NASCAR- Newman leaving Penske after 2008 season

[likearock00]

http://www.nascar.com/2008/news/head...ske/index.html

In the final year of his contract with Penske Racing and unhappy with the team's performance, Ryan Newman wanted to weigh his options for the 2009 season. On Monday, the Penske organization decided to move on without him, and announced it was cutting ties with Newman effective the end of the year.

"There's a point where there's a decision that has to be made," Penske president Tim Cindric said. "Our first choice was to keep Ryan on board with us, but you can't draw it out forever. There's going to be a point where we either have to decide whether we're in or we're out, and obviously today was the day to part ways."

Newman is now free to sign with another NASCAR team -- including the one now co-owned by friend and fellow driver Tony Stewart -- for next season and beyond. Newman had repeatedly said that he would consider leaving Penske if performance did not improve. His Daytona 500 win is his lone race victory since late 2005, and he currently sits 16th in Sprint Cup points.

"I appreciate Penske Racing and all they have done for me," Newman said in a statement released by the team, "but more importantly, I appreciate their friendship and what they have done for my career."

Newman has 13 wins in 243 starts with 63 top-five finishes and 105 top-10s. Since his debut on Nov. 5, 2000, at Phoenix he also has 43 poles -- tops on the Sprint Cup tour -- despite not running his first full season until 2002. Penske is the only NASCAR home that Newman has ever known.

[ByTheLake]

Newman!