Ryan Newman Awake, 'Speaking with Family and Doctors' After Daytona 500 Crash
Feb 18, 2020
Driver Ryan Newman prior to the start of the NASCAR Cup Series auto race at ISM Raceway, Sunday, March 10, 2019, in Avondale, Ariz. (AP Photo/Ralph Freso)
Less than 24 hours after a crash on the final lap at the 2020 Daytona 500, Ryan Newman is awake and communicating with doctors and family members.
Per a statement from Roush Fenway Racing, Newman remains under medical supervision at Halifax Medical Center:
Newman was leading the race on the final lap when Ryan Blaney's car made contact with his car, causing it to spin out of control before smashing into the wall when it flipped on its hood and caught fire after flying into another car.
Here is the final lap of the Daytona 500 in which Ryan Newman's car was flipped at the line.
Track workers immediately came over to get Newman out of his car, which was still on fire and had gas pouring out of it after it came to a stop.
NASCARannouncedNewman was taken to the hospital where he was listed in serious condition, but doctors did not consider his injuries to be life-threatening.
Denny Hamlin, who won the race,issuedan apology on Twitter for celebrating after his victory, noting he had "absolutely NO IDEA of the severity of the crash until I got to victory lane."
The Daytona 500 was postponed until Monday because of rain after completing 20 laps on Sunday. Newman began in seventh place and led 15 laps total before the crash occurred.
Denny Hamlin After Daytona 500 Win: 'All I'm Thinking About Is Ryan Newman'
Feb 17, 2020
DAYTONA BEACH, FLORIDA - FEBRUARY 17: Denny Hamlin, driver of the #11 FedEx Express Toyota, celebrates after winning the NASCAR Cup Series 62nd Annual Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway on February 16, 2020 in Daytona Beach, Florida. (Photo by Brian Lawdermilk/Getty Images)
Denny Hamlin is a three-time Daytona 500 champion, successfully repeating at Daytona International Speedway on Monday.
However, the health of Ryan Newman overshadowed the result.
"The finish, the history, that's all great," Hamlin said in a postrace interview, per ESPN's Ryan McGee. "One day it will all sink in. But right now all I'm thinking about is Ryan Newman."
Denny Hamlin says he realized that Ryan Newman’s situation was serious when he was told “no track interview”. Now he’s waiting for updates on Newman. #Daytona500pic.twitter.com/PcLMHlcmRO
Hamlin held off Ryan Blaney on the final lap in what was the second-closest finish (0.014 seconds) in race history. Newman was briefly in the lead before contact from Blaney sent him into the wall and airborne. Hamlin surged ahead of Blaney as Newman's overturned No. 6 car skidded to a stop.
Fox's Jeff Gordon and Mike Joy provided an update on Newman's status after the race:
Team owner Joe Gibbs addressed the crowd and said the Joe Gibbs Racing members were unaware of the severity of Newman's crash when Hamlin was celebrating:
Joe Gibbs reiterates his team was completely unaware of the severity of the Ryan Newman wreck. They found out in Victory Lane and immediately became concerned. #Daytona500#NASCAR
Hamlin later took to social media to address the matter himself:
First a foremost I want to give well wishes and prayers to @RyanJNewman. I had absolutely NO IDEA of the severity of the crash until I got to victory lane. There’s very little communication after the finish and i had already unhooked my radio. It’s not anyone’s fault. 🙏Rocket
Hamlin is now tied with Bobby Allison, Dale Jarrett and Gordon for the third-most wins in Daytona 500. Richard Petty has the all-time record with seven.
The NASCAR Cup Series moves to Las Vegas Motor Speedway for the Pennzoil 400 on Sunday at 3:30 p.m. ET.
Daytona 500 2020 Results: Denny Hamlin Wins in OT; 3rd Daytona Title in 5 Years
Feb 17, 2020
DAYTONA BEACH, FLORIDA - FEBRUARY 17: Denny Hamlin, driver of the #11 FedEx Express Toyota, races during the NASCAR Cup Series 62nd Annual Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway on February 17, 2020 in Daytona Beach, Florida. (Photo by Chris Graythen/Getty Images)
The 62nd edition of the annual race at Daytona International Speedway featured a rain delay that pushed it back a day, the Big One occurring with fewer than 20 laps remaining, a head-turning wreck with two laps left to force overtime, a crash on the first overtime restart, and Ryan Newman's car upside down and on fire as the victor crossed the finish line.
