Ryan Newman is back at the racetrack, sipping on a Coke and casually strolling through the infield of Phoenix Raceway on Friday.
It was hard to believe he was in a terrifying wreck at the Daytona 500 less than three weeks ago.
Newman says, “It’s great to be alive.” "If you look at my car, it's a miracle," he told the Associated Press.
His crash on the last lap at Daytona had many fearing the worst. The wreck sent Newman's car airborne, eventually getting ran into by another driver, before crashing down on its roof.
After the race ended, emergency crews worked to quickly remove Newman from his car and he was immediately taken to Halifax Medical Center in Daytona Beach, Florida. For several hours, his condition was unknown.
He walked out of the hospital less than 48 hours after the crash and says now that he feels fine. His wife Krissie posted video of him walking out of the hospital with his two daughters.
He says he doesn't know when he will return to racing. Newman was at the track to provide support to the Roush Fenway racing team, and said he enjoyed having a different point of view of the team.
“I feel like I should be able to take advantage of this crazy opportunity,” Newman told AP.