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Newlin Named 358 Sprint Car Rookie of The Year

Logs Another Top 10 Run in Williams Grove 2020 Finale

Mechanicsburg, PA – September 27, 2020By Addicted2Dirt PR & Media Management

Coming into the final race of the season at Williams Grove Speedway for the 358 sprint cars on September 25th, Zach Newlin and team must have wished there was more racing left at the famous half-mile in 2020. They had just recently started hitting their stride. After some early season nights where it seemed defeat was snatched from the jaws of victory, they had recently registered a top 5 and a victory.

A couple key DNF’s from early in the summer stood out in their mind. They had broken while leading on one occasion and then had a part failure after going 17th to 7th in the first 23 laps of a 25 lap feature event. The sting of those nights was long gone though as a result of their recent successes.

In reality, the season as a whole thus far had been a success for Newlin. As evidence of that, prior to action Friday night at Williams Grove Speedway, an official approached the Newlin Racing pits with a package in hand. As he spoke with the driver from Millerstown, PA, he pulled out a plaque and explained to Newlin that he had already clinched the 358 sprint car Rookie of the Year Award. His eyes widened and a smile quickly emerged. After a few quick photos though, his attention quickly turned toward the night at hand and continuing the team’s recent momentum.

Zach Newlin is presented the 2020 Rookie of the Year Award in the 358 sprint car division by a speedway official. Photo credit: A2D

The Smith Concrete & Construction / Heather Sims, Realtor / J.W. Smith Auto Body / T&M Homebuilders, Inc. / Ron’s RV Sales / Kirby Kitner Excavating / Hammaker Racing Engines / The Podium Awards / Advanced Septic Services / Walker Performance Filtration #11z was one of 28 cards signed in. The field would be divided into three 8-lap heats, with the top six from each transferring directly to the A-main. The remainder would run the B-main to vie for the final six qualifying spots in the feature event’s 24 car field. All qualifiers would start straight up in the feature based on their finishing position in the heat races.

Williams Grove used a handicapping system based on season earnings to line up the heat races, which meant Zach would line up 9th in the first heat. He would have his work cut out for him to not only qualify for the feature event but also improve his starting position in that event as much as possible. He was up to the task. He used the low groove during the first half of the heat race to advance to the 5th position. When that seemed to no longer reap any rewards, he switched to the high line in an attempt to garner more. He nearly accomplished it, getting alongside the 4th place car in the final corners, but he ultimately settled for 5th by a mere half car length.

The qualifying effort meant Newlin would start 13th in the feature event. As is always the case when trying to improve the car and keep up with the ever-changing conditions of a dirt track, the team discussed options and made decisions about the changes they felt the car would need to move toward the front. During the opening laps of the A-main, it appeared they had made the correct choices. Zach again used the low line to move forward into 12th by lap 2. After narrowly avoiding becoming part of a multi-car crash on lap 2, he picked up where he left off on the restart. By the completion of lap 4 he had moved into 10th. The newly-crowned 2020 358 sprint car Rookie of the Year continued to work the low groove over next dozen laps, with the brief exception of a 2-lap experiment in the high groove that quickly showed it wasn’t a quicker way around for him when the 11th place car showed his nose underneath Newlin.

When the field reached lap 17, Zach still found himself in 10th and not gaining any ground, so he tried the high line once again in hopes it had blown off more by now and would prove to be the quicker way around the legendary paper-clip shaped half-mile. Unfortunately the handling just wasn’t where it needed to be for the 11z and Newlin rode home in 10th.

After climbing from the car and having some time to digest the night, his assessment in a word was: “Disappointing”. Unsure what else to say at the moment, he paused for a minute. His expression said it all though. They were so close…but they had just missed the setup they really needed to achieve another top 5. Newlin finally added, “It really ran well on the straights. It had plenty of grip there. We just couldn’t get through the middle and off the corners the way we needed to.” The entire time he spoke it was clear the wheels were still turning in his head about how to be better next time. That’s the drive of a successful racer.

The 2020 season may not be entirely over for Newlin. There is another 358 show at the Lincoln Speedway in October that could find its way onto the team’s schedule or maybe if things work out he will get the opportunity to race another night or two in the 410 he recently dabbled in. Time will tell.

Be sure to check out the photo gallery below from Friday night!

Zach’s parents Jeff and Kelly Newlin reflected on the team’s 358 sprint car season. “We wrapped up the season with another top 10 and put it in the trailer in one piece, so we’re happy”, Kelly shared. She continued, ” A win, an 8th place finish in the points and Rookie of the Year at ‘The Grove’ in his first 358 season is incredible.”

Jeff, Kelly and the entire team also wanted to express their thanks to the many sponsors and partners who support the team. This wouldn’t be possible without those businesses and individuals. 2020 has been a challenging year for many of the small businesses who sponsor and support teams like Newlin Racing and several of them had to find creative ways to help the team this season. The team greatly appreciates all the help they received this season, no matter what the form. Please take time to read the list of those businesses below and patronize them if you are able.

