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“Zach Daddy” Will Make First World of Outlaws Start This Week

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Zach Newlin’s 20+ Years in Racing are Full of Milestone Achievements

Millerstown, PA – September 30, 2020 – By Addicted2Dirt PR & Media Management

Zach Newlin may be the guy you’ve never heard of, but should have. He has amassed quite a resume of success in his racing career as he has steadily conquered one milestone after another through the racing ranks. He started racing go-karts in 1998 at the age of 10, stepped up to 600 micro sprints in 2005 and moved into 305 sprint cars in 2013. Zach enjoyed success at each level, including being nationally ranked in the IMCA RACEsaver 305 series for several years. It’s always easiest to stay where you are successful and comfortable, but for Newlin, as the calendar turned to 2020, it was time for a new challenge.

Sure, being able to field a 410 sprint car would’ve been great. That’s every sprint car driver’s holy grail. That just wasn’t in the cards though. So, the team’s focus turned to putting a 358 sprint car on the track. That goal was still going to require some things to align to achieve it. Good fortune was on their side and the pieces came together to move the family team, Newlin Racing, up another rung on the ladder, into the 358 sprint car ranks. Little did they know how quickly that small step would pay dividends and lead to a big step.

Despite a two-month racing hiatus earlier in 2020 due to the pandemic, by late summer Newlin had registered solid runs and showed his talent in the 358. In August, Shawn and Austin Burke came calling with an offer to drive their Burke Motorsports 410 sprint car at BAPS Motor Speedway on a Sunday night. It was just a chance to try it out, with no promises beyond that night. Newlin had been on their radar for a while but they were waiting for the right time. This seemed like it.

The night at BAPS went well for the Burke/Newlin combination. They made the show and enjoyed racing together, so they tried it again on Labor Day at Port Royal. Again things went well, with Zach making the show and earning the Hard Charger Award by advancing 10 positions on the tough daytime surface. By this time, the appetite for more had been established. The team decided to enter a few more events in mid-September, including three consecutive nights, with the latter two being All Star Circuit of Champions events.

Those nights in the Burke Motorsports entry not only seemed to be accomplishing the goal of gaining experience in a 410 sprint car but they were also building Newlin’s confidence and accumulating knowledge he could apply in the seat of his 358 sprint car. During 2020, Zach Newlin has conquered several more career milestones. Some he had hoped to achieve this season and some he couldn’t have imagined would happen, at least not this year. Newlin recorded his first career 358 sprint car victory, which was also his first career win at the famous Williams Grove Speedway, something that had been a goal for a long time. The achievements didn’t stop there. He was awarded the 358 sprint car Rookie of the Year at ‘The Grove’, competed in his first 410 sprint car race and competed in his first All Star Circuit of Champions events.

photo credit: Racer X Media

This weekend, the sprint car chauffer nicknamed “Zach Daddy” will reach another career milestone. He will strap himself into the orange #54 Grove Financial & Associates, Dillman Hauling, LLC., Kriner Racing Engines, Sander Engineering, DMI, Burke Motorsports, Maxim Chassis, 410 sprint car and go into battle as a rookie member of the PA Posse against the best in the world, the World of Outlaws, in the 58th Champion Racing Oil Williams Grove National Open.

2020 has been quite a year for Zach to say the least. You never know when opportunity will knock. You just have to keep working hard and be ready to make the most of it when it happens. It seems he has done that. What is Newlin thinking as his first Outlaw competition approaches? He had a very honest answer to that question. “Don’t suck!“, he replied with a laugh. Humor is never very far away during any conversation with Newlin, but he takes his racing seriously. His response only demonstrates he’s relaxed and ready for whatever the experience brings. His expectations are realistic but that doesn’t mean his goals aren’t high.

It’s been a long road to this milestone and there are no doubt more on the horizon. Below is a photo gallery that will give you a glimpse into Zach’s 20+ years in racing that led to his opportunity to compete against the top professional drivers in the world. Behind every photo are countless hours of work, numerous tough nights at the track, long hours at the shop and many great memories. All of them were necessary to get to this point. To see his full list of accomplishments and bio, click here to visit Zach’s driver page on Addicted2DirtPR.com

Given how 2020 unfolded in such an unpredictable fashion for Zach Newlin, what milestones might 2021 and beyond bring for the talented wheelman? Nobody knows for sure, but I would suggest you pay attention. It’s bound to be an interesting, entertaining and successful ride.

