Quicken Loans to Join Ryan Newman and RCR in 2014 (Update)

UPDATE A reader writes, dear AR1.com, I was trying to figure out why Ryan Newman was on pole this past weekend in Loudon driving the Quicken car after having a disastrous season, and I could not put my finger on it. Now it's clear they put him on pole to seal the Quicken Loans deal. Welcome to NASCAR where everything happens for a reason. Mordichai Rosen

Dear Mordichai, Prove your allegations. Just because this sort of stuff happens all the time, is not proof enough to make such allegations. Surely it must be coincidental. Mark C.

09/25/13 Detroit-based Quicken Loans, the nation's largest online home lender and country's third largest mortgage originator, today announced it will join Richard Childress Racing (RCR) for the 2014 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season and serve as the primary sponsor of Ryan Newman's No. 31 Chevrolet SS for 12 races and associate sponsor for all remaining races. The move continues a strong partnership between Quicken Loans and Newman, whom they first sponsored in 2012.

"Ryan has shown that he is not only an incredible race car driver, but also someone with great integrity and class," said Jay Farner, President and Chief Marketing Officer of Quicken Loans. "The way Ryan has handled some very tough situations this year, while also continuing to ignore the noise and perform at a high-level, made our decision to stick with him a no-brainer. He embodies what we stand for each and every day."

"Quicken Loans has been an integral member of my team and I am very excited to have them join me at Richard Childress Racing, as we continue to build on what has been a fantastic partnership," Newman said. "My relationship with Quicken Loans goes beyond driving their car. I've gotten to know them and their business, becoming friends with them in the process. As they know, I will do my very best to perform on and off the track next year and well beyond."

Since joining the sport, Quicken Loans has become active in both NASCAR and IndyCar racing. In addition to its sponsorship of Newman, the company is also title sponsor of the Quicken Loans 400 Sprint Cup Series race at Michigan International Speedway and an associate sponsor of Team Penske IndyCar drivers Helio Castroneves and Will Power.

"It's great to have a partner like Quicken Loans join the family of RCR partners beginning in 2014 as we've watched them establish a strong program in our sport over the past two years," said Richard Childress, president and CEO of RCR. "They run an exceptional mortgage business with a constant eye on technology and service, much like our race organization. In addition to the relationship they've built with Ryan, it's important for them to also build strong business relationships with RCR and our partners."

Quicken Loans will remain as the primary sponsor of Newman's No. 39 Chevrolet fielded by Stewart-Haas Racing for the remainder of the 2013 Sprint Cup Series season. Newman currently sits ninth in the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup.

"We are looking forward to an exciting end of the 2013 season, and Ryan's run for the Sprint Cup championship. We'd also like to thank our partners at Stewart-Haas Racing. They've been instrumental in our success in the sport, and we thank them for sharing their expertise with us," Farner added.