- with AP
A terrifying crash has marred the finish of this year's Daytona 500 Nascar race.
Running at the front of the field on the final lap, Ryan Newman's car appeared to be nudged from behind from rival Ryan Blaney
Newman's car then went in to a slow spin before crashing into the outside wall and somersaulting into the air. Just as his car returned to the race track, another car approached from behind and slammed into it's side, sending it once again into the air in a corkscrew before it landed upside down just before the finish line. The car came to rest on its roof.
Newman's condition was not immediately known as safety workers rolled his car back onto its wheels and erected barriers around the car to stop fans from viewing the crash scene.
He was then placed in a waiting ambulance and taken directly to a hospital. NASCAR gave no immediate announcement on Newman's status and officials moved bystanders away from the crash scene.
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
It made for a sombre victory lane as, in third palce at the time of the crash, Danny Hamlin went on to win the race in a photo finish ahead of Blaney. Hamlin became the first driver since Sterling Marlin in 1994 and 1995 to win back-to-back Daytona 500s.
"The finish, the history, that's all great. One day it will all sink in. But right now all I'm thinking about is Ryan Newman," Hamlin told ESPN.
"I think we take for granted sometimes how safe the cars are and number one, we are praying for Ryan."
Runner-up Blaney said the way the final lap shook out, with Newman surging ahead of Hamlin, that Blaney locked in behind Newman in a move of brand alliance for Ford.
"We pushed Newman there to the lead and then we got a push from the 11 ... I was committed to just pushing him to the win and having a Ford win it and got the bumpers hooked up wrong. It looked bad," he said.
Newman won the Daytona 500 in 2008 and has been competing in Nascar for over 19 years.
Motorsport fans and fellow drivers were quick to voice their worry and thoughts for Newman, his team and his family on social media.
Reigning IndyCar champion Josef Newgarden was one of the first to take to Twitter to express his concern for Newman.
"Just about to take off on a plane, but watched the end of the race on my phone. Just hoping for good news on Ryan Newman," Newgarden posted.
The final-lap crash was one of several in the race, with an earlier incident taking out 18 cars from the competiton, though no drivers were injured.
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