Be sure to follow Newlin Racing on Facebook or Twitter to get the latest schedule updates & other news about Zach’s 358 & 410 sprint car teams!  Click here for all the info you need to stay informed!

SPECIAL THANKS:

We want to express our sincere appreciation to our sponsors and marketing partners!
Please support those who support racing!

Grove Financial and Associates, Chaz Scheaffer & Derek Fry
Dillman Hauling, LLC.
Kriner Racing Engines
Sander Engineering
DMI
Maxim Chassis

SOCIAL MEDIA:

Fans can follow Newlin Racing 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’s second outing in a 410 sprint car earned him the Hard Charger Award in the 69th Annual Labor Day Classic at Port Royal Speedway.

Newlin Rapidly Gaining 410 Sprint Car Experience

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Three Race Weekend Served as a Classroom for the 410 Rookie

Harrisburg, PA – September 21, 2020 – By Addicted2Dirt PR & Media Management

Things tend to happen fast in the racing world, not just on the track but off. For Zach Newlin, September has been a whirlwind of activity and excitement.

Back in late August, thanks to Shawn and Austin Burke, Newlin had the chance to try out a 410 at BAPS Motor Speedway. He made the show that night and there were definitely positive vibes in his pit when the night was over. There was hope for more 410 opportunities, but nothing was guaranteed. Next came his September 4th victory at Williams Grove in his family’s 358 sprint car. It was his first career 358 checkered flag and his first Williams Grove win, all in his first season in the 358 division. Before that could fully sink in, Zach found himself strapping into the Burke Motorsports 410 sprint car again on Labor Day afternoon, September 7th, at Port Royal Speedway, where he earned the Hard Charger award for a 23rd to 13th run on a tough daytime surface.

Just one week later, a new sponsor contacted Newlin and Burke Motorsports and signed on with the team. At that point, the team decided to race for three consecutive nights later that week at BAPS Motor Speedway, Williams Grove Speedway and Lincoln Speedway. The latter two shows would be sanctioned by the All Star Circuit of Champions and many of those teams would be in competition at the BAPS show as well. Talk about diving into the deep end of the pool to learn how to swim. They were about to do it. Team owner Shawn Burke shared his perspective. “That’s how you get better, you race against the best, so that’s what we will do.”, he said with no hesitation.

Setting it into turn 3 at BAPS. Photo credit: Garry Ferguson

BAPS Recap – Thursday, September 17th

The team kicked off their 3-night learning session at BAPS Motor Speedway in York Haven, PA. BAPS is a track where Newlin has logged many laps and has had much success over the years in the 305 sprint car division. It was also the track where he had made his 410 sprint car debut just a couple weeks earlier.

27 cars were signed in. Following time trials, they would be divided into three heat races. The top 6 from each would transfer to the A-main, with the top 4 going into a redraw for the top 12 starting positions. Zach rolled out 3rd for time trials and recorded the 20th fastest lap of the 27 cars to take time. It’s worth noting, he did so with a motor that is at a slight horsepower disadvantage to the power the top teams have under the hood. It’s not an excuse, it’s a reality, and it’s a part of their program the team hopes to someday be able to upgrade. A change of the wickerbill, a gear and a shock didn’t produce the desired results in the heat race. Newlin moved into 8th briefly but finished in 9th when the checkers flew.

Following additional adjustments, Zach would line up 24th for the A-main. He used the low line in the early going to move forward through the field. A couple cautions during the first half of the event bunched the field and provided opportunity for more advancement. Zach was up to 17th place when the caution lights flashed on once again on lap 14. He was +7 so far and poised for more, especially given the race was not yet quite half over. Unfortunately a chain reaction incident on the ensuing restart caused another car to get into the right front of his machine, which resulted in several front end suspension components being bent and forcing Newlin to the pits, ending his night. The A-main was won by Kyle Larson.

