Newhouse Brings Broncos to K&N Pro West
Boise St. Frosh Teams with Thompson Motorsports for Move Up
TWIN FALLS, Idaho — Soon-to-be 18-year-old Hannah Newhouse has become a familiar name across the world of stock car racing. Newhouse’s name has grown since her record-breaking late model debut in 2012, where she became the youngest female to win a NASCAR Whelen All-American Series Division I race. That growth has shown into her most recent season when she was invited to the 2014 NASCAR Drive for Diversity Combine for the third year in a row. Newhouse has conquered and accomplished many hurdles en route to the top ranks of NASCAR.
The 2015 season will prove to be an exciting one for this teenage driver as she plans to compete full time for Thompson Motorsports in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series West. Thompson Motorsports are seasoned veterans in the K&N Pro Series as driver and soon-to-be teammate Brett Thompson has been racing in the series for quite some time.
“I am really excited to be working with Thompsons again this year,” said Newhouse. “We have been successful in the past and I know there is success in the future as they take me on for the full West schedule.”
Newhouse also has a well-established history with Thompson Motorsports having competed for them since 2012 when she was signed to run full-time in the NASCAR Whelen All American Series. That season the Newhouse and Thompson Motorsports nearly won the Championship and Rookie of the Year Honors. That same year, Newhouse made her debut in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series West when she competed at a race in Albuquerque, N.M., and broke the record for highest finish for a female in NASCAR K&N West when she finished sixth.
“There will be a lot of new tracks I will be competing at such as Iowa for the East & West Combine event,” saidNewhouse. “There is a lot of pressure to do well this year and at these races and I have no doubt that my team and I are going to be successful all while having an amazing time.”
In the 2013 season, Newhouse ran full-time in the Rocky Mountain Challenge series (RMCS) in the No. 61 RTTI Super Late model and also full-time in the ASA Pro Trucks. Newhouse finished fourth and earned Rookie of the Year honors in the RMCS while finishing second in the ASA Pro Truck championship .
Last year, Newhouse had plans to run full-time in the Spear’s SRL Southwest Tour but her aspirations were quickly cut short when she was involved in an accident at the second event of the year at Kern County Raceway. This resulted in Newhouse having surgery to repair torn ligaments and bones. Newhouse was then casted until August and approved to race in September. Newhouse made her comeback by running the NASCAR K&N West season finale at Phoenix International Raceway in the No. 36 Boise State University Chevrolet for Thompson Motorsports. With ten laps remaining Newhouse cut a tire that required a green-flag pit stop and resulted in her finising 23rd.
Not only will Newhouse be debuting in her rookie season of the NASCAR K&N Pro Series, but so is her primary sponsor Boise State University. Late in the 2014 season, Boise State annouced its partnership with Newhouse, providing a scholarship in return for sporting the school’s colors and logos.
Newhouse said, “It is such an honor getting to represent Boise State on and off the track. I grew up watching everything Boise State and now I get to take that piece of home with me everywhere I go.”
Newhouse debuted her No. 46 Boise State Super Late model last fall at the final Rocky Mountain Challenge Series race at Rocky Mountain Raceway. This year Boise State will be sported on Newhouse’s car all across the Western United States.
“This is a wonderful opportunity for both Boise State University and Hannah,” Kevin Satterlee, Vice President for Campus Operations and General Counsel, said in a school statement. “Boise State will have a great representative traveling the West and exposing racing fans to our university, all while affording Hannah the opportunity to get a great college education.”
Currently, Newhouse is a freshman at Boise State University where she is pursuing a degree in Marketing and Public Relations.
On the side, Newhouse plans to compete in the Rocky Mountain Challenge Series and Meridian Big 5 Series in her No. 46 Boise State Super Latemodel when scheduling permits. Races such as the Montana 200 and Summer Showdown are also tentative on Newhouse’s racing schedule.
Hannah Newhouse has made a pair of started in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series West and looks to run the full season in 2015. Getty Images for NASCAR