Dylan Newsome on track to clinch first Late Model championship

One of Late Model Stock Car racing’s rising stars, Dylan Newsome, sits on the cusp of his first Late Model championship at one of America’s most unique short tracks.

24-year-old Dylan Newsome leads the championship standings at Goodyear All American Speedway, formerly called Coastal Plains Raceway, heading into the track’s penultimate Late Model race on Saturday night.  The road to the track championship, which he will clinch on September 17 with a good run on Saturday, has been paved with consistency versus wins.

“It’s exciting to be leading the points at the moment,” Newsome said.  “It proves that being consistent on the track provides results.  Winning the championship would mean a lot.  We work hard to bring a fast car to the track each week and seeing that work transfer into podium finishes is exciting to say the least.”

Newsome has finished on the podium in every race of the 2022 season, and that success has not been limited to just Goodyear All American Speedway.  The Goldsboro driver also leads the points at Carteret County Speedway.

When he began racing in a four-cylinder car at Southern National Motorsports Park in 2017, success was almost instantaneous.  He picked up wins at the Wilson County track, Ace Speedway, Carteret County, and a handful of other tracks before eventually moving up to V8 classes.

“I never had the opportunity to race go-karts or anything like that when I was younger, nor was I in any kind of racing environment,” Newsome stated.  “To have multiple wins and championships in each of the classes we’ve ran, it’s a great feeling to know that I’m able to compete with these guys that have done it for so much longer than me.”

Newsome’s unconventional career path began with a love for classic cars and muscle cars and hearing stories from his father, championship racer Jack Newsome.  The elder Newsome won championships in four-cylinder and V8 classes at the now-defunct speedways in Wilson County and Wayne County.

“I’ve always loved old cars, and when I was in high school, I tried to keep myself surrounded with hot rods,” Newsome remarked.  “I always imagined motorsports was never really an option.  I had no background in it.  But I know my dad had a history of it in the past and would occasionally bring it up during conversation.  It always sparked my curiosity, and now that I’m involved in it, it’s where I belong.”

Along with his natural talent, Newsome has raced with a quality team behind him led by legendary car owner and crew chief Wendell Davis.  He has also been able to lean on championship driver Brandon Clements as he continues to progress as a driver – a progression that could culminate with a championship in September.

“Wendell Davis and Brandon Clements have truly taught me more about the car than I could’ve ever imagined,” Newsome explained.  “I’m constantly learning new things while we work on these cars and being hands on with it has helped me understand what changes to make on the car throughout the day to stay fast and stay consistent.”

While Newsome enjoys a comfortable 34-point advantage, which amounts to more than a full race, his goal is still to win races.  To do that, he will have to outrun Rusty Daniels, winner of the last three consecutive Late Model races at Goodyear All American Speedway.

“Championships mean a lot to me, but I’d personally rather be in victory lane week in and week out like Rusty,” Newsome commented.  “We get better each time we show up and have slowly been working our way toward having a race car that has more than just a chance to win when it comes to the shop.  As satisfying as it would be to outrun him, I want to do it the right way.”

A pair of strong finishes in Saturday’s Late Model doubleheader could potentially put Newsome in position to mathematically clinch the championship by simply starting the final regular season race on Saturday, September 17 – a race which will be a double points finale for every division.

Goodyear All American Speedway’s race will take place on Saturday night and will be broadcast live on Racing America.

Dylan Newsome on track during a Late Model race at Goodyear All American Speedway in July 2022. (Nicholas Wetherbee photo)