“The older you get, the more opportunities you have to see things come full circle.” Ryan Newman said these words ahead of his Modified Tour start in Martinsville last year. They show just how determined the former NASCAR racer is to keep shining in his senior years. Newman already owns 18 Cup Series victories across 700 starts in the NASCAR Cup Series. Now, he is prepared to venture into Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s battleground.
The 2025 schedule for the zMAX CARS Tour is well underway, but the next stop will be a little special. Dale Jr.’s series will now head to Orange County Speedway, a track famous since the 1970s. Legends like Ray Hendrick, Kent Fogleman, and Eddie Royster have frequented it. Now, another legend is on the cards to make his debut.
Ryan Newman is setting off on a new adventure
Well, the Indiana native has embarked on many quests already. Ryan Newman fetched the 2008 Daytona 500 trophy in the wildest manner, overcoming a stacked field including veterans like Tony Stewart and Dale Jr to clinch the win. Then his 2020 Daytona crash was a horrible misadventure, wherein Newman’s car was turned upside down and later T-boned. For the ‘Rocket Man’s latest plans, however, Newman comes prepared. After retiring from NASCAR in 2021, Newman has competed full-time in the SMART Modified Tour. What is more, he went to Victory Lane at Orange County already this year, winning the SMART Modified race on April 5th. So, only excitement awaits the veteran.
Dale Earnhardt Jr tapped the timeless talent of Ryan Newman for the upcoming CARS Tour race at Orange County. Newman will pilot the No. 7 for Matt Piercy Racing in Saturday’s 125-lap Late Model Stock Car feature. In an X post, CARS Tour rolled out the amazing news: “Did you hear there’s a 𝑵𝑬𝑾 face on the block this weekend? @RyanJNewman will make his zMAX CARS Tour Late Model Stock debut in the @mattpiercyracin #7 If you can’t make it out to @OCS_Track, you can catch all of the action LIVE on @FloRacing this Saturday night!” Dale Jr reshared this post and dropped a one-word reaction, enough to display his unbridled enthusiasm: “Newman!”
Did you hear there’s a 𝑵𝑬𝑾 face on the block this weekend? @RyanJNewman will make his zMAX CARS Tour Late Model Stock debut in the @mattpiercyracin #7
If you can’t make it out to @OCS_Track, you can catch all of the action LIVE on @FloRacing this Saturday night!
— CARS Tour (@CARSTour) April 22, 2025
Having worked and competed together on NASCAR racetracks several times, Ryan Newman and Dale Jr’s latest collaboration makes sense. The two shared some funny moments, like when Dale Jr forgot his carry-on for a flight to Michigan in 2014 – Newman himself. Dale Jr posted on X, “Left @RyanJNewman at the airport. Forgot he was riding with us. Imma pay for this one.” Besides such hilarious mishaps, the two bonded over a terrifying accident. Newman survived his 2020 Daytona crash just due to the SAFER barrier, HANS device, and other safety precautions. If it had been two decades earlier, he would not have been alive, just as Dale Earnhardt Sr, Dale Jr’s father, did not survive the 2001 Daytona crash.
Ryan Newman and Dale Jr are bonding again on the racetrack. What is more, Newman has high chances of dazzling Junior’s series, as he already holds a victory at Orange County. However, another NASCAR driver will run this event, and he has a wealth of experience at the track.
Strapping up against the best
Well, Ryan Newman may be excited for another opportunity “to come full circle.” However, the veteran driver may need to buckle up a bit tightly to face a solid rival. Having clinched three top tens this season, Layne Riggs currently sits at 5th in the Craftsman Truck Series championship standings. Aside from his NASCAR resume, Riggs holds a CARS Tour reputation as well. Eight years ago, Layne Riggs reinforced his status as one of the best young prospects in the southeast. In 2017, he led all the way from start to finish in the first of two CARS LMSC Tour events at Orange County Speedway. Now returning to a car fielded by Tom Usry Racing, he hopes to repeat his glory at the Folsom Fence Supply 250.
The path to his goal is already smooth, as Layne Riggs has a familial bond with the track. Riggs’s father, Scott, honed his craft there before progressing into NASCAR. When it was time for Layne to start racing, Scott passed down valuable information to his son. Riggs Jr said, “The track is five minutes from my house. It’s always good to be in front of your hometown fans and go back to your roots. It keeps me grounded and I think it’s something everyone should do.” Riggs then outlined his goals: “I hope we qualify on the pole and lead every lap in the race. That’s a lot easier said than done, but I think this is going to be a game of track position, and it’ll be a little difficult to pass.”
Evidently, Ryan Newman will have solid competition on his latest endeavor. Let us wait and see how the action unfolds at Orange County Speedway this weekend.
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