Ryan Newman is back! The 18-time NASCAR Cup Series race winner, who was recently named to the NASCAR 75 Greatest Drivers list, will make his first NASCAR Cup Series start since the 2021 season in the Goodyear 400 at Darlington Raceway in the No. 51 entry for Rick Ware Racing.
According to a release from RWR, Newman will run select races for the team in 2023. Rick Ware Racing revealed the news on Friday.
“I am grateful for the opportunity to work with Rick Ware Racing and Ford,” Newman said. “I think this will be good for all of us with our combined experience and knowledge.”
Rick Ware Racing is excited to partner with Newman.
“He brings great depth and insight to RWR while we continue to grow our team,” Rick Ware, team owner of Rick Ware Racing said. “Ryan’s been a great ambassador for our sport and Ford. We’re really looking forward to racing with him this season.”
Rick Ware Racing has since confirmed that Newman is slated for five starts with the team in 2023. In addition to next weekend’s Goodyear 400 at Darlington Raceway, Newman will run the NASCAR All-Star Race at North Wilkesboro, Richmond Raceway, the Southern 500 at Darlington, and the Night Race at Bristol Motor Speedway.
Newman, 45, was a full-time racer in the NASCAR Cup Series for 20 seasons and narrowly missed out on the 2014 NASCAR Cup Series championship in the closing laps at Homestead-Miami Speedway. Newman would finish runner-up to Kevin Harvick for the title that season, despite Newman not capturing a victory that year.
Eight of Newman’s 18-career NASCAR Cup Series wins came during an impressive 2003 campaign, which also saw “The Rocket Man” amass 11 pole positions. In all, Newman has scored 51 pole positions in his NASCAR Cup Series career.
Over the course of his storied career, Newman reached Playoff berths for four different NASCAR Cup Series organizations (Team Penske, Stewart-Haas Racing, Richard Childress Racing, and RFK Racing).
Newman, the 2002 NASCAR Cup Series Rookie of the Year, has also scored victories in the Daytona 500 (2008), Brickyard 400 (2013), as well as the NASCAR Cup Series All-Star Race (2002).
In addition to his NASCAR Cup Series accolades, Newman has scored seven wins in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, one win in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, and four victories in the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour ranks.
