15-year-old Jake Griffin Set to Make Debut at Historic Hickory Motor Speedway
2014 JEGS/CRA All-Stars Tour Title Contender looking for extra seat time down south (Special from Jake Griffin Racing)
April 16, 2014
Quincy, Illinois (April 16, 2014) – The 2014 racing season is here for 15-year-old Jake
Griffin. After spending time in Florida during Speedweeks, the Quincy, Illinois driver is
eager to get back behind the wheel after some time off from competing. He'll get that
chance in two different racecars over the weekend of April 19-20th on both the pavement
and then dirt.
In preparation for a run at the JEGS/CRA All-Stars Tour Presented by Chevrolet
Performance, Griffin will team up with Five 4 Motorsports and 2013 Southern Super Series
Champion, Daniel Hemric, who also won the first two PASS races of 2014, and compete
in the PASS Late Model Series event, the Easter Bunny 150 on Saturday, April 19th at
the historic Hickory Motor Speedway (NC).
"I was just blown away by the opportunity offered to me by Daniel (Hemric). When I got
the phone call I almost thought that I was dreaming." Remarked the Prairie State
teenager. "We've gotten to know each other over the past year or so, and I'm really
honored that he wants to see me behind the wheel of one his cars. To get to compete at the legendary Hickory Motor Speedway is just the icing on the cake." He added.
In Griffin's last appearance(s) on pavement, which came during the 48th annual World Series of Asphalt Stock Car Racing. He finished 11th in the Super Late Models World Series points standings at the fast 1/2 (0.500) mile high-banked paved oval of New Smyrna Speedway. He scored two top 10 finishes with a Speedweeks high showing of a seventh on Night #2. If that schedule wasn't busy enough, he also competed on the dirt in his United Midwestern Promoters (UMP) DIRTcar Modified at near-by Volusia Speedway Park (FL) where he collected two more top 10 finishes.
After the Hickory event, Griffin will make the long trek back closer to home where his UMP DIRTcar Modified will be waiting at Quincy Raceway (IL) on Sunday, April 20th as his division will be running in support of the Sunoco American Late Model Series event at his home track.
After the Hickory/Quincy weekend, plans call for Griffin to compete for the 2014 championship in the JEGS/CRA All-Stars Tour Presented by Chevrolet Performance as well as in select events within the ARCA/CRA Super Series Powered by JEGS. Both cars will be fielded by Kevin Crider Motorsports with Crider calling the shots on top of the pit box as the Crew Chief. In addition, tentative plans call for Griffin to race in a couple of NASCAR K&N Pro Series events and when his pavement schedule allows, Griffin will wheel his UMP DIRTcar Modified in as many events as possible.
During the 2013 season, Griffin became the youngest driver in NASCAR Whelen All-American Series history to win a Feature when he won at Lebanon I-44 Speedway (MO) back on August 17th as a 14-year-old. He then added another milestone when He became the youngest driver in Fairgrounds Speedway Nashville's (TN) long and storied history to win a Pole when the still 14-year-old teenager out-qualified the 27-car field in the Pro Late Models portion of the 29th Running of the All-American 400 in the Music City back on November 1st.
His main focus was the JEGS/CRA All-Stars Tour while also competing on a limited basis with the ARCA/CRA Super Series as well as at Lebanon I-44 Speedway (MO). The majority of Griffin's starts in 2013 however were on the dirt in his United Midwestern Promoters (UMP) DIRTcar Modified as well as select appearances in his UMP DIRTcar Super Late Model. Overall in 2013, Griffin made a whopping 80 starts between dirt and pavement during the year.
In JEGS/CRA All-Stars Tour competition, he finished third in the Howie Lettow Memorial Rookie of the Year title chase while also collecting a seventh place finish overall in the final points. In 13 total JEGS/CRA events, Griffin picked up two top five finishes with a season high podium showing of third at Salem Speedway (IN) back on June 22nd. He also grabbed a fourth place effort at Springport Motor Speedway (MI) on September 14th to go with his seven top 10 showings.
Also in three appearances within the ARCA/CRA Super Series, Griffin collected two top 10 finishes with a season high of an eighth at Memphis International Raceway (TN) back on October 26th. He also scored an impressive 10th place finish at the legendary 1/2 mile high-banks of Winchester Speedway (IN) during the tracks prestigious World Stock Car Festival traditionally held over the Labor Day Holiday Weekend.
For the rest of the 2014 racing season, Griffin’s fleet of racecars for the new season, a JEGS/CRA All-Stars Tour car and an ARCA/CRA Super Series entry on Port City Racecars chassis as well as a UMP DIRTcar Modified, a Bob Pierce Racecars chassis, will all carry the #08 and sponsorship decals from Sun Drop Citrus Soda. In addition P.A.D.D. (People Against Distracted Driving), Phantom Racing Gear, Central Metals Recycling, McPikes Pawn Shop, McGunegill Engine Performance, Powdercoat Plus, Green Smart Builders, Microtel Inns and Suites, Big Muddy Towing & Recovery, TNT Action Sports, MSRMafia.com Marketing Services and M.P.H. Promotions will all have decals on the cars as well.
For more information about Jake Griffin Racing and to also inquire about additional sponsorship opportunities for the remainder of the 2014 racing season, 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
