As Silly Season continues, Ryan Newman will also be departing his 2018 Monster Energy Cup Series team. On Saturday afternoon, Newman tweeted his intention to leave Richard Childress Racing at the end of the 2018 season.
“I want to take a moment to let everyone know that I will not return to Richard Childress Racing in 2019,” he wrote in the tweet. “I have very much enjoyed driving the No. 31 car and I want to personally thank Richard Childress and everyone at RCR for the support over the past five seasons.”
“We were able to put competitive cars on the racetrack, qualify for the playoffs on multiple occasions and make a strong run at a championship, and I’m very proud of what we were able to accomplish. I have nothing but respect for the organization and everyone involved, and I am thankful for having had the opportunity to drive at RCR.
“I also want to thank everyone at Chevrolet, Caterpillar, Bass Pro/Cabelas, Liberty National, Grainger and Coca-Cola for their support over the last few years. They played a very large part in our success and it has been a privilege representing their brands on and off the race track.”
Newman joined RCR’s #31 car in 2014 after a five-year stint in Stewart-Haas Racing‘s #39. Although he did not win a race that year, his consistency enabled him to compete for the Cup title, finishing second in the championship to his SHR replacement Kevin Harvick. Three years later, at the 2017 Camping World 500 at Phoenix Raceway (now ISM Raceway), he scored his first Cup win since 2013. In 170 races so far with RCR, he has one win, 61 top tens, and 12 top fives. The 2008 Daytona 500 winner currently sits seventeenth in points, barely missing out on the 2018 playoffs.
“I’m not ready to announce my future plans at this time, but it is my full intention to compete in the NASCAR Cup Series full-time in 2019 and beyond. We are currently working through the options for next season and hopefully we will be able to announce those plans in the very near future.”
Although Newman has yet to reveal his 2019 ride, rumored possibilities include taking over the #6 car of Roush Fenway Racing, which Trevor Bayne will not be returning to at season’s end. For RCR, the team has also not announced Newman’s successor, though names like Matt DiBenedetto, who is not staying at Go Fas Racing for 2019, and RCR Xfinity Series driver Daniel Hemric have been suggested.
