Ryan Newman, who was seriously injured in a Daytona 500 crash, earned the nickname 'Rocket Man' when he was just 22

He was leading in the race's last lap when his car spun out and flew into the air before landing on its roof.
Newman, 42, was taken to the hospital with serious but non-life-threatening injuries, NASCAR officials said in a statement . He is still in a Dayton hospital recovering.
Newman, who earned the nickname "Rocket Man" in his rookie season, has been involved in NASCAR for nearly 20 years.
Outside the sport, Newman is a father to two young girls and runs a nonprofit focused on helping rescue animals.
Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories .

Driver Ryan Newman, who was left seriously injured after a crash at the Daytona 500 on Monday night, has had a nearly 20-year career in NASCAR. But outside the sport, Newman is a father-of-two who launched an animal rescue nonprofit with his wife.

Newman was leading the race on Monday when his car was part of a crash in the last lap of the Daytona 500.

The 42-year-old, whose car landed on its roof and burst into flames after the crash, was taken to a nearby hospital in Daytona, Florida, in "serious condition."

The NASCAR world has rallied around Newman since the crash, and some of his fans are even donating to his nonprofit, Rescue Ranch, to show their support for his family.

Newman ascended the NASCAR ranks early on; in his first season with the sport, he earned the nickname "Rocket Man" for his high-voltage driving.

Here's everything you need to know about Newman.

Newman was a star racer as a teenager and went on to receive an engineering degree from Purdue University.

BusinessInsider USA Images

ISC Images & Archives via Getty Images

As a teenager growing up in South Bend, Indiana, Ryan Newman was a star racer.

He won more than 100 Quarter-Midget features, earned two Midget championships, and was named United States Auto Club (USAC) Midget Series Rookie of the Year in 1995.

He also won races in the Silver Crown and Sprint Car divisions of the USAC, and by 1999 he was named the Silver Crown Series champion.

After graduating high school, he earned an engineering degree from Purdue University in West Lafayette, Indiana.

Source: Motor Racing Network , WFTV

Following his graduation from Purdue, Newman burst onto the NASCAR scene when he was 22, where he earned the nickname Rocket Man and set a rookie record.

BusinessInsider USA Images

Robert Deutsch/USA TODAY

When Newman entered the NASCAR scene in 2002, he was quickly nicknamed "Rocket Man" thanks to a number of first-season pole positions the spot given to the driver with the best qualifying time in trials.

He was 22 at the time, and set a rookie record with six pole wins.

Source: WFTV

Newman, now 42, is in his 19th full season with NASCAR.

BusinessInsider USA Images

AP Photo/Terry Renna

He's also in his second season with Roush Fenway Racing, after five years with Richard Childress Racing.

Source: NASCAR

Newman is the father of two young girls.

BusinessInsider USA Images

AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee

Newman has two young daughters, named Brooklyn and Ashlyn. They're regularly seen at his racing events.

Newman and his wife, Krissie, are founders of an animal rescue nonprofit.

BusinessInsider USA Images

AP Photo/Paul Kizzle

Newman and Krissie launched Rescue Ranch in 2012 on 87 acres in Statesville, North Carolina.

The animal welfare organization "promotes humane education by focusing on rescuing on a fundamental level through hands-on learning and care for animals," according to its website .

The ranch hopes to expand to create nature walks, education trails, a 24-hour emergency veterinarian clinic, and a rescue foster and adoption program.

Source: Rescue Ranch

Newman and his wife announced they were separating just days before the Daytona 500 crash.

BusinessInsider USA Images

AP Photo/Isaac Brekken

Days before Monday's crash, Newman and his wife, Krissie, announced they were separating after 16 years of marriage.

The couple made the announcement last Thursday, just days before Newman's crash.

They described the split as amicable, saying they would still co-parent their daughters and continue their work at their nonprofit.

Krissie was not in Daytona when Newman was injured in the crash, but said hours before it started that she was "praying for a safe race."

Source: Business Insider

Newman has 18 career cup series wins, and once finished 2nd in a Cup Championship.

BusinessInsider USA Images

David Becker/Getty Images

Over Newman's nearly 20 years in NASCAR, he's earned 18 Cup wins and 51 Cup poles the top qualifying race position. Among his 18 Cup wins are the 2008 Daytona 500 and 2013 Brickyard 400.

His best Cup Championship finish was in 2014, when he placed 2nd.

In 2002, he beat out Jimmie Johnson to earn the title of Sunoco Rookie of the year.

His full career stats are listed here.

Source: NASCAR , Motor Racing Network

Newman is recovering from Mondays crash in a Daytona hospital.

BusinessInsider USA Images

Peter Casey-USA TODAY Sports via Reuters

Newman was taken to Halifax Medical Center with serious but non-life-threatening injuries on Monday night, said NASCAR executive Steve O'Donnell after the incident.

"We appreciate your thoughts and prayers and ask that you respect the privacy of Ryan and his family at this time," O'Donnell said.

A statement published on Newman's Twitter said that updates would be released as they became available.

Both President Trump and Democratic presidential candidate Pete Buttigieg expressed their support.

Source: Business Insider