Ryan Newman concerned about safety of Next Gen Cup Car in NASCAR.

NASCAR Driver Ryan Newman Speaks Out on Safety Concerns

NASCAR driver Ryan Newman has expressed his concerns about the safety of the Cup car on big tracks. Newman, who has already had two bars named after him due to crashes, doesn’t want to be a crash test dummy. Fans can understand his hesitancy, especially after his terrifying crash at the Daytona 500 in 2020.

Newman’s Terrifying Crashes

Newman was involved in a multi-car crash in 2009 at Talladega, which resulted in the creation of the Newman bar, a secondary cage bar covering the driver’s forehead in the vehicle. During the crash, Newman’s car went flying through the air after getting hit from behind, resulting in him crashing into the hood of fellow driver Kevin Harvick’s car. The roll cage collapsed, preventing him from escaping, and emergency crews had to cut off the roof of the car to get him out.

In 2020, Newman was close to securing a second victory at Daytona when he was bumped, causing his car to flip violently sideways, hit a wall, and another driver’s car to slam onto his roof. NASCAR added two extra roll bar support pieces around the roof after the crash.

Newman’s Future in Racing

Since the crash, Newman has primarily stuck to short tracks due to slower speeds, avoiding longer tracks like the Goodyear 400 in Darlington, where he didn’t race during the 2021 season. Newman has stated that he will only race if it’s fun and worth doing. He hopes to bring energy to his team and make them step up their game.

Newman, who is now 45-years-old, spends most of his time racing Modifieds when he’s not at his farm or supporting his daughter Brooklyn, who now races stock cars. He hasn’t tested the current Cup car and is concerned about the shifting mechanism.

Newman’s Opportunity with RWR

Newman and RWR began conversations last month after he spoke to the team’s competition director, Tommy Baldwin, regarding a Modified race in New York. Baldwin proposed the idea for Newman to come and drive for the team at Martinsville. The opportunity arose after driver Codey Ware was suspended indefinitely from competing in NASCAR after assault charges in North Carolina against him surfaced.

Newman hopes to make a comeback in NASCAR, but only if it’s safe and fun.