Yahoo Lifestyle Ryan Newman says he'll return to racing when NASCAR resumes
Ryan Newman will be back whenever NASCAR comes back.
Newman announced Sunday that he’ll return to the No. 6 car whenever NASCAR resumes. Newman has been out of the car since suffering a head injury in his terrifying crash on the final lap of the Daytona 500.
When we go back racing, @RyanJNewman will be back behind the wheel of the No. 6 machine! pic.twitter.com/NVtTSklvnI
— FOX: NASCAR (@NASCARONFOX) April 26, 2020
NASCAR said Sunday that Newman had not been cleared to race, though it announced Monday afternoon that he had been. It’s unclear why NASCAR had not cleared Newman at the time of his announcement but quickly did so a day later.
Newman was leading the Daytona 500 off the final turn on the final lap as he was racing Denny Hamlin and Ryan Blaney for the win. Newman’s car went head-on into the outside wall off Blaney’s bumper and then flipped over from the impact. Newman’s car was then hit on the driver’s side while upside down by Corey LaJoie’s car and skidded down the track.
Track workers had to cut Newman out of the car and immediately transported him to a local hospital. Newman walked out of the hospital with his family days later.
Ross Chastain had been Newman’s replacement until the NASCAR season was halted in mid-March because of the coronavirus pandemic. Chastain is now seen as the likely contender to take over for Kyle Larson in the No. 42 car whenever NASCAR resumes. Larson was fired earlier this month after he said the n-word during a sim race broadcast on NASCAR’s website.
NASCAR is reportedly trying to get its season restarted at some point in May, whether it’s at Charlotte Motor Speedway or elsewhere. Leaders in states like Florida, South Carolina and Texas have expressed their interest in holding a NASCAR race when the series returns, though the sanctioning body has not officially announced revised schedules for the 2020 season.
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Nick Bromberg is a writer for Yahoo Sports.
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