Newlin would later share, “We definitely learned things tonight but I just didn’t have a good feel all night. I’m still figuring out some of the differences between these cars and the 358 but we are making great progress together. There’s good communication among the group of us in the pits. We’re having fun working on this challenge together.“.

Williams Grove Recap – Friday, September 18th

As the team prepared to take on the All Star Circuit of Champions at the historic Williams Grove Speedway in Mechanicsburg, PA in the midst of the three race stint, yet another sponsor, Dillman Hauling, LLC., signed on to help further the opportunity for Newlin. It was more than just a financial boost. It was another subtle confidence boost because someone else out there believed in him enough to see this advertising opportunity as a good one.

The Burke Motorsports, Grove Financial & Associates, Dillman Hauling, LLC., Kriner Racing Engines, Sander Engineering, DMI, Maxim Chassis #54 was one of 33 cars registered for action Friday night. Newlin would record the 29th quickest lap of the 33 cars during time trials. Zach started 8th in heat 2 and would challenge for 7th in the early laps but settled for an 8th place finish. Searching for more drive (i.e. forward bite) in the car, the team made shock and wickerbill changes prior to the B-main. Newlin started 11th in that event and went on to finish 10th. He climbed from the car and discussing the night with the team while it was all fresh in their minds. After they discussed what worked, what didn’t work and what alternatives they would try in the same situation next time, Zach simply said, “I’m happy tonight.” Fans may judge a night only by a team’s results and may not understand that comment, but drivers and teams know they must measure their night by much more than the end result. There are different goals and smaller victories to gauge performance, especially as you build a program. Austin Burke, who turns the wrenches on the #54, shared Newlin’s positivity saying, “I had more fun tonight!“. The feature event that night was won by Aaron Reutzel.

Zach Newlin has plenty of bite as he lifts the right front while passing under the famous Williams Grove bridge during All Star competition on 9/18/20. Photo credit: Ashley Book

Earlier in the evening, moments after hot laps, still sitting in the car staged for time trials in the front pit at Williams Grove as the sun set behind him off turn four, Newlin was asked how it felt compared to his 358. His response in that moment wasn’t analytical. He didn’t talk about handling or power differences. The raw emotion of the moment was too great for that. His visor was flipped up and his huge smile couldn’t be contained by his helmet. He instantly exclaimed in response, “Dude, I’m racing a 410 at Williams Grove!”. Ok, to be honest, there might have been an expletive in there somewhere too, but who can blame him? That moment and those words demonstrated what the culmination of years of hard work and sacrifice by Newlin and his family meant to him. To finally realize a dream they have all shared together for a long time…well…that energy just couldn’t be kept inside.

Racing a 410 at “The Grove” was a dream they all shared, but especially Zach and his brother (and crew chief) Lance. Zach’s mom shared, “They have worked so hard for it and never thought it would happen. His dad and I are so happy and thankful for the opportunity Shawn and Austin Burke have given Zach, Lance and the whole team. This kid is living a dream right now, along with the rest of us.”.

Brothers Zach & Lance Newlin.. Photo Credit: A2D

Lincoln Recap – Saturday, September 19th

For night three, the team made a short trip down the road to Abbottstown, PA to race in the Dirt Classic VII at Lincoln Speedway, once again versus the All Star Circuit of Champions.

A stout field of 53 cars were in the pits for the 7th annual edition of the Dirt Classic paying $20,000 to the winner. The unique format for the event includes time trials (half the field in group A, the other half in group B) in which points are earned and two sets of heat races for each car, in which points are also earned. Given the large car count, there would be a total of 12 heat races. The first six would be lined up by time trial results and the second six would be a complete inversion of the starting lineups from heats 1-6. Upon completion of time trails and heat races, the points earned are tallied. The top 20 teams in points transfer directly to the A-main. The next highest 18 teams in points go to the B-main and the remaining cars must race the C-main. The top 2 finishers in the C-main advance to start at the back of the B-main and the top 4 finishers in the B-main advance to start at the back of the A-main.

