#NASCAR Driver Newman Remains at Halifax Medical Center

Prayers for the ‘Rocket Man’

Update: Rocket Man is indestructible!

Ryan Newman has been treated and released from Halifax Medical Center pic.twitter.com/J0twhGgQm7

— Roush Fenway (@roushfenway) February 19, 2020

Update: Ryan is awake and speaking with family and doctors 

Update on Ryan Newman: pic.twitter.com/TdJHDZ3O7O

— Roush Fenway (@roushfenway) February 18, 2020

Steve Newmark, president of Roush Fenway Racing just updated an anxious NASCAR Nation about the #6 Koch Industries Ford driver’s (Ryan Newman) medical condition. As you can deduce from the tweet below the update was purposefully generically neutral.

pic.twitter.com/WUaHmymRsU

— Steve Newmark (@NewmarkRFR) February 18, 2020

What Happened: After being in contention for much of the late stages of the race, Newman took the lead from Denny Hamlin on the final lap, using a bump draft from Ryan Blaney to put himself in position to win the Daytona 500 for the second time. As Blaney got a run off of Turn Four and attempted a race-winning pass, Newman blocked Blaney's advance, resulting in contact between the two cars. Newman's car slammed into the outside wall, flipping over and then being struck on the driver's side by Corey LaJoie's oncoming car. Hamlin won the race; Newman slid past the start-finish on his sparking hood for a ninth place finish.

 

Newman had to be cut out of his car before being transported directly to nearby Halifax Medical Center, where he remains today.

NASCAR Nation Prays for Newman

pic.twitter.com/RugPUdmpEk

— Roush Fenway (@roushfenway) February 18, 2020

What an emotional rollercoaster... in a matter of seconds we went from the excitement of believing we were about to win the #DAYTONA500 to a gut punch of fear and the unknown of our drivers wellbeing...
We are all standing behind you @RyanJNewman get well soon#PrayForNewman pic.twitter.com/Sw1bJ5vXwG

— Travis Peterson (@TRAVIS_P3TERSON) February 18, 2020

“I didn’t even know who I hit … Nobody realizes how fast 200 MPH is or how light or how uncontrollable these cars are when they get out of shape.” NASCAR racer @CoreyLaJoie says of the crash involving Ryan Newman. https://t.co/I7ue9xvSRu pic.twitter.com/qxuQNTiJFp

— Good Morning America (@GMA) February 18, 2020

🙏🏻❤️ pic.twitter.com/uLgfC6ld2T

— DeLana Harvick (@DeLanaHarvick) February 18, 2020

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

🏁 🏆 Last Five Posts 🏆 🏁

1. 'Great American Race’ Fan Facts
2. Daytona Sets Xfinity Stage For Season Opener
3. Quotes from The NASCAR Duel Winners (Logano & Byron)
4. Get Ready to #Win a Busch Sports Car (#Pit4Busch #Sweepstakes)
5. Busch Beer - Title Sponsor for The Clash

'Great American Race’ Fan Facts

President Trump to Serve as Grand Marshall for the Super Bowl of Stock Car Racing

NASCAR Cup Series

• Next Race: Daytona 500
• The Place: Daytona International Speedway
• The Date: Sunday, February 16
• The Time: 2:30 p.m. ET
• TV: FOX, 2 p.m. ET
• Radio: MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio
• Distance: 500 miles (200 laps);
• Stage 1 (Ends on Lap 65),
• Stage 2 (Ends on Lap 130),
• Final Stage (Ends on Lap 200)
• 2019 Race Winner: Denny Hamlin

The crew of Ryan Blaney, driver of the #12 Menards/Peak Ford
pushes the car during practice for the NASCAR Cup Series
62nd Annual Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway.

Do it again, Denny!

