Ryan Newman Released From Hospital, Shares First Photo With Daughters After Daytona 500 Crash

Update: Ryan Newman has been released from the hospital, according to an Instagram photo shared by Roush-Fenway Racing.

Ryan Newman returned to social media on Wednesday, less than two days after suffering a serious crash during the Daytona 500. The Nascar racer posted twice to Instagram, one which was an update on his recovery and another which showed him in a hospital gown standing alongside his two children.

“Ryan continues to show great improvement after Monday night’s last-lap accident at Daytona International Speedway,” said the statement on his Instagram. “The veteran driver is fully alert and walking around Halifax Medical Center. True to his jovial nature he has been joking around with staff, friends and family while spending time playing with his two daughters.”

The image that followed showed exactly that, with Newman standing upright and posing for a photograph alongside his two daughters, Brooklyn and Ashlyn, that he shares with his wife Krissie. There appeared to be no visible injuries to his body while he remains at the Daytona, Florida hospital.

Fans were happy to see Newman back on his feet

Newman’s post immediately caught the attention of his fans and Nascar colleagues, who immediately flooded his comments section with well wishes. Retired Nascar legend Mark Martin sent him a string of emojis consisting of fist bumps and hand claps, while motocross racer Ricky Carmichael echoed everyone’s sentiments when he told Newman that everyone was pulling for him. The image racked up more than 13,000 likes and 1,300 comments as of publishing, with fans showering the 2008 Daytona 500 winner and 2003 Nascar Driver of the Year with love and support.

Based on a post to her Twitter, it may have been Newman’s estranged wife Krissie who took the photograph. In response to the same statement provided by Roush racing, she quote-tweeted the message with the same photograph of her husband and his daughters. Only days before the crash, the couple announced they were separating.

Newman was involved in a serious accident during the final lap of the Daytona 500

Nascar fans were shocked on Monday night when they saw the 42-year-old — who was leading the pack during the final lap of the Daytona 500 — crash into the wall. His car rolled over and eventually crossed the finish line while on its roof, as previously reported by The Inquisitr. The crash occurred as Newman moved through Turn 4. He appeared to have been nudged by fellow driver Ryan Blaney’s No. 12 Menards/Peak Ford, which led to the brutal crash. The report reveals that it took 10 minutes for Newman to be removed from his vehicle by rescue crews and placed on a stretcher. He was then transported to Halifax Medical Center in Daytona.

“Ryan Newman is being treated at Halifax Medical Center,” read a statement released by Roush Fenway Racing in the aftermath of the crash. “He is in serious condition, but doctors have indicated his injuries are not life threatening. We appreciate your thoughts and prayers and ask that you respect the privacy of Ryan and his family during this time.”