Ryan Newman: What the NASCAR Driver Has Been up to Since 2020 Wreck

John Newby

02/14/2021 02:57 pm EST

Sunday afternoon, Ryan Newman will return to Daytona International Speedway for the season-opening Daytona 500. He will join 39 other NASCAR drivers while competing for a victory. Newman nearly achieved his goal at the beginning of the 2020 season, but a late wreck sent him to the hospital and Denny Hamlin to Victory Lane. Though Newman only missed three races before returning to the No. 6 Roush Fenway Racing Ford Mustang and finishing out the Cup Series schedule in 25th place.

Racing fans have been keeping tabs on Newman in the year since his frightening crash. They have followed his social media profiles and learned about his hobbies away from the race track. Some of these pastimes involve boats, while others feature large animals. Here are some of the ways in which Newman has been spending his time since the 2020 Daytona 500.

Dirt Racing

Newman doesn't always get behind the wheel of high-powered vehicles on asphalt. Sometimes, he takes his talents to the dirt tracks. He did so recently while driving the No. 00 car in the Chili Bowl Nationals. Newman used the car to honor Cade Frey, a hero who saved five lives through organ donation. The veteran driver put Frey's name and number on the vehicle before heading to the track.

Busch Clash

Tuesday night, Newman got back behind the wheel of the No. 6 Roush Fenway Racing Ford Mustang. He took part in the Busch Clash, an exhibition race at the Daytona International Speedway Road Course. Newman competed with 20 other drivers in a 35-lap race and found mixed success. He was headed for a top-five finish, but late issues with the car's handling dropped him to 14th overall.

Animal Care

When he isn't fighting for pole position or trying to win races, Newman is helping run a nonprofit farm, Rescue Ranch. This sprawling facility in North Carolina provides care for a wide variety of animals, ranging from cows and horses to lizards. There are also rabbits, guinea pigs, mice, exotic birds, and goats. The staff at Rescue Ranch provides educational tours for groups of all animals in order to provide more information about proper care.

Proper Auto Care

Newman highlights his various sponsors with his Instagram account, whether he is talking about Ford vehicles or Coca-Cola beverages. The veteran driver used his Castrol partnership to provide education about proper auto care. He did an oil change on one of his classic cars, a 1957 Ford. He also showed off an assortment of vehicles in his garage, including the truck from Sanford and Son.

Life on the Farm

Newman remains very busy away from the race track, which he shows on social media. One post featured him in a tractor, working in the field. Newman also revealed that he had added a bison to the herd. He posted a photo of the large animal and said that it was only one of four new additions to the farm.

Fishing

Prior to the NASCAR return on May 17, Newman spent a lot of time with his daughters. They enjoyed the outdoors and engaged in a number of activities. One of the more popular pastimes was fishing. Newman posted several examples of him and his daughters out on the water and casting from a boat. They threw many of the fish back but continued to enjoy their time in the outdoors.

Model Building

While fishing was popular in the Newman household, the family also engaged in another hobby. Newman and his daughters worked on putting together a model of Bill Elliott's No. 9 Ford. The driver said at the time that some fingers might end up glued together, but he did ultimately post a photo showing the model in its final form.

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