Goodyear Wingfoot Award winner Newell: Phenomenal to join the superstars
Goodyear FIA European Truck Racing Championship ace John Newell said it was “phenomenal” to win the Goodyear Wingfoot Award having been nominated for the prestigious accolade for two events running.
The Chrome category star beat Antonio Albacete and René Reinert in the fan vote after he was selected by the jury following his back-to-back Chrome wins during the opening day of the Belgian Truck Grand Prix at Circuit Zolder last Saturday.
Despite a rare error dropping him out of the podium fight in Race 3, Newell bounced back in style by completing the Chrome podium and winning the Goodyear Wingfoot Award with 49 per cent of the public vote.
“It’s amazing,” British driver Newell said. “To be nominated for this prestigious award and win it, it’s a dream come true. I can’t thank the fans enough, we’re just going to keep moving forward and pushing hard.
“Everybody has seen me progress so to be nominated twice I’m really proud. It’s phenomenal [to win] because it’s a prestigious award a lot of superstars have had so it’s nice to be on the list.”
As well as his two wins at Circuit Zolder, Newell endeared himself to the fans for how he responded to his uncharacteristic setback in Race 3.
“I braked five metres too late and snapped it, it was my own fault,” Newell said. “They were tough conditions but if you concentrate 100 per cent there’s no excuse. But I missed the concentration part, and it was done.
“With a little more traction I could have made a couple more moves [in Race 4] but, all in all, a great weekend and I can’t complain.”
What is the Goodyear Wingfoot Award
Already presented in several major series, including the FIA World Endurance Championship, European Le Mans Series and the British Touring Car Championship, the Goodyear Wingfoot Award recognises driver performance and achievement in the Goodyear FIA ETRC.
At each of the seven Goodyear FIA ETRC events, a panel of experts from the Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA), the global governing body for motor sport and the federation for mobility organisations worldwide, and Goodyear will nominate three drivers following Race 3, based on their overall performance during the race weekend, their sporting behaviour and highlights on track. Fans will then be able to vote for their driver of the weekend via Instagram from the shortlist of candidates during Race 4.
The winner is announced as part of the live broadcast coverage of Race 4 and presented with the Goodyear Wingfoot Award on the final podium.
Norbert Kiss was the winner of the Goodyear Wingfoot Award at the Misano season opener with Sascha Lenz topping the public vote at the Slovakia Ring before Jochen Hahn was chosen for the special recognition at the Nürburgring in July ahead of his son Lukas Hahn winning at Autodrom Most last month.
Based on Goodyear’s iconic winged-foot logo, which is inspired by the Roman god Mercury, the Goodyear Wingfoot Award is designed to further engage fans throughout the season, while highlighting performances and moments that reflect the sporting values of the Goodyear FIA ETRC.
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