The 2008 Daytona 500 winner has just secured a new racing opportunity. Ryan Newman will join the Superstar Racing Experience for a full season alongside other drivers with NASCAR ties.
The Athletic broke the news on February 25, reporting that SRX CEO Don Hawk confirmed the lineup. The Athletic said Newman would join the racing series created by Tony Stewart and Ray Evernham for its second season and would compete full time in the identically built cars, starting with the June 18 race at Five Flags Speedway in Pensacola, Florida.
#NASCAR will be well represented in SRX’s second season!
@GBiffle , @Bobby_Labonte and @MW55 are returning for another year of competition.
AND we’re proud to welcome @RyanJNewman to SRX 👏
Did we mention they’re ALL full-time..?
Read more: t.co/jl9Mm4DNsQ
Newman’s full schedule will include six races. He also will compete at South Boston Speedway (Virginia) on June 25, Stafford Motor Speedway (Connecticut) on July 2, Nashville Fairgrounds (Tennessee) on July 9, I-55 Raceway (Missouri) on July 16, and Sharon Speedway (Ohio) on July 23.
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Along with Newman, there will be four confirmed drivers with NASCAR ties. Greg Biffle, Michael Waltrip and Bobby Labonte will make their return to the racing series, competing on a full-time basis. According to The Athletic, defending SRX champion Tony Stewart has not announced whether he will return to one of the cars.
Some Standout Drivers Will Compete in the SRX Series
🏆- @IndyCar champion
🏆- #Indy500 champion
Welcome to SRX, @RyanHunterReay .
Let the excitement begin 🤩
Newman, Biffle, Labonte and Waltrip will bring NASCAR experience to the SRX schedule, joining talented drivers from a variety of backgrounds. For example, Paul Tracy and Marco Andretti will return on a full-time basis while Tony Kanaan will run five races.
The list of drivers includes 2012 IndyCar champion Ryan Hunter-Reay, who will compete on a full-time basis. Defending Indy 500 winner Helio Castroneves will take on three races while rising Indy Lights driver Ernie Francis Jr. will suit up for two. Two-time IndyCar champion (2017, 2019) Josef Newgarden will compete in the race at the Nashville Fairgrounds.
The expectation heading toward the 2022 SRX season is that there will be more special guests, including some others from the NASCAR ranks. The inaugural season featured such names as Hailie Deegan (runner-up at Knoxville Raceway) and Chase Elliott (winner at Nashville Fairgrounds), along with “local hero” drivers from each town on the 2021 schedule. If necessary, SRX will field a 13th car to get some other drivers involved.
Newman Will Have an Opportunity to Win
The veteran driver will not compete in NASCAR on a full-time basis during the 2022 season, but he is not walking away from the sport. In November 2021, he told media members prior to the championship race in Phoenix that he was not announcing his retirement.
Newman made it clear throughout the 2021 season that he still has the ultimate goal of winning the NASCAR Cup Series championship. This will not be possible in 2022, but Newman will have the opportunity to fight for wins in the Superstar Racing Experience.
Unlike in NASCAR, there is no major difference between the SRX cars. They are identical, with the exception of the bright colors that help viewers tell them apart. The only factor that determines the outcome of each race is the skill of the individual behind the wheel. As someone with 18 career wins, Newman has shown that he has the ability to contend for wins. It’s just that he’ll have to do so in a noticeably different vehicle.
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Ryan Newman Secures Exciting New Racing Opportunity