Roush Fenway Racing President Steve Newmark reflected on the start of the Race Team Alliance in a recent podcast with NBCSPORTS.com's Nate Ryan, saying while it has been "accepted" in the past that NASCAR team owners did not meet to discuss issues facing the sport, teams "over time ... just by happenstance started having more discussions." Newmark noted informal meetings he was having with other team execs were not a "direct link” to forming the RTA, but it "set the stage.” He said the RTA really started to come into focus after NASCAR called a meeting with Fox prior to the '14 Daytona 500 in which the governing body "asked for some of the team owners and team executives to attend.” Newmark said, “It was actually a fascinating presentation. Fox talked a lot about what drives the sport, what drives ratings, what they need from drivers." Following that meeting, many team owners "started talking about issues because they were all in the same place.” Newmark noted the owners got together again later in the season and “tried to figure out, ‘How can we achieve some more synergies in the sport?’” The meetings were trying to find alternatives to reduce expenses and streamline costs. Newmark: "It wasn’t that these meetings were intended to, ‘How can we overthrow NASCAR?’ which was some of the suspicion.” Ryan noted when the creation of the RTA was made, the reception "seemed a little chillier on the NASCAR side.” Newmark: “That’s probably an accurate way to describe it. ... You had to build trust, and there was a constant dialogue.” While there was “probably some initial concern and pushback," NASCAR "transformed very, very quickly.” Newmark noted NASCAR was concerned the RTA would push for a reallocation of TV money but “they realized pretty early that wasn’t the approach the teams were taking.”
YOU DON'T KNOW JACK: Newmark also talked about Jack Roush's future with RFR, saying he did not see Roush ever completely stepping away "from being involved because he’s so passionate about it." Newmark: "What he’s done over the last few years ... is he is not the one managing the day-to-day operations of the shop. He’s in the shop probably a day-and-a-half each week and he is a resource. He has taken more of the mentor role.” While Roush at one point “ruled with an iron fist,” he has "embraced a very different role then last few years, which is one trying to groom the younger folks” (“NASCAR on NBC,” NBCSPORTS.com, 10/12).
