Brennan Newberry and the #24 Qore-24 Hand Purifier Chevrolet Impala team left New Smyrna with the determination to gain whatever advantage available while on track, and to never stop digging until the checkered flag flies. That determination was tested and proven at Daytona International Speedway’s UNOH Battle at the Beach.
The day started off with two 60 minute practice sessions on the impermanent short track located on the backstretch of the colossal Daytona International Speedway. Teams and drivers would have their first chance to test out the new configuration for the second running of the event. Early in the first practice session Newberry reported a vibration after a spin in turn 2, and was forced to return to the garage area for further inspection. Upon a closer look, the Qore-24 team discovered a broken gear and immediately removed the rear tires for a transmission change. With every man in a team shirt turning wrenches and filling oil pans, Newberry was able to return to the track for the final few minutes of the session. After spending much of the time in the time in the garage area, Newberry and the team made gains and sat 23rd with a best lap of 19.133.
With the second practice quickly approaching, John Monsam and Newberry formulated a blueprint that would pay high dividends once the second and final 60 minutes of practice began. Immediately out of the gate, the #24 rose to eighth fastest on the speed charts with a lap time of 19.150. With a few more setup modifications, Newberry reported to his Crew Chief that the car was, “almost exactly where we need it” and posted a final lap of 18.645 and taking home the 11th fastest time of the final run-through.
After New Smyrna, Monsam was quoted saying, “We need to work on our qualifying effort and give Brennan a car that comes in much quicker”. With the fastest first lap of anyone throughout the day, Newberry showed that two days had been plenty of time to work on qualifying and posted a time of 18.813. A time that would stand to place the #24 car fifth on the starting grid for the main event, starting directly behind teammate Gray Gaulding.
When the green flag was shown, spotter Tim Fidewa directed Newberry around traffic and through a battle for the lead that would land the #24 inside the top-three just a few laps into the event. Then, on lap 11, with contact from behind from a competitor, Newberry found himself facing the wrong direction and watching the track position fade away.After the green was displayed for the first restart of many for the evening, Newberry was 26th on the chart but still maintained the lead lap and was passing cars. Still maintaining very competitive speeds and lap times, the #24 spun a second time and the car began to overheat. This forced the team to bring the car to the attention of the crew to remove tape and cool the engine down. John Monsam brought his driver back out just before the restart on lap 45 of 150, seven laps behind the leaders in 26th position.
This is when the true test of the team’s determination and willingness to fight ensued. After making a few adjustments under the previous caution, Newberry was able to pass lead lap cars with ease and make up a position into 25th by lap 88. Newberry remained positive on the radio and showed his true ability as a leader keeping his team focused and driven as the Qore-24 team raced hard to gain back as many positions as possible.
Finding different grooves and making sure that every lap was ran as hard as possible, Brennan Newberry made his way to a finishing position of 22nd. A true testament to the NTS Motorsports crew was their unwavering optimism and a “don’t go softly” attitude until the very end. An attitude that will prove invaluable when the team rolls into Phoenix for their first K&N Pro Series West event.
Start: 5th/Finish: 22ndDriver’s Points Standing: 17th (-43)
Post-Race Thoughts from Brennan Newberry:
“The Battle at the Beach stood true to its word. It was a battle for the Qore-24 team and myself all night. My crew chief, John Monsam, stuck with it and made great adjustments that carried me to a valiant finish. We all learned lessons that will help catapult our Chevrolet Impala to better finishes throughout the 2014 season!”
Post-Race Thoughts from Crew Chief John Monsam:
“We came away from Daytona disappointed in our finish but happy with the fact that we improved every run on the racetrack. After breaking a rear gear in practice we regrouped and had a tremendous run the second time out. Brennan adapted to the track very quickly and we were so pleased with our qualifying effort. After what happened early in the race, it was nice to see Brennan dry different lines and do different things to learn as much as possible. It was not the position we wanted to be in, but we made the best of it. I was pleased with the effort of the Qore-24 team, no one got down after early mechanical problems. They did a tremendous job all week! Now we look very forward to Phoenix”.
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