Maybe I'm wrong thinking this way, but I wish Greg Newman would just shut up. He's stealing the spotlight from Ryan big time and it's starting to come off like a big case of self-promotion.

Since Sunday's win, the majority of the sports page articles in North Carolina papers have been about Ryan's father. Instead of being one of the spotters, you'd think he drove the car.

This latest thing with Purdue tops the cake. Ryan is a grown man and he can make his own decisions about what to do with his winnings (maybe a muzzle for Dad?). Apparently, he can't understand that the NCAA controls what constitutes a student-athlete and what they are allowed to do. Besides that, student-athletes are supposed to be AMATEUR. As in, they don't earn any money or winnings. Last I heard, in 1999, USAC was paying drivers a purse in Silver Crown.

Greg just needs to stand back, celebrate, and be proud.

This is becoming too much like other high profile parent-athlete relationships.