I-37 Name Change Honors Late Chris Newsome

[tqj3]

Release: April 6, 2011

Contact: T. Q. Jones, (512) 261-5236

 

I-37 Raceway Name Change Honors Late Chris Newsome

 

Pleasanton – The late Chris Newsome of Manning Safety Services in Jourdanton and Dr. Joe Gonzales were good friends. In fact, Chris was one of the first to come on board as a track sponsor when Joe and Jackie Gonzales jumped feet first into something completely new to them, running a quarter-mile dirt track in partnership with Jim and Eric Knudtson.

 

Even after Chris died during the off season, his widow, Joanna, kept Manning involved with the track as a sponsor for the second season under the new ownership. But both Doctor Gonzales and Joanna were looking for a way to honor Chris and keep Manning involved with one of his favorite activities. That led to a multi-year deal between I-37 Raceway and Manning for title sponsorship at the renamed "I-37 Raceway at Newsome Motor Park."

 

"Some people saw the release announcing the renaming of the track to reflect the title sponsorship and interpreted it to mean the track had been sold," Gonzales said this week. "I got a lot of calls wanting to know if we had sold the track. and why. The answer is we have not sold the track and don't plan to sell it.

 

"The first three seasons as I-37 Raceway (instead of the old "I-37 Speedway") have seen continuing growth in both fans in the stands and car counts in the pits. So far, the 2011 season is on the same track and we think it will be our best yet."

 

I-37 Raceway at Newsome Motor Park has cancelled the April 9 race to avoid conflicting with the NASCAR race at Ft. Worth this weekend. (Many of the drivers and fans attend that race.)

 

The next race night at I-37 will be April 16, and on April 23 the track will open to the exciting Vintage Dirt Track Racing Association (VDTRA) motorcycles. There will be no cars racing on April 23, only flat track motorcycles. The cars will race again on April 30. Remember, the track is not just inexpensive entertainment, but is in easy driving distance of Pleasanton, Atascosa County and South San Antonio.

 

T. Q. Jones, Media Director, P. O. Box 341706, Austin, TX 78734

PH: (512) 261-5236 Email: tqjones13@earthlink. net