You can also find links to many of them in the Sponsors and Partners section on this page: #Team A2D Driver Zach Newlin

Smith Concrete and Construction
Heather Sims, Realtor
J.W. Smith Auto Body
T&M Homebuilders, Inc.
Ron’s RV Sales
Kirby Kitner Excavating
Hammaker Racing Engines
The Podium Awards
Advanced Septic Services
Walker Performance Filtration
Strange Oval
Morgan Paving
Engler Injection
BDR Racing Products
River Bend Hop Farm & Brewery
Newport American Legion Post 177
HRF Heishman Racing Fuels
Safety-Kleen
34 Motorsports
Newlin Bar Service
Addicted2Dirt PR & Media Management

SOCIAL MEDIA:

Fans can follow Newlin Racing during the 2020 season at:
(Facebook) www.facebook.com/NewlinRacing
(Twitter) @NewlinRacing

PUBLIC RELATIONS:

Follow or contact Addicted2Dirt PR & Media Management at:
(Twitter) @Addicted2DirtPR #TeamA2D
(Facebook) http://www.facebook.com/Addicted2DirtPR
(Website) Addicted2DirtPR.com
(Email) [email protected]

Zach Newlin Adds Elusive Trip to Williams Grove Victory Lane to Growing Resume

First 358 Sprint Win for Newlin Racing Comes in Impressive Fashion

Mechanicsburg, PA – September 5, 2020By Addicted2Dirt PR & Media Management

Zach Newlin in Victory Lane at Williams Grove
(Photo Credit: Williams Grove Speedway 9-4)

Zach Newlin has a remarkable racing resume. Friday night, September 4th, 2020 he added yet another impressive entry to his list of accomplishments: a victory at Williams Grove Speedway. Not only did he win at the legendary half mile, he won in a 358 sprint car in his first season in the division.

The HJ Towing and Recovery 358 Sprints were on hand as part of the Bob Stewart Tribute event Friday night. 32 cars signed in for competition and were divided into four 8-lap heats lined up based on a handicapping system, with the top 5 from each to transfer to the feature.

The Smith Concrete & Construction / J.W. Smith Auto Body / T&M Homebuilders, Inc. / Heather Sims, Realtor / Walker Performance Filtration / Newlin Bar Service #11z lined up outside row 2 in the fourth heat race. Using the high side on the start, Zach pulled side by side with Ashley Capetta for the lead. The pair battled side by side for two laps before Newlin used a strong move off turn two on the high side to power past Capetta down the backstretch to take sole command. By lap five, he had put about 8 car lengths between himself and second place and went on to win by that distance over Derek Locke, who moved into second from his 8th starting spot in the closing laps.

After the solid qualifying run, Newlin reflected back on what he learned from his first opportunity to run a 410 sprint car two weeks earlier. “It taught me I need to free my car up.”, he explained. He had factored that into the heat race setup and was thinking it would be part of the solution for the A-main as well.

The feature lineup was heads-up from the heat race finishes, which meant Zach would line up 4th. As the field took the green off turn four, the red flag quickly appeared when Doug Hammaker jumped the right rear of Newlin’s J&J Chassis 11z and collided with the outside fence, flipping back across the speedway and collecting a few other cars.

On the second attempt to start the feature event, Newlin ran the low side, tried to settle in and remained in 4th position at the completion of lap one. As the field began lap 3, Zach drove the 11z into turns 1 and 2 hard on the high side to build up momentum and made the pass for 3rd down the back chute under the famous bridge at “The Grove”.

The red flag appeared once again on lap 4 when the 48 car made contact with the outside wall near the flag stand and flipped down the front stretch. Following the incident cleanup, Newlin restarted 3rd with 4 laps complete. This time Zach took the low line through the first pair of turns and pulled alongside the 2nd place machine but the caution appeared before he could claim the position.

On yet another restart, this time with 5 laps complete, Newlin would restart 3rd and again charge the low side, while the rest of the field took to the top of the speedway. The move would propel the 11z into 2nd coming off turn 2. Over the next few laps Newlin would continue to stick to the low side of the speedway and gain ground on the leader, the 28 of Matt Findley, when yet again the caution would appear.

The feature event, which was struggling to find its rhythm and was turning into a bit of a marathon, would finally restart for the final time with 13 laps remaining. Findley led Newlin, Arnold and Locke back to the green. Once again Zach took the 11z to the low side and when the field emerged from turn 4, he was side by side with Findley for the lead. The pair continued their side by side battle for the lead until Newlin powered into the lead off turn 2 on lap 9. The low side was his friend and he didn’t give up on it the rest of the way. He stretched his lead to 8 car-lengths with 8 to go. Behind Zach, Findley and Locke engaged in a side by side battle for second for a few laps. While that battle raged, Newlin maintained a smooth rhythm on the low side and stretched his lead to 10 car-lengths as he closed on lapped traffic at the white flag. He passed under the checkered flag a straightaway ahead of Locke, who claimed 2nd in the closing laps.

When asked about his choice of the low line while most of the field was running the high line, Newlin explained “I was reading what the cars in front of me did. They went high and I went for the clean air. When my car dug off the corner, my mind was set to run the bottom.”.

