Local boy done good, and so local town is gonna recognize.

South Bend, Ind.'s pride and joy -- other than that university with "Touchdown Jesus" -- Ryan Newman got the toast of city officials and the local media on Thursday afternoon as the city officially renamed a portion of Lincoln Way to "Newman Way".

Unfortunately, that stretch of road has a speed limit of 45mph, which Newman joked about raising during the press conference. Boy, that Newman, he's a funny guy.

Couldn't South Bend at least let him get a road with a 55mph speed limit? If not, make the whole thing much more humorous by giving Newman a school zone at, say, 25mph. Now that's funny.


Newman's definitely put together a career worth writing home to Mama about (not that anyone does that anymore) compiling 13 wins, 103 Top-10s, and an impressive 43 career poles. South Bend is definitely striking while the iron is hot for Newman as the driver announced just this week that he'll be leaving Penske Racing at the end of 2008.

Most rumors seem to say that Newman will join ship with Tony Stewart (who conveniently enough has no less than two streets named after him in Indiana -- that's like Abraham Lincoln style!) at Stewart-Haas Racing.

In other news, it appears South Bend also will rename 3rd Street "Weis Street" in honor of Notre Dame's head football coach Charlie Weis and his 3-9 season record in 2007. Ba-dum-dum.