Ryan Newman
Ryan Joseph Newman was born in South Bend, Indiana on December 8, 1977 and is currently a driver for NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. Newman and the late Alan Kulwicki are one of the few drivers who attained a college degree before racing for NASCAR. Ryan Newman graduated with a B.S. in vehicle structure engineering and Kulwicki with a mechanical engineering degree from Purdue University in 2001.
Ryan Newman has had a fantastic career in motor sports. Amongst his awards have been the following USAC Silver Crown Rookie of the Year (1996), USAC Weld Racing Silver Crown Series Champion (1999), Winston Cup Rookie of the Year (2002), Sprint All-Star Race XVIII winner, 2003 Driver of the Year, and winner of the 2008 Daytona 500. As of the end of 2009, Ryan Newman’s stats were looking impressive: 13 wins and 121 top ten finishes in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series; 7 wins with 27 top tens in the NASCAR Nationwide Series; and 1 win, plus 3 top tens in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series.
Between 2003 and 2006 Newman was invited specifically to the International Race of Champions three times and came second to Matt Kenseth in 2004.
Ryan Newman and his wife Krissie run the Ryan Newman Foundation. The foundation has no association to racing but focuses primarily on unwanted dogs and cats in pounds and shelters ensuring that they receive adequate care. Newman also helped with the funding of the Catawba Country, North Carolina Humane Society shelter, which was constructed in his home county. Ryan Newman also enjoys spending time working on vintage cars, particularly the 1950’s Chrysler and apart from that enjoys fishing.