As Brennan Newberry arrived at Columbus Motor Speedway on a rainy Saturday morning for his first career start at the venue, he soon recognized the level of the challenge placed before him and the Qore-24 Antimicrobial Hand Purifier No.24 Chevrolet Impala team. The track, a .333-mile bullring, is a true test of driver and equipment that has produced some of the K&N Pro Series East most exciting finishes during its short history with the series. Throughout a day that challenged every aspect of the NTS Motorsports crew, they continued to battle and came home strong at the end of the night. Teams would get their first chance to test their equipment during two early morning practice sessions but as the scheduled start of the first round drew near, the skies opened and Mother Nature altered the schedule.
As drivers and teams watched the skies, their first chance to get on track and check out the tough Buckeye bullring was washed away. They would have to wait an additional hour until they would see the green flag. At 2:00PM EST Brennan Newberry lined up and prepared himself for his first laps at Columbus. After his first few laps Newberry relayed into crew chief John Monsam that he was searching for grip all around the track and needed additional forward bite trying to tackled a worn and rough racing surface. After running all the laps that the time limit would allow, Brennan began finding his groove and acclimated himself to the tracks preferred line. Running more laps than most of his fellow competitors came at a cost for the experience, he was not able to make a mock qualifying run and was on much older tires than the rest of the field. At the end of the day’s sole practice session, Brennan was 21st with a lap time of 14.913. The added experience would prove a worthy investment after qualifying.
Newberry would be the first to take time and would set that bar as the clouds were still threatening with rain as competitors continued to watch the skies. On his second lap around Brennan knew that he and his team had made the right changes and was able to drive much harder into the corner and get back on the gas sooner for a fast lap. Brennan posted a time of 14.484 which would hold for a starting spot inside the top 10 in 8th.
After the traditional autographs, interviews, and introductions, Brennan strapped into his No.24 Chevrolet and prepared for 150 laps, or 49.99 miles, in what looks to almost be a continuous circle. The race would take patience, poise, but above all else perseverance to come home not only in once piece but with a strong finish as well. As the green was displayed, Newberry was on the outside after starting in 8th and slid back before being able to get inside to the preferred line. Newberry was racing just outside the top 10 and was looking to make his way through the field when the first caution came out on lap 28.
When the field went back to green flag conditions, Newberry was hooked up in 11th place with teammate Gray Gaulding who was running in 9th. As the drivers hit their marks Newberry held on to his position and was saving his equipment and tires to have something to fight with at the end of the night. When the caution was displayed once again on lap 42 Newberry reported that he was happy with his car and it was doing everything he needed it to getting through the corners. On the restart Newberry was still knocking on the door of the top ten as the race moved closer to the halfway point. Then on lap 106, Newberry and his team were given an additional obstacle to overcome. Racing hard to keep the competition behind him, Brennan was spun by the car behind him and lost a lap to the leaders.
When the race restarted on lap 109 Newbery was the first car one lap down and had cars running on the same lap behind him. He would have to keep them in his rearview if he wanted to get back on the same circuit as the leaders and get the coveted “lucky-dog”. After a quick green flag run a large pileup happened just in front of the No.24 driver and he managed to bring his Chevrolet through the carnage in one piece after quick evasive action. As the yellow was displayed, Brennan was named the car to get back on the lead lap and would have a chance to race for position with only 31 laps remaining and running in 13th position.
Throughout the final laps of the event, Newberry picked his way through competitors and carnage and kept the front of the field in his sights. With only 10 trips past the start-finish line remaining, Brennan had worked his way inside the top 10 for the final restart of the evening. When the checkered flag was displayed, Newberry and his team were awarded for their hard work with a 9th place finish and gained momentum going into their next event. The K&N Pro Series will make its 2nd trip of the year to Iowa Speedway for an event that will again combine both the East and West divisions of competition for a coveted national win on August 1st.
Brennan Newberry’s Post-Race Thoughts: “I was happy to put a good run together this weekend at Columbus Motor Speedway. My NTS Motorsports Qore-24 team worked incredibly hard during practice to give me the best car for the race. We were excited to start and finish inside the top 10 at the end of the night. With only five races left in the 2014 season I want to get my team and my sponsor a win. We are going to battle hard until the end and bring home a trophy to Kernersville, North Carolina.”
John Monsam’s Post-Race Thoughts: “For Brennan, the NTS Motorsports No.24 team, and I it was an eventful first trip to Columbus. I’m so proud of our organization. With a rain shortened practice session, the pressure was on. Going into qualifying without making a mock run, we let Brennan do his thing. His pickup of nearly half a second from practice was spectacular. When the night was over our top 10 finish was a great example of what teamwork and perseverance can accomplish. The Qore-24 team is back on track rolling into our next race in Iowa.”
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