NASCAR Sprint-Cup Series
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CUP: Quicken Loans Back With SHR
Ryan Newman signed a one-year contract extension to drive for Stewart-Haas Racing…
Tom Jensen  |  Posted October 02, 2012   Kannapolis, NC
In 2012, Quicken Loans is a primary sponsor for nine races with Ryan Newman and the No. 39 team. (Photo: Getty Images)
Quicken Loans will double its sponsorship of the No. 39 Stewart-Haas Racing Chevrolet of Ryan Newman next year, the team announced Tuesday.

The lender came on board with SHR this year, serving as the primary sponsor of Newman’s car for nine races. In 2013, it will be Newman’s primary for 18 races, or fully half of the NASCAR Sprint Cup season.

Next year, Newman will lose the U.S. Army, one of his co-primary sponsors of the No. 39 since the founding of SHR in 2009. That makes the extension with Quicken Loans even more important.

Jay Farner, chief marketing officer for Quicken Loans, said the lender was enthused with its first year with SHR, which led to the company doubling down on its involvement with the team. “We just felt like it was a great partnership,” said Farner.

“They’ve been a great partner,” said Newman. “… Obviously, 2013 is going to be big for us.”

“A year ago I said our No. 1 goal for our relationship with Quicken Loans was to make their first year in the sport a positive one that allowed them to increase their presence with our team,” said Tony Stewart, co-owner of SHR with Haas Automation founder Gene Haas. “While I wish we could’ve gotten them into the Chase (for the Sprint Cup), I’m proud of the bond we’ve formed and look forward to growing it in 2013 and beyond.”

Sponsorship is but one piece of the 2013 puzzle for Newman.

Another is his crew chief.

Tony Gibson, who has served as Newman’s crew chief from the beginning at SHR, is expected to move over and become Danica Patrick’s crew chief during her first full season of Cup racing.

That obviously leaves a void at the No. 39, and Newman said the team is looking at a variety of scenarios for next year on the crew chief side.

“We have to consider all options for everybody,” Newman said. “It’s not just about me. It’s about myself, it’s about Danica, it’s about Tony. They all have to work together. It’s a three-team deal now, and adding the third team gives us the opportunity to be stronger, but it also creates a little bit more homework for us to make sure we’re all on the same page.

“You have to have three crew chiefs, three drivers, three different engineers all be on the same page and clicking together to be as successful as we need to be,” said Newman.

After missing this year’s Chase for the Sprint Cup, Newman is looking for more consistency next year. “That starts here at the shop and continues at the race track, building on the relationships we’ve had over the last four years to be even stronger,” Newman said.

Tom Jensen is the Editor in Chief of SPEED.com, Senior NASCAR Editor at RACER and a contributing Editor for TruckSeries.com. You can follow him online at twitter.com/tomjensen100.
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