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Stewart, Newman Blame Goodyear

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By TONY FABRIZIO

afabrizio@tampatrib.com

Published: February 14, 2009

Updated: 02/14/2009 11:44 pm

DAYTONA BEACH - Tony Stewart got his first major setback as a team owner Saturday when a crash in practice took out both of the cars Stewart-Haas Racing planned to race in the Daytona 500.

Stewart and defending 500 winner Ryan Newman each will drive backup cars today, although Newman's car is a backup to a backup.

Newman, who had already lost his primary car in Thursday's qualifying Duels, had a right rear tire blow in Turn 2, causing him to turn perpendicular in front of traffic. Stewart was following closely and T-boned him.

Both drivers ripped NASCAR tire supplier Goodyear.

"Same stuff that we always talk about every year, failures Goodyear has," said Stewart, who has been an outspoken critic of Goodyear. "I think that's part of their marketing campaign - the more we talk about it, the more press they get.

"I think they forget it's supposed to be in a good way, not a bad way."

Newman said a slight vibration gave him only about 100 yards of warning before the tire "exploded."

"Just disappointed in the situation Goodyear has put us in," he said.

Stu Grant, Goodyear's general manager for Worldwide Racing, said an examination of Newman's tire indicated there was no wear or blistering and that Newman most likely ran over a piece of debris.

He said he understood Stewart was doubly frustrated as a team owner and driver and planned to talk to him. Stewart, however, said, "don't bring them Goodyear officials anywhere close."
Tire wear and blistering was a problem during Thursday's qualifying races, but Jeff Gordon predicted it would be less of an issue in the 500 because there will be more rubber on the track after Friday night's truck race and Saturday's Nationwide Series race.

Gordon also defended Goodyear.

"Goodyear has probably one of the most challenging jobs there are, because we have all the things that really go against what a tire manufacturer is searching for," he said. "We have a big, heavy car and a narrow tire, yet we're running 200 mph in huge packs."

Stewart, who finished second in one of Thursday's qualifiers and was supposed to start on the inside of the third row today, will drop to the rear in the No. 14 Chevy he drove to a third-place finish in the Budweiser Shootout.

Asked by a reporter if he thinks it will hurt his chances of winning the 500, he replied, "I don't know, rocket scientist. I'm sitting here with a backup car. What do you think?"

About Saturday's development creating the first big test for his team, Stewart said, "I'm not the least bit concerned about that. It's the group at the end of the garage Goodyear that I'm concerned about."

Newman will drive a car originally designated as Stewart's second backup. It was still painted red Saturday but will have the black and gold U.S. Army paint scheme by race time.

Tribune correspondent Rick Harmon contributed to this story.

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