Hamlin finished ahead of Ryan Blaney in the second-closest Daytona finish as Newman's car flipped right at the end when he was in position to challenge.
While Hamlin made headlines with the win, concerns about Newman overshadowed the scenes of celebration in the immediate aftermath. The Fox broadcast said he was taken directly to a local hospital after he was taken out of his car, and Roush Fenway Racing provided an update on his status:
Here is a look at how the top 10 shaped up, per NASCAR.com:
1. Denny Hamlin
2. Ryan Blaney
3. Chris Buescher
4. David Ragan
5. Kevin Harvick
6. Clint Bowyer
7. Brendan Gaughan
8. Corey Lajoie
9. Ryan Newman
10. Kyle Larson
Even before the intense finish, there was more urgency than usual to win Stage 1 considering the first 20 laps were already completed Sunday before rain delays pushed the race to Monday.
Pole-sitter Ricky Stenhouse Jr. led the opening 23 laps but couldn't hold his advantage before he was involved in the end of William Byron's day. Contact from his Chevrolet caused Byron to lose control, which led to race-ending damage for the No. 24 car.
Byron said there was "no reason" for the move at that stage of the race:
That cleared the way for Chase Elliott to win Stage 1 over Alex Bowman as well as Aric Almirola, Joey Logano and Jimmie Johnson, respectively. Johnson battled back from a pit-road penalty during a caution to finish in the top five.
A familiar Daytona face seized the momentum from Elliott in the second stage, as Hamlin, who won last year's opening race, led the majority of the way before clinching the stage win. The Joe Gibbs Racing driver didn't even finish in the top 10 in Stage 1 largely because he started at the back after failing pre-race inspection two different times.
The charge in the second stage put him in position to battle for back-to-back crowns alongside Kyle Busch, Brad Keselowski, Blaney and Stenhouse. They all pulled ahead of Elliott, who was penalized after Martin Truex Jr. hit his fuel can that was stuck on his Chevrolet and fell onto pit lane.
It was a forgettable final stage for Stenhouse, who was penalized for passing below the double line and eventually spun out after contact from Erik Jones. Despite the damage to No. 47, there was no caution to set up what figured to be a dramatic push for the finish.
That push was put on hold when the Big One finally occurred and created a red flag with 16 laps remaining. Johnson, Truex and Keselowski were among those involved, and Busch's chances came to an end when the 2019 series champion went to the garage with engine damage.
It appeared as if Newman would parlay a push from Logano, a fellow Ford driver, into a victory after the green flag on Lap 191, but multiple crashes disrupted that plan.
A wreck between Ryan Sorenson and Timmy Hill led to a caution and potential sprint to the finish upon a restart with four laps remaining, but Ross Chastain attempted to make a move under Ryan Preece with two laps remaining and caused another crash that involved Logano and Elliott.
It set the tone for overtime, which started with a crash between Michael McDowell and Clint Bowyer on the first restart and ended with Newman's car on fire and Hamlin crossing the line.
Hamlin will look to parlay the momentum into another impressive performance at the Pennzoil 400 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway on Sunday.
NASCAR at Phoenix 2019: Start Time, Ticket Info, Lineup, TV Schedule and More
Nov 9, 2019
AVONDALE, ARIZONA - NOVEMBER 08: Kevin Harvick, driver of the #4 Mobil 1 Ford, practices for the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Bluegreen Vacations 500 at ISM Raceway on November 08, 2019 in Avondale, Arizona. (Photo by Jonathan Ferrey/Getty Images)
Chase Elliott and Ryan Blaney are facing a daunting challenge to avoid elimination during the 2019 Bluegreen Vacations 500 when NASCAR returns to Phoenix on Sunday.
Elliott and Blaney both set impressive speeds during Friday's final practice session on the ISM Raceway. The former paced the rest, and the 23-year-old has plenty of motivation to improve after finishing 32nd during the AAA Texas 500 earlier in November and is consequently in win-or-bust mode for this race.
Blaney has been on the winner's spot on the podium more recently, having won at Talladega in October. He's also an outside shot to secure a place in the championship four, with Martin Truex Jr., Kevin Harvick, Kyle Busch and Joey Logano holding those spots ahead of qualifying and the lineup for the race proper being set.
This is the last race in the Round of 8 and the final chance for the eight playoff hopefuls to put points on the board.
