| This Indiana native was born Ryan Joseph Newman | | | | true colors in the Coca-Cola 600. Although he ended |
| on December 8th, 1977 in South Bend. Ryan is one | | | | his night with an accident on two turns, he managed |
| of the few NASCAR drivers that has a degree to his | | | | to bring home his first NASCAR victory in the Busch |
| name. He studied at Purdue University, pursuing | | | | Series at Michigan. Newman also teamed up with Matt |
| Vehicle Structure Engineering. Newman was also a | | | | Borland and they became the first driver-crew chief |
| recipient of the Rich Vogler Memorial Scholarship and | | | | team to both have degrees in engineering. Later on |
| while he was studying at the South Bend LaSalle High | | | | the same season, Newman won his first career race |
| School, he was a member of the National Honor | | | | at New Hampshire Motor Speedway and this race |
| Society and graduated with honors. His wife, Krissie | | | | was also significant to Newman because his father |
| Boyle, is a graduate from the Shippensburg University | | | | attended it. Newman's consistency throughout the |
| with a degree in Criminal Justice | | | | season proved to be fruitful when he was given the |
| Ryan started racing at age four with quarter midgets, | | | | title Rookie of the Year. |
| midgets, sprint cars and silver crown cars. It was | | | | Although Ryan's sophomore season was not as much |
| always a childhood ambition for Newman to race with | | | | of a success as his rookie one and despite the |
| the big boys of NASCAR. At the age of 16, Newman | | | | famous flip he endured during the Daytona 500 and |
| made his racing debut in 1993 in the All-American | | | | Talladega, Newman was able to finish sixth in points. |
| Midget Series. That year he won the Rookie of Year | | | | His nick name "Rocket Man" was earned because of |
| and the championship. Given his dedication and | | | | the number of poles he received during the season. |
| passion for racing, he had 100 feature wins and two | | | | Newman qualified for the Chase for the Cup in 2004 |
| titles awarded to him which landed him into the | | | | with a seventh spot in hand and two wins, he went |
| Quarter Midget Series. He won the Rookie of the | | | | back again the next year with his second New |
| Year title again in 1995 when he joined the USAC in | | | | Hampshire victory. The same year he entered the |
| 1995 for both the Midget series and the Silver Crown. | | | | Busch Series again. |
| When he turned 22, Ryan Newman became the first | | | | Besides his zeal for racing, the Ryan's started up the |
| driver to win all three divisions (Sprint, Midget and | | | | Ryan Newman foundation in 2005 to help both |
| Silver Crown) in one season while still remaining the | | | | people and animals. The foundation circles around |
| Silver Bullet Series champion. | | | | three main areas which is the Companion Animals |
| Ryan made the decision to go under legend Roger | | | | & Animal Welfare, Conversation & |
| Penske's wing in 2000 which proved to be an | | | | Preservation of Wildlife and the Auto Racing |
| excellent melting pot. He snatched three ARCA RE | | | | Scholarships. The Auto Racing Scholarships is to help |
| MAX victories in five races and also made his Cup | | | | students who are studying at a university while still |
| series debut at the Phoenix International Raceway. | | | | racing in quarter midget, midget and Silver Crown |
| Education was exceedingly important to Newman so | | | | auto racing. The Companion Animals & Animal |
| in 2001, while he was still racing in ARCA and | | | | Welfare charity is aimed to reduce the |
| NASCAR, he attended Purdue University and | | | | overpopulation and euthanization of abandoned pets |
| emerged with a degree in Vehicle Structure | | | | and providing humane education to both the young |
| Engineering. | | | | and old in order to prevent cruelty towards animals. |
| Ryan Newman turned heads when he showed his | | | | |