Trust continues to grow between Newman, Busch

FONTANA, Calif. -- Sometimes drivers can exist on the same team but not be teammates.

In the case of Kurt Busch and Ryan Newman, last week's Daytona 500 proved to both that they can trust each other to be there when needed.

Fast facts

What	Auto Club 500
When	4 p.m. ET Sunday
TV	FOX, 3:30 p.m. ET
Radio	MRN Sirius Satellite Ch. 128

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The newest winner of the Daytona 500, Newman spent this week in the spotlight, appearing on television shows from coast to coast. But he refused to take all the credit for his victory.

"To have a teammate like Kurt Busch push me to that win as a teammate, I'm forever grateful for having him as a teammate and the things that we've done together," Newman said.

That wasn't always the case at Penske Racing, as Newman and veteran Rusty Wallace had a frosty relationship. But when Roger Penske hired Busch away from Jack Roush's outfit, things warmed up. And that warm relationship between the two drivers was never more evident than the push Busch gave Newman on the final lap to get past Tony Stewart.

"He's been a great teammate from Day 1," Newman said. "In 2006, I thought we did a good job as teammates. I realized in 2007 we did a good job, but we didn't do nearly the job we could have done. Obviously 2008 is a better start than 2007.

"Down the backstretch, when I saw Kurt push me and then when Tony pulled down, that was the ultimate eye-opener for me. Obviously, I've been in that position before and you never know until you cross the finish line."

To his credit, Busch feels the same way about Newman. They had worked well together in previous restrictor-plate races -- and when Busch saw how things were shaping up at the end of the 500, he knew the outside lane was the right choice.

"The way everything shook out on that last lap, the outside groove had everybody stacked up and the inside lane, there was distance between Tony and Kyle and whoever was behind Kyle wasn't right up on his rear bumper," Busch said. "That's how those guys couldn't get hooked up. The momentum was on the outside lane."

Busch said Penske's decision to take total control of the operation was one key to the team's improved chemistry.

"Since I came to Penske Racing, it's been a great relationship that I knew needed to develop over time," he said. "I couldn't just come in and say who was at fault, why Ryan Newman and Rusty Wallace didn't get along. But with Roger Penske changing the whole program around when I came in -- he bought everybody's shares out and now Roger owns 100 percent of Penske Racing's NASCAR program. So now it's Roger making the calls."

While Newman was considered to be aloof, Busch was labeled a hothead. But Newman hasn't experienced that first-hand.

"I wouldn't say that he's had that reputation with me," Newman said. "Obviously, his reputation with other drivers and the media is different, but I respect Kurt as a teammate and as a person. But we've always had a great relationship on and off the racetrack. I take him for what he's worth to me and let everyone else deal with him the way they want to deal with him."

Busch agrees. And the team finally added the one jewel missing from Penske's racing crown.

"Ryan Newman and I are on the same page," Busch said. "That relationship really came forward at Daytona.

"And Roger, you know he really wants to win Daytona but he doesn't beat it into the ground that you have to go and win Daytona. But in the back of my mind, on the last lap, it was great to push Newman to victory because my shot at winning wasn't quite there and his was."

So will a Daytona 500 win change things? Busch says no, because that trust has always been there.

"I don't think the Daytona race will be that big life-changing moment," he said. "We've worked on it the last three years together and he's seen the trust that we have in one other. I've seen it in him. This is just three years' worth of work finally paying off."