Jake Finch Travels Cross Country
Bakersfield, CA – Jake Finch will make one of the longest treks of any team entered thus far in the “All-Star Showdown 200” when he heads from Lynn Haven, FL to Irwindale Speedway for the 3rd Annual event on February 5th. The team will travel 2,200 miles to the $25,000-to-win event in the 16-year-olds first trip to California. Finch is the son of former NASCAR Cup Series and Xfinity Series team owner James Finch, who owned Phoenix Racing until 2013. Finch is coming off a difficult season in 2021, but one in which he closed the season on the upswing.
Finch completed the 2020 Pro Late Model season at the “Allen Turner Snowflake 100” at 5 Flags Speedway, with an impressive runner-up finish behind Jake Johnson, beating Jarrett Butcher, Derek Thorn and Matt Craig. He started his association with the Campi Racing Team just two events prior, scoring a victory and a runner-up finish in their Pro Late Model.
He moved to the Super Late Models in 2021, racing for his families Phoenix Construction Team. But it took some time to get accustomed to the more powerful machines and he was met with a plethora of bad luck. He came on strong in the later portions of the season scoring a win at New Smyrna Speedway, in the David Rogers Super Late Models, to go along with a third in the “Governor’s Cup”. In the “53rd Annual Snowball Derby”, he was able to work his way into the starting field, ultimately finishing 18th at 5 Flags Speedway.
Finch will now make his way to California for the first time. Irwindale Speedway will be a new experience for the 16-year-old, but he is hoping to get the track figured out on Thursday and Friday’s practice sessions for the season opener for the Spears Srl Southwest Tour Series.
“I am very grateful for the opportunity to head west and race for the first time at Irwindale”, Finch explained. “It’s a pretty unique track, so it will be a good challenge to get it figured out, but I know we’ll have a great racecar, and we’ll make the very best of it!”
In addition to a new facility, Finch will compete against a surplus of new competitors. He hopes to learn from some of the experienced drivers in the SRL field such as Derek Thorn, Jeremy Doss and Preston Peltier. It is an experience he looks forward to next weekend.
“It’s always fun when I get to race alongside guys that have been winning races longer than I’ve been alive”, Finch admitted. “I’ll definitely be going to school on them to see how they get around Irwindale, and try to learn as much as I can and see what me and my Phoenix Racing Team can do out west!!”
Jake will bring his families familiar #51 Super Late Model looking for a strong finish at Irwindale. The teenage driver is thankful for his opportunity behind the wheel in Southern California.
“I’m very grateful for the whole crew with Phoenix Construction and all the Phoenix Racing guys; Johnny Allen, Gus, Eddie Mercer and all the other people who are involved in this operation and deal with me and put in the hard work to help me progress through the ranks.”
The “All-Star Showdown 200” will take place on February 5th at Irwindale Speedway. It will kick off the 22nd season for the SPEARS SRL Southwest Tour and the second for the SPEARS Pro Late Models presented by Sigma Performance Services. The Spears Modified Series will take part in their second event of the season, after Jaron Giannini won the opener at Havasu 95 Speedway. The Super Late Models will race for $25,000-to-win. The Pro Late Models will compete for $10,000-to-win and the SPEARS Modified Series will shoot for $5,000. Admission Gates open at 3:00PM, Opening Ceremonies are scheduled for 4:30PM with racing at 5:00PM.
Celebrating its twenty-second season in 2022, the SPEARS Southwest Tour Series is a regional stock car series competing on paved ovals in the southwestern portion of the U.S. “The SPEARS Southwest Tour Series…Where the Champions Race”.
PC: Phoenix Racing