Last year’s emotional win of the NASCAR Cup Series season-opening Daytona 500 was the start of an exciting and noteworthy season. Denny Hamlin, who won the historic race once before in 2016, did it again – but this time in honor of team owner Joe Gibbs’ late son J.D. Gibbs. J.D. was a big part of Hamlin’s life and career but lost his battle with a neurological illness the month in January of 2019.

Sunoco Rookie of the Year class outlook

This season marks one of the most highly anticipated Sunoco Rookie of the Year classes.

Tyler Reddick, two-time NASCAR Xfinity Series champion, made the jump to the Cup Series with Richard Childress Racing and will pilot the No. 8 Chevrolet.

After final practice @JamieLittleTV caught up with @ColeCuster about his @Haas_Automation Mustang. #Daytona500 pic.twitter.com/NRGPwNd0qe

— Stewart-Haas Racing (@StewartHaasRcng) February 15, 2020

Cole Custer, two-time runner-up in the Xfinity Series championship standings, will compete for Stewart-Haas Racing in the No. 41.

Christopher Bell,  one of the winningest drivers in the Xfinity Series in recent years, will be behind the wheel of the No. 95 Leavine Family Racing Toyota in 2020.

John Hunter Nemechek  took over the No. 36 Front Row Motorsports Ford for Matt Tifft at the end of the 2019 season after he suffered health issues and then ended up signing with the team fulltime for 2020.

Quin Houff  will be making his rookie debut in the No. 00 StarCom Racing Chevrolet.

Brennan Poole will pilot the No. 15 Premium Motorsports Chevrolet in 2020 and will make his Cup Series debut at Daytona.

Who gets it done first?

Aside from the rookies this season in the NASCAR Cup Series, there are still some drivers that have yet to get their first career win.

William Byron, #24 Axalta

William Byron driver of the #24 Axalta 'Color of the Year' Chevrolet, has come close multiple times but hasn’t been able to get it done. Byron started on the pole in the 2019 Daytona 500 and got his career-best finish at the track in the July race in second. And he’s had a great 2020 Speedweeks – winning the second BlueGreen Vacation Duel on Thursday night – his first trip to Victory Lane with legendary crew chief Chad Knaus.

Matt DiBendetto  has a lot of momentum on his side, too. DiBenedetto and Leavine Family Racing parted ways after the 2019 season and DiBenedetto signed with the famous Wood Brothers Racing team to pilot the No. 21 Ford. He’s come close to a win multiple times, too, and has shown his talent week in and week out. A first win for him isn’t too far off, either.

Bubba Wallace is another driver looking for his first career win and Daytona is a very good place for the driver of the famed No. 43 Richard Petty Motorsports Chevrolet. In 2018, Wallace finished runner-up in the Daytona 500 – one of his most memorable career moments to date.

Today is the day!

Retweet if you'll be watching The Great American Race this afternoon on FOX! #DAYTONA500 pic.twitter.com/601K8k3KfY

— NASCAR (@NASCAR) February 16, 2020

FYI: Stats to know for the Daytona 500

• · Dale Earnhardt leads the list of all-time Duel winners with 12. Of active drivers, Denny Hamlin leads the list with three.
• · Kyle Busch has the best driver rating (91.2) at Daytona but has never won the 500.
• · A total of 554 different drivers have competed in at least one Daytona 500 and 334 have competed in more than one.
• · Chase Elliott leads all active drivers in the NASCAR Cup Series in average starting position in the Daytona 500 at 6.0 and he became the youngest Daytona 500 pole winner at the age of 20 in 2016.
• · The Daytona 500 race record is held by Buddy Baker from 1980 (177.602 mph, 02:48:55).
• · The Wood Brothers have won 15 races at Daytona, more than any other organizations.
• · A total of 65 different drivers have won at Daytona International Speedway.

