Ashley Newman, age 25, currently resides in Ripley, Tennessee with his wife Natalie of 5 years and his two daughters, Mady age 4 and Taylor age 2. His mom and dad, Brenda and Paul Wayne, are a big help and his biggest fans. Ashley has been racing mini stocks since he was 12 years old.  When he was 15, he started racing the modifieds at the Memphis Motorsports Speedway.  He continued this type of racing for 9 seasons of which 7 of those seasons he also drove a mini stock.

Ashley currently drives the 17jr in the mini stock class, the 73 in super street, and this year, he will be in a modified, # F70.  He's really going to have his hands full. Chris and Mona King are the owners of the modified that Ashley will be driving this year.  Ashley uses the number 73 because of  father’s insistence.  When asked why, Paul stated “The Lord created the world and on the seventh day he rested, and it was on the third day that Jesus arose from the grave.”  Thus the 73.  The F70 is the number his grandfather and father ran when they raced.  As for the 17jr, it’s just a number that Ashley put on the car.

High Performance Racing Engines of Brighton, TN owned by Joey Rhea and The Muffler Shop of Ripley, a business that Ashley has owned for 1-½ years, are his sponsors. The Newman Racing Team is in need of another good sponsor.

When Ashley was asked about his favorite drivers, he stated that his favorite dirt track driver is Rex Berry and his favorite Nascar driver is Mark Martin. 

Ashley would like to further his racing career in a late model, but like most drivers, the finances hold him back.  But hopefully,  some night at the track,  the right person will be watching him and approach him with the opportunity to further his career.

His biggest influence in racing is his dad and granddad.  They pretty much set him on the track of what he wanted to do. The Newman's have been in racing for over 30 years. And thanks to Mark, Ashley's older brother, he always had a ride to the track. So, racing was in his blood and his dad is the influence to keep him going today.

His biggest career highlight is when he sees the children at the track really getting into the racing and how they look up to their favorite driver. To quote Ashley " Racing is really not fun anymore, it's more like work but the children are what gives him the highlights to go on."

His scariest moment was at a race at Garner Town. At the time, he was driving a modified.  He was trying to avoid a wreck, he spun, and was tagged right where his feet are in the car. The other car’s bumper came inside Ashley's car and it turned the headers into the firewall, took out his clutch and brake pedal, and bent his roll cage over against the steering wheel. The alcohol in the headers caught on fire.  Now remember, the header is in the car with Ashley.  You can safely say he got very warm and was scared.

Ashley would like to thank Chris and Mona King for their support and the help they have given him. And thanks to Richard Grey, Joey Rhea, Danny and Sandra Holland for their help and support. And to Jennifer for helping to tape him on the track, for without her,  he would not be able to see what happens, and also she is the best recorder he could find. Thanks to his wife Natalie for putting up with the pressures of all this for he knows it has been hard. And to the fans who come out to cheer for their favorite driver because if it weren’t for them, they would not be there. And most of all, a special thanks to his mom and dad for their support and for being his biggest fans.

Ashley also adds this comment “He likes racing because it is a family activity.”  His mom and dad were glad to see him get into the racing business because at least they knew where he was every weekend. He likes racing because it keeps the family involved together and it is what makes it all worth while.

He would also like to send out a thank you to Jo and Bob Hutchinson for whom he has never met but always looked for in the stands at Milan. He thanks you for your continued support and for cheering him on. He hopes to meet both of you this season and he is looking forward to doing so.

A Personal Note...

November 3, 2001 last race at Bargerton Speedway, Ashley gave his winning trophy to a little boy in the stands. One of the officials went up to Ashley and told him there was a little boy that was upset because another driver had given his trophy to a little boy in the stands and he wanted one too. So, Ashley gave his trophy to this little boy.  After the race was over, Ashley went over and took the little boy and put him in his car along with the trophy and they had pictures taken. Ashley also signed a hat and T-shirt for him. To Ashley, this was special to him because he knew he made that little boy go home with a smile on his face and a night he will never forget. To quote Ashley " That was actually better than winning the race."

                Some bonus questions. 

1.        What tape/CD is in your vehicle now?  Dixie Chicks

2.        What is your favorite movie? Days of Thunder

3.        Who did you idolize growing up?  His father, Paul Newman

4.        Who is the best driver you have raced against?  Rex Berry

5.        Any lucky charms or superstitions?  No Green, peanuts or the number 13.  Never enter your car on the right side and never wish anyone to wreck because it will happen to you!