Ryan Newman the NASCAR driver is not dead. However, a very good friend of his, Bill Passwater died on Wednesday, July 9, 2008. Passwater worked at Penske Racing. All Penske cars carried a special decal in his memory for that race weekend.
Also, Penske released Ryan Newman at the end of the 2008 season to join Stewart-Haas Racing.
No. Both Ryan Newman's, the Nascar driver and the actress, are still alive.
December 19th 2000
Dale Earnheart Sr.
Peter Ryan - racing driver - died on 1962-07-02.
Head and neck cancer.
Former NASCAR driver Sterling Marlin is still alive.
Nascar driver Jeff Gordon is still alive and well.
Nascar driver Mark Martin is still alive.
Nascar driver Wendell Scott died of spinal cancer on December 23, 1990.
Alan Kulwicki died in an airplane crash on April 1, 1993.
Yes. Lee Petty died on April 5, 2000, he was 86 years old.
No. Nascar driver Jeff Gordon is still alive and well. He also does not take drugs.