“I got hit from behind by a car going 190 miles per hour,” are words you never want to hear. Ryan Newman’s Daytona 500 crash is a poignant reminder that this sport is not for the faint-hearted. What started as a bid for long-awaited glory turned into a horrifying crash that left fans and fellow drivers holding their breath. Miraculously, Newman survived the crash with a newfound perspective on life and racing. Now, almost five years after the incident, Newman has shared why the remains of his wrecked car have become a trophy for him.

Ryan Newman’s trophy of survival

Ryan Newman has been phenomenal in his two-decade-long NASCAR career. With finishes as high as 2nd in the driver’s standings in 2014 and a stunning 8-win season in 2003, Newman has had his share of highlights. The veteran never won a championship, but his car from the Daytona 500 crash in 2020 stands as the biggest victory of his career. A proof of victory while staring down the barrel of death.

Speaking to NBC, Newman opened up on what the car means to him, “So, this is what’s left of my best, worst day. This is from my Daytona crash in 2020. People have asked me, why do you keep this car? And it’s a trophy in my eyes. It’s a trophy of what I love, but it’s also a trophy of what saved my life. Pretty special for me to have it and share it because I’m standing here and living and I got the chance to spend time with my daughters and loved ones and friends and family and I’ll forever, forever be grateful for that,” Newman told NBC.

It’s not often that you hear a crowd go silent after the checkered flag at the Daytona 500. Such was the shock and horror in everyone’s eyes after what they saw that night. Let’s set the stage.

With two laps to go in the Daytona 500, Denny Hamlin had the lead and was in pursuit of his second consecutive Daytona 500 victory. Right on his tail were Ryan Newman and Ryan Blaney.

Entering the final lap, Chase Elliott was involved in a crash but the green flag stayed on as none of the leaders were affected. Newman, with Blaney right on his bumper, took the inside line and the duo overtook Hamlin for the top 2 spots. Coming off Turn four Newman held his position while Blaney swerved out and in trying to overtake Newman but the latter defended bravely until Blaney made contact with him.

The push sent Newman slamming into the wall, zipping right in front of Hamlin who took the lead and the checkered flag. However, Newman’s car flipped and tumbled onto Corey Lajoie’s car before screeching across the asphalt with flames coming out of it.

Denny Hamlin may have won the race, but the result was overshadowed by the last-lap incident and the Joe Gibbs Racing driver went on to say that Newman’s health “is way more important than any victory, no matter how big the race is.”

The aftermath was grim as Newman was unconscious and immediately rushed to the hospital. He suffered a brain bruise after being in a medically induced coma. Miraculously, he was deemed safe after evaluation with no memory of the crash. Reflecting on the event a year later, Newman told NASCAR on Fox, “I’ve got stories, I’ve got conversations, but in my mind, it still doesn’t exist. And I don’t know how to answer that other than god deletes that chapter for a reason.”

Newman added that another reason to keep the car was a reminder of the effort that went into building such a speedy, yet safe racecar. “The effort that goes into the human capital of people that build these race cars is amazing and they don’t get much thanks… It takes times like this, this crash, to kind of see what worst case scenario could look like.” The cage of Newman’s car was dealt serious damage but it held itself together due to masterful engineering, which is what potentially saved his life.

Over his 20-year Cup Series career, Newman started 725 races, securing 18 wins and 51 pole positions. His career highlights include a victory in the prestigious 2008 Daytona 500 and a win at the Brickyard 400 in 2013. Though Newman retired from full-time NASCAR racing at the end of the 2021 season, he made occasional appearances, including eight Cup Series races in 2023. However, the switch to Next-Gen cars was not kind to the veteran

Newman struggles with the next-gen cars!

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Ryan Newman’s story took an intriguing turn after the crash. While the 47-year-old stepped away from full-time NASCAR racing, his passion for motorsports never wavered. Newman has since competed in the SMART Modified Tour, finishing third in points, and the Whelen Modified Tour. His notable win was at the New River All-American Speedway.

In 2023, he made a comeback to the pinnacle of the stock car racing with Rick Ware Racing. He made eight appearances in the NASCAR Cup Series. However, Newman’s experience with NASCAR’s Next-Gen car was not good enough. After his comeback race at Darlington Speedway, he criticized the car.

“Yeah, my seat was not comfortable. I had rib pain after the end of the first stage, so I was miserable in the car. I got a cramp in my foot. My ribs feel like somebody punched me,” Newman told media. His comments reflect his struggles with the next-gen car. His results that season reflected his discomfort. Newman did not manage a single top-25 finish in a points-paying race in 2023, with his only top-15 finish coming at the All-Star Open in North Wilkesboro where he finished 12th.

Newman isn’t the only driver from the 2000s who struggled with the new car. 7-time Cup Series Champion Jimmie Johnson faced similar issues after retiring from full-time racing in 2020. The HMS veteran returned in 2023 driving part-time for his own team, Legacy Motor Club. In 12 points-paying races across 2023 and 2024, Johnson could not manage a single top-25 finish either. This highlights the stark difference between the old and new age of NASCAR drivers.

While Newman might be lamenting the results in the Next-Gen car, the Gen-6 car holds a special place in his heart, specifically the one that saved his life at Daytona.