NASCAR: Top 5 free agents after Brad Keselowski’s deal
By Asher Fair
Top 5 free agents for 2022: No. 4 – Ryan Newman
Ryan Newman had an impressive season in his first year driving for Roush Fenway Racing in 2019, qualifying for the playoffs on points, but it has been a rough ride since.
Even without factoring in his Daytona 500 crash last year and the three races he was forced to miss because of it, he had the worst year of his career, finishing in 25th place in the championship standings with just two top 10 finishes. Even if he would have competed in the three races he missed, he would have come nowhere near making the playoffs.
light. Related Story. 3 landing spots for Ryan Newman in 2022
While he has more top 10 finishes (three) and even a top five finish through 22 races this season, he has been far more inconsistent and has generally lacked the speed needed to run well. While teammate Chris Buescher sits in 16th place in the point standings, Newman sits in 27th.
His days of competing full-time for a decent team may be over following this November’s season finale at Phoenix Raceway, but he can still be a valuable asset to teams in other ways.
With Brad Keselowski set to replace him at Roush Fenway Racing behind the wheel of the #6 Ford next year, a part-time ride has been discussed, something that could prove valuable in the first season of the Next Gen car.
If he wants to stick around full-time, there are other smaller teams that could use the veteran presence he would bring, especially next year. Plus, he is still a regular contender to win superspeedway races, so another playoff berth isn’t out of the question.