over whether his future will be at Penske Racing after this season, about the potential loss of longtime sponsor Alltel and about his 16th-place position in points, the reigning Daytona 500 champion feels like he has been hacking at a cord of elm."'Cause elm is real stringy, and it's hard to split," Newman said. "When you get wood like that, you either quit chopping or you quit and go on to some other piece of wood."That is where Newman is heading into Sunday's race at New Hampshire Motor Speedway. He has told owner Roger Penske that if performance doesn't improve, he will not return to the organization he has been with since 2000.

ESPN - Momentum from season-opening Daytona win running dry for Newman, Penske - Racing

[BiscuitMan]

You know, that's pretty good for a race car driver to tell his owner if the performance does not improve I'm moving on. It's usually the other way around.

Ryan Newman seems confident and that may mean he already has a good offer on the table from RCR, Tony Stewart, Ganassi or even Hendricks.

[Bob Tanner]

Note to Newman, a fellow Hoosier:
Ryan if you want a guarantee that the team you drive for will perform EXACTLY like you wish it to, I see only one answer; Buy your own team, and run it yourself!

Until then, you are the hired help. It's Roger's game and if you aren't happy, leave at the end of your agreement. All you'll get otherwise is just a basket full of frustration. Bob's definition of frustration is: The feelings you get when you try to control something which you have no control over.

Quit whining. Either do something to contribute to the solution (as you see it) or leave. Airing your dirty laundry to the press is beneath you and just puts the media vultures in a feeding frenzy.

[loco4pablo]

Originally Posted by Bob Tanner

Note to Newman, a fellow Hoosier:
Ryan if you want a guarantee that the team you drive for will perform EXACTLY like you wish it to, I see only one answer; Buy your own team, and run it yourself!

Until then, you are the hired help. It's Roger's game and if you aren't happy, leave at the end of your agreement. All you'll get otherwise is just a basket full of frustration. Bob's definition of frustration is: The feelings you get when you try to control something which you have no control over.

Quit whining. Either do something to contribute to the solution (as you see it) or leave. Airing your dirty laundry to the press is beneath you and just puts the media vultures in a feeding frenzy.

Bob, I don't know what's happening but we are in total agreence today....and I don't like this current trend!!!

But again I have to agree... keep the dirty laundry in the hamper! Ryan is one of my fav's but I'm surprised he choose this method to vent his frustrations but we all know it's because he's up for contract! But that team did win him the Daytona 500 for god sakes!

I've never heard Roger blast him!

If Ryan thinks he has management and performance issues at Peneske wait till he gets to Haas! He doesn't have a name like Tony Stewart & it will be.....Ryan Who??

[Bob Tanner]

Originally Posted by loco4pablo

Bob, I don't know what's happening but we are in total agreence today....and I don't like this current trend!!!

In the words of Porky Pig "Be Afwraid. Be vwery, vwery afwraid."

[Bob Tanner]

Note #2 to Ryan

You might want to take a lesson from Junior, IRT the media:
From jayski,com
Dale Jr. not looking to talk about JR Motorsports moving to Cup: #88-Dale Earnhardt Jr. got a little testy Friday when asked again about future plans to move his Nationwide Series team up to Sprint Cup. "I shouldn't have said anything about that, man," Earnhardt said. "I should have kept it to myself, because I don't want to talk about it in the press. That's personal to me, what I do with my business, and I'm damn sure ain't going to air my timeline out over the media. If we feel like we want to do that, we'll do it. We'll let you know and that will be that. I don't want to answer questions about it every week. My [Nationwide] team is doing great. I'd be foolish to make too many changes right now."(ESPN)(6-28-200

[jks812]

Originally Posted by Bob Tanner

Note #2 to Ryan

You might want to take a lesson from Junior, IRT the media:
From jayski,com
Dale Jr. not looking to talk about JR Motorsports moving to Cup: #88-Dale Earnhardt Jr. got a little testy Friday when asked again about future plans to move his Nationwide Series team up to Sprint Cup. "I shouldn't have said anything about that, man," Earnhardt said. "I should have kept it to myself, because I don't want to talk about it in the press. That's personal to me, what I do with my business, and I'm damn sure ain't going to air my timeline out over the media. If we feel like we want to do that, we'll do it. We'll let you know and that will be that. I don't want to answer questions about it every week. My [Nationwide] team is doing great. I'd be foolish to make too many changes right now."(ESPN)(6-28-200

