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Jake returned to familiar territory on Sunday night as he took part in a Weekly Racing Series Event at his home track, Quincy Raceway (Quincy, Illinois). Jake started his night by blasting from the sixth starting spot to win his heat race, which locked him into the seventh starting spot for the main event. Just like in his heat race Griffin quickly worked his way through the field in the feature as he raced to a second place finish behind race winner, Steven DeLonjay. Full results from the event are available at www.QuincyRaceways.com.
As a result Jake departed Michigan early on Sunday as they headed back home to race their #08 Bob Pierce Open Wheel Modified at Quincy Raceway (Quincy, Illinois) in a Weekly Racing Series Event. Eighteen entries were on hand for the event, and Griffin started his night by finishing third in his heat race to lock into the eleventh starting spot for the UMP Open Wheel Modified feature. During the course of the feature he passed six cars to finish in the fifth position behind race winner, Steven DeLonjay, Michael Long, Shawn Deering, and Robbie Reed. Full results from the event are available at www.QuincyRaceways.com.
Thirteen entries were on hand for the program, and unfortunately Griffin encountered problems in his heat race, which left him starting at the tail of the feature. Predominantly one-groove, track conditions greeted the competitors for the feature, and as a result Jake would only be able to advance two spots to an eleventh place finish. Full results from the event are available at www.QuincyRaceways.com. April 14th, 2013 - After more than a month away from the track Jake Griffin returned to action over the weekend in his The weekend opened on Saturday night at Federated Auto Parts Raceway at I-55 (Pevely, Missouri) as forty-two entries registered for battle in the $2,000-to-win event. Jake qualified ninth fastest in his group and went on to finish seventh in his heat race. With the top four finishers moving onto the feature he was relegated to a b-main. There was some miscommunication on which b-main he was supposed to run, and as a result he arrived late to staging and was forced to relinquish his fifth starting spot. After starting on the tail of the field Griffin failed to reach a transfer spot to the main event, which ended his night early. Full results from the event are available at www.I55Raceway.com.
Jake ran second to Stephen Wallace for the first twenty laps of the event before slipping back to the third position. He ran in the third spot for the majority of the event until lap 79, when he lost the brakes on his entry. In an effort to not crash himself or someone else Griffing retired to a 19th place finish in the final order. Jake would like to thank all of his great crew members and sponsors for their hard work and support during the busy two weeks of action on dirt and pavement. Full results from the event are available at www.NewSmyrnaSpeedway.org. February 22nd, 2013 - Jake Griffin Racing competed in another Super Bowl of Racing event at New Smyrna Speedway (New Smyrna, Florida) on Friday evening in his #08 Super Late Model. Thirty-two Super Late Models entered the event, and Jake raced around mid-pack for the duration of the event before registering a seventeenth place finish. Full results from the event are available at www.NewSmyrnaSpeedway.org. February 21st, 2013 - It was back to business on Thursday night for Jake at New Smyrna Speedway (New Smyrna, Florida) for another round of the Super Bowl of Racing in his #08 Jake Griffin Racing Super Late Model. He started the night by qualifying tenth fastest to earn the tenth starting spot in the twenty-seven car field. The team missed the setup for the feature, and as a result Jake battled the setup for much of the event. While running twelfth with three laps to go Griffin decided to pit under caution. He rejoined the tail of the field and would go on to advance to a sixteenth starting spot. Full results from the event are available at www.NewSmyrnaSpeedway.org. Missed on the setup last night, started 10th, went back to 12th with 3 laps to go. Under caution we figured we had nothing to loose because there was only like 5 cars behind us so we came into pit and made some adjustments to see how the car would react. Finished 17th I think
February 15th, 2013 - After seeing Wednesday and Thursday night's UNOH DIRTCar Nationals events at Volusia Speedway Park (Barberville, Florida)
