INDIANAPOLIS -
Leave it to two of the most competitive drivers in NASCAR to start things off with a little fun on Wednesday morning.
"I believe that was, what, '94, early '90s, '92," said Ryan Newman, when describing the first time he saw a NASCAR at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. "The bottom line was we came."
"You're such a historian," quipped Tony Stewart, who is Newman's teammate and boss in 2009, as owner of Stewart Haas Racing.
"It's 15 years ago, man," responded Newman. "We snuck into the racetrack and came over and talked to Jeff Gordon and some other drivers."
The smiles on the drivers faces started then, and the didn't leave for most of the pre-Brickyard 400 press conference Wednesday. Not as if they needed anymore reason besides their humorous tangents throughout the 35 minutes.
Stewart is in first place in the Sprint Cup Standings, the first owner/driver to do so since Alan Kulwicki in the early 1990s. Already he's capture two points wins plus a victory at May's All Star Race in Charlotte. Newman is seventh in the points and is currently firmly in the Chase for the Sprint Cup.
"That was my goal, was just to make progress every week," said Stewart of his maiden season as an owner. "We're very pleased with it, very excited about it. I feel fortunate about it."
See: Coke Zero 400 Photos
So excited and confident in fact, that Stewart sang the praises of Goodyear often on Wednesday.
Yes the tire maker, the one he once said on the air couldn't make a tire.
"I've gained a lot of respect for Goodyear over just the process of working on the tire for Indianapolis," said Stewart of the manufacturer. "The dedication that they've shown to making sure that that doesn't happen again."
That would be quick wear of the tires that plagued the 2008 Brickyard with continues competition yellows and short green flag runs. Most of Stewart's new found confidence in the tire comes from his final tests, which boosted the amount laps that could be run before a change.
"We were able to run almost 30 laps and still not even be down to the cords and the tires," said Stewart of the tests.
See: More Racing News
Thought it wasn't enough to just see the tire in action, Stewart went as far to travel to Akron to watch the tires made on the assembly line.
"It's a process that makes you shake your head because you just don't realize what goes into making a tire. And the good thing is it's not done by a machine, it's done by a physical person that actually puts that tire together," said Stewart of the process.
"I believe that was, what, '94, early '90s, '92," said Ryan Newman, when describing the first time he saw a NASCAR at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. "The bottom line was we came."
"You're such a historian," quipped Tony Stewart, who is Newman's teammate and boss in 2009, as owner of Stewart Haas Racing.
"It's 15 years ago, man," responded Newman. "We snuck into the racetrack and came over and talked to Jeff Gordon and some other drivers."
The smiles on the drivers faces started then, and the didn't leave for most of the pre-Brickyard 400 press conference Wednesday. Not as if they needed anymore reason besides their humorous tangents throughout the 35 minutes.
Stewart is in first place in the Sprint Cup Standings, the first owner/driver to do so since Alan Kulwicki in the early 1990s. Already he's capture two points wins plus a victory at May's All Star Race in Charlotte. Newman is seventh in the points and is currently firmly in the Chase for the Sprint Cup.
"That was my goal, was just to make progress every week," said Stewart of his maiden season as an owner. "We're very pleased with it, very excited about it. I feel fortunate about it."
See: Coke Zero 400 Photos
So excited and confident in fact, that Stewart sang the praises of Goodyear often on Wednesday.
Yes the tire maker, the one he once said on the air couldn't make a tire.
"I've gained a lot of respect for Goodyear over just the process of working on the tire for Indianapolis," said Stewart of the manufacturer. "The dedication that they've shown to making sure that that doesn't happen again."
That would be quick wear of the tires that plagued the 2008 Brickyard with continues competition yellows and short green flag runs. Most of Stewart's new found confidence in the tire comes from his final tests, which boosted the amount laps that could be run before a change.
"We were able to run almost 30 laps and still not even be down to the cords and the tires," said Stewart of the tests.
See: More Racing News
Thought it wasn't enough to just see the tire in action, Stewart went as far to travel to Akron to watch the tires made on the assembly line.
"It's a process that makes you shake your head because you just don't realize what goes into making a tire. And the good thing is it's not done by a machine, it's done by a physical person that actually puts that tire together," said Stewart of the process.
