After Spending Time On Dirt, 14-Year-Old Jake Griffin Ready To Resume JEGS/CRA Rookie Points Battle
2013 Howie Lettow Memorial Rookie of the Year Title Contender Heading to Another New Track (Special from Jake Griffin Racing)
August 8, 2013
Quincy, Illinois (August 8, 2013) – After a race that he'd rather forget at Lucas Oil
Raceway in Clermont, Indiana for the Night of the Stars 100 Presented by JEGS.com
back on July 26th for the JEGS/CRA All-Stars Tour Presented by Chevrolet Performance,
14-year-old Jake Griffin went back to his dirt roots and competed with his United
Midwestern Promoters (UMP) DIRTcar Modified for a few shows.
After spending time pitching his dirt car sideways, Griffin is now ready to climb back
behind the wheel of his Template Bodied / Crate Engine Late Model this Saturday, August
10th at Auto City Speedway, a uniquely shaped 7/16s (0.437) mile semi-banked paved
oval located north of Flint in Clio, Michigan for the running of the Silver Bullet 100
Presented by Coors Light & JEGS.com.
Griffin and his team are looking to put what happened in the last pavement race behind
him, although he can take a lot of what was learned and apply those towards the Auto
City event. "LOR was a really good experience for me, that was definitely the biggest
track I have been on, and I got to have one of my good friends, Kenny Wallace as a
teammate. " The Quincy, Illinois teenager reflected. "Kenny and I run against each other
in the dirt world a lot so it was pretty weird seeing him on the clean side of racing."
"I learned the track real quick with (Crew Chief) Scott (Neal0 telling me the lines to run and then Kenny helping me out with another drivers perspective," He continued. "So it was mostly just getting more comfortable to the car and running the lines that I wanted to run with no problem." In both Practice sessions, Griffin was second quick and he qualified a career high third fastest out of 29 cars and when Fast Qualifier, Mike Bursley drew the minimum of a three for an inversion, Griffin would start the 100-lap main from P1 next to Chad Finley on the front row.
" On the start of the race it was a lot of patience, and just riding in 3rd and not having pressure from behind I started moving around the track trying to find a better line. About lap 45 my steering started to get twitchy and my brakes weren't working at all," The Prairie State teenager explained. "Luckily the caution came out so it gave me a chance to get a better feeling for what was going on. On the restart the car jerked left on me and I backed out because I knew if I didn’t I was going to wreck. So we came in and surveyed the car trying to find out what was wrong. "
As it turns out, the Right Front Wheel Bearing exploded and the left front one came loose, which unfortunately ended Griffin's night. "All in all it was a good time and I learned a lot from it and are looking forward to going back later in the year, maybe even with the super also." He added. "I especially have to thank all of my crew guys for working their butts off for me like they do each and every week, and all of my sponsors because it wouldn’t be possible without them." He ended.
Heading to Auto City, Griffin is second in the chase for the 2013 Howie Lettow Memorial Rookie of the Year title in JEGS/CRA as he sits 22 markers back of fellow freshman Corey Deuser. In addition, Griffin is also an impressive sixth place overall in the season long points chase, only 10 points out of the coveted top five. So far in eight JEGS/CRA events, Griffin has one top five finish, which was a podium showing of third at Salem Speedway in Salem, Indiana back on June 22nd. He also has three top 10 finishes as well.
For the remainder of the 2013 racing season, Griffin’s fleet of machines, whether it’s the JEGS/CRA car, the ARCA/CRA entry or the UMP DIRTcar Modified will carry the #08 and sponsorship decals from Sun Drop Soda as well as Phantom Racing Gear, Central Metals Recycling, 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 remaining 2013 racing schedule and to also inquire about additional sponsorship opportunities for the rest of the 2013 campaign, log on to the teams' website at: www.jakegriffin.net You can also follow Jake Griffin Racing on Facebook by going to: www.facebook.com/jake.griffinracing and on Twitter at: www.twitter.com/jakegriffin08
