Ryan Newman says he isn't worried by the fact that he is only partly-sponsored for the 2009 NASCAR Sprint Cup season.

The defending Daytona 500 winner will move from Penske to the new Stewart-Haas Racing team for the coming campaign and has backing from the US Army for part of his programme at the wheel of the #39 Chevrolet.

While the team continues to work on finding backing for the remainder of the year, Newman said he wasn't worried at a time when the economy is making the quest to find sponsorship far from straight-forward.

“I wouldn't say I'm worried,” he said. “I just know it's something that the people at SHR are focusing on, and rightfully so. It's a trying time in our economy and we're trying to do the things that we can to be as successful as we can.

“Having correct sponsorship that will align and work correctly with Office Depot, Old Spice and the US Army is important as well as making our performance and trying to make our team's dreams come true.”

Newman added that he was excited by the prospect of working with the US Army as part of his programme and was hopeful of producing the goods on track for his backers.

“I'm really excited about what the US Army has done to jump on board and be a sponsor for our #39 Chevrolet,” he said. “I know that the people at Stewart Haas Racing are continually working on the additional sponsorship to fulfil all 37 races.

“In the meantime hopefully we can come out of the box strong. My focus is Daytona, Daytona 500, and in the end they pay me to drive the race car, and that's my ultimate responsibility. But I do stay aware of sponsorship and things that I may be obligated to later in the year.”