What better way to celebrate a NASCAR veteran’s birthday than a career throwback?
Former NASCAR driver Ryan Newman turns 48 years old today, Dec. 8, 2025.
Newman, born 1977 in South Bend, Indiana, made his Cup Series debut in 2000. In 2002, he was named the NASCAR Winston Cup Series Rookie of the Year.
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In 20 years of competing in the Cup Series, Newman won 18 races, including the 2008 Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway on Feb. 17, 2008. He won The Great American Race by .092 seconds over Kurt Busch, earning the first Daytona 500 win for Team Penske, according to NASCAR.
Ryan Newman stands on his No. 12 Dodge in Victory Lane after winning the Daytona 500, Sunday, February 17, 2008 at Daytona International Speedway.
Newman stopped competing in the NASCAR Cup Series after the 2021 season, a year after a horrific crash at the 2020 Daytona 500. He returned to the race track with Rick Ware Racing in 2023.
Throughout his career, Newman also achieved one NASCAR Truck win, four NASCAR Arca wins and two SRX wins, according to his official website.
This article originally appeared on The Daytona Beach News-Journal: Ryan Newman, retired NASCAR driver, Daytona 500 winner career photos
