NASCAR driver Ryan Newman was rushed to the hospital after his car flipped and was rammed during the final lap of the Daytona 500 on Monday.
The incident marred the ending of an entertaining race that eventually saw Denny Hamlin take the checkered flag. Hamlin celebrated the race until he learned about the severity of Newman’s injuries. Hamlin then apologized and explained that he hadn’t heard what had happened.
Newman is currently listed in serious condition, but according to Roush Fenway Racing, his injuries are not life threatening.
Here is everything we know about the crash:
What happened
Ryan Newman was in the lead during the final lap of the Daytona 500 on Monday — the race had been postponed following heavy rain on Sunday — when Ryan Blaney made contact with Newman’s No. 6 car.
Newman’s car spun out and then flipped, sliding down the speedway after it was hit by another car.
The accident was terrifying to witness:
Here is the final lap of the Daytona 500 in which Ryan Newman's car was flipped at the line.
We will continue to keep you updated on his status as we learn more. pic.twitter.com/qkEwQBpoP0
— FOX: NASCAR (@NASCARONFOX) February 18, 2020
Latest updates on Newman’s condition
Newman was rushed to the Halifax Health Medical Center after the accident. On Monday night, Roush Fenway Racing issued a statement clarifying that while his injuries were not life-threatening, he was in serious condition.
— Ryan Newman (@RyanJNewman) February 18, 2020
What other drivers said
Hamlin apologized for celebrating after the win, clarifying that he hadn’t heard what had happened to Newman and never would have celebrated if he understood the circumstances.
First a foremost I want to give well wishes and prayers to @RyanJNewman. I had absolutely NO IDEA of the severity of the crash until I got to victory lane. There’s very little communication after the finish and i had already unhooked my radio. It’s not anyone’s fault. 🙏Rocket
— Denny Hamlin (@dennyhamlin) February 18, 2020
Ryan Blaney, the driver that touched Newman, is actually another Ford driver. He said he was trying to give Newman a bump to help him win.
“I thought I was pretty square, but I just got him to the right,” Blaney said. “I hope he’s alright. That looked really bad, and it’s not something I wanted to do. It definitely wasn’t intentional.”
We will update this post as we learn more.
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