As Ryan Newman continues his recovery at a Florida hospital following his scary Daytona 500 crash, his team returned home to Concord, North Carolina, where they were greeted with a show of support. On Tuesday, just a day after the terrifying wreck, Newman’s crew headed back to work at Roush Fenway Racing, where a sign left outside by a fan read, “Get well soon! We love you #6.”
The latest from Dave Burns at Roush Fenway Racing. pic.twitter.com/bwAgRtR7Tm
— NASCAR on NBC (@NASCARonNBC) February 18, 2020
The show of support comes after Newman, who won the Daytona 500 back in 2008, suffered serious injuries after his No. 6 vehicle was bumped from behind as he headed into Turn 4 of the final lap. The contact sent his vehicle airborne before it eventually came to a stop upside down and briefly caught fire.
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Newman’s condition initially unknown, NASCAR fans and his fellow racers rushed to send him well wishes, with Ford racer Ryan Blaney, who bumped Newman’s car, stating that, “even though it’s unintentional, you don’t want to hurt anybody. I’m just waiting to see if he’s OK.”
Several hours later, NASCAR released a statement saying Newman was in “serious condition,” though he did not suffer life-threatening injuries.
“Ryan Newman is being treated at Halifax Medical Center. He is in serious condition, but doctors have indicated his injuries are not life threatening,” the statement read. “We appreciate your thoughts and prayers and ask that you respect the privacy of Ryan and his family during this time. We appreciate your patience and cooperation and we will provide more information as it becomes available.”
On Tuesday afternoon, Roush Fenway Racing provided another update, stating that although still in the hospital, Newman is “awake and speaking.”
“Ryan Newman remains under the care of doctors at Halifax Medical Center in Daytona Beach, Florida,” the statement read. “He is awake and speaking with family and doctors.”
“Ryan and his family have expressed their appreciation for the concern and heartfelt messages from across the country,” it continued. “They are grateful for the unwavering support of the NASCAR community and beyond. We will continue to provide information as it becomes available.”
Newman’s Monday crash followed his crash at the very same race in 2003 and one in 2013 at Talladega Superspeedway. Following those two crashes, Newman had lobbied for safer regulations within the sport.
