Rescue workers check on Ryan Newman after his Dodge sailed through the grass early in the Daytona 500. Credit: Autostock
By Dave Rodman and Marty Smith, Turner Sports Interactive
February 25, 2003
10:20 AM EST (1520 GMT)
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. -- Ryan Newman escaped injury in a spectacular airborne wreck just over a quarter of the way through the Daytona 500.
The accident began as the pack exited Turn 4. Ken Schrader's No. 49 Dodge hit the outside wall, bounced off and struck the Penske Racing Dodge of Newman in the right rear corner.
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"Ward (Burton) just ran into me -- he left-reared me," Schrader said. "He made it three-wide and that's what happened."
Burton's side of the story clarified things considerably.
"The 12 car (Newman) moved up into me, and I moved up into Schrader," said Burton, the 2002 Daytona 500 champ. "I don't think the 12 knew I was under him. It was just one of those things (and) I'm glad no one got hurt."
 | Video Clips |  | Ryan Newman flips in the Daytona infield
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Newman's car spiked into the outside wall and tore off the right rear wheel. When the car spun toward the infield, the air caught the open wheel well and flipped the car into the air.
Newman's car rolled at least three times in the infield grass and the entire rear axle assembly was torn out before it landed in the grass on its roof. After safety workers reached the car, Newman crawled out of its side window and waved to the crowd as he walked to the ambulance.
"I was just trying to make up some spots and what happened, happened," said Newman, the 2002 rookie of the year and a driver many have tabbed as a championship contender. "We just came off three-wide and there was no air gap between us -- that was all that I felt.
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"After that, I was pointing toward the wall and just hung on from there. It was a pretty hard hit, but when I saw that I figured that was more trouble that hitting the wall."
Schrader's car sped through the grass after it hit the wall a second time and pinned Bobby Labonte's Gibbs Racing Chevrolet against the pit wall at the pit exit. Labonte had taken to pit road to dodge the aftermath of the melee.
"That's just the way it goes," Labonte said. "I did have the wreck cleared -- I went down pit road trying to miss the accident.
"I saw the 49 car (Schrader) come sliding across -- I guess he didn't have any brakes or steering -- and I centered him. It's pretty frustrating, especially for the guys -- and that's the worst part about it."
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| Credit: Autostock |
Labonte brought out the race's first caution, at lap 43, when he spun off Turn 2 while running just in front of Elliott Sadler.
"It seemed like today we were snake-bit from the beginning," Labonte said. "It didn't go like we thought it would. We got loose on two tires, the 38 car (Sadler) was behind us, I caught some slow cars, had to lift a little bit and it just took the air off me."
While the field circulated under caution at lap 61, rain was reported in Turn 3 of the 2.5-mile speedway. A red flag was displayed with 63 laps complete and the field was stopped on pit road.
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| Credit: Autostock |
Schrader and Labonte were quickly checked and released from the infield care center. Newman remained in the facility a little longer while being evaluated, but was released with no injury.
Upon exit from the care center, Newman boarded a golf cart and sped off to the drivers' motor coach lot. After a change of clothes, he attempted to explain the wild ride.
"I was just in the wrong place at the wrong time," Newman said. "I'll tell you this, Disney World doesn't have anything like that."
"There's about 100 things I feel like I could've done," Labonte said. "I'll be replaying that in my mind for a long time."
"This isn't the way we wanted the day to end," Schrader said. "The car was OK, but it really doesn't make any difference, now."
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