Ryan Newman 2013 Fantasy NASCAR Preview
2012 Stats: Points Finish, 1 Win, 6 Top Fives, 14 Top Tens,Average Running Position 15.8,Average Finish 15.0, Laps Led 39, Driver Rating 82.0
Strengths– Ryan Newman is at his best on flat tracks and short tracks. A win for him in 2013 is most likely to happen at these two track types.
Weaknesses- Newman is two steps below the top drivers at intermediate tracks and he’s lost his touch at road courses.
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Intermediate Track Grade- B, Newman needs to improve at these tracks next season. Intermediate tracks make up nearly half the schedule (17 of 36) and last season he had 3 top fives, 5 top tens and only finished in the top fifteen about half the time. His average finish was 16.9 and he scored the 16th most points. If you pick him at these venues I think you should expect mediocrity.
Newman closed out the season strong at these tracks but in 2013 the new Generation Six car will roll out. I have some reservations about Newman in regards to this. Early in his career Newman was awesome at these tracks but when Dodge switched to the Charger his then crew chief Matt Borland couldn’t get the #12 competitive. This is what eventually lead to the separation of him and his “best man” (literally). In 2013 these two will be reunited and face a similar task of developing a new car. On top of that this team will essentially be a new team within the organization with the rest of the #39 crew becoming Danica Patrick’s team. I don’t predict this will be a disaster but it’s important to note history.
Flat Track Grade- A-, Ryan Newman is at his best on flat tracks. Last season he had a 10.1 average finish and scored the 6th most points. He would’ve ranked higher but in the first race at Phoenix he had contact with Carl Edwards while running in the top ten. In 2011 he scored the 3rd most points on this track type. Ryan Newman has good fantasy NASCAR potential at nearly all of these tracks. The track I like him the most at is New Hampshire. He’s won there three times and has finished in the top ten in six out of the last seven races. He’s also pretty good at Phoenix. If he didn’t have contact with Edwards late in that race he would have a perfect top ten record there since the reconfiguration. The resurfacing at Pocono didn’t hurt the Rocket Man any. Last season he had finishes of 6th and 12th. His career average finish there is 12.4 and he’s finished in the top ten in nearly half his starts. Indy is his home track but he’s had no home field advantage there. He finished 7th last year but that was his first top ten since his rookie race in 2002.
Short Track Grade- B+, Ryan Newman’s lone win of 2012 came in the spring race at Martinsville. Newman didn’t have the best car but when Clint Bowyer opened up the door he was there to capitalize. His other short track finishes were 8th, 11th, 12th, 15th and 36th. I don’t expect Newman to get another short track win in 2013 but he’s been pretty solid at these tracks lately. Last season he scored the 7th most points and in 2011 he scored the 8th most points. I would consider Newman a good second tier driver on this track type.
Restrictor Plate Track Grade- C+, Last season Ryan Newman had two top tens and scored the 16th most points at plate tracks. That’s pretty good for him because in 2011 he scored the 30th most points. No one can responsibly recommend him at these “wild card” tracks. His recent track record is terrible at both of them. In the July Daytona race he finished 5th but that was his first finish better than 21st since he won the 2008 Daytona 500. In the fall race at Talladega he finished 9th but in the six previous races there his average finish was 32.2.
Road Course Track Grade- B, Early in his career Ryan Newman was a much better fantasy prospect on this track type. In his first ten road course races he had seven top tens. In his last twelve road course races he’s only finished in the top ten once. Last season at these venues he had results of 18th (Infineon) and 11th (Watkins Glen). I would avoid Ryan at these tracks because you’ll likely have better alternative options. I expect Newman to have similar results in 2013.
How to use Ryan Newman from a Fantasy NASCAR Perspective in 2013? The best way to use Newman in fantasy NASCAR is to use him at short flat tracks, short tracks and big 2.0 mile ovals.
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