NASCAR: Ryan Newman talks with NASCAR about his crash in Talladega

Five days after landing upside down, in the infield at Talladega, Ryan Newman might be a little sore, but he’s less sore at NASCAR after he was extracted from his race car after a big crash there.

Ryan Newman said, in a press conference in Texas on Friday, that he sat down with Robin Pemberton, NASCAR’s president of competition, and John Darby, the competition director for the Sprint Cup series.



“We called them, went to visit with them,” said Newman emphasizing “I want to make that point known.  I thought it was a good meeting.  I thought it was very constructive.  It was educational for me and them.  That's all you can ask from a meeting.”

One of the main points involved the process by which he was extracted from his stricken race car. “From my standpoint, they opened my eyes a little bit as to the training that the safety crews go through, the things that they do.   

I want to make a point that I wasn't dissatisfied with the way I was taken out of the car.   I just feel there were things that could be done or potentially could be done to make it easier for the next guy.  That's my responsibility, 'cause the next guy might be me again.  You never know.”

He thought that by next spring when NASCAR returns to Talladega there could be changes to make the racing safer. “Aerodynamically there are things that need to be done to keep the cars on the ground.  I said that six months ago.  Six months is plenty of time to make those changes.”

NASCAR decreased the size of the restrictor plates and banned push drafting in the aftermath of Carl Edwards crash at Talladega this April. The ball is in NASCAR’s court to find an answer to Newman’s requests.