Ryan Newman
Ryan Newman, known as "Rocket Man," is a prominent NASCAR race car driver and structural engineer, born on December 8, 1977, in South Bend, Indiana. He earned a bachelor's degree in vehicle structure engineering from Purdue University, which has significantly influenced his racing career. Newman began racing at 16 and quickly found success in various racing series, claiming multiple championships and setting records early on. He made his NASCAR Sprint Cup Series debut in 2000 and has since achieved notable milestones, including winning the Daytona 500 in 2008.
Throughout his career, Newman has driven for several teams, including Stewart-Haas Racing and Richard Childress Racing, and has faced both triumphs and challenges on the track. A significant moment in his career occurred during the 2020 Daytona 500, when he survived a life-threatening crash that led to changes in NASCAR safety protocols. Newman returned to racing in 2023, showcasing his resilience and commitment to the sport. In addition to his racing accomplishments, he co-founded the Ryan Newman Foundation, which supports college scholarships for students aspiring to enter the auto racing industry. Newman's engineering background has not only contributed to his success but has also encouraged a shift towards greater technical expertise in NASCAR.
Ryan Newman
SUMMARY: Ryan Newman, nicknamed "Rocket Man", is a NASCAR race car driver who credits his success, in part, to his engineering background.
Ryan Joseph Newman, National Association of Stock Car Auto Racing (NASCAR) great and structural engineer, was born on December 8, 1977, in South Bend, Indiana. He attended Purdue University and in 2001 earned a bachelor’s degree in vehicle structure engineering, which has since benefited him throughout his illustrious auto racing career and pursuit of a NASCAR Sprint Cup Championship.
Early Career
In 1993, at the age of only 16, Newman made his auto-racing debut in the United Midget Auto Racing Association (UMARA) and the All-American Midget Series (AAMS). Success came quickly to young Newman as he won not only Rookie of the Year honors but the AAMS Championship. During these early years, Newman amassed over 100 wins in these and other divisions. His rapid rise and prolific success behind the wheel earned him a step up to the nationally acclaimed United States Auto Club (USAC) Series in 1995, where he competed in racing competition at various levels. Again, he was recognized with Rookie of the Year honors. In 1999, he became the first driver in USAC history to win races in a midget, sprint car, and Silver Crown car. He also won the Silver Bullet Series Championship that year.
Engineering Skills
It was also during this time that Newman was studying vehicle structure engineering at Purdue University in West Lafayette, Indiana, and in 2001 he earned his bachelor’s of science degree in this field. His engineering skills have been useful in fuel management, understanding the geometry and physics of each race track, the design of race cars, and more generally in time management and problem solving. He stated, “I’ve always said that an engineer, every time he gets one answer, he gets two additional questions, which is easily ‘How’ and ‘Why.’ I think that for me, it has made my career more successful being an engineer.”
This training proved valuable in Newman’s chosen profession, and as he continued to win on the track, people took notice. One observer, in particular, was racing legend Roger Penske, who asked Newman to drive his cars in NASCAR’s ARCA Series and Busch Series. Newman experienced immediate success, winning three of his first five races, and in a matter of weeks it became clear he was well on his way to NASCAR’s premier division: the Sprint Cup Series. He made his Sprint Cup Series debut at Phoenix International Raceway in 2000. By 2002, Newman had won six pole positions and his first race in the Sprint Cup Series, also at Phoenix International Raceway, and was well on his way to yet another Rookie of the Year Award. It was during this time, in part because of his rapid rise through the NASCAR ranks and race-qualifying prowess, that he earned the nickname “Rocket Man.”
Career since 2000
Newman has been among the most popular and consistent competitors in NASCAR’s Sprint Cup Series each season since 2002, winning 18 races as of 2010, the most notable being his 2008 Daytona 500 victory. In 2009, he joined Stewart-Haas Racing, driving the No. 39 U.S. Army Chevrolet. Though his performance with Stewart-Haas involved many ups and downs, but he managed to secure a number of top-ten finishes and post positions as well as four wins. Toward the end of his time with Stewart-Haas, he was involved in a minor scandal when two competitors, Clint Bowyer and Martin Truex Jr., conspired to prevent him from winning, Bowyer spinning out deliberately so Truex could get ahead of Newman.
In 2014, Newman joined Richard Childress Racing, in the No. 31 Chevrolet; he finished in the top ten somewhat more regularly than previously, but managed almost no wins during his tenure with the team. In 2016 he ended a 127-race, four-year winless streak with a victory at the Camping World 500 at Phoenix International Raceway. After the 2018 season, Newman announced he would be joining Roush Fenway Racing, driving the No. 6 Ford Mustang.
In 2020, Newman experienced a terrifying crash in the final lap of the Daytona 500. His car flipped, went airborne, and landed in a fiery crash. It took rescue workers over fifteen minutes to rescue him, and he was rushed to the hospital and put in a medically induced coma. Safety procedures for NASCAR were changed after Newman's crash. Newman did not compete at all in 2022 and returned to racing in 2023, winning the 2023 SRX series.
Newman has brought a new perspective to NASCAR racing, showing fans that scientific knowledge can play a major role in success on the track. Newman is often asked about engineering in interviews, and in this context, he regularly critiques and analyzes the pros and cons of changes in racing. Some of his comments have been controversial, such as those related to the original moon landing. Newman’s crew chief, Matt Borland, also possesses an engineering degree, and mathematical conversations are commonplace with the crew. As Newman told Sports Illustrated, “It’s created a common language for me and the crew because there’s at least three other guys on our travel team that are engineers alongside of the engineers that we have in a group back in the shop. So we have that common language.” In 2010, he was given an honorable mention on Sporting News's list of smartest athletes. Newman’s success opened NASCAR to engineering specialists, which has brought significant changes to the world of NASCAR. In 2005, Newman and wife Krissie founded the Ryan Newman Foundation, where its mission, in part, is to provide college scholarship funding to students interested in auto racing careers.
Bibliography
Maloof, Denise. “Beat the Geeks.” http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/motorsports/nascar‗plus/news/2002/07/28/maloof‗engineering‗future. Accessed 29 Sep. 2024.
"Ryan Newman Announces He Won't Return to Richard Childress Racing." NASCAR, 15 Sept. 2018, www.nascar.com/news-media/2018/09/15/ryan-newman-out-at-richard-childress-racing/. Accessed 29 Sep. 2024.
"Ryan Newman." NASCAR, www.nascar.com/drivers/ryan-newman/. Accessed 29 Sep. 2024.
“Ryan Newman Reflects on Daytona 500 Crash and Recovery.” Fox Sports, 14 Feb. 2021, www.foxsports.com/stories/nascar/ryan-newman-daytona-500-crash-anniversary. Accessed 29 Sep. 2024.
White, Ben, et al. NASCAR Then and Now. Motor Books, 2010.
Williams, Deb. Ryan Newman: Engineering Speed. Sports Publishing, 2004.