For the primary time in almost 30 years subsequent month, will host a factors race within the Cup Sequence on the historic North Wilkesboro Speedway. The race weekend shall be a mark of the game returning to its roots.
Previous the top-level Cup Sequence race that weekend shall be a Truck Sequence race on July 18, which can function a comeback for one of many sport’s biggest drivers.
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Former Daytona 500 winner will get behind the wheel of the No. 25 Ram for Kaulig Racing, marking the primary time he’s competed in a NASCAR occasion since 2023.
The No. 25 Ram Truck has rotated by a solid of all-star drivers this season. Tony Stewart piloted it at Daytona, Travis Pastrana hopped in at Charlotte, Clint Bowyer drove it at Dover and Jamie McMurray steered it at Naval Base Coronado final weekend. Parker Kligerman, Carson Ferguson, Corey LaJoie, Ty Dillon and AJ Allmendinger have additionally pushed the truck this season, with Allmendinger notching a finest end of sixth place at Watkins Glen.
“I’m actually excited to get again behind the wheel at North Wilkesboro and to be a part of Ram’s Free Agent Program,” Newman stated in a press release. “It’s particular returning to a model I had a lot success with early in my profession, and racing at Wilkesboro is all the time cool.”
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March 8: Ryan Blaney celebrates profitable the Straight Speak Wi-fi 500 at Phoenix Raceway.
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March 8: Ryan Blaney celebrates profitable the Straight Speak Wi-fi 500 at Phoenix Raceway.
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Feb. 15: Tyler Reddick celebrates together with his household and crew after profitable the 68th operating of the Daytona 500 at Daytona Worldwide Speedway.
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Again when Dodge Ram was a producer within the Cup Sequence, Newman had a number of the finest seasons of his profession behind the wheel of their machines from 2003 to 2008 with Penske. He gained eight races within the No. 12 Dodge in 2003, a season by which he was named Driver of the Yr. He additionally notched his 2008 Daytona 500 victory in a Dodge.
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From 2001 to 2012 throughout Dodge’s trendy period run in NASCAR’s Cup Sequence, no driver had extra wins of the producer than Newman’s 12. Dad or mum firm Chrysler spilt model into Dodge and Ram in 2009, with the latter specializing in heavy obligation vans.
Newman would depart Penske after the 2008 season and end the remainder of his profession in Chevrolets and Fords with Stewart-Hass, Richard Childress Racing and Roush. In all, the Rocket Man gained 18 races within the top-level Cup Sequence, securing a second crown jewel victory on the 2013 Brickyard 400. He additionally gained the All-Star race in 2002, and in 2023 was named one among NASCAR’s 75 biggest drivers.
Within the Truck Sequence, Newman has had quite a lot of success in restricted probabilities. In seven Truck Sequence races he ran in from 2008 to 2018, he completed within the top-five six occasions — together with a 2008 win at Atlanta. Newman additionally notched seven wins within the second-tier O’Reilly Auto Elements Sequence.
He’s one among 5 drivers to win at the very least thrice at New Hampshire, becoming a member of Kevin Harvick, Jeff Burton, Kyle Busch and Denny Hamlin. New Hampshire was one of many speedways that inherited North Wilkesboro’s dates when NASCAR left the observe within the hills of North Carolina within the Nineteen Nineties. Newman has solely raced there within the Whelan Modified and SMART Modified excursions, profitable a race there in 2022.
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Many followers who keep in mind Newman’s profession will consider his horrific crash on the ultimate lap of the 2020 Daytona 500, the place his automotive went airborne after hitting the skin wall’s SAFER barrier nostril first, then tumbled by the air a second time after getting hit by Corey LaJoie. His automotive burst into flames and slid roof-down by the end line. It took 16 minutes to extract an unconscious Newman from the automotive earlier than he was transported to a close-by hospital. Two days later, he walked out the hospital unaided, holding his daughters’ arms. It was a reminder of how harmful the game may be, but additionally of the security improvements that NASCAR had made within the a long time following Dale Earnhardt’s loss of life in 2001 on the similar observe.
Via its partnership with Kaulig within the Truck Sequence, Ram is again in NASCAR after a 13-year hiatus.
FS1 will carry the dwell broadcast of the Truck Sequence race at North Wilkesboro at 1:30 p.m. ET on July 18.
