LOUDON, N.H. (Sept. 1, 2011) -NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour regulars beware, Ryan “Rocketman” Newman will once again tackle New Hampshire Motor Speedway for the New Hampshire 100 on Saturday, Sept. 24.
Newman will make his third modified start of the 2011 season and his seventh career start at “The Magic Mile.” This time it will be behind the wheel of the No. 77 (not his usual No.7) Aggressive Hydraulics/ Menards Chevrolet led by crew chief Steve Lindstrum.
The South Bend, Ind., native crossed the finish line first in the F.W. Webb 100 at NHMS in July. NASCAR then penalized and disqualified the No. 7 team after post-race inspection found rule violations. Mike LaRochelle, crew chief for the No.7 and car owner Kevin Manion were also suspended from any NASCAR regional touring series until Dec. 31, 2011.
“New Hampshire has been on my mind since we won and lost the last race,” said Newman. “The trophy wasn’t just taken away from Bono and the guys; it was taken away from everyone who puts sponsorship money into the team. There was no way I wasn’t coming back here in a modified. I would say winning Bristol solidified things – we don’t need to cheat to win.”
Newman will also try and capture back-to-back Granite State victories in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. In July, he and team owner Tony Stewart made history by both starting and finishing first and second, a feat that had not been accomplished by teammates since the 1989 Daytona 500.
The driver of the No. 39 U.S. Army Chevrolet boasts five wins at “The Magic Mile,” including a modified sweep in 2010 and three Sprint Cup checkered flags.
“I like racing at New Hampshire and would love to have a weekend like I had in July in both the modified and the Cup car. The modified cars run so fast on the straightaways, which makes my job fun. You have to keep on your toes in a modified because they obviously aren’t as protected as the Cup cars. It’s definitely an exciting 100 laps,” he added.
The NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour’s New Hampshire 100 will be part of the NHMS triple header Saturday. The action-packed day includes the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series F.W. Webb 175 and the American-Canadian Tour Invitational. The first green flag drops at 12:45 p.m.
Tickets for the SYLVANIA 300 on Sunday, Sept. 25, the second race in the chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup, can be purchased by calling “The Magic Mile” ticket hotline at (603) 783-4931 or by visiting www.nhms.com.