FINNEY PREPPED FOR LONG-AWAITED GRUNDY HOMECOMING

Topics:  Jake Finney

Matt Panure
Mid American Stock Car Series
May 10, 2010

FORT ATKINSON, Wis. (May 10, 2010) – Jake Finney has waited almost four years for his second crack at a Mid-American Stock Car Series event at Grundy County Speedway. Another ten days should feel like nothing to the 2006 MASCS rookie of the year.

Finney, who started his racing career at Grundy in 2005, will enter the Friday, May 21 running of Morris May-hem with four more years of experience and a heftier résumé than when he notched a 13th place finish on May 29, 2006.

“I’m pretty excited going back to my home track,” Finney said. “I grew up there, my dad raced there forever. I feel really good about it.”

By returning to Grundy County, Finney will have a rare home-track advantage over the other Mid-American touring drivers. He won’t be the only one, however, as Grundy boasts the strongest weekly count of Mid-American style cars.

The local competition will add some flavor to the event, Finney said. “It’s just like when you go anywhere else. They run tough, they have a lot of pride and they want to show they know how to get it done against the tour guys.”

If any MASCS regular would have a pulse on the Grundy competition, it would be Finney. Finney is the most recent transplant of the Grundy division to the traveling series.

Driving for Steve Phillips in 2005 Finney notched several top tens, feature wins and heat race wins on the way to the rookie of the year title in the division. He took his show on the road with Mid-American full-time in 2006.

After grabbing rookie of the year honors in 2006, Finney finally notched two wins in the 2008 season. Both wins came at Wisconsin International Raceway. Since the Red, White and Blue State Championships moved from Saturdays to Thursdays, Finney has been looking for a new victory lane to call home.

“Since the two wins at Kaukauna we’ve been on a bit of a down-spiral,” Finney said. He cited some bad finishes and struggles as the culprit for last season.

To find victory lane about an hour away from his hometown of Sycamore, Ill., would be very meaningful, he said.

“Over the winter we got our stuff together. We rebuilt the car from the ground up,” Finney recalled. “I think we’ve got it together this year.”

With a sixth place finish in the Spring Classic at Rockford, his best since his rookie season, Finney thinks he can keep the momentum alive and secure a top-five finish.

As for his prediction for everyone else, “I think you’re going to see a lot of old school, tough racing. A lot of bumping and grinding, a lot of door rubs. The locals are going to be tough.”

Finney and the Mid-American Stock Car Series regulars will take their chances in Morris May-hem scheduled for Friday, May 21 at Grundy County Speedway in Morris, Ill. Mid-American will join the Grundy County Speedway Friday night program. Qualifying is scheduled for 6:45 p.m. with racing slated to start at 8.

Grundy County Speedway is located at 8890 IL-47 just north of I-80 in Morris, Ill. For more information visit www.grundycountyspeedway.com

For more information about the Mid-American Stock Car Series, including the full 2010 schedule, results, standings and driver information visit www.midamericanracing.com.