It's Ryan Newman to the rescue in the No. 8 truck at Kansas

Sprint Cup veteran Ryan Newman hopes to continue his top-five streak when he climbs behind the No. 8 SWM-NEMCO Motorsports Chevy Silverado at Kansas Speedway this weekend.

With support from Rescue Ranch, Newman, 37, hopes to help the team recover following a transmission failure at Martinsville Speedway last month. The No. 8 SWM-NEMCO team fell from seventh to 20th in the Camping World Truck Series point standings when John Hunter Nemechek retired after 173 circuits and finished 29th. 

“I look forward to returning to the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series,” Newman said. “I saw this as an opportunity to help a fellow Chevrolet team, and John Hunter Nemechek, a driver that I believe has a future in NASCAR.”

John Hunter will take over driving duties full-time in the No. 8 Chevy when he turns 18 on June 11. Nemechek has one top five, six top 10s and 13 truck starts.

Newman won in his first Camping World Truck Series start — at Atlanta Motor Speedway in 2008. Since then, he’s earned one pole (Bristol 2009) and four top-five finishes with an average finish of . He finished third in his last start - in the Inaugural Midsummer Classic at Eldora Speedway.  

“As part of the Chevrolet family, we welcome Ryan Newman into SWM-NEMCO Motorsports to drive our No. 8 Chevrolet Silverado,” team co-owner and driver Joe Nemechek said. “Ryan has won in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series before, and will be able to provide valuable feedback for our team.” 

SWM-NEMCO Motorsports crew chief Gere Kennon will be atop the pit box for Newman at Kansas Speedway.