If Newman wins championship he could set a record…no wins

Of the final four championship contenders, Ryan Newman is the only one who has not won a race. NASCAR has never had a winless champion in its top series. Ever. He has led just 41 laps all season and has just four top-five finishes, the lowest for a potential champion since 1949, when Red Byron won NASCAR's first championship with four top-fives in just six races.

Even if Newman wins the season finale, he will set a record for championship futility. He would become just the fifth driver to win the championship with just one win [1950 Bill Rexford in 17 races, 1961 Ned Jarrett in 46 races, 1973 Benny Parsons in 28 races and 2003 Matt Kenseth in 36 races], and the previous four each had more top-fives, more top-10s and more laps led. His 16 top-10s – assuming he finishes in the top 10 at Homestead – would be the fewest for a champion since 1950, when Bill Rexford had 11 in just 17 races. Sporting News