NASCAR rumors: Ryan Newman to the No. 6 Roush Fenway Racing Ford a possbility
By Nick Tylwalk
The Rocket Man could be rocketing off to a new team for 2019, though some believe he will stay put at RCR.
It’s hard to find a 40-or-over driver who isn’t involved in NASCAR Silly Season rumors other than Kevin Harvick, and Ryan Newman is no exception. His status as the driver of the No. 31 Chevrolet for Richard Childress Racing seems very much up in the air, perhaps as much on his side as the team’s.
Newman leaving RCR has come up via the rumor mill regularly over the past few weeks, but there hasn’t been as much talk about where he might go if he does. The most recent word is that he could switch not only teams but manufacturers for next season, heading to Roush Fenway Racing.
As he usually does, Adam Stern of SportsBusiness Journal has the scoop:
Facing a potentially changed contract @RCRracing in '19, @RyanJNewman has explored options with other teams, on top of weighing staying at RCR, per sources.
— Adam Stern (@A_S12) September 11, 2018
➖ Ride most mentioned as possibility is @RoushFenway's No. 6.
➖ However, some close to RCR insist he may return there. pic.twitter.com/D48vmyKmyX
The No. 6 Ford has been a constant in the Silly Season cycle since it doesn’t appear Roush Fenway Racing is enamored with either restoring Trevor Bayne to full-time status or committing to Matt Kenseth for a bona fide return, even though he has been showing signs of turning that car’s performance around.
Newman hasn’t driven a Ford for any team since his rookie Cup Series season in 2002, after which Penske Racing South, as it was known then, switched to Dodge. He’s been a Chevy man since 2009, first with Stewart-Haas Racing and most recently with RCR.
Considering there’s a youth movement going on with nearly any seat that opens in the Cup Series except for the top teams — and as we’ve seen for Joe Gibbs Racing and Team Penske, sometimes even there — that hasn’t worked out tremendously well for Roush Fenway Racing in recent years, so the willingness to go with a veteran like Newman is more understandable.
Next. More NASCAR rumors: Jamie McMurray out, Kurt Busch in at Chip Ganassi Racing. dark
On the other hand, Newman only has one Cup Series victory in the past five seasons (last year at Phoenix), and in terms of equipment, Roush Fenway Racing and Richard Childress Racing are in the same tier of fringe relevance. As most Silly Season decisions do in 2018, this one could come down to who appeals most to potential sponsors, so if it’s Ryan Newman and not Ryan Reed in the 6 next year, that’s likely to be a big part of the reason why.