Tag Archive | RyanNewman39

Is It Time To Evolve Our Opinion Of Danica?

Danica Patrick & Tony Stewart Are Fast Friends 2013 USA Today

Danica Patrick & Tony Stewart Are Fast Friends
(Photo: Davis Turner, for USA TODAY)

Danica Patrick Enter The 2013 Sprint Cup Series
by Springwolf

If you’ve read any of my Nascar posts, you know I’m pretty critical of Danica. Just check out “Why Nascar Fans Don’t Like Danica” and you’ll find the reasons why.

This year she will be driving the GoDaddy #10 Chevy full time in the Sprint Cup series for Stewart-Haas Racing.

Now as a major Tony Stewart fan, I’ve been conflicted about Danica from the beginning. I want to support him as both a driver and an owner. But it’s been hard where she’s concerned. Even knowing how much Tony likes her and believes in her abilities. (Danica and Tony are Fast Friends by Nate Ryan – USA Today)

Make no mistake, I think bringing her on board at Stewart-Haas Racing is a great business decision. She’s immensely popular. She garners a great deal of attention no matter what she does or where she goes.

As the Marketing reps say…there’s no such thing as bad publicity. You merely need to look at the response to this years Superbowl GoDaddy commercial to see that concept working in reality. As soon at that supermodel/nerd kiss commercial aired, Twitter lit up with comments. With each and every one of them mentioning “Go Daddy” in their disgust. But that gross commercial, pulled in record business for the Dot.com and that’s what it’s all about. Sales!

So yeah it’s a great business decision having her on the team. But business decisions don’t play out on the track with fans hoping for a win from their favorite driver. Continue reading →

Tony Stewart Enters An Exclusive Club

Jan30

Three Time Sprint Cup 2011 Champion – Tony Stewart

The Over 40 Champions Club

Only 8 Drivers, over 40, have been crowned Champion in Nascar’s history. The most recent came in 2011 when 40 year old Tony Stewart won the third of his three Nascar Sprint Cup Championships.

Tony is also the only Driver in Nascar’s history to win the top Championship title under its three modern sponsors; Winston Cup, Nextel Cup and the current Sprint Cup.

And he’s also the only current driver to win under the old point system and the new race to The Chase point system.

Tony enters the Over 40 Club and joins some of the greatest drivers in the history of Nascar! Continue reading →

2012 Fiscal Cliff Bill And Nascar – The Real Story & The Mis-information

Jan6

Nothing like a sunset over RIR!

How Assumptions Can Create Mis-Information

Last month Washington DC was in its usual fight over money, budgets and bills when it finally agreed on several little deals to create what’s being called on the street as the Fiscal Cliff Bill. Along with being a sports fan, an author and teacher, I’m also a political junkie. And one thing that irritates me more than the stupidity in Washington, is the B.S. and spin that the average American buys into at the hands of sloppy reporting and sensationalize journalism.

When that mis-information touches on something I care about, I tend to speak up. Such is the case of a recent story published in the Washington Post this week. An opinion piece, which I guess means the opinionated author doesn’t need to check their facts before publication. The article entitled “From NASCAR to rum, the 10 weirdest parts of the ‘fiscal cliff’ bill” was posted by Brad Plumer on January 2, 2013.

In this article Mr. Plumer makes the following statement: Continue reading →

No Indy 500 / Coke 600 For Stewart

Dec7

3-Time Sprint Cup Champion
Tony Stewart
“The People’s Champion”

Tony Stewart Announces: No Double for 2013

Smoke fans were excited at the proposition that their favorite driver might run the infamous racing “Double” in 2013. What’s the Double? Well it’s only one of the most arduous days in racing, requiring a race car driver to participate in the Indianapolis 500 AND the Coca-Cola 600 in the same day. Yep, two of the longest races of the season for both Indy and Nascar series racing.

Tony Stewart has run the Double before. He ran both races in 1999, his Nascar Rookie year. He finished 9th in the Indy 500 and 4th in the Coke 600. He completed 1,090 miles of the 1,100 miles of the combined races. Pretty fantastic finishes in both races.

In 2001, Smoke made the attempt at the Double again. This time running all of the 1,100 miles even with a brief 17 minute rain delay in Indy. In addition he proved his talent and ability as a race car driver by improving his previous effort finishes in both races. Crossing the finish line at Indy in 6th and 3rd at the Coke 600.

So when Roger Penske made the public offer for Tony to run the Double again next year, fans were excited! During the final Awards ceremony in Vegas for Nascar’s Championship Week, Standing at the microphone for his speech as owner of this years Nascar Championship team, Penske announces “Where’s Stewart? How about doing the double at Indy this year? You available?” And while the banquet hall erupted in laugher, Mr. Penske was serious. Explaining his offer was in earnest at a later after awards ceremony interview. Continue reading →

2012 Nascar Sprint Cup Champions Week

Dec1

Fast Forward Through The Awards

We’ve watched all the Nascar Award shows that have been televised. We learned a few years ago to record them and fast forward through the boring or uninteresting parts. Last night’s show was no exception and only made me more appreciative of the fast forward button.