Zach time trialed 11th of 27 cars in group B, which was the 38th car overall to hit the track. His best time of the 2 laps he received landed him 25th in his group. That translated into the 8th starting spot in heat #6. He was unable to advance during the heat race and finished where he started. Later in the evening, Newlin would start from the pole in heat #12. The results of that race were very encouraging. He held the lead of the event for a few laps until veteran Ryan Smith was finally able to power past him. Zach remained unrattled and smooth and brought the Burke Motorsports entry home in 2nd place!

Based on his accumulated points, Newlin would start 5th in the 12-car, 10-lap C-main. The inside row would be directed to slide up one spot prior to the green flag when the 3rd place starter did not make the call. This meant Zach would take the green just one spot out of a transfer position. He got off to a great start at the drop of the green and claimed the second spot, which he held for a few laps before giving way to Tanner Thorson. Newlin would hold down third until the closing laps when Tyler Ross slipped by, relegating Zach to a 4th place finish and ending his first career night at Lincoln Speedway in a 410 sprint car. Kyle Larson would go on to win the big $20k prize later that night.

Weekend Wrap-Up

Newlin reflected on the weekend. “We learned a lot every time we hit the track. We progressed together as a team each night from start to finish and we had fun doing it together. Our night at Williams Grove was a huge boost for me. I got to race with the All Stars and realized we were not far off. That’s a confidence boost for sure.” He grinned and said, “Hey, I ran three time trial races and wasn’t last in any of them!” Attitude is half the battle and Zach definitely has that part right.

Be sure to keep scrolling below and check out the numerous photos and videos from all three nights of action!

As the 2020 season winds down, the team isn’t sure what’s next but when that decision is made, you’ll be the first to know if you follow Newlin Racing on Facebook or Twitter to get the latest schedule updates and other news! Their social media info is listed at the bottom of this release.

BAPS Motor Speedway Gallery (9-17-2020)

Williams Grove Speedway Gallery (9-18-2020)

Zach Newlin hustles the Burke Motorsports 410 into turn 1 during time trials at Williams Grove on 9-18-20

Lincoln Speedway Gallery (9-19-2020)

SOCIAL MEDIA:

Fans can follow Newlin Racing 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]

Dillman Hauling, LLC. joins Zach Newlin/Burke Motorsports 410 Sprint Car Program

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Potential Continues to Grow for Zach Newlin with Addition of Another Sponsor

Harrisburg, PA – September 20, 2020 – By Addicted2Dirt PR & Media Management

Dillman Hauling, LLC. has been offering clients throughout Perry County and the surrounding area quality transportation of materials since 2018. They offer Tri-Axle hauling for stone, shale, sand, topsoil, fill, etc.

When Zach Newlin and Burke Motorsports recently joined forces to run select 410 sprint car events, it drew interest from several folks who have followed Zach’s career. First the team was joined by sponsor Grove Financial Services & Associates, then through a connection there, the combination landed on the radar of Dillman Hauling, LLC of New Bloomfield, PA. Dillman Hauling also wanted to join the team and help Zach make the most of what is a pretty rare opportunity these days: the chance to race a 410 sprint car in Central PA.

Many want that chance. Few get it. So many things have to align to make it happen. Many talented drivers never get the chance to prove their ability because those pieces (car owner, crew chief, sponsors, financial support) never come together. Sometimes car owners find the crew chief, sponsors and financial support but never find the right driver.

Get more information about Dillman Hauling, LLC. by clicking here.

Newlin has showed promise quickly in a 410, earning the Hard Charger award at Port Royal’s Labor Day Classic and improving each night out, including qualifying for the first three features he attempted in a 410 sprint car. The additional support will allow the team to have the Kriner Racing Engines, Grove Financial & Associates, Dillman Hauling, Sander Engineering, DMI, Maxim Chassis #54 even better prepared for the remaining events this season.

As the 2020 season winds down, Burke Motorsports and Zach Newlin are starting to bring the pieces together. The recent additions of sponsors are a tremendous help, but for the pairing to think about putting together any weekly plans for 2021, there is still a need for more help. If you are interested in joining the team, please contact them to talk. Every little bit helps.

