Brennan Newberry Gains Awareness for Breast Cancer at Martinsville

A track that has stood the test of time, a circuit that is the only remaining venue from the original NASCAR touring series schedule from 1949, Martinsville Speedway, known as the paper clip, has been a daunting task for every generation of NASCAR Camping World Truck Series drivers. Brennan Newberry took to the track for the fifth time in his career for the annual fall Kroger 200 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race. During the two-day event, Newberry showed speed and strength in his standout pink No.9 Qore-24 Antimicrobial Hand Purifier Chevrolet Silverado and maintained a spot on the board with the leaders throughout the weekend. After a caution inundated 200 laps, NTS Motorsports gained great awareness for breast cancer and built momentum leading into the last three events of the season.

 

Unseasonably warm fall temperatures and clear weather were a welcomed sight throughout the weekend at Martinsville, as NCWTS teams prepared for two practice sessions on Friday, to start the last short track event of 2014. During the first 50 minute session Newberry relayed to his Crew Chief Ryan McKinney (RMac), “We have great forward drive, but I am just too snug in the center and on exit”. RMac worked to free up the No.9 Chevrolet and elected to end the session early, to work on changes going into the afternoon’s final practice. After 50 total laps of practice and finding chassis adjustments that responded to what their driver needed, the No.9 Qore-24 team ended the final session 12th on the board with a fast lap of 19.961 seconds and a top speed of 94.86 MPH.

 

Saturday morning provide more clear skies and comfortable temperatures for NASCAR’s Knockout Qualifying, which always proves to be a challenging part of NASCAR competition. During the first 30 minute session, Newberry knew that his truck had a setup that was more partial to race trim then qualifying, and after seven laps, posted a lap of 19.992 securing him the 21st starting spot. Newberry and McKinney knew they would have their work cut out early on, but were confident they could make their way to the front during the race.

 

After taking pictures with Breast Cancer survivors, friends, and family, whose names were displayed on the quarter panels of his Pink No.9 Qore-24 Chevrolet, Brennan Newberry strapped in for 200 short-track laps and Ryan McKinney dawned his headset to direct the team to a top finish from atop the pit box. After only two laps of green flag racing, the day started out tough for Newberry and proved that the paper clip always has a trick up its sleeve. Getting help from a competitor behind him, Newberry was sent spinning through turns one and two and was forced to slide the tires to keep the truck off of the wall. Avoiding major damage and keeping his Chevrolet off of the barriers, Newberry reported to his crew “We’re okay here guys, I kept it off of the wall, we will just hold on until we can get tires”. Restarting at the rear of the field, Newberry began to pick his way forward and was listed in 25th by lap 29 when the field took the day’s 2nd caution.

 

Working through the halfway point of the race on lap 100, the yellow flag would make an appearance yet again and crew chief McKinney called for his driver to stay out and gain valuable track position to make a run up front. When the green was displayed yet again, Newberry and his team were inside the top-3 and looking for a long green flag run to get on the same sequence as the leaders. As cautions and collisions continued to cycle through the Kroger 200, Newberry would not see the consecutive laps needed in order to be back on the pit strategy toward the end of the event that they were hoping for and would be forced to pit and give up a spot inside the top-10, with only 41 laps to go. Restarting 20th, Newberry picked his way to 18th before the checkers were flown and a tough day was salvaged at the end proving that Newberry and McKinney are a formidable team that can overcome adversity. The next event for the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, is the WinStar World Casino and Resort 350k in the Lone Star State at Texas Motor Speedway on Halloween, Friday, October 31st. Brennan Newberry will continue his campaign to bring awareness for breast cancer, bringing his pink scheme over to the No. 20 Qore-24 Chevrolet Silverado.

 

NTS Motorsports PR