Newlin was greeted in victory lane by a very happy family and crew, who were more than ready to celebrate the team’s first 358 sprint and first Williams Grove victory. Newlin, almost in disbelief they had finally accomplished the long time goal of winning at the historic facility, thanked his parents, grandparents, family and crew for everything they have sacrificed to build the race team into what it is. Unfortunately his usual crew chief, brother Lance, and his family and grandparents, were on vacation at the beach and not present for the memorable night. Newlin got a little emotional when mentioning the absent family members. This is a true family team and, win or lose, they want to be in the pits together.

Shawn Brouse interviews Zach Newlin at Williams Grove Speedway after his first career 358 Sprint win and first win at the legendary half mile.

SPECIAL THANKS:

We want to express our sincere appreciation to our sponsors and marketing partners!

Smith Concrete and Construction
J.W. Smith Auto Body
T&M Homebuilders, Inc.
Heather Sims, Realtor
Walker Performance Filtration
Newlin Bar Service
Advanced Septic Services
Hershman Racing Fuels
Morgan Paving
Kirby Kitner Excavating
BAPS Auto Paints & Supply
Beyea Headers
Engler Machine & Tool
AL Driveline
Safety-Kleen
River Bend Hop Farm & Brewery
BR Motorsports Ignitioneering
Strange Oval
Tamayo Contracting
American Legion Post 177 Newport
The Podium Awards
Fastner Specialties Motorsports

SOCIAL MEDIA:

Fans can follow Newlin Racing during the 2020 season at:
(Facebook) www.facebook.com/NewlinRacing
(Twitter) @NewlinRacing

PUBLIC RELATIONS:

Follow or contact Addicted2Dirt PR & Media Management at:
(Twitter) @Addicted2DirtPR #TeamA2D
(Facebook) http://www.facebook.com/Addicted2DirtPR
(Website) Addicted2DirtPR.com
(Email) [email protected]

Newlin Racing Scores Top 5 at Williams Grove

Team Showing Consistency and Gaining Confidence

Mechanicsburg, PA – August 15, 2020By Addicted2Dirt PR & Media Management

If you only glanced at the feature results the last two weeks, you might think the team has been struggling. However, let’s look a little closer because that is certainly not the case.

A couple weeks ago, Zach went from 17th to 7th in the first 22 laps of the feature at William Grove before a part failure relegated him to a 17th place finish. The following week, he drove from 16th to 10th in the 20 lap feature at Lincoln before a penalty resulting from contact with the restart cone dropped him 2 spots for a 12th place finish. 16 cars passed in 42 laps raced but nothing to show for it. The common denominators on both nights: unlucky pill draws (to start the night or in the redraw) but a very balanced, maneuverable and competitive Smith Concrete & Construction / J.W. Smith Auto Body / T&M Homebuilders, Inc. / Heather Sims, Realtor / Walker Performance Filtration / Newlin Bar Service #11z.

Friday night August 14th at Williams Grove, 27 358 sprint cars signed in and were divided into three 8-lap qualifying heats by pill draw. Newlin’s draw placed the 11z in the 6th starting spot in the second heat. Six cars would qualify from each heat, with the top 4 going to the redraw.

At the start of heat 2, Zach made a power move to the high side in turn one to move quickly into 4th as the field exited turn two down the backstretch. Newlin held that position for just over a lap before the 00 of Chris Frank challenged and reclaimed the position. Frank and Newlin conducted a heated, side-by-side battle for the 4th and final redraw spot over the final 6 circuits, with the 11z pulling ahead off turn 2 each time around, while the 00 reclaimed an edge exiting turn 4 each lap. Ultimately Newlin was able to power the 11z into 4th on the final lap and hold on to the position as he raced under the checkered flag.

After fighting his way into the mix of the redraw, hopes were high for a starting spot in the front few rows but once again the pill draw was not friendly and the team picked the 11th starting spot for the feature event. It would be yet another hill to climb.

In the early laps of the feature event, Zach advanced one spot to 10th before the caution lights flashed on for a 4-car incident in turn two with three laps in the books. The incident involved cars running in the top 10, so Newlin lined up 9th for the restart. Another caution flag waved for a top 10 car before another lap could be completed. Newlin would line up 8th for the second restart attempt.

A long green flag run ensued and the 11z showed it’s strength. Running mostly the low side and middle of a very racy surface, with an occasional use of the high line when needed, Zach advanced to 6th over the next dozen laps before the third caution appeared on lap 17. On the final restart, he claimed 5th and looked for more in the closing laps. Newlin settled for 5th, finally completing a night without any major setbacks.

It was a night that finally reflected the overall effort, consistency and momentum the team has showed. The Newlin Racing pit was a happy place after the event. “Comfort and confidence were huge things tonight!“, Zach shared. “Just a little bit of fine tuning yet and I think we will be better.“, he concluded. The team has definitely learned how to harness their equipment and found the balance in the car Zach was looking for. As a result, he is gaining a lot of confidence behind the wheel.

