NASCAR officials to talk with Ryan Newman, Tony Stewart after 'disappointing' comments

Rea White

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NASCAR officials to talk with Ryan Newman, Tony Stewart after 'disappointing' comments image

NASCAR officials plan to talk with Ryan Newman and Tony Stewart before the Sprint Cup race at Chicagoland after the drivers tangled last Saturday night at Richmond.

NASCAR executive vice president and chief racing development officer Steve O'Donnell said on SiriusXM NASCAR on Monday that a conversation would be had with both drivers. He also said that NASCAR found the comments following the incident "disappointing."

MORE: Winners and losers at Richmond | Chicagoland schedule

"Certainly too late for us to do anything in terms of a reaction at-track after you hear the comments from both drivers, disappointing in terms of how that played out and what was said, I think, on the air," O'Donnell said when asked what NASCAR was thinking after what officials saw and the comments made by both drivers. "But we're going to take a look at that, now that we've got some time, and certainly talk to both drivers before heading into Chicago and go from there. So we're still looking through everything to review the data and then have conversations with the drivers."

Asked specifically how that type of conversation works, O'Donnell said that "each situation is unique," but made it clear that the discussion will be held before the drivers are on the track.

"Certainly telephone calls, but you can bet on the fact that, any incident like that, we'll sit each driver down prior to going on the racetrack," he said. "Make sure, probably individually, that they've talked; if they haven't talked, we'll make sure they're together before any of the cars go out on the track prior to that first practice."

In the Federated Auto Parts 400 at Richmond, Newman was trying to get into the Chase for the Sprint Cup championship-determining field. Stewart was already in that field by virtue of his win at Sonoma earlier this year and his place in the top 30 in the standings.

MORE: 16 for '16: Chase field set | Driver focus shifts to title run

The two sparked a fiery multicar crash late that brought a caution on Lap 364 — and then offered their takes in comments after the crash.

Newman was interviewed on the NBC broadcast shortly after the incident. After saying that Stewart intentionally cut him off, he offered an analysis of his former team owner (Newman drove for Stewart-Haas Racing from 2009-13).

"I guess he thought he was in a sprint car again, didn't know how to control his anger," Newman said. " … Just disappointing that you've got somebody old like that that's retired, should be retired the way he drives, it's just ridiculous."

Newman added that the reason for the crash was Stewart "being bipolar and having anger issues. Google Tony Stewart, you'll see all kinds of things he's done. Look it up on YouTube, everything else. Quite the guy."

Stewart, for his part, didn't back away when asked about Newman's comments that the move was intentional. He was interviewed on the broadcast after the race ended.


Stewart exits his car after the crash. (Getty Images)

"He's right," Stewart said on NBC. "That was the third time he'd driven into me during the night; how many times does a guy get a free pass until you've had enough of it? …

"Ryan and I have been good friends. I don't do that to him. But he hits me in (Turn) 1, he hits me off of (Turn) 2, and it's like the third time by that time. There was once early in the race that nobody saw. Three times, that's two more times than I normally let somebody run into me."

And asked about Newman's comment that he should already be retired, Stewart commented that "he'll get his wish in 10 weeks." He went on to say that maybe with Stewart retired next year, Newman will "get his spot in the Chase that way" before saying that he expects Newman to win a title before it's "all said and done."

MORE: Chicagoland schedule

Sprint Cup drivers practice for the first time at Chicagoland on Friday. Qualifying is Friday evening, and the first race of the 2016 Chase for the Sprint Cup begins after 2:30 p.m. ET Sunday.

Rea White