Ryan Newman‘s recovery from his wild crash in Monday’s Daytona 500 has made substantial progress. In an update on Wednesday, Roush Fenway Racing revealed he is showing “great improvement” and has been actively walking around the Halifax Medical Center where he is being treated. Later in the day, the team revealed he has been released from the hospital.
“Ryan Newman continues to show great improvement after Monday night’s last-lap accident at Daytona International Speedway,” a team statement read. “The veteran driver is fully alert and walking around Halifax Medical Center. True to his jovial nature, he has also been joking around with staff, friends and family while spending time playing with his two daughters.”
The team and Newman’s wife Krissie also shared a photo of the driver standing with his two daughters at the hospital.
Newman, who is classified in ninth in the Daytona 500, was taken to Halifax after his wreck with Ryan Blaney and Corey LaJoie. On Tuesday, RFR announced he was “awake and speaking with family and doctors.”
A second photo was released by the team on Wednesday afternoon, showing Newman and his daughters walking out of Halifax Medical Center together. Krissie also posted a video of the three.
In the wake of the accident, he has received an outpouring of support from fans, media, teams, and fellow drivers. On Twitter, Team Penske—who fielded a car for Newman to begin his NASCAR Cup Series career—posted, “It’s great to see that smile on Ryan’s face! We’re happy to see the continued improvements each day.” Responding to the Wednesday statement’s remark of Newman maintaining his humour with hospital staff, fellow Cup driver Kyle Larson quipped he “guarantee(s) he’s for sure keeping them nurses on their toes!”
As he continues recovering, RFR will seek a replacement driver for the upcoming Pennzoil 400 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway and beyond. David Ragan, who raced for the team early in his career and finished fourth in the Daytona 500, has tweeted he will not be available for the race. Meanwhile, Fox Sports‘ Bob Pockrass noted of “industry chatter” but no confirmation of Ross Chastain taking over the #6 Ford Mustang for Vegas. Chastain, currently racing in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, is a Chevrolet driver who ran Daytona with Spire Motorsports and Chip Ganassi Racing.