A confident Newlin could spell trouble for the rest of the 358 ranks down the home stretch of the 2020 season.

SPECIAL THANKS:

We want to express our sincere appreciation to our sponsors and marketing partners!

Smith Concrete and Construction
J.W. Smith Auto Body
T&M Homebuilders, Inc.
Heather Sims, Realtor
Walker Performance Filtration
Newlin Bar Service
Advanced Septic Services
Hershman Racing Fuels
Morgan Paving
Kirby Kitner Excavating
BAPS Auto Paints & Supply
Beyea Headers
Engler Machine & Tool
AL Driveline
Safety-Kleen
River Bend Hop Farm & Brewery
BR Motorsports Ignitioneering
Strange Oval
Tamayo Contracting
American Legion Post 177 Newport
The Podium Awards
Fastner Specialties Motorsports

SOCIAL MEDIA:

Fans can follow Newlin Racing during the 2020 season at:
(Facebook) www.facebook.com/NewlinRacing
(Twitter) @NewlinRacing

PUBLIC RELATIONS:

Follow or contact Addicted2Dirt PR & Media Management at:
(Twitter) @Addicted2DirtPR #TeamA2D
(Facebook) http://www.facebook.com/Addicted2DirtPR
(Website) Addicted2DirtPR.com
(Email) [email protected]

Newlin Racing Just Needed a Little Luck

Solid Performance Not Quite Able to Overcome Pill Draw

Abbottstown, PA – August 8, 2020By Addicted2Dirt PR & Media Management

In racing you only control certain elements of your team’s performance and results. There is an ever-present and necessary component of luck that every racer must depend on. You can’t complain about it. You can’t expect it. You can only hope it falls your way.

At registration, each team participates in a random pill draw to set the heat lineups for the evening. That is the point where luck first enters the picture each night. 37 cars were signed in at Lincoln Speedway Saturday night for the 358 sprint car portion of the Hank Gentzler Memorial event. The field would be divided into four 8-lap heats, with five cars to qualify for the main event from each, including the top 3 advancing to the redraw for the top 12 starting spots. Unfortunately, Lady Luck did not show up to assist Newlin Racing with their draw and the result placed Zach in the 9th and final starting spot in the fourth heat.

What the team can control is their preparation and they had done that. The driveline and torque tube issue that occurred the previous week had been repaired, routine maintenance was completed and the car was set up by combining notes and knowledge. They were ready and it showed. Zach was able to drive the Smith Concrete & Construction / J.W. Smith Auto Body / T&M Homebuilders, Inc. / Heather Sims, Realtor / Walker Performance Filtration / Newlin Bar Service #11z from 9th to 4th in the heat race and transfer to the A-main. A little luck in the form of a caution flag in the final laps of the heat would have been helpful as Newlin was fast and closing on 3rd place. Getting into the top three would have put him in the redraw, but again luck didn’t show itself.

The qualifying result translated to a 16th starting spot for the feature event. By the time a caution flag flew on lap 4, Zach was plus 3, running in 13th. The second caution flag of the event waved on lap 10th just after Newlin had advanced another 3 positions to 10th. While he lost a couple spots on the ensuing restart, Newlin was able to get one of them back by lap 14. As the race drew to its conclusion, he was able to make the pass to move back into 10th position before the checkered flag flew on the 20 lap main event.

Unfortunately the team learned after the event that there would be a 2-position penalty for contact with the orange cone on the final restart. Officially it was a 12th place finish for the team. The contact with the cone occurred when cars bunched up, causing a few cars in the back half of the top 10 to get on and off the throttle a few times as they approached the cone. When Newlin, along with the car in front of him, finally got back on the throttle, the acceleration pulled both cars down on the straightaway, with the car in front just missing the cone. Unfortunately the 11z clipped the cone, thus causing the officials to apply the rule and penalize the team. From the Lincoln Speedway rule book: “On single file restarts, all cars must pass between the cone and the outside wall in single file order. Any car that passes another car before the cone, knocks the cone over or goes to the inside of the cone will be penalized two (2) positions at the next restart or at the end of the race if there are no restarts.”

Regardless of that incident, Newlin was seeing the positives in the night. “We were better. A better starting position would have helped tremendously. We were way better in the closing laps of the feature. The car was much more stable. I am really looking forward to building on the setup for Friday.”, he shared.

What would have happened if he would have gotten his wish for a better starting spot in the heat by way of a better pill draw? What would have happened if the caution had come out on lap 6 of his heat? What if he had made the redraw and pulled a front row starting spot for the feature? The car was good but would that little bit of luck been the difference between 12th and victory lane? We’ll never know. That’s just how racing is. You play the hand you are dealt and measure your performance in ways other than just the finishing position. You build on that, keep working hard and remember the famous quote, “Luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity.”.

That opportunity might be at Williams Grove Speedway on Friday, August 14th when the team next hits the track.

SPECIAL THANKS:

As always, we want to express our sincere appreciation to our sponsors and marketing partners!

