By DAN GELSTON
AP Sports Writer
LONG POND, Pa.(AP) -- Ryan Newman says he was one of the drivers
fined by NASCAR for making critical comments about the racing
series and hinted that Denny Hamlin was another.
Newman refused to disclose on Friday the amount of the fine or
what he said. He implied that it was for comments he made after
he crashed at Talladega Superspeedway.
People familiar with the penalties told the AP this week fines
were levied because the comments were considered disparaging to
the sport. The people spoke on condition of anonymity because
NASCAR was not publicly identifying the topflight drivers it
fined.
Newman says the penalties are "behind me. It's behind Denny
right now." Hamlin was scheduled to meet the media later Friday
at Pocono Raceway.
Newman says he was frustrated about the fine "because I didn't
understand what it was or why it was."