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Round of 8 Standings
1. Martin Truex Jr. (4,133)
2. Kevin Harvick (4,113)
3. Kyle Busch (4,113)
4. Joey Logano (4,111)
5. Denny Hamlin (4,091)
6. Ryan Blaney (4,088)
7. Kyle Larson (4,088)
8. Chase Elliott (4,033)
Elliott and Blaney made statements with their drives ahead of qualifying, per the NASCAR official website. However, the same source also noted how Harvick was third-fastest in the final session, an ominous sign for the rest given his decorated history at Phoenix.
He's won nine times at the venue, most recently in 2018. The 43-year-old also has momentum on his side following his win in Texas last time out.
Harvick looks strong in the championship slots, while Busch will also be confident about his chances, having won on the ISM Raceway at the TicketGuardian 500 in March.
Like Harvick, Busch has his destiny in his hands thanks to a healthy tally in the standings. It's a different story for Elliott, though, who needs to get on the summit position on the podium Sunday to force his way into the final four.
8th in the standings. -78 points below the cutline.
His 138.627 mph speed showed Elliott is in the mood to make the most of his final chance. Racing like he's got nothing to lose will help, and so will the desire to banish memories of 12 months ago, when a collision with Hamlin and Busch wrecked Elliott's qualification hopes.
While pressure can spur on Elliott, racing without it could ease Blaney's task. He doesn't have as much ground to make up, just 33 points below the line, and he remains confident with qualifying looming:
Ryan @Blaney was the polesitter earlier this year at @ISMRaceway.
Even so, it will take a lot for either Elliott or Blaney to stay in the mix, making it more likely the four drivers primed to race for the Cup retain their places.
NASCAR at Talladega 2019 Results: Ryan Blaney Tops Ryan Newman in Photo Finish
Oct 14, 2019
Ryan Blaney claimed the checkered flag at Talladega Superspeedway with a photo finish in the 1000Bulbs.com 500.
The No. 12 car began in front of a restart with two laps remaining and just barely held off Ryan Newman for his first win of the year.
The completion of the race was pushed back to Monday because of rain on Sunday, but there was still plenty of drama with several major crashes affecting the final standings. Blaneywas mostly able to avoid the mess before outdueling Newman in a fantastic finish.
The victory also clinches a spot in the round of eight alongside last week's Dover winner, Kyle Larson, with just one more week before the next cutdown.
He ended up 0.007 seconds ahead of Newman for the victory—the sixth-closest in Cup history.
The race began Sunday with Chase Elliott beginning on the pole and William Byron winning Stage 1 before the poor weather around the Birmingham, Alabama, area led to a postponement. When competition resumed Monday, it was Byron and Blaney who started on the front row with more than 100 laps still left to decide this playoff race.
There was more than enough action in this time, with every playoff driver being involved in a crash in some way.
The first major collision came just before the end of the second stage:
Larson, Alex Bowman and Jimmie Johnson were all knocked out of the race, while several other playoff contenders like Martin Truex Jr. and Denny Hamlin were involved in the wreck.
Bowman also took responsibility afterward as others agreed:
Well that ones on me. Didn’t realize how fast the 22 was coming and shouldn’t have attempted to block that big run. Sorry to those involved. Gotta go win at Kansas now 🤘🏼
It is Alex Bowman’s fault. There was a huge run coming behind him, he attempted to block and it wasn’t going to happen. That’s a product of this type of racing. If Logano slams on the brakes, it’s STILL the Big One because Logano would then get dumped by the car behind him. https://t.co/iaggELgWe9
Clint Bowyer avoided damage and was able to win Stage 2, which could go a long way for his playoff hopes. However, his final position suffered after getting stuck on Lap 153.
It was difficult for anyone to take control of the third stage, with several top drivers rotating in front. Of course, it didn't seem to matter with several more cautions slowing down the race.
Byron and defending series champion Joey Logano were front and center at a major pileup with 26 laps remaining:
Everyone looks for The Big One at Talladega, and there were a few that seemed to qualify.
Blaney led the restart with two laps remaining and did just enough to pull out the win.
Next week represents the final event in the round of 12 with the Hollywood Casino 400 at Kansas Speedway. The drivers currently outside the cut line will likely be extremely aggressive trying to get a win and a spot in the final eight.