Be sure to follow Zach, Newlin Racing and A2D on Facebook or Twitter to get the latest schedule updates and other news! Their social media info is listed below the video and photo gallery.

Dillman Hauling, LLC’s logo is applied to the front wing prior to action at Williams Grove Speedway

SOCIAL MEDIA:

Fans can follow Newlin Racing 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]

Burke Motorsports Welcomes New Sponsor for 410 Sprint Program

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Grove Financial & Associates Joins Burke/Newlin 410 Effort

Harrisburg, PA – September 16, 2020 – By Addicted2Dirt PR & Media Management

Grove Financial & Associates is a full service independent broker for all forms of insurance: home, auto, business, life, renters, motorcycle, etc. They have been a successful business for over 25 years, committed to providing clients with exceptional service and professional advice. Now they, along with their associates Chaz Sheaffer and Derek Fry, can add racing supporter to their resume as well. The story of how their most recent partnership and involvement in 410 sprint car racing came to be is quite interesting.

The first two 410 sprint car outings for the Burke Motorsports / Zach Newlin pairing showed promise for the wheel-man from Millerstown, PA. The team qualified for both shows they attempted, at BAPS Motor Speedway and Port Royal Speedway respectively. The latter effort even yielded Newlin the Hard Charger award at Port’s Labor Day Classic.

Preparing for the Labor Day Classic at Port Royal Speedway

The success didn’t go unnoticed. Following the successful Labor Day outing, Zach received a text from long time friend Chaz Sheaffer congratulating him. He complimented Newlin on what he had seen, not only in a 410 but also his recent 358 success and long track record in a 305. He encouraged Zach to continue his pursuit of his dream of running a 410 sprint car on a regular basis. The conversation turned to possibilities and when Sheaffer learned that with a little help, Newlin would be able to run more races for Burke Motorsports in 2020. Chaz told Newlin, “You’re a hell of a driver. I would like to help you pursue that dream”. The wheels (pun intended) began turning in his head about how he may be able to help.

Sheaffer contacted Grove Financial colleague Derek Fry who was supportive and also wanted to create a partnership. They both agreed it was a good opportunity, so the pair put a proposal on the table they felt would bring benefit to all parties involved: Burke Motorsports, Zach Newlin and Grove Financial & Associates. It didn’t take long for the partnership to be agreed upon.

Shawn and Austin Burke want to express their sincere appreciation to Chaz Sheaffer, Derek Fry and Grove Financial & Associates for coming on board to help further their opportunity to put Zach in the seat of their 410 sprint car. Shawn shared, “We definitely wanted to race more with Zach but racing is expensive. It takes help from partners like these to put the car on the track and be competitive. We are thrilled to welcome Chaz, Derek and Grove Financial aboard!”.

Please consider contacting Chaz or Derek for your insurance needs by clicking their link below. @InsurancefromSheaffer
@DFRYinsurance

With the new sponsorship in place, Burke Motorsports can now make plans to run a few more 410 races in 2020, which will gain Newlin more seat time and valuable experience. Their third outing together and first with their new partner will be to take the Kriner Racing Engines, Grove Financial & Associates, DMI, Sander Engineering, Maxim Chassis #54 to BAPS Motor Speedway on Thursday, September 17th for the Kevin Gobrecht Memorial race.

The involvement of Grove Financial & Associates that Chaz and Derek have provided is a great start that allows the team to take the next step. For Zach Newlin and Burke Motorsports to think about putting together any weekly plans for 2021, there is still a need for more help. If you are inspired as Chaz was to get involved with an up and coming pairing, don’t be afraid to contact the team.

Be sure to follow Zach, Newlin Racing and A2D on Facebook or Twitter to get the latest schedule updates and other news! Their social media info is listed below.

SOCIAL MEDIA:

Fans can follow Newlin Racing 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]

Highly Successful Port Royal 410 Debut for Zach Newlin

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Second Career 410 Outing Yields Hard Charger Award

Port Royal, PA – September 8, 2020 – By Addicted2Dirt PR & Media Management

After making the show in his maiden voyage aboard a 410 sprint car two weeks earlier, Zach Newlin and Burke Motorsports decided to give it another whirl, this time at Port Royal Speedway for the 69th Annual Labor Day Classic.