I like Howie as a stand-up comedian. As a host of an award show, he was unimpressive and some of his antics truly took away from the ‘class’ that was shown by others during the evening. That was very disappointing.

In his article Nascar Awards Banquet:Thoughts On The Ceremony, Jeff Gluck mentions “..the evening became more TV-focused in recent years, it took a significant move toward that direction with a new format debuted Friday night at the Wynn in Las Vegas.“

I can understand the need to break up the evening in sections for viewers. However, being a viewer means you’re not in Vegas to take in the sights and sounds of the week. I would have been much happier with a fuller replay of the events that occurred during the week. Such as more tape from Are Nascar Drivers Smarter Than A Fifth Grader. I would have liked to have seen more of Tony’s push-up contest with Rutledge Wood, and how about the Car Parade and burn outs on the Vegas Strip? Continue reading →

Feeling Down About The Last Race Of The Season?

Nov16

Daytona 500 Trophy

There’s Only 100 Days To Daytona!

Next season isn’t that far away. So if you’re already feeling let down that your driver isn’t competing for a title, start counting now for next year.

The next Daytona 500 will be Tony Stewart’s 501st start. He has won several times at Daytona in the summer series. But he has never taken home the trophy from the 500.

He’ll start the year with a new primary sponsor, Bass Pro Shops for the #14 Chevy. Ryan Newman will be back in the #39 with Quicken Loans. And Stewart-Haas Racing will field a 3rd car for Spring Cup, with Danica Patrick in the GoDaddy car.

Of course Dale Jr will also be back in his #88 Chevy with Hendrick. Trevor Bayne will be running a full-time schedule in Nationwide and a limited schedule in Cup. Continue reading →

Spooky Celebrations

Oct29

Merry Samhain or Happy Halloween

What ever your celebration we hope you have a safe and happy one!

Talladega Brings Out The Humor In Smoke

Oct13

Talladega October 2012

2012 Fall Race – The Big One

It seems racing at Talladega brings out the funny side of Tony Stewart. Matt Kenseth won the Good Sam Roadside Assistance 500 when “The Big One” happened on the final lap as the #14 driven by 3-time Champion Tony Stewart was racing hard against Kenseth’s #17 on the high side of the track.

Tony was coming down to protect his position, when Michael Waltrip had a big run on the inside line of cars. Tony thought he was clear, telling reporters after the race “It’s my fault. I take 100 percent of the blame. I was trying to win the race and stay ahead and Michael got a big head of a steam. I turned down across the front of his car. It was a mistake on my part, but it made for a bad day for a lot of other guys.” Continue reading →

Nascar Reinstates AJ Allmendinger

Oct13

A.J. Allmendinger

Allmendinger Gets A Second Chance

On Tuesday, Nascar announced they have reinstated AJ Allmendinger after successful completion of the sanctioning body’s Substance Abuse Policy Road to Recovery program.

This marks the first driver to enter and complete the program since its inception. ‘Dinger failed a drug test on June 29 at Kentucky Speedway. He was put on temporary suspension July 7 when the “A” sample of his urine specimen tested positive. That suspension became indefinite on July 24, after AJ Allmendinger’s “B” Sample Tests Positive.

Allmendinger’s business manager, Tara Ragan, said was an unspecified stimulant, adding that the results “were within nanograms of accepted standards.”

On August 7th Allmendinger told Marty Smith in an exclusive interview, he tested Positive for a Prescription Drug, Adderall. AJ tells Smith: ” he had been out in Louisville, Ky., the Wednesday before the Quaker State 400 race at Kentucky Speedway and was tired. A friend, Allmendinger said, handed him a pill and stated it was a workout supplement that would give him energy. Allmendinger ingested the pill.” That pill turned out to be Adderall, according to Allmendinger. Continue reading →

Write A Letter To Your 16-Year Old Self

Sep22

Dale Earnhardt Jr. #88

What Would You Say?

All week I’ve heard about this article that Dale Earnhardt Jr. wrote to his 16 year old self. A CBS News project that aired September 12, 2012.

As reported by the media, other Nascar fans and friends, it’s a very moving insight from one of racing’s premier drivers. It reflects on relationships, worries, his career and it even has some humor tossed in for good measure.

It is indeed a very moving reflection from a man who is not comfortable with being in the limelight each and every time he steps through the door. And it made me wonder, if you wrote a letter to your 16 year old self, what would you say?

One of the most poignant lines in his letter that hit home for me was: “You’re there, worried about me here.”

It caused me to think about how much time we waste worrying about things that may never happen, scared to take the chance on that first step on our way to finding out what we can accomplish. One of my favorite things to tell people in my practices is: “We can’t go back and change the past, but we can change the way we allow the past to affect our present and our future.” That starts by living life in the now, to the fullest and without worrying about the failures that “might” cross your path. You will never grab the brass ring, if you don’t take the chance to reach for it in the first place.

Letter Transcript:
Here is a transcript of Jr’s letter to himself: Continue reading →