Well if thats how Jr felt, he's right, he should not have brought it up. Seems like maybe he said it at the time to get attention and now wants everyone to forget he brought it up. Maybe Ricky Poo said he couldn't do it and should run things by him before he tells it.
I have to say one thing for Jr, he sure is turning into an a$$ since going to HMS.

[jks812]

But I do agree that maybe Ryan shouldn't air the dirty laundry in public. Kinda seems like that when you're not a top notch driver, you really shouldn't want to come off all demanding and whiney, knowing you're probably fixing to be looking for a new ride.

[BiscuitMan]

Originally Posted by Bob Tanner

Note to Newman, a fellow Hoosier:
Ryan if you want a guarantee that the team you drive for will perform EXACTLY like you wish it to, I see only one answer; Buy your own team, and run it yourself!

Until then, you are the hired help. It's Roger's game and if you aren't happy, leave at the end of your agreement. All you'll get otherwise is just a basket full of frustration. Bob's definition of frustration is: The feelings you get when you try to control something which you have no control over.

Quit whining. Either do something to contribute to the solution (as you see it) or leave. Airing your dirty laundry to the press is beneath you and just puts the media vultures in a feeding frenzy.

Bob, this is another one of those issues that we are looking at from a different angle.

Ryan Newman is testing the waters. His tactic is like sending out resumes to other race teams letting them know he will be available. I have to give him credit. He's proactive.

The ESPN piece states that sources close to the situation say Newman has been contacted by representatives from Joe Gibbs Racing, Hendrick Motorsports, Roush Fenway Racing, Gillett Evernham Motorsports, Petty Enterprises and Richard Childress Racing. And of course there are rumors he has been in discussion with Tony Stewart and his potential plan to acquire Haas CNC Racing. That means someone is listening.

Newman doesn't seem to be taking the Dale Jr. path.... but, its his own strategy at work. I can't fault the guy for trying.

[Bob Tanner]

Originally Posted by BiscuitMan

Bob, this is another one of those issues that we are looking at from a different angle.

Ryan Newman is testing the waters. His tactic is like sending out resumes to other race teams letting them know he will be available. I have to give him credit. He's proactive.

The ESPN piece states that sources close to the situation say Newman has been contacted by representatives from Joe Gibbs Racing, Hendrick Motorsports, Roush Fenway Racing, Gillett Evernham Motorsports, Petty Enterprises and Richard Childress Racing. And of course there are rumors he has been in discussion with Tony Stewart and his potential plan to acquire Haas CNC Racing. That means someone is listening.

Newman doesn't seem to be taking the Dale Jr. path.... but, its his own strategy at work. I can't fault the guy for trying.

Good point. I just have an aversion to using a third party to apply pressure, such as you subscribe to Newman's possibly doing.

But,that's just me...

[Racer Duck]

Originally Posted by BiscuitMan

Bob, this is another one of those issues that we are looking at from a different angle.

Ryan Newman is testing the waters. His tactic is like sending out resumes to other race teams letting them know he will be available. I have to give him credit. He's proactive.

The ESPN piece states that sources close to the situation say Newman has been contacted by representatives from Joe Gibbs Racing, Hendrick Motorsports, Roush Fenway Racing, Gillett Evernham Motorsports, Petty Enterprises and Richard Childress Racing. And of course there are rumors he has been in discussion with Tony Stewart and his potential plan to acquire Haas CNC Racing. That means someone is listening.

Newman doesn't seem to be taking the Dale Jr. path.... but, its his own strategy at work. I can't fault the guy for trying.

I think you nailed it, BiscuitMan.

The only "I wonder" would be: "Why isn't Ryan 100% happy with Penske?" Is it more of a sponsor issue or is it he feels he doesn't have the equipment/personnel to compete at the Chase level and is using this to twist Roger's arm?