Smith Concrete and Construction
J.W. Smith Auto Body
T&M Homebuilders, Inc.
Heather Sims, Realtor
Walker Performance Filtration
Newlin Bar Service
Advanced Septic Services
Hershman Racing Fuels
Morgan Paving
Kirby Kitner Excavating
BAPS Auto Paints & Supply
Beyea Headers
Engler Machine & Tool
AL Driveline
Safety-Kleen
River Bend Hop Farm & Brewery
BR Motorsports Ignitioneering
Strange Oval
Tamayo Contracting
American Legion Post 177 Newport
The Podium Awards
Fastner Specialties Motorsports

SOCIAL MEDIA:

Fans can follow Newlin Racing during the 2020 season at:
(Facebook) www.facebook.com/NewlinRacing
(Twitter) @NewlinRacing

PUBLIC RELATIONS:

Follow or contact Addicted2Dirt PR & Media Management at:
(Twitter) @Addicted2DirtPR #TeamA2D
(Facebook) http://www.facebook.com/Addicted2DirtPR
(Website) Addicted2DirtPR.com
(Email) [email protected]

Part Failure Ends Solid Night Prematurely for Newlin

Team’s Recovery from Early Evening Struggles Spoiled Late

Mechanicsburg, PA – July 31, 2020By Addicted2Dirt PR & Media Management

A roller-coaster.

That must be what Zach Newlin and team felt like they had ridden last night at Williams Grove, because it was certainly an evening full of ups and downs.

The past week had finally been a normal week at the shop. No motor issues to worry about. Nothing broken to repair. The week allowed the team to catch up on the little things they needed to do to the car. When they pulled into Williams Grove Speedway Friday night and unloaded the Smith Concrete & Construction / J.W. Smith Auto Body / T&M Homebuilders, Inc. / Heather Sims, Realtor / Walker Performance Filtration / Newlin Bar Service #11z, all they wanted to do was put a solid night in their notebook.

Zach lined up 6th in the second of three heats for the 27 registered 358 sprint cars. Six cars would qualify from each heat, with the top 4 going to the redraw. The initial start of the heat race saw Newlin get a tremendous run down the backstretch and move into 5th heading into turn 3 but the momentum was lost when he had to get out of the throttle to avoid another car that had jumped the cushion. As a result, he crossed the line to complete lap 1 in 7th place. On lap 5, Newlin used the low side in turn 1 to advance into 6th. Despite a heated battle on the final lap, he held on to 6th to qualify. Missing the redraw meant Zach would line up 17th in the feature event later in the evening.

The handling was off in the heat race, so the team spent every minute of their available time prior to the A-main discussing adjustment options to improve the car, keep up with the racing surface and regain the balance the car had in earlier outings.

The 11z of Newlin lined up inside row 9 for the 25 lap feature event. The event saw 4 attempts (3 cautions and 1 red flag) before a lap was completed. Zach took the green on that 4th attempt from inside row 8 due to the pole-sitter being involved in one of the incidents, which moved his row up. When the first green flag lap was completed, he had already advanced to the 12th position.

Newlin remained in 12th for a lap 10 restart after a caution. Completing another lap would take multiple attempts that involved some attrition in the top 10, resulting in the 11z restarting in 10th position on the next attempt. The race remained green until a lap 22 caution with Newlin in 9th. The incident involved a top 5 car, which put Zach in 8th for the subsequent restart. Yet again there was an immediate caution when the 2nd place competitor coasted to a stop. That would move Newlin to 7th place for the eventual third attempt at a lap 22 restart.

Unfortunately, as that final caution waived, a torque tube issue had developed in the 11z. At this point the field had reached their lap limit and the red lights flickered on for a fuel stop. While the team refueled the car, crew members attempted to make temporary repairs to enable Zach to complete the final 3 circuits and salvage a top 10. It wasn’t meant to be though as the 11z coasted to a stop shortly after pushing off for the restart. What looked to be a 17th to 7th run for a top 10, ironically turned into a 17th place finish.

It certainly was an evening of ups and downs but in the end they did accomplish the primary goal of making a lot of laps and building their notebook, capturing good information about how the car is reacting to setup choices.

Given the work that lie ahead, the team opted to not compete at Lincoln Speedway on Saturday, August 1st and instead will target Saturday, August 8th at Lincoln as their next race.

SPECIAL THANKS:

We want to express our sincere appreciation to our sponsors and marketing partners!

Smith Concrete and Construction
J.W. Smith Auto Body
T&M Homebuilders, Inc.
Heather Sims, Realtor
Walker Performance Filtration
Newlin Bar Service
Advanced Septic Services
Hershman Racing Fuels
Morgan Paving
Kirby Kitner Excavating
BAPS Auto Paints & Supply
Beyea Headers
Engler Machine & Tool
AL Driveline
Safety-Kleen
River Bend Hop Farm & Brewery
BR Motorsports Ignitioneering
Strange Oval
Tamayo Contracting
American Legion Post 177 Newport
The Podium Awards
Fastner Specialties Motorsports

SOCIAL MEDIA:

Fans can follow Newlin Racing during the 2020 season at:
(Facebook) www.facebook.com/NewlinRacing
(Twitter) @NewlinRacing

