NASCAR driver Ryan Newman flips across Daytona 500 finish line; Transported to hospital (Video)

Ryan Newman flipped across the finish line after a battle with Ryan Blaney on the final lap

Medical Updates: Any new information will be posted and shown in order, at the bottom of this article.

The Daytona 500 started on Sunday in Daytona Beach, Florida. The event kicks off the 2020 NASCAR Cup Series season.

Watch the Ryan Newman crash video below.

The race was announced to become the highest paying NASCAR race in the history of the sport. 100,000+ NASCAR fans helped sell out the grandstands for Sunday. However, a rain shower on lap 20 pushed the Great American Race to Monday night finish.

As the 500-mile race came to a close, it was getting exciting up front. Denny Hamlin, Ryan Newman, Ryan Blaney and Chris Buescher surfaced at the top of the 40 car field.

Coming to 2 laps to go, Denny Hamlin opened a five car length gap to the field as he led. But, that meant that the pack would be coming…

Final lap

As they came to take the white flag, Ryan Newman had the momentum and looked for an open lane on the outside. Defending Daytona 500 race winner, Denny Hamlin, aggressively moved up to block his run. Somehow, they didn’t crash.

Newman then pushed Hamlin as they both drivers opened a gap to 3rd place Ryan Blaney. Then, suddenly, Newman lifted and left Hamlin to run out there on his own.

That was a planned move. Newman caught the front bumper of Blaney. They were coming in a hurry and Hamlin was a sitting duck.

As they rolled down the back stretch for the final time, Ryan Blaney locked onto the rear bumper of Ryan Newman. Newman moved to the inside of Hamlin and both of them cleared Hamlin.

Heading into turn three for the final time, Newman led Blaney by a car length. But, Hamlin side drafted Blaney as he went by.

As Hamlin pulled Blaney back, Newman ran out to a car length lead in the middle of turns three and four. Hamlin locked onto the rear bumper of Blaney.

Together they were closing fast on Ryan Newman for the Daytona 500 win. Hamlin was deep into his bumper as Blaney’s rear end skated all over the track. Both drivers remained in the gas and just hung onto it.

Off turn four for the final time, Blaney was there with a run. The No. 12 of Blaney made a move to the high side. Newman came up to block.

Blaney then jerked it to the left to go under Newman instead. Just a hundred feet or so from the finish line, that’s when it went wrong…

Ryan Newman crash

Newman moved down the track with Blaney and continued to block. Blaney was all over his bumper. However, Newman’s rear end wiggled and he struggled to hold the car in a straight line.

His hands were all over the steering wheel but ho couldn’t hold it. Newman was turned across the track. He went nose first into the outside wall at a high rate of speed.

As that took place, Hamlin worked to the outside of Blaney. They raced door to door to the finish line. Hamlin won, by just inches.

Meanwhile, Newman bounced off the outside wall and was now sliding upside down across the track behind them. Corey LaJoie came into the scene at 200mph and with nowhere to go.

A second impact from Corey LaJoie

As Newman was upside down, sliding on his roof, Corey LaJoie slammed right into his drivers side door.

The front nose of LaJoie’s car acted as a plow. He scooped under the window net of Newman and lifted Newman off the ground.

The impact was enough to knock the windows out of the car. Newman flipped through the air and came down hard on the pavement. He rolled a few times before the car came to rest just past the finish line.

NASCAR driver transported to hospital

As Hamlin celebrated in the infield (obviously unaware of the situation), officials worked to get Newman out of the car. They stated that once the driver was removed, he would be transported to a local hospital.

Multiple safety vehicles surrounded the No. 6 car. The car came to a rest just in front of the main grandstands.

Officials placed a black screen behind the car. That shielded the race fans from viewing Newman or the medical attention that he was receiving.

A stretched was pulled out. As the Roush Fenway Racing crew members walked away from the car, one of them confirmed that the driver was awake.

Newman has since been transported to a hospital. He was placed in an ambulance and moved to the Halifax Medical Center in Daytona Beach, Florida.

This story will be updated as more information becomes available.

Denny Hamlin comments from victory lane

“Yeah, I think we take for granted sometimes, you know, how safe the cars are,” Hamlin stated to FOX Sports.

“But, number one, we’re praying for Ryan. I worked really well with Ryan, through this whole race. Obviously, he got turned right there.”

Ryan Blaney comments after the Daytona 500

“We pushed Newman there, to the lead,” Blaney opened after the NASCAR Cup Series race.

“Then, we got a push from the No. 11. I made a move off [turn] four. Newman blocked it.”

“Then, I kinda went low and he blocked that. So, then I was committed to just pushing him to the win, to try and have a Ford win it.”

“I don’t know. We just got bumpers hooked up wrong and turned him. I hope he’s alright. It looked pretty bad.”

“Definitely was trying to push him to a win. I don’t want to say those things happen… I feel really bad about it. A close one, but I hope Ryan’s alright.”

Ryan Blaney finished 2nd in the event. It was the second closest Daytona 500 finish in the history of the event.

Chris Buescher following the finish to the NASCAR event

“We’re hoping Ryan’s ok at this point,” said Chris Buescher, the new teammate to Ryan Newman fo 2020.

“Very wild last lap. We had a fun race, all the way up to that last point.

“I really thought he [Newman] had it. They had the No. 12 tandom [drafting] through the back stretch. Wish I could have got in line. But, without any real help behind us, [they] just kinda pulled away.”

“You try to do everything you can, to push. And it’s just kind of part of it. Just, hoping Ryan’s ok at this point. You know, wishing him the best.”

Jeff Gordon on the Ryan Newman crash

“Safety has come a long way in this sport. Sometimes, we are reminded that it is a very dangerous sport.”

“Thoughts and prayers are with Ryan Newman and his family,” Gordon concluded the TV broadcast.

Ryan Newman 2019 headshot

Other notes

42-year-old, Ryan Newman is in his second year with Roush Fenway Racing after 5 years with Richard Childress Racing. Newman has run 657 NASCAR Cup Series events over the span of a 20 year career.

Directly ahead of the Daytona 500, Newman posted a personal note to his social media feeds announcing that he as his wife are in the process of separating.

“We will continue to jointly raise our girls, while remaining friends and continuing to work together support Rescue Ranch,” Newman posted.

The couple were married for 16 years.

Tonight, just after the crash, Krissie Newman tweeted, “OMG.”

The driver has 18 career NCS wins to his resume. The last win came in 2017 at Phoenix Raceway.

Medical update on Ryan Newman

2-17-2020 (10:15PM): At 10:04pm on Monday night, Roush Fenway Racing provided an update on the condition of Ryan Newman.

“Ryan Newman is being treated at Halifax Medical Center. He is in serous 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.”

Again, this story will be updated as any new information becomes available on the status of the injured NASCAR driver.