On Sunday the team was eager to take a shot at recording a pair of solid performances, but as it would go they would just have to chalk the afternoon's events to learning experiences. In the Pro Crate Late Model event Jake worked his way up to eighth early in the event before being collected in a wreck, which sent him to the tail of the field. During the remainder of the event he was unluckily collected in a couple of additional melees that relegated him to a 21st place finish. The Super Late Model division found him starting nineteenth on the grid, but a lap 20 wreck sent him backwards to the 24th spot. After the lap 100 halfway break Griffin exited the pits in the eighth position on the heels of a good pit strategy. Unfortunately contact from behind soon sent him spinning back to the twenty-fourth spot again. Over the next several laps Jake worked methodically through the field into the top five. However, with just thirty laps remaining the alternator malfunctioned forcing Griffin to retire from the event to a 21st place finish. Despite the disappointing ending to both features the team had a great time, and Jake gained a great deal of experience at a track that he had never seen before. Jake turned some of the fastest laps throughout the course of the weekend in the Super Late Model division including the fourth practice session, where he turned the fastest lap, and then recorded the third fastest laps overall on the weekend. In addition late in the Super Late Model feature Jake registered the fastest times for seven circuits in a row before his alternator issues sidelined him. He now looks forward to the busy slate of Speedweeks events in Florida. December 27th, 2012 - The Events section has been updated with several of the races that the team plans to enter in 2013. More dates will be added in the coming weeks.
In the Super Late Model division, an extremely talented field of thirty entries took to the speedway. Due to Jake's limited amount of seat time in the car, the team decided to stay in race trim for the duration of practice, and as a result he never practiced on fresh tires, but rather ones with 75 laps on them. Despite being at a disadvantage with only experience on older tires and having to battle tight conditions due to fresh tires, Jake still registered the twenty-second fastest time in qualifications to earn the twenty-second starting spot for the 200 lap race, which marked the longest event of his young career and his 150th start of the 2012 campaign. Early in the feature he raced his way to as high as the twelfth position. At the mandatory lap 100 break Griffin set in the sixteenth position. Unfortunately Jake was collected in a five car incident in lap 19 of the second segment, which ended his night in the 18th position. Overall it was a great weekend for Jake and the team, and he is excited to run more pavement events in the near future as he continues to get more seat time. For full results from the 47th Annual Governor's Cup please visit www.NewSmyrnaSpeedway.org.
The final United Midwester Promoters (UMP) standings for the 2012 season have been released for all divisions, and Jake finished in the top 50 in both the UMP Open Wheel Modified and UMP Super Late Model divisions. He was the only driver to accomplish this feat. Even more exciting for Jake is that sponsorship has come into place, which will allow him to take part in the 47th Annual Governor's Cup at New Smyrna Speedway (New Smyrna, Florida) on November 15th-17th. He will go into war in both the PRO Late Model and Super Late Model divisions. "I couldn't be more excited to be competing in the Governor's Cup at New Smyrna. I have to thank Fierge Auto Parts, McPike's Pawn Shop, and Advanced Racing Components for making this possible. Without all of their support there is no way that I would be able to tackle this event. Hopefully I can make some big noise down there," notes Griffin. For more information on the 47th Annual Governor's Cup please visit www.NewSmyrnaSpeedway.org. October 6th, 2012 - Jake wrapped up his 2012 season over the weekend in the Simmons Promotions Liberty 100 at West Liberty Speedway (West Liberty, Iowa). The event marked the first time that Jake ever competed at the big 1/2 mile oval, and he would record a pair of strong finishes. In the Open Wheel Modified division he raced his way into the main event via preliminary action before recording a fifth place finish behind race winner, Bruce Hanford, Dean Mahlstedt, Brad Dierks, and Johnny Spaw. In the Super Late Model division he also qualified for the finale, and went on to finish in the seventh position at the checkered flag. Full results from the event are available at www.SimmonsPromotionsInc.com. The event marked the final event of 2012 for Jake Griffin Racing, and the team would like to thank all of their great sponsors, crew members, and fans for their incredible support. Without each and everyone of them, this season would have not been possible. The team now turns its attention to an even bigger and better 2013 campaign!