PUBLIC RELATIONS:

Follow or contact Addicted2Dirt PR & Media Management at:
(Twitter) @Addicted2DirtPR #TeamA2D
(Facebook) http://www.facebook.com/Addicted2DirtPR
(Website) Addicted2DirtPR.com
(Email) [email protected]

Newlin Racing Releases Remaining 2020 Schedule

String of Outings Kicks Off at Williams Grove This Friday

Millerstown, PA – July 27, 2020By Addicted2Dirt PR & Media Management

The 2020 racing season has been an unusual one to say the least. Team, track and series schedules have been interrupted and shuffled at the hands of a pandemic. That alone makes it difficult for a team to build consistency and momentum. For a team that just moved up into a new division, that challenge is made even more difficult by not being able to compete regularly to build their notebook.

Opportunities to race have returned to a more regular cadence over the past month and a half, plus area speedways are attempting to add races to make up for early season losses. With a few races under their belt to work out the bugs, Zach and the rest of the Newlin Racing team are ready to get into a consistent rhythm over the second half of the season. Fans can look for the Smith Concrete & Construction / J.W. Smith Auto Body / T&M Homebuilders, Inc. / Heather Sims, Realtor / Walker Performance Filtration / Newlin Bar Service #11z in action on these upcoming dates:

7/31 – Williams Grove Speedway
8/1 – Lincoln Speedway (tentative)
8/8 – Lincoln Speedway
8/14 – Williams Grove Speedway
8/29 – BAPS Motor Speedway
9/4 – Williams Grove Speedway
9/12 – Lincoln Speedway
9/25 – Williams Grove Speedway
9/26 – Lincoln Speedway (tentative)
10/17 – Lincoln Speedway

Please help support those who support our team! There are many great businesses and great people listed below without whom we couldn’t do this!

We look forward to seeing everyone at the track!

Photo Credit: Danny DeMarco Photography

SPECIAL THANKS:

We want to express our sincere appreciation to our sponsors and marketing partners!

Smith Concrete and Construction
J.W. Smith Auto Body
T&M Homebuilders, Inc.
Heather Sims, Realtor
Walker Performance Filtration
Newlin Bar Service
Advanced Septic Services
Hershman Racing Fuels
Morgan Paving
Kirby Kitner Excavating
BAPS
Beyea Headers
Engler
AL Driveline
Safety-Kleen
River Bend Hop Farm & Brewery
BR Motorsports Ignitioneering
Strange Oval
Tamayo Contracting
American Legion Post 177 Newport
The Podium Awards
Fastner Specialties Motorsports

SOCIAL MEDIA:

Fans can follow Newlin Racing during the 2020 season at:
(Facebook) www.facebook.com/NewlinRacing
(Twitter) @NewlinRacing

PUBLIC RELATIONS:

Follow or contact Addicted2Dirt PR & Media Management at:
(Twitter) @Addicted2DirtPR #TeamA2D
(Facebook) http://www.facebook.com/Addicted2DirtPR
(Website) Addicted2DirtPR.com
(Email) [email protected]

Newlin Racing Records Top 10 in Return

Getting back on track…literally and figuratively

Mechanicsburg, PA – July 17, 2020By Addicted2Dirt PR & Media Management

After two disappointing outings due to motor issues, followed by two weeks on the sideline while the motor was repaired, Newlin Racing’s goal for their return was pretty simple: Finish.

Friday night at Williams Grove Speedway the 358 sprint cars joined the All Star Circuit of Champions 410’s for the Tommy Hinnershitz Classic. 28 cars signed in and lineups were set for three 8-lap heats for the 358’s. 6 would qualify from each, with the top 4 going to the redraw.

A good draw placed the Smith Concrete & Construction / J.W. Smith Auto Body / T&M Homebuilders, Inc. / Heather Sims, Realtor / Walker Performance Filtration / Newlin Bar Service #11z of Zach Newlin on the outside of the front row for heat 1. Polesitter Steve Owings rode the high side to an early lead, while Zach settled into second and pursued Owings. Following a lap 6 restart, Newlin pulled even with Owings entering turn 3 and continued to race side by side for the next lap. Newlin put himself in front by about a half car length entering turn 3 on the final lap but Owings was able to regain the lead coming off turn 4 to win by a car length at the line. The finish was still good enough to put the 11z of Newlin in the redraw.

The motor that had spent over a week in the care of Hammaker Racing Engines was doing its job. The team just needed to monitor track conditions during the 410 A-main and make the right decisions to give Zach the chance to move forward from his 10th starting spot in the 358 feature event.

The feature event saw very limited passing. Newlin was able to run just inside the top 10 for the entire race, withstanding multiple restarts that bunched the field. The track surface was very slick, causing most of the field to cling to the bottom groove where a small amount of moisture remained in the surface. That made passing possible only when someone slipped up out of the groove. Zach was able to keep his J&J Chassis in that groove and execute a pass on a lap 14 restart to record a 9th place finish.

