AVONDALE, Ariz. (Nov. 7, 2021) – In his final race behind the wheel of the No. 6 Ford Mustang for Roush Fenway Racing, Ryan Newman finished 23rd in the 2021 NASCAR Cup Series season finale.
Sunday marked the 20-year veteran’s 725th Cup start – a feat only 14 others in history have accomplished. After a qualifying effort of 19th on Saturday, Newman fired off for the 312-lap race from that position.
Stage one saw a pair of early cautions with the South Bend, Indiana, native around 20th, before going on to finish the first stage in 22nd. A good stop on pit road put him 17th on the restart for a stage that was halted three times.
He hovered around the same position throughout the 115-lap stage, ultimately ending it in 20th. A green-flag pit cycle that began just prior to lap 250 put Newman on the plus side of track position as a caution came out, giving him a restart inside the top-20. The final yellow would fly at lap 282 with a 24-lap shootout to the end where he would finish 23rd.