NASCAR at Richmond 2019: Start Time, Ticket Info, Lineup, TV Schedule and More
Apr 12, 2019
Saturday's Toyota Owners 400 in Richmond, Virginia, is the next stop of the 2019 NASCAR season.
After eight races, Kyle Busch sits top of the standings. He picked up his third victory of the year last time out at the Food City 500.
Busch and Joe Gibbs Racing have been the dominant forces in 2019. Denny Hamlin, Busch's team-mate, has won two races himself and sits second in the standings.
Team Penske duo Joey Logano and Brad Keselowski have won the other three races between them, so there will be numerous other outfits looking to muscle in on the winning action on Saturday at the Richmond Raceway.
Lineup to be added after Friday qualifying at 5:40 p.m. ET on FS1.
Busch, 33, is a serial winner at Richmond. He has won the Toyota Owners 400 on five previous occasions, including last year's race.
And he also won at Richmond Raceway in September in the Federated Auto Parts 400.
If he wins a sixth Toyota Owners 400on Saturday, he will equal the legendary Richard Petty's record in the race.
Given Busch's remarkable form at the circuit and the fact that he is the championship leader, it is difficult to look past him claiming another victory on Saturday:
Qualifying will be crucial, but Busch won from No. 17 on the grid last time out, while pole-sitter Chase Elliott finished 11th.
Ryan Blaney was the fastest man in qualifying at Bristol, as he set a track record, and he looked like he could be the man to beat. He finished fourth in the Food City 500—his fourth top-five finish in his past five races.
That is impressive form from the Team Penske driver, and he will be desperate to join Logano and Keselowski by getting a win on the board at Richmond.
However, it is not a track where he has enjoyed previous success.
Another man to look out for is Kevin Harvick. The Stewart-Haas Racing driver won eight races last year on his way to finishing third in the championship.
In two races at Richmond in 2018, he also enjoyed two top-five finishes.
Harvick has yet to win in 2019 but has finished top 10 in six of the eight races this season and could well get a victory on the board on Saturday.
NASCAR at Bristol 2019 Qualifying Results: Chase Elliott Wins 1st Pole of Season
Apr 5, 2019
Chase Elliott won the pole for the 2019 Food City 500 after posting the best qualifying time at Bristol Motor Speedway on Friday.
William Byron will start alongside Elliottup front, with Ryan Blaney, Erik Jones and Denny Hamlin rounding out the top five.
Below is a look at the qualifying action from Bristol.
Starting in front will give Elliott a golden opportunity to try to capture his first career Food City 500 title. It also carries over some recent momentum he has built, as he finished second at the STP 500 on March 24.
Meanwhile, it marks the second straight race the No. 24 car will start in the front row. Byron finished second behind Jimmie Johnson during last week's O'Reilly Auto Parts 500 qualifying. He wound up finishing sixth.
And although he didn't win the pole, Blaney did make some history at Bristol Motor Speedway during the second round of qualifying:
His 132.076 mph in the second round set the track record, but ultimately, he wasn't able to hold off Elliott in the final round.
That allowed Elliott to exact some revenge against Blaney, as the No. 9 car finished second to the No. 12 car during TicketGuardian 500 qualifying last month.
Last year's pole winner and Food City 500 winner Kyle Busch will start 17th after failing to reach the final round on Friday. Busch is currently the NASCAR points leader.
Action will get underway at Bristol Motor Speedway at 2 p.m. ET.
NASCAR at Phoenix 2019 Qualifying Results: Ryan Blaney Takes Pole Position
Mar 8, 2019
AVONDALE, AZ - MARCH 08: Ryan Blaney, driver of the #12 MoneyLion Ford, practices for the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series TicketGuardian 500 at ISM Raceway on March 8, 2019 in Avondale, Arizona. (Photo by Daniel Shirey/Getty Images)
Ryan Blaney won the pole for the 2019 TicketGuardian 500 after posting the best qualifying time at ISM Raceway on Friday.
Chase Elliott will join Blaney in the front row, with Denny Hamlin, Kyle Busch and Brad Keselowski rounding out the top five.
Below is a glimpse at the starting lineup for Sunday's race as well a look of some of the most noteworthy qualifying performances.
That put him 0.203 seconds clear of the field, as Elliott finished at 25.683 seconds. The No. 12 car also had the top speed, reaching 141.287 mph at ISM Raceway.
