After all, having nurtured an obsession with motorsport for most of his 45 years on earth, Newsham was never likely to mark his greatest moment in racing with a nice cup of tea and a quiet drive back home. At a stage of his life when most of his contemporaries would be heading for the golf range, the Inverness businessman had decided to rekindle his driving ambitions – and this was his reward.
Lest anyone should think that Newsham picked up an easy win in some old crocks' class, it ought to be stressed that his victory at Snetterton was in the British Touring Car Championship, the nation's most prestigious and fiercely-contested saloon car series. Granted, he took the chequered flag in the meeting's third race, where a reversed grid favours back markers, but in a five-year-old Vauxhall Vectra it was still a stunning achievement to see off rivals from factory-funded teams.
"It was absolutely incredible," said Newsham, whose win lifted him to ninth in the BTCC season's standings. "Normally you see spectators drifting away during the third race, but they all stayed and I got a great reception at the finish. It was quite overwhelming to be honest. The roar when I got on the podium was amazing."
Not half as amazing as the reception he would get if he managed to repeat that result at Knockhill next weekend. Knockhill is celebrating its 20th anniversary as a BTCC venue, and Scottish drivers, even those who might have been born in Wales and raised in England before making their way north, always enjoy massive support from their home crowd at the Fife circuit.
As a schoolboy, Newsham dabbled in grass-track motorcycle racing and semi-professional speedway, but the combination of teenage hormones and a need to get out and earn a living drew him away from motorsport. However, a visit to Knockhill as a hospitality guest in 1995 had him pining for the petrol fumes again, and he was soon back on the track taking part in karting events.
A flourishing business – he is managing director of Norscott Vending – allowed him to make his first foray into car racing four years ago.
"In 2008 I did a one-off Renault Clio Cup race and got on the podium," he said. "That made me think I should do a year of it and see how I got on. I finished fifth, and even won a race, although it was all new to me."
The following year, 2010, Newsham had another tilt at the one-make Clio series, taking 15 pole positions and 12 race wins on his way to taking the title. More significantly, it also gave him an insight into BTCC racing – the Clio Cup was part of the support card – and convinced him he could make the step up. Nothing that has happened since has persuaded him he was wrong in that view.
"When I was a guest at Knockhill all those years ago I never thought I would end up racing against those guys," said Newsham. "I've been watching them on TV for years, so to be competing with them is awesome. But after the first meeting they just became the guys I raced against and was trying to beat. You quickly get used to it.
"Just being out there, racing these guys, has told me they're not doing anything different or anything better than what I do. The difference is that they have the finances and the equipment behind them."
Curiously enough, touring car racing has always seemed to reward drivers with maturity and experience. Newsham is well-equipped with the former, and catching up quickly as far as the latter is concerned and he sees no reason why he cannot go further yet.
"I think I'm a bit old for Formula One, but there's still plenty of life left to have a fairly long career in touring cars. I want to be doing this again next year, and if I get the right car I could win the championship.
"I want to be in a competitive NGTC car [the top class of touring car], be capable of winning races and then try to win the championship. I've had my rookie years and they've come together very nicely but next year I want to push for the title if I can get a competitive drive."