🏁 🏆 Last Five Posts 🏆 🏁

1. Daytona Sets Xfinity Stage For Season Opener
2. Quotes from The NASCAR Duel Winners (Logano & Byron)
3. Get Ready to #Win a Busch Sports Car (#Pit4Busch #Sweepstakes)
4. Busch Beer - Title Sponsor for The Clash
5. Snocross Makes its Debut at The Flat Track to Kick Off 2020

Daytona Sets Xfinity Stage For Season Opener

The 2020 NASCAR Xfinity Series season is upon us and Daytona International Speedway is all set to host this weekend’s ‘NASCAR Racing Experience 300’ at 2:30 p.m. ET on FS1, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.

Justin Haley, Driver of the #11 LeafFilter Gutter Protection Chevrolet,
leads AJ Allmendinger, Driver of the #16 Ellsworth Advisors Chevrolet, and
Ross Chastain, Driver of the #10 Nutrien Ag Solutions Chevrolet, during practice

Daytona International Speedway has hosted fifty-six (56) NASCAR Xfinity Series races (1982-2019) producing 41 different pole winners and 31 different race winners.

NASCAR Xfinity Series

• Next Race: NASCAR Racing Experience 300
• The Place: Daytona International Speedway
• The Date: Saturday, February 15
• The Time: 2:30 p.m. ET
• TV: FS1, 2 p.m. ET
• Radio: MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio
• Distance: 300 miles (120 Laps);
• Stage 1: (Ends on Lap 30),
• Stage 2: (Ends on Lap 60),
• Final Stage: (Ends on Lap 120)

Richard Childress Racing’s Tyler Reddick won the pole for the NASCAR Xfinity Series season opener at Daytona last season and JR Motorsport’s Michael Annett won the race.

I can’t wait to get on track @DISupdates in my @American_Heart / @PilotFlyingJ Chevrolet in a few short weeks. #NASCAR | @XfinityRacing | @JRMotorsports pic.twitter.com/OKS7hZJhFC

— Michael Annett (@MichaelAnnett) January 27, 2020

Xfinity Party Part-Timers at Daytona

For some drivers, this weekend is the beginning of a 33-race championship, but for others it’s just about the checkered flag, the win and the celebration in Victory Lane. Which makes it no surprise several part-time Xfinity Series drivers are taking aim at Daytona this weekend.

One such driver specifically tapped to drive this weekend to challenge for the win is veteran AJ Allmendinger. The California wheelman will be jumping into the Kaulig Racing No. 16 Chevrolet this weekend with crew chief Lennie Chandler calling the shots from the pit box. Allmendinger was dominate in his lone Xfinity Series Daytona start last season leading 33 laps and crossing the start-finish line in the top five but was subsequently disqualified and dropped to 38th after failing post-race inspection. In total last season Allmendinger made five starts with Kaulig Racing, posting one win (Charlotte ROVAL), two top fives and a pole.

2018 Gander Trucks champ Brett Moffitt will help the newly formed Our Motorsports  make their NASCAR Xfinity Series debut this weekend at Daytona International Speedway. Moffitt will pilot the No. 02 Chevrolet. Moffitt has only made three Xfinity Series starts in his career with a best finish of ninth at his home track Iowa Speedway. This will be Moffitt’s series track debut this weekend.

Hattori Racing Enterprises made their NASCAR Xfinity Series debut last season with driver Austin Hill and this weekend return to the series for a shot at Daytona. Hattori Racing Enterprises primarily races in the NASCAR Gander RV & Outdoors Truck Series and the organization won the Gander Trucks season-opener last year. Hill made his Xfinity Series debut last season with owner Carl Long at Indianapolis – he started 17th and finished ninth.

🏁 🏆 Last Five Posts 🏆 🏁

1. Quotes from The NASCAR Duel Winners (Logano & Byron)
2. Get Ready to #Win a Busch Sports Car (#Pit4Busch #Sweepstakes)
3. Busch Beer - Title Sponsor for The Clash
4. Snocross Makes its Debut at The Flat Track to Kick Off 2020
5. 2019 NASCAR Series Champions Are Repeaters