NASCAR: 5 drivers who could sign with Chip Ganassi Racing for 2019

Ryan Newman

Ryan Newman currently drives for Richard Childress Racing and has done so since the start of the 2014 NASCAR Cup Series season. He is in his 17th season as a full-time driver in the sport, but his contract is set to expire at the end of the year.

The 40-year-old South Bend, Indiana native has not won a race on outright pace since he won the 2013 Brickyard 400 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway in his fifth and final season driving for Stewart-Haas Racing, but he has certainly not had a tenure at Richard Childress Racing that would completely take him out of the running to land a ride with a competitive team next season if he does not re-sign with Richard Childress Racing.

Newman finished in second place in the championship standings in the 2014 season, his first season driving for Richard Childress Racing, and he needed to gain just one more position in the season finale in order to secure his first career Cup Series championship. This was the case despite the fact that he did not win a race all season.

In three of his five seasons driving for Richard Childress Racing, Newman has qualified for the playoffs. This season, he was the highest driver in the championship standings who failed to do so.

Newman’s lone victory during his tenure with Richard Childress Racing came in last year’s March race at ISM Raceway, and it took place as a result of a bold late strategy call that sent him to the front of the field for only the final six laps of the race.

Newman believes that he is still as good as he has ever been, and Chip Ganassi Racing may be the team for which he can drive to prove it.

But if Chip Ganassi Racing do not sign Kurt Busch, Ross Chastain or Newman for the 2019 season, which other drivers might they sign to be Kyle Larson’s teammate next year?