With tonight’s announcement that Ryan Newman would be departing Richard Childress Racing for Roush Fenway Racing in 2019, the “Rocket Man” will have raced for his fourth team in Nascar’s Cup Series, leaving him one team away from earning a free hat on Nascar.com.
“The chance to sign with Roush Fenway (Racing) was a natural move for me”, Newman said. “A shorter commute to work, less pressure, and more importantly it gets me another stamp on my “Frequent Team Changer” card I got when I started in this sport. Just one more team left and its a free hat for Mr. Friday!”
Newman has raced, so far, for Team Penske, Stewart-Haas Racing, and RCR, with RFR due to become his fourth team. Nascar apparently instituted the “Frequent Team Changer” program shortly before Newman’s rookie year, although rumors persist that such a spiff was actually a practical joke from Rusty Wallace.
“A free hat? Well, maybe losing my ride at JTG-D isn’t so bad at all”, A.J. Allmendinger said when reached for comment. “Who’s gonna turn down a free hat? As a matter of fact, who’s gonna turn down anything free that someone gives you?”
Newman is reportedly already looking at a hat-winning fifth team to race for post-Roush, considering such options as Richard Petty Motorsports, GoFAS Racing, and whatever it is Obaika is planning.
“I plan on staying full-time in the Cup Series for the near-future—I think I still have some good years left in me”, Newman said. “Besides, the bar’s been set so low by Trevor Bayne, all I have to do is get some top-20s and I’m golden.”