It wasn’t a podium finish but it was a solid night and the team had the opportunity to learn what worked and what didn’t for the conditions. You can’t do that from the sidelines, so they were happy to be back in the game. On to the next race, which as of now is set for July 31st at Williams Grove.

Zach’s assessment of the night: “We finished!”, he said with a grin. Mission accomplished.

SPECIAL THANKS:

We want to express our sincere appreciation to our sponsors and marketing partners!

Smith Concrete and Construction
J.W. Smith Auto Body
T&M Homebuilders, Inc.
Heather Sims, Realtor
Walker Performance Filtration
Newlin Bar Service
Advanced Septic Services
Hershman Racing Fuels
Morgan Paving
Kirby Kitner Excavating
BAPS
Beyea Headers
Engler
AL Driveline
Safety-Kleen
River Bend Hop Farm & Brewery
BR Motorsports Ignitioneering
Strange Oval
Tamayo Contracting
American Legion Post 177 Newport
The Podium Awards
Fastner Specialties Motorsports

SOCIAL MEDIA:

Fans can follow Newlin Racing during the 2020 season at:
(Facebook) www.facebook.com/NewlinRacing
(Twitter) @NewlinRacing

PUBLIC RELATIONS:

Follow or contact Addicted2Dirt PR & Media Management at:
(Twitter) @Addicted2DirtPR #TeamA2D
(Facebook) http://www.facebook.com/Addicted2DirtPR
(Website) Addicted2DirtPR.com
(Email) [email protected]

Newlin Racing Targeting Friday Return

358’s Sprints to Join the 410’s for Tommy Hinnershitz Classic at Williams Grove

Millerstown, PA – July 13, 2020By Addicted2Dirt PR & Media Management

Is it possible that sitting out for a couple weeks and having your motor torn down could lead to optimism? Sure.

The Smith Concrete & Construction / J.W. Smith Auto Body / T&M Homebuilders, Inc. / Heather Sims, Realtor / Walker Performance Filtration / Newlin Bar Service #11z has been strong in its handful of appearances thus far in 2020 but recent motor woes sidelined the team for a couple weeks.

While a definitive return date is still in pencil, it appears things are lining up for Zach Newlin to strap himself back into his J&J chassis this Friday, July 17th at Williams Grove Speedway when the 358 Sprints join the All Star Circuit of Champions 410 Sprints who are in town to compete in the Tommy Classic.

So let’s get back to how an ill motor turns into a good thing. Let me explain. Given the issues that were uncovered, it’s pretty likely that even when they ran well, they didn’t really have the benefit of all the power their motor could have been providing. When those issues are resolved and they get to bolt that bullet back into the 11z… well, that’s how a motor issue ends up leading to optimism. The potential exists Newlin will have even more available to his right foot than he did before. We shall see.

There is a week of hard work ahead to be able to make their goal of returning to action Friday night a reality but they believe they can be ready. Stay tuned to Newlin Racing or #TeamA2D’s social media outlets later this week for updates on their return to the track!

Photo credits: Jesse Carberry (@RealJesseLee) and @Addicted2DirtPR.

SPECIAL THANKS:

We want to express our sincere appreciation to our sponsors and marketing partners!

Smith Concrete and Construction
J.W. Smith Auto Body
T&M Homebuilders, Inc.
Heather Sims, Realtor
Walker Performance Filtration
Newlin Bar Service
Advanced Septic Services
Hershman Racing Fuels
Morgan Paving
Kirby Kitner Excavating
BAPS
Beyea Headers
Engler
AL Driveline
Safety-Kleen
River Bend Hop Farm & Brewery
BR Motorsports Ignitioneering
Strange Oval
Tamayo Contracting
American Legion Post 177 Newport
The Podium Awards
Fastner Specialties Motorsports

SOCIAL MEDIA:

Fans can follow Newlin Racing during the 2020 season at:
(Facebook) www.facebook.com/NewlinRacing
(Twitter) @NewlinRacing

PUBLIC RELATIONS:

Follow or contact Addicted2Dirt PR & Media Management at:
(Twitter) @Addicted2DirtPR #TeamA2D
(Facebook) http://www.facebook.com/Addicted2DirtPR
(Website) Addicted2DirtPR.com
(Email) [email protected]

Newlin Racing’s Night at Port Royal Cut Short

Motor Issues Continue to Plague Team

Port Royal, PA – July 1, 2020By Addicted2Dirt PR & Media Management

Just five nights earlier an apparent fuel issue ended Zach Newlin’s night while leading at Williams Grove. Over the ensuing few days, the team discovered another piece to the puzzle that ended that potential winning run Friday night. With that issue addressed, the team unloaded at Port Royal Wednesday night and performed final preparation to take on the URC cars.

The Smith Concrete & Construction / J.W. Smith Auto Body / T&M Homebuilders, Inc. / Heather Sims, Realtor / Walker Performance Filtration / Newlin Bar Service #11z was quick and handling well on the opening circuit or two of hot laps, but suddenly motor issues surfaced again. Not wanting to risk losing the motor completely, Newlin quickly exited the speedway and shut the car down. Unable to identify and resolve the issue at the track, the team had to make the smart choice and withdraw from the evening’s competition rather than risk being out of action for much longer.

