The finish of the Daytona 500 on Monday night turned out to be a stunner. Due to a rain delay the race was pushed into a second day and it was well worth the wait until the last unfortunate lap in overtime.
Ryan Newman’s car flipped over, was crashed into and caught fire at the finish line of the Daytona 500 on Monday as he tried to hold onto the lead.
Scary finish at #DAYTONA500 when leader Ryan Newman flipped right before the finish. Denny Hamlin wins but all thoughts on Newman right now. pic.twitter.com/Fltj5w5d2g
— Troy Hirsch (@troyhirschfox5) February 18, 2020
His car crossed the finish line on its roof finishing fourth.
Newman was not immediately responsive on his radio as medics rushed onto the track.
Paramedics used black screens to shield the crowd’s view of the mangled car and the removal of Newman from the wreckage.
A stretcher is next to Newman’s car. Crews are using black screens to keep fans from seeing. And media has just been told to leave the pits. #DAYTONA500 pic.twitter.com/OFFIpTWcoz
— Joe Kepner (@JKepnerWFTV) February 18, 2020
The FOX television broadcast said he was being taken straight to the hospital.
Denny Hamlin in the number 11 FedEx car won the Daytona 500 in the second closest finish in history for the second year in a row.
Joe Gibbs issues an apology for the Denny Hamlin team celebrating winning the #Daytona500 after the Ryan Newman wreck. Says they did not see the severity of it and are praying for him. Somber. pic.twitter.com/sjqf8SkNvQ
— Jon Alba (@JonAlba) February 18, 2020