“That was a terrifying day”: Fans react as Ryan Newman shared his thoughts on his Daytona 500 car from infamous wreck

Ryan Newman still keeps the car from his 2020 wreck at Daytona International Speedway. In a recent video posted by NBC on X, Newman explained why this battered car is so important to him. Meanwhile, the fans reacted to it.

Newman’s crash during the 2020 Daytona 500 was enough to send chills down the spine of every single viewer seated at the grandstands that day. Despite returning from a near-death situation, his memory blacked out every time he tried to recall exactly what happened that day. However, Newman was thankful for the second chance.

“This is what's left of my best worst day,” Ryan Newman said as he showcased his car. “This is from my Daytona crash in 2020. People have asked me, 'Why do you keep this car?'. It's a trophy in my eyes; it's a trophy of what I love...it's a trophy of what saved my life.”

“Pretty special for me to be able to have it and to share it because I'm standing here living, and I got the chance to spend time with my daughters and loved ones and friends and family and I'll forever be grateful for that,” he added.

Several fans reacted to the video with one calling the day of the crash “terrifying.”

“that was a terrifying day, exactly why I don't want plate racing , it's just a demolition derby and that's not racing it's just luck, to survive, forget about winning, just surviving, maybe fans like it, not me,” the fan said.

“Was scary to watch. Thankful that the story had a happy ending,” said another fan.

Here are a few other reactions to Ryan Newman showing off his car from what was the 62nd running of the Crown Jewel event.

“So relieved to see him released from the hospital after the incident. Every time we’ve met him, he has been nothing but a class act and so very humbled,” a fan wrote.

“As a long time Newman fan, that was one of the scariest days. Watching from home not knowing if he was okay or not. So glad he is still doing what he loves and hasn't missed a beat since that day. I can't wait to see what 2025 has in store for my favorite guy,” added another.

“I was in the grandstand right in front of where Ryan’s car finally landed. I thought he was gone that day. So many safety people worked to free Ryan from the car that day. A memory I will hold onto for a lifetime,” someone commented.

Another wrote,

“A good example of taking something negative and turning it into something positive.”

Newman retired from full-time racing in 2021. Following his career in NASCAR, which spanned over 20 years, the “Rocket Man” started racing in the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour and the Superstar Racing Experience. Notably, he finished as the runner-up for the 2022 SRX championship.

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Ryan Newman urges fans to join him as he aims to beat “last year's mileage”

Ryan Newman appeared in a joint Instagram post with Buzz E-bikes, the official E-bike of the Sportscar Vintage Racing Association (SVRA), and the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series. He urged his fans to get their hands on one of these multipurpose, electronic bikes in exchange for a special, discounted price.

The post came with the following caption penned by Newman himself:

“My family plans on getting outside more this year and we can't thank @buzzbicycles enough for helping us with exactly that. Let's see if we can beat last years mileage!”

In the video, Newman was seen glued to his own Buzz E-bike, fully prepared to take off. The 47-year-old said,

“If your New Year’s resolution is to get outdoors more, check out the Buzz E-bike. Go to buzzbicycles.com, enter promo code NEWMAN20 for 20 percent off. Seems like a no-brainer to me.”

Newman ran a full season of the SMART Modified Tour last year. However, he hasn’t revealed his racing plans for 2025 yet.