Newman, the champion?

By @GucciardoJoey | November 30th, 2014

Ryan Newman in 2014 (Photo: Jayski.com)

Try to think back to 2002. You had two NASCAR Winston Cup Series rookies fighting for Rookie of the Year. They were Jimmie Johnson and Ryan Newman.

Newman won the award that season.

But, since 2002, the Winston Cup Series went through huge changes. New champions emerged, and the name changed from NEXTEL Cup (2004-2007), to Sprint Cup (2008-Pres.). Jimmie Johnson won six championships, Tony Stewart won his third, Brad Keselowski won his first, and now, Kevin Harvick has won his first NASCAR Sprint Cup Series championship.

But, Newman still had a good run in the race when Harvick won the championship. He finished second, Harvick finished first.

Newman has never won a championship in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series.

Newman was a free agent at the end of the 2013 season after completing five seasons at Stewart-HAAS Racing in the No. 39 Chevrolet.

He needed something new on his resume if he wanted to get on another team, someone would think at least.

He had a DAYTONA 500 victory in 2008, but that really wasn't enough to get Newman on a new team, neither was that Rookie of the Year award in 2002.

But, Newman went out and beat his 2002 rival Johnson in the 2013 Brickyard 400 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, winning the famed race for the first time in his career.

Now, Newman started at Richard Childress Racing in 2014 driving the No. 31 Chevrolet.

2014 was a  good season for Newman, because he was in the championship hunt all the way until the end, and managed to do this even though he went winless in 2014.

Could this be a new Ryan Newman?