Newman on rise in NASCAR return, Stenhouse out.

Ryan Newman is running in the top 10 in his first race back since a horrific crash during the final lap of the Daytona 500.

Newman suffered a head injury as he skidded across the finish line in the season opener. His return comes exactly three months after the Feb. 17 accident.

Newman started 21st in a Ford for Roush Fenway Racing.

Meanwhile, Ricky Stenhouse Jr. crashed exiting the second turn on the very first lap of the race. His crumpled car was shooting flames from the back as he drove to the garage. He retired from the race without completing a single lap. He finished last in the 40-car field.

NASCAR is back! The Real Heroes 400 is underway at Darlington Raceway, without fans and with masks and social-distancing mandates all around.

The new protocols should matter little to the 40 guys who took the green flag for the first live NASCAR race in 10 weeks.

Drivers, crews and officials wore face masks during pre-race ceremonies, which were performed remotely. The Fox Sports booth, featuring Mike Joy and four-time champion Jeff Gordon, also was being broadcast remotely from Charlotte, North Carolina. Driver Clint Bowyer wore a mask during a pre-race TV interview.

Here’s a quick primer of other things to know:

— Ryan Newman is returning after a suffering a head injury in a last-lap crash in the Daytona 500 on Feb. 17.

— Matt Kenseth is out of retirement and driving for Chip Ganassi. He replaces Kyle Larson, who was fired in April for using a racial slur. The 48-year-old Kenseth is racing in the Cup Series for the first time since the 2018 season finale. He is the oldest driver in the field.

— NASCAR chose the oldest speedway on the Cup circuit as the safest place to restart its season after eight events were postponed because of the coronavirus pandemic. NASCAR had been facing a financial collapse if races didn’t resume on national television.

— This is the first of 20 races across seven Southern states between now and June 21. Darlington is hosting three events in four days.

— Roughly 900 people have been approved to be inside the gates, all considered essential.

— Teams are allowed 16 employees per car, including the driver and owner. Most owners gave up their spot because they are either over the age of 65 and at high risk for COVID-19 or their role at the track is not considered critical to competition. Several team members are helping remotely, offering a peek into how sophisticated NASCAR’s technology has become.

— The first race back is called The Real Heroes 400 and is dedicated to health care workers. Names of health care workers across the country have been substituted for the drivers’ name above car doors.