Daytona 500 Fan Calls Dale Earnhardt Ryan Newman’s ‘Guardian Angel’ in Viral Tweet

NASCAR fans were frightened on Monday night after Ryan Newman was involved in a wreck near the end of the Daytona 500. This crash destroyed his No. 6 Ford Mustang and led many to believe that he had perished. However, it was later revealed that Newman had survived and avoided life-threatening injuries, which one fan attributed to his “guardian angel.”

“Got chills when I saw this,” one Twitter user responded on Monday. Others chimed in to say that this was just beautiful.

There were some critics of the idea that commented about how guardian angels had nothing to do with keeping Newman safe. They felt that it was just purely a matter of the engineering advancements that led to safer cars. Some of these comments were met with the response that the guardian angel was also protecting the fans within reach of the wreck.

The vehicle was moving at a speed where it could have legitimately crashed into the catch fence and destroyed an entire section. This would have potentially injured many of the fans in attendance. Newman’s car remained on the track, however, as the bystanders remained out of harm’s way.

Daytona International Speedway, where Newman’s wreck took place, is the same track where Dale Earnhardt died in a tragic crash back in 2001. He had wrecked while helping Michael Waltrip win his first-ever 500. Sterling Marlin had bumped Earnhardt’s car, sending it spinning into the wall and killing the legendary driver.

Following his death in 2001, some fans believe that Earnhardt has been watching over the track and the competitors. No other driver has died in competition since 2001, which can be attributed to the safety advancements made by NASCAR‘s research and development department. However, there is also a belief that Earnhardt’s spirit is keeping the drivers safe during wrecks.

Newman, in particular, has been involved in two serious wrecks at the Daytona International Speedway, and he has survived both. There are certain advancements in safety features, such as the head and neck restraints, that helped him avoid a tragic incident. Some fans still believe that he was assisted by a guardian angel that watches over the track.

Whether or not Earnhardt protected Newman is unknown, but the fans are just happy to hear that the longtime driver is awake and talking at the Halifax Medical Center.

(Photo Credit: Brian Cleary/Getty Images)