That first night, which came at BAPS Motor Speedway on August 23rd, saw Newlin improve significantly throughout the evening as the team made changes to make him more comfortable. It was a productive and fun night for all on a track where Zach had logged many laps in a 305 sprint car with much success. Port Royal Speedway is also a place where Newlin has logged many laps with success in a 305 but tackling the tricky daytime surface in a 410 would bring a new challenge.

Zach Newlin prepares for his 2nd career 410 sprint car start aboard the Burke Motorsports entry.

The Burke Motorsports, Kriner Racing Engines, DMI, Sander Engineering, Maxim Chassis #54 signed in as one of 36 entries for the afternoon show. The field was divided into 4 heats, which were lined up by a random pill draw. Five cars would qualify from each heat race, with the top 3 going into the redraw for the top 12 starting spots in the A-main. Non-qualifiers would compete in a B-main from which the top 6 would transfer to the A-main, filling starting spots 21-26.

Newlin started outside row three in the 6th position in the first heat of the day. The majority of the event saw Zach mix it up as part of a three car battle for the 7th-9th positions. Following a red flag that appeared with two laps remaining, he restarted 7th and would go on to finish 6th, missing the transfer by one spot. On the bright side, the finish would put Newlin on the pole of the B-main last chance qualifying race later in the afternoon.

After a quick team meeting to hear Newlin’s feedback and make decisions, the team began making setup and engine tuning changes to prepare for their final shot to make the show.

Along with car owner Shawn Burke, crew members Lance and Harvey make adjustments prior to the B-main.

Zach’s partner on the front row of the 10-lap B-main was Jared Esh, while Justin Whittal and Kyle Smith would make up the second row. Lining up 9th was the current All Star Circuit of Champions points leader, Aaron Reutzel of Clute, Texas. On the opening lap, Newlin chose the low side of the speedway and settled into 2nd position. He then moved up to a higher groove, about one lane below the cushion, where he ran about 8 car lengths behind leader Esh for several circuits. By lap 4 Reutzel had moved into 3rd and by lap 6 he was close enough to pull a slide job on Newlin in turns 1 and 2, but Newlin wasn’t giving up so quickly against the veteran. He turned left using a crossover move to speed back by Reutzel on the low side. The #87 of the All Star point leader was strong though and he reclaimed 2nd the following lap. Newlin held solidly onto 3rd from that point and transferred into the Labor Day Classic feature event.

Zach was officially 2-for-2 in making main events in his 410 sprint car career. That alone was an accomplishment but it also meant an opportunity for 25 more laps to continue learning. Nothing beats seat time when you’re a racer.

The qualifying effort meant the Burke Motorsports entry would start 23rd on the grid. From the drop of the green flag, Newlin methodically worked the low side of the speedway, maintaining car control and slipping by other cars that were either missing their line or experimenting with other grooves early in the going. During the first 10 laps he would advance 7 positions. Following each of two caution flags, the first with 14 laps remaining and the latter with 13 remaining, Newlin restarted 16th.

By that stage of the race, all teams had realized the bottom was the best line as the track began to take rubber in the hot afternoon sun. After a caution with 8 to go, once again Newlin would restart 16th. Being precise and hitting his marks, he was able to take 15th from Esh with 6 to go. In the closing laps, one of the front runners suffered a flat right rear tire and Newlin was able to execute one more low line pass, resulting in a 13th place finish for the 410 rookie.

There were plenty of smiles around the Burke Motorsports pit area following the race. Advancing 10 spots on the tricky daytime surface is quite an accomplishment for any driver but especially for a guy who was only strapping himself into one of the most powerful race cars on the planet for only the second time in his career. Those smiles got even bigger when the news came minutes later that Newlin’s +10 effort had earned him the Hard Charger Award and a $400 bonus to the team!