By starting out in front of the pack, Blaney will have the opportunity to try to best last year's 16th-place finish, which followed a 12th-place start.
Even though he'll be starting in the front row, Elliott was disappointed not to win the pole. He did, however, tip his cap to Blaney afterward:
"If I was gonna be second, guess he's not a bad one to qualify second to."
Last year's TicketGuardian winner, Kevin Harvick, will start in eighth place, and the 2018 pole winner, Martin Truex Jr., will again start near the front of the field in ninth.
While there was plenty of action on the track, there was some drama on pit road as well. Daniel Suarez and Michael McDowell were involved in a pit-road altercation as emotions ran high outside of the vehicles:
Interestingly enough, the two drivers will start near each other on Sunday. McDowell qualified 27th, and Suarez came in 28th.
After a drama-filled qualifying round, the race itself will have a lot to live up to. The 2019 TicketGuardian will get underway at 3:30 p.m. ET on Sunday.
Daytona 500 Qualifying 2019: Duels Starting Grid After Group Results
Feb 12, 2019
DAYTONA BEACH, FL - FEBRUARY 10: Jimmie Johnson, driver of the #48 Ally Chevrolet, celebrates in victory lane after winning the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Advance Auto Parts Clash at Daytona International Speedway on February 10, 2019 in Daytona Beach, Florida. (Photo by Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images)
The starting order for the 2019 Daytona 500 will be completed Thursday night during the Gander RV Duels at Daytona International Speedway.
William Byron and Alex Bowman earned spots in the front row for Sunday's Daytona 500 by recording the best times in qualifying, but the rest of the starting positions don't get determined until Thursday's duels.
Duel 1 determines the odd positions in the starting order, with the winner of the duel moving into the No. 3 spot on the starting grid.
Duel 2 decides the drivers in the even numbers of the starting order, with the victor of that race slotted into the No. 4 spot on the grid.
Duel 1 begins Thursday night's racing at 7 p.m. ET, while Duel 2 is scheduled to begin at 9 p.m. ET.
There can only be one repeat winner of the duels Thursday, as Ryan Blaney and Chase Elliott are both part of Duel 2.
A year ago, Blaney captured Duel 1 after recording the 15th-best qualifying time a few days before, while Elliott took Duel 2 from the fifth starting position.
Both drivers have had decent trips to Daytona so far, as they both finished in the top 10 of The Clash and are starting in the top 10 of Duel 2.
Elliott is in better shape on the Duel 2 starting order, as he lines up in the second position and is part of the most successful team at Daytona through the first week of Speed Weeks.
Elliott's Hendrick Motorsports teammates William Byron and Alex Bowman have already secured their spots on the front row for the Daytona 500 and Jimmie Johnson won Sunday's Clash event.
Blaney, who is one of two Team Penske drivers in Duel 2, is one of many racers hoping to unseat Hendrick Motorsports from the top of the grid before Sunday's main event.
The good news for Blaney is he'll have an ally in Joey Logano alongside him for most of the race, which should make drafting a bit easier.
However, Blaney still has to put himself in a good position to succeed during the final few laps, when every driver is fighting for his own personal gains.
More Drama in Store for Johnson and Menard?
The 2019 NASCAR season is only a week old, but there's already been some drama involving a few drivers.
With inclement weather nearing the track during the end of The Clash, Johnson made contact with Paul Menard on his way into first place.
"It was really just a racing thing," Johnson said. "I was going down into Turn 1 and it was looking darker and darker. I saw my move and I had to take it."
"Jimmie pulled down, I moved down a little bit, and the next thing I knew I’m getting turned in the left rear," Menard said. "Jimmie does that a lot at these tracks, it’s unfortunate."
Johnson and Menard are separated by four starting positions in Duel 1, and after Sunday's confrontation, all eyes will be on the pair of drivers.
MARTINSVILLE, VA - OCTOBER 28: Jimmie Johnson, driver of the #48 Lowe's for Pros Chevrolet, leads Paul Menard, driver of the #21 Motorcraft/Quick Lane Tire & Auto Center Ford, during the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series First Data 500 at Martinsville Spe
Based on Hendrick's success at Daytona, Johnson is expected to be at the front of the field alongside Byron.
Although Menard, who races for Wood Brothers Racing, doesn't have a teammate to help him draft, he should receive a good amount of assistance to get back to the front and challenge Johnson, which will strum up plenty of drama as the race progresses.
