Past Your Prime

As one of NASCAR’s veteran drivers, Ryan Newman is taking a unique path that not many others choose to follow these days. This weekend, he will be racing the No. 51 Rick Ware Racing Ford at Homestead Miami Speedway, marking his final scheduled start of the year with the Ware team.

Now in the later stages of his career at 45 years old, Newman is far from his days as a dominant force in NASCAR. Nicknamed Rocketman for his impressive qualifying speed, he was known for driving top racecars for elite teams with major sponsors and winning the biggest races. However, as his opportunities to compete at that level dwindled, Newman made a decision that many experienced drivers have chosen not to make: he kept racing.

It’s been nearly seven years since his last win, and he continues to race despite often finding himself at the bottom of the time sheet. Racing for a small team like RWR with limited funding, Newman’s presence goes largely unnoticed by fans who used to consider him a NASCAR superstar.

This week, eyebrows were raised when Newman’s name appeared on the Xfinity Series entry list, as he is set to race with another low-budget team, MBM Motorsports. This organization struggles to even make it to the race each weekend due to their lack of resources. It might be surprising to see a Super Bowl champion playing for a lower division college team late in their career, but that’s exactly what Newman does.

Why would a former superstar choose to compete at a lower level? Matt Kenseth publicly stated that he would never drive for a non-competitive team after leaving a powerhouse organization. Greg Biffle turned down offers from several lower-budget teams. Drivers like Jeff Gordon, Tony Stewart, Carl Edwards, and Dale Earnhardt Jr retired with top-tier equipment and sponsorships from major companies.

Then there’s Ryan Newman. He’s a superstar who goes unnoticed, often racing in lower series or for underfunded owners. He’s driven cars for Jordan Anderson, James Finch, and Brad Means among others. Maybe some believe Newman is overstaying his welcome, but the truth is, he loves racing so much that he’s willing to sacrifice his competitive edge and settle for a 25th-place finish in an outdated Xfinity car just to have a seat behind the wheel.

While drivers like Kenseth and Biffle prioritize competitive pride over continuing their careers with less competitive teams, it used to be more common for star drivers to race long after their prime. Richard Petty and Darrell Waltrip raced for eight seasons after their last victories. Terry Labonte, Bill Elliott, and Bobby Labonte competed for over a decade after their final wins, driving for underfunded organizations. Others like Geoff Bodine, Morgan Shepherd, and Mike Skinner resorted to start-and-park strategies just to stay on the track. Although Newman is not a start-and-park driver (MBM plans to run the full race this weekend), he may be the last superstar to extend his career well beyond his prime.

With more and more drivers choosing early retirements, it seems that the golden years of a driver’s career are becoming extinct. That’s why Newman’s presence this year has been so refreshing. He may not win races, but his passion for the sport is evident. While we can’t make any judgments, it does make us wonder why more current superstars aren’t like Newman or the ones who came before him. Do today’s drivers not find enjoyment in racing unless they’re competitive? In previous generations, that was likely the case. Kenseth has already made it clear that it isn’t for him.

Only time will tell if Ryan Newman will be the last former superstar to continue racing well past his prime.