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Penske officials insist Newman is contracted through '08. (LAT Photo) » More Photos
SILLY SEASON STUFF Coca-Cola 600 pole-sitter Ryan Newman's name has surfaced prominently in early Silly Season rumors, most notably in connection with a possible move to Joe Gibbs Racing. But Penske Racing officials have said Newman is under contract through the end of the 2008 season, and the driver said Saturday that neither he nor the team are distracted by the Silly Season rumors.
"A lot of names are in the hat right now," said Newman, who will make his 200th NASCAR Nextel Cup start on Sunday. "I guess it's a good thing being in the hat, being considered. At least someone thinks you have talent, but I'm happy where I'm at and I'm happy doing what I'm doing. We'll just play it like that. It doesn't distract me. I don't think it distracts the team. It's all about confidence whether it's confidence qualifying the race car and putting it on the edge or having confidence in me. That doesn't change."
At Joe Gibbs Racing, J.J. Yeley was told last week by J.D. Gibbs that he controls his own destiny, team officials said. Yeley, who is in the final year of his contract as driver of the No. 18 JGR Chevrolet, needs to improve his results if he wants to keep that ride next season, according to a JGR spokesman. But if he does that, he'll be back.
ROUSHKATEERS HAPPY Roush Fenway Racing teammates Carl Edwards and Greg Biffle topped Saturday night's final "Happy Hour" practice session for Sunday's Coca-Cola 600 at Lowe's Motor Speedway. Edwards lapped the 1.5-mile track at 179.742 miles per hour, compared with 179.706 for the Biff. Third was pole-sitter Ryan Newman at 179.563 mph in a Penske Racing Dodge, followed by the Evernham Motorsports Dodge of Elliott Sadler at 179.348 mph. The fastest Chevrolet belonged to J.J. Yeley at 178.903.
Positions six through 10 belonged to Martin Truex, Jr., Kurt Busch, Jeff Gordon, Matt Kenseth and Jeff Burton. Dale Earnhardt, Jr. was 25th, with five-time LMS winner Jimmie Johnson back in 34th.
Biffle (above) and the rest of the Roush armada showed speed in the final practice before Sunday's race. (LAT Photo) » More Photos
FEELING BETTER Kasey Kahne was greatly encouraged by the performance of his Evernham Motorsports Dodge Charger in practice Saturday, as he was in the top 10 in the first practice session. "This is the best we've been in a practice session in awhile. I feel good about it," said Kahne, who won both points races at Lowe's Motor Speedway in 2006. "We'll see what happens. I definitely think we've got a top-10 car and from there the track is going to change a lot. You'll need to keep up with it and also need to have a car that can run when the track changes like that. Nobody knows right
After a wretched start to the season, Evernham Motorsports is working hard to get Kahne back up to speed. "We've been a little bit off everywhere. I wouldn't say we're terrible anywhere, but we've been off everywhere and when you are it's tough to run in the top 15," he said. "The last three weeks we've been a car capable of 15th-20th. We've made some changes trying to make them better. Things are getting better. We'll see how this weekend goes, but I think we've definitely been making progress."
SLIPPIN' AND SLIDIN' The slick Lowe's Motor Speedway pavement bit several drivers in practice Saturday afternoon as they prepared for Sunday night's Coca-Cola 600, the longest race of the NASCAR Nextel Cup season.
Clint Bowyer spun his No. 07 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet and stuffed it backwards in the first minute of the first of two practice sessions Saturday afternoon. Bowyer's contact was hard enough that his RCR squad had to bring out a back-up car, which means he will start the Coca-Cola 600 from the back of the field.
Shortly after Bowyer's accident, Joe Nemechek spun his Ginn Racing Chevrolet, although he managed to keep it off the wall. Both Nemechek and Bowyer spun in Turn 2, though Nemechek's spin was at the exit of the turn and didn't result in any damage.
"Clint and those guys went to Defcon V early and wrecked," said Roush Fenway Racing's Carl Edwards, who like the other drivers battled the hot afternoon temperatures. "I don't know if it's contagious, but I almost wrecked, too."
Another wall-banger was Kyle Busch, who smacked the outside wall early during the final "Happy Hour" session, in which he completed only two laps.
ROOSTER CROWS Another driver hoping for a good finish in the Coca-Cola 500 after a slow start to his season is Virginia native Ricky Rudd, who drives for Robert Yates Racing.
"A lot of work went into this effort," said Rudd. "Just like everybody else, we brought our best car for the (Coca-Cola) 600, but the team has been steadily working. They've been to the wind tunnel and have been putting bodies on and working on the chassis and this is the first time that we've seen some really positive results that aren't sort of maybe just gonna be a flash in the pan. I feel like it's got a lot of staying power. I really like the way the car feels so it should run good the entire night, and then they'll just take this car and clone it. We need more of them."
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