BOISE, Idaho -- John Newhouse of Twin Falls, Idaho has been racing since he could climb into a go kart. His racing passion has fueled his life and provided he and his family memories that will last a lifetime. One memory Newhouse looks forward to depositing in the bank is an ESI Rocky Mountain Challenge Series championship and that quest continues Saturday night where Newhouse is one of the favorites to win the Platt Electric "200" at Magic Valley Speedway located in Twin Falls.
Newhouse enters the event tied for third in the RMCS point standings with another local racing talent, Bobby Latham III. Newhouse sits just 61 points out of the lead held by Boise, Idaho's David Minegar, and he knows he can close the gap on Minegar with a solid performance in the race. With only three races left on the schedule, Newhouse house knows the time is now if he is going to make a run.
"We have made up a lot of points over the last three races," Newhouse said. "We always run good at Magic Valley and I know we have a car that can win the race; we just have to be smart."
Newhouse has started 12 RMCS races at Magic Valley Speedway where he has claimed two wins and seven top five performances including two top three finishes this year (one finish was a victory in the ESI "100" June 30.) Newhouse has also used his experience at MVS to close the gap in the point standings by earning the most points in those two races. He is banking on that same kind of success Saturday night.
"We have to qualify really well plain and simple," Newhouse said. "In this series if you qualify and race well then you are going to have a good night. With the three segments it is going to be interesting but really will play in our favor as the race wears on. The fans will certainly see a great race and I hope to put our car in victory lane at the end of the night."
In fourteen previous races at MVS there have been ten different winners. Newhouse has won twice and eyes a third prize for his mantel and that will go a long way to earning his first ESI Rocky Mountain Challenge Series championship trophy.
Note: Newhouse drives a Victory Circle Chassis powered by a Pontiac engine tuned by Kidd Performance. A Pontiac Five Star Racing Body skins the Sunwest Builders/Gerties Brick House Pizza sponsored car.
ESI Rocky Mountain Challenge Series
Platt Electric "200"
Magic Valley Speedway, Twin Falls, Idaho
Saturday, August 4, 2007
Driver Pre-Entry
Car#/Driver/Sponsor/Hometown
1 3 Bobby Latham Latham Motorsports/Auto Plus Twin Falls, Idaho
2 03 John Wong Champion Premium Onions/World Star Pkg Parma, Idaho
3 6 Matt Faulkner Simons & Associates/Slipshod Resto's Cedar Hills, Utah
4 08 Kellen Frey Desert Promotions/Speedy Clean Inc. Bountiful, Utah
5 9 David Minegar BodyBuilding.com/A-1 Heating/Lennox Boise, Idaho
6 09 Thane Alderman Wulfenstein Construction/Desert Promotions Las Vegas, Nevada
7 10 Nick Gibson Gibson Auto Body/Brown Racing/Dillon Auto Nampa, Idaho
8 12 Tom Hill ESI Construction Eagle, Idaho
9 16 Tyler Monroe R&R Harwood Floor/Track Utilities Star, Idaho
10 18 Chris Ratterree ESI construction Nampa, Idaho
11 19 Eddy McKean Magic Valley Pipe & Steel Jerome, Idaho
12 21 Rick Webster Purcell Tire Company/Ladybug Enterprises West Valley, Utah
13 22 Steve Pruett Surrogenesis USA/Faultline Plumbing Modesto, Calif.
14 23 Brad Ostler Wasatch Ornamental Iron/Johns Towing Pleasant Grove, Utah
15 26 John Newhouse Sunwest Builders/Gerties Brick House Pizza Twin Falls, Idaho
16 30 Nick Parker National Auto Brokers/American Auto Machine Kearns, Utah
17 32 Bryan Warf Dave's Quick Lube/Performance Signs Meridian, Idaho
18 34 Chris Schrade Schrade Motorsports/Auto Werks Pocatello, Idaho
19 36 Jeff Hillock J.H. Hillock Electric/Emissions Made Easy Cedar Hills, Utah
20 43 Quint Whitman Boise Vault & Precast Precut/Precision Pipe Nampa, Idaho
21 84 Zan Sharp NAPA Truck Center/Kaufman & Kaufman Ins. Wellsville, Utah
22 85 James Eaton NAPA Auto Parts/Preston Watts Paint West Jordan, Utah
23 92 Bruce Quale Kat Country Radio/Dish Network Twin Falls, Idaho
24 99 Craig Bell BodyBuilding.com/A-1 Heating/Lennox Kuna, Idaho
