DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (Feb. 14, 2021) – Ryan Newman pushed his Kohler Generators Ford to the front of the field early in his emotional return to the Daytona 500, but his day was cut short when a 17-car pileup collected his Mustang just a handful of laps into the race. Newman was scored with a 38th-place finish, his day ending before a lengthy lightning delay at the famed track.
“Somebody crashed in the outside row in front of us and we had nowhere to go and I got hit from some place,” Newman said. “I had the wreck missed, but got hit from some place and that was the end of our day. I just feel bad for Kohler Generators jumping on board and getting wrecked out of the Daytona 500 so early, but unfortunately that’s part of racing. I just wish we could have had some better results.”
The 2008 Daytona 500 Champion led the field early in the action, powering his Ford Mustang to the front after starting seventh. Then, not even 15 laps in, two cars near the front of the pack mistimed a push and started a multi-car chain reaction. Newman initially had the wreck cleared until a car sliding down the track hooked his right rear, sending him into the outside wall.
The damage to his Ford Mustang was too severe to continue, as he and nine others involved in the incident saw their days end early.
Soon after the incident inclement weather set into the Daytona area, and caused a delay of several hours. Newman officially finished 38th.
NASCAR returns right back to Daytona International Speedway next weekend for a 253-mile race on the road course, which saw the NASCAR Cup Series host its first-ever event there last summer. Coverage for next Sunday’s race is set for 3 p.m. ET on FOX. Radio coverage can also be heard on MRN and SiriusXM Channel 90.
