NASCAR: 5 drivers who need a quick start at Darlington and Charlotte

DAYTONA BEACH, FLORIDA - FEBRUARY 09: A majority of the drivers in the field are involved in an on-track incident during the NASCAR Cup Series Busch Clash at Daytona International Speedway on February 09, 2020 in Daytona Beach, Florida. (Photo by Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images) /

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Ryan Newman, Roush Fenway Racing, NASCAR (Photo by Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images) /

Ryan Newman

The last time we saw Ryan Newman driving a car in the NASCAR Cup Series was at the finish of the Daytona 500 back in February. He has been out of the car for about three months whereas the other drivers have been out of the car for just over two months.

Newman currently sits in 29th place in the championship standings. He has been granted a playoff waiver after injuries he suffered during his last-lap Daytona 500 crash caused him to miss the following three races.

This means that he will be eligible to make the playoffs as long as he wins and is in the top 30 in the standings or if he ends up in one of the 16 playoff spots on the strength of his point total.

The last three races in the Cup Series have been run with Ross Chastain behind the wheel of the #6 Ford for Roush Fenway Racing in place of the injured Newman, so the green flag on Sunday at Darlington Raceway will mark the first time Newman has competed since his fiery crash. But he is known as one of the toughest drivers in the garage, so he should be able to get going right away.

If he can put together a few solid races right off the bat, he will be able to get back into the swing of things and potentially put the #6 Ford in the playoffs for the second year in a row.

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