After receiving new backing and a new car in 1975, Ryan went down to Daytona International Speedway to attempt to qualify for the 1976 Daytona 500. He posted the fifth-fastest time, but the times of A. J. Foyt, Darrell Waltrip and Dave Marcis were disallowed, leaving Ryan on the front row with fellow Iowan Ramo Stott.[1] He finished sixth in that race, and attempted four more races that year; he failed to finish two and finished the other half in the top ten.[3]
Ryan again made the Daytona 500 in 1977 but fell victim to mechanical issues in that race and the three after that. Turning a page in the second half of the season, Ryan finished three races, steadily improving to get a top ten in his final race of the year.[4] He attempted Daytona in 1978 but failed to qualify and never again ran NASCAR.[5]
After retiring from NASCAR in 1977, Terry eventually returned to the vintage racing circuits in 1997; where he was racing as of 2009.[1] Ryan was inducted into the Quad Cities Raceway Hall of Fame in 2008.[6] His old Camaro from the NASCAR days could not be sold because of all of the rule modifications.[7]