Newlin’s first two outings have been encouraging to say the least. Asked about his first start at The Speed Palace occurring on a daytime surface, Zach said “I have enough laps around this place, especially running the bottom, so I knew what I was doing.” He continued, “It was definitely slick but I could keep up with the car. It was underneath me all the time. I just had to learn to ease back onto the throttle off the corners. Had we made those same changes earlier today, we would have qualified through our heat race.” Newlin concluded, “I really have to thank Shawn and Austin Burke for the opportunity and for giving me a really good car today. That was fun.” It must have been. Hours later, he still had that same big smile on his face.

Be sure to look at the bottom of this post for a video of Zach’s opening 4 laps of the 69th Annual Labor Day Classic at Port Royal Speedway!

The Burke Motorsports team and Newlin are tentatively planning his third career 410 sprint car start for Thursday, September 17th at BAPS Motor Speedway for the Kevin Gobrecht Classic. Meanwhile, Newlin Racing is targeting a September 25th return to Williams Grove Speedway to go for two wins in a row in the family’s 11z 358 sprint car. Be sure to follow Newlin Racing on Facebook or Twitter to get the latest schedule updates and other news! Their social media info is listed below.

SOCIAL MEDIA:

Fans can follow Newlin Racing 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’s opening 4 laps of the 69th Annual Labor Day Classic at Port Royal Speedway

Zach Newlin Quietly Makes 410 Sprint Car Debut

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Back in the 358 Sprint Car This Weekend at BAPS Motor Speedway

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

You never know when opportunity will knock. Sometimes it doesn’t give you much notice. You just have to be ready anytime. Such was the case for Zach Newlin last week when the phone rang and it was Burke Motorsports on the other end.

The Burke Motorsports 410 sprint car had been sitting idle for a while and the team was ready to get back to the track. Newlin had been on their radar for some time and given his recent 358 experience, they felt the time was right to give it a shot. The pairing prepared in a just a few days and quietly rolled into BAPS Motor Speedway last Sunday night, August 23rd with no advance notice.

Zach Newlin pushes off for his first ever 410 sprint car feature. Photo Credit: A2D

The Kriner Racing Engines, DMI, Sander Engineering, Maxim Chassis #54 Zach would be piloting was one of 25 cars entered Sunday night. The field was divided into 3 heats, with 6 cars qualifying for the A-main from each.

Newlin and Burke Motorsports both knew this would be a learning night. The main objective would simply be to work together to get to know each other and figure out what combination would help them make progress and walk away with a productive night. They got started on that right away, making significant changes following hot laps in order to make Zach more comfortable in the car.

Newlin started 3rd in heat two and was unhappy with himself for losing the handle of the #54 on lap one, forcing him to restart at the rear of the field. On the positive side, he was able to use the remainder of the heat race to make laps, get more comfortable and figure out what might help the car and himself work better together in the B-main they would have to run as a result of his 8th place finish in the heat race.

The combination of Shawn and Austin Burke along with Zach and brother Lance Newlin, huddled and decided what changes to make to continue to help Zach get more comfortable and hopefully put the car in the show through consolation event. Through that event, the final six cars would qualify for the night’s feature event. Zach started 5th and was clearly more comfortable, establishing a rhythm and closing in on 4th place, which he claimed coming to the white flag.

In his first ever 410 sprint car A-main, Newlin rolled off 22nd. At various times he experimented with the high side, then the low side, then the middle….searching, learning. Each lap brought more knowledge about handling the 850+ horsepower, 1400 pound beast they call a winged 410 sprint car. He passed some cars and gained a lot of confidence as he kept pace with the leaders after they moved past him late in the race. Ultimately Zach would bring the Burke Motorsports entry home 19th.

Overall the night was positive for all involved. They got better and they had some fun together. There are no firm plans for the future at this point but both parties agreed it wasn’t a one time deal. They will do it again and hopefully the right pieces will come together to be able to do it more often. In this sport, it’s hard to predict or promise anything, but what we do know is Newlin has that first 410 race behind him and by the end of the night it sure looked like there should be more of this in his future. Maybe someone will take notice. That’s all a team and driver can hope in today’s sprint car world.

This Saturday night August 29th, Zach will be back behind the wheel of the #11z Newlin Racing 358 sprint car at BAPS Motor Speedway for the Engler Machine & Tool Night 358/360 URC Challenge Race.

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