14-Year-Old Jake Griffin Combining JEGS/CRA All-Stars Tour Battles With UMP DIRTcar Modifieds Wars

Salem Speedway sandwiched in between UMP DIRTcar Modifieds National Events (Special from Jake Griffin Racing)

June 21, 2013

Quincy, Illinois (June 21, 2013) – There's no doubt that 14-year-old Jake Griffin likes to

keep himself busy as evidenced by his 2013 racing schedule. The Quincy, Illinois driver

is contending for the 2013 Howie Lettow Memorial Rookie of the Year title in the JEGS/

CRA All-Stars Tour Presented by Chevrolet Performance as well as racing his United

Midwestern Promoters (UMP) DIRTcar Modified on dirt tracks around the Midwest when

his pavement schedule allows.

The Summit Racing Equipment UMP DIRTcar Modified Nationals, who tour as a support

division to the UMP Summer Nationals Hell Tour for UMP Super Late Models, made a

mid-week appearance at Spoon River Speedway, located southwest of Peoria in Spoon

River, Illinois on a special Wednesday night, June 19th as 45 Modifieds jammed the pits

and although NASCAR veteran, Kenny Wallace was the winner of the UMP DIRTcar

Modifieds Feature, all the talk was about the impressive run by Griffin who would finish

fourth.

"I learned the real meaning of never give up when we ran Wednesday night," Griffin

started as he reflected on his run on the dirt. "It started off not so good when we went to

qualify my air cleaner fell off on the first lap, so that started us in last which was 11th in our heat race and finished 7th. So that would put us in the 10th starting spot for the 10 lap B-main where only top two cars transferred. He would still finish second and transfer into the Feature as he would start 18th.

"Just like the B-main I jumped up on the outside and was picking them off one by one and soon we were in 11th when the caution came out on lap 13.  Again when it went  green we were picking them off on the high side and with five to go we were in fourth and was running down the leaders when the caution came out again." He added.

On the final restart, Griffin again went to the outside lane and grabbed third and then into second right behind Wallace when the final caution flew setting up a Green-White-Checkered finish when; "I drove it into turn one and it was perfect until the very end of the corner, the cushion gave way and it sent me off the track. I stayed in it and we battled back to a fourth place finish. The boys did a heck of a job working on the car and making it extremely fast." Griffin remarked.

After his run on the dirt, Griffin and crew went back to pavement mode to get ready for this Saturday, June 22nd's Touchtone Energy 100 Presented by Focus Eyewear & JEGS.com at the historic 0.555 mile high-banked paved oval of Salem Speedway in Salem, Indiana for the fifth JEGS/CRA All-Stars Tour race of the season. Going into the race, Griffin stands second in the Lettow Memorial Rookie title chase and eighth overall in the points.

"This week going into Salem will be really different, we tested down there on Tuesday. Man that was crazy how you're so close to that wall, I’m not used to that on these asphalt tracks." The Prairie State teenager continued. "All of the bumps and patches on concrete make it all the more hard to drive. We picked up some good time, there's not really any times you can go off of because these type of cars haven't ran there in a while. It is for sure the fastest track, asphalt or dirt that I have ever been on, you're always up on the wheel and on the edge of your seat just trying to hold on." He stated.

"(Crew Chief) Scott (Neal) was really good at Salem back in the day in late models and ARCA cars, so he showed me the line to run and where to back out and where to get in it at." Griffin added. "I think we're going to run really good this weekend. We're going to have all of the parts to our team back and it should be a fun race." He said.

In his last JEGS/CRA race, the Berlin 100 Presented by Boyne Machine Company & JEGS.com at Berlin Raceway in Marne, Michigan on June 14th, he qualified 18th in the 32-car field and after starting on the outside of the ninth row, he broke into the top 10 to score a ninth place finish. "My car was really good off the corners so I could pass really easy. I just saved tires too long, I waited until 15 laps to go and I passed three cars within those 15 laps." Griffin added.

"But it was a pretty good points weekend. Moved up a couple spots, lost the rookie points lead but that’s no big deal because its only three points." He stated. "Berlin was definitely a tricky track, it took me a while to figure it out but once I did it was pretty fun. Just the fact of running on the apron off of turn four was something that you won’t experience at a lot of other tracks. I’m still learning about that qualifying stuff, I’m not the best on those new tires. But it seems every time I do it I learn a little more." He ended.

For the remainder of the 2013 racing season, Griffin’s fleet of machines, whether it’s the JEGS/CRA car or the ARCA/CRA Super Series Powered by JEGS entry and even the UMP DIRTcar Modified will carry the #08 and sponsorship decals from Central Metals Recycling, as well as McPikes Pawn Shop, McGunegill Engine Performance, Powdercoat Plus, Green Smart Builders, Microtel Inns and Suites, Big Muddy Towing and Recovery and M.P.H. Promotions

For more information about Jake Griffin and Jake Griffin Racing’s entire 2013 racing schedule and to also inquire about additional sponsorship opportunities for the rest of the 2013 racing season, log on to the team website at: www.jakegriffin.net and don’t forget to follow Jake Griffin Racing on Facebook at: www.facebook.com/jake.griffinracing and also on Twitter at: www.twitter.com/jakegriffin08