Efforts are already underway to get to the bottom of the issue and get back in action very soon. Overcoming these challenges will only make the reward sweeter when the team eventually parks it in victory lane.

Stay tuned to the A2D website or the social media channels listed below for updates from Newlin Racing, including when and where they will hit the track next!

SPECIAL THANKS:

We want to express our sincere appreciation to our sponsors and marketing partners!

Smith Concrete and Construction
J.W. Smith Auto Body
T&M Homebuilders, Inc.
Heather Sims, Realtor
Walker Performance Filtration
Newlin Bar Service
Advanced Septic Services
Hershman Racing Fuels
Morgan Paving
Kirby Kitner Excavating
BAPS
Beyea Headers
Engler
AL Driveline
Safety-Kleen
River Bend Hop Farm & Brewery
BR Motorsports Ignitioneering
Strange Oval
Tamayo Contracting
American Legion Post 177 Newport
The Podium Awards
Fastner Specialties Motorsports

SOCIAL MEDIA:

Fans can follow Newlin Racing during the 2020 season at:
(Facebook) www.facebook.com/NewlinRacing
(Twitter) @NewlinRacing

PUBLIC RELATIONS:

Follow or contact Addicted2Dirt PR & Media Management at:
(Twitter) @Addicted2DirtPR #TeamA2D
(Facebook) http://www.facebook.com/Addicted2DirtPR
(Website) Addicted2DirtPR.com
(Email) [email protected]

Newlin Shows Speed at Williams Grove

Strong Start Provides Optimism for the Remainder of the 2020 Season

Mechanicsburg, PA – June 26, 2020By Addicted2Dirt PR & Media Management

It was two months later than originally planned but the 358 sprint cars were finally pit-side at the legendary Williams Grove, set to make their first appearance of 2020. 31 cars were signed in, with Newlin Racing and driver Zach Newlin among them.

The team had four races under their belt already, despite the long racing shutdown due to COVID-19, and had recorded three top 10’s. However, this was the first opportunity to measure their new 358 sprint car program at the track that is going to be the core of their 2020 season.

The Smith Concrete & Construction / J.W. Smith Auto Body / T&M Homebuilders, Inc. / Heather Sims, Realtor / Walker Performance Filtration / Newlin Bar Service #11z would start 4th in the first of three 8-lap heats. From each heat, 6 would qualify with the top 4 going to the redraw.

Zach jumped immediately to the high side on the start of the heat and moved into 3rd by the time the field reached turn 2. He continued building momentum on the cushion and it carried him into 2nd on lap 3. Over the remaining laps, Newlin was able to close a few car lengths on the leader. During the final lap, a fuel issue developed and he settled for second, which put the team squarely in the night’s redraw.

The team immediately went to work on the fuel line issue, found a bad fitting and replaced it. A quick test-fire of the car proved the problem was resolved. With that behind him, Zach had a moment to discuss the night. “We were decent in the heat even though the track had more grip than we expected. The track should come to us later tonight. We shouldn’t need to change much for the feature.”, he shared.

In the 12-car redraw the team found some good fortune, drawing the #3 pill, putting the 11z on the inside of row 2 for the feature event. The initial start of the main event was called back due to the pole-sitter jumping the start. By rule, the front two rows were swapped, putting Newlin Racing on the pole for the second attempt to get the race started.

When the green flag finally waved, Newlin looked strong. Running the bottom at both ends of the speedway, he was pulling away from the field off the corners. On lap 2, the caution lights flashed on, bunching the field again. On the ensuing restart, Zach again quickly put a few car lengths between himself and second place. By the end of lap 3, hopes were already beginning to build that tonight may be the night. It was too early to think about that, though. There were 17 laps remaining and some talented pilots in pursuit.

Suddenly, the car sputtered and slowed to a stop on lap 4. Another fuel issue had ended their solid bid for that first win in the 358 ranks. It was a disappointing ending to a strong showing.

The night had it’s clear positive message though: The team knows how to get around Williams Grove Speedway and are poised to accomplish the goal of parking the 11z on the front stretch sometime in 2020.

Next up: Port Royal Speedway on Wednesday, July 1st when the URC 360 sprint cars compete for $2000 to win as part of the 2020 PA Sprint Speedweek event.

SPECIAL THANKS:

We want to express our sincere appreciation to our sponsors and marketing partners!

Smith Concrete and Construction
J.W. Smith Auto Body
T&M Homebuilders, Inc.
Heather Sims, Realtor
Walker Performance Filtration
Newlin Bar Service

SOCIAL MEDIA:

Fans can follow Newlin Racing during the 2020 season at:
(Facebook) www.facebook.com/NewlinRacing
(Twitter) @NewlinRacing

PUBLIC RELATIONS:

Follow or contact Addicted2Dirt PR & Media Management at:
(Twitter) @Addicted2DirtPR #TeamA2D
(Facebook) http://www.facebook.com/Addicted2DirtPR
(Email) [email protected]