On Sunday night Jake entered the final Weekly Racing Series Event of the season at Quincy Raceway
In the UMP Open Wheel Modified division twenty-two competitors registered for battle, and after finishing second in his heat race he started ninth in the main event. He would advance seven spots through the field in the main event to finish second to race winner, Steven Delonjay. Full results for both divisions are available at www.QuincyRaceways.com. September 22nd, 2012 - The final night of the triple header at Tri City Speedway (Pontoon Beach, Illinois) was contested on Saturday evening at the 3/8 mile oval. In the $3,000-to-win, UMP Open Wheel Modified division with sixty-one drivers in action Griffin's night would start on a high note as he qualified second fastest in his group to earn the second starting spot for his heat race. Unfortunately, mechanical woes in the heat race forced him to retire to the pits. His heat race struggles pinned him starting deep in a c-main, and that's where his night would come to an end. Full results are available at www.TriCitySpeedway.net.
The UMP Open Wheel Modified division saw eighty-three drivers in action battling for the $3,000 winner's check. Heat race action relegated Jake to a c-main, which he won to earn a starting spot on the tail of a b-main. He would pass a few cars in the b-main but failed to reach a transfer spot to the main event as his night came to an early end. Full results are available at www.TriCitySpeedway.net. September 20th, 2012 - Jake opened a three night stand at Tri City Speedway (Pontoon Beach, Illinois) with his In the UMP Super Late Model division twenty-five competitors registered for action Jake locked into the seventeenth starting spot for the feature after finishing sixth in his heat race he started seventeenth in the feature event. He would go on to march forward six spots in the main event to register an eleventh place finish. Full results are available at www.TriCitySpeedway.net.
The weekend opened on Friday night at Tri City Speedway (Pontoon Beach, Illinois) with a Weekly Racing Series Event for the UMP Super Late Model and UMP Open Wheel Modified division. In the UMP Super Late Model division seventeen entries registered for action, and it would not be the best of outings for Jake as he was only able to manage a sixteenth place finish after battling handling issues. In the UMP Open Wheel Modified division thirty-eight entries registered for action, and after finishing third in his heat race he locked into the ninth starting spot for the feature. He would battle in the top ten for the duration of the event before crossing the finish line in the tenth position. Full results are available at www.TriCitySpeedway.net. On Saturday the team traveled to the Show Me state for another Weekly Racing Series
In the UMP Super Late Model division Jake started tenth before crossing the finish line in the thirteenth position. Full results for both divisions are available at www.QuincyRaceways.com. September 11th, 2012 - Plans change quickly in the motorsports world, and Jake Griffin Racing is no exception to the rule. After originally planning to compete in the ASA Midwest event at Iowa Speedway (Newton, Iowa) this Friday night, the team has changed plans as they look to make a late-season surge in the UMP point standings. As a result, the team will now be competing in the UMP Super Late Model and UMP Open Wheel Modified division at Tri City Speedway (Pontoon Beach, Illinois) on Friday night instead.
Sunday evening was a big night for Jake as he finally shook the season-long monkey off his back in a Weekly Racing Series Event at Quincy Raceway (Quincy, Illinois). In the UMP Open Wheel Modified division, twenty-five competitors registered for battle, and Jake started his night by winning his heat race to lock into the ninth starting spot for the feature event. He would claw his way forward five spots in the main event on his way to a fourth place finish behind race winner, Robbie Reed, Steven Delonjay, and Matt Dotson. Full results for both divisions are available at www.QuincyRaceways.com. September 5th, 2012 - 13-year-old, Jake Griffin has achieved another first in his young career as he has been cleared by the American Speed Association (ASA) Midwest Tour Super Late Models and Iowa Speedway to compete at the tour's event at the facility on Friday, September 14th. By entering the event he will make history as the youngest driver to compete with the series and at the 7/8 mile oval. "We received word on Wednesday that we had been approved by the series and the track to enter the ASA Midwest event at the track in a couple of weeks. This is really exciting for me, because it represents another obstacle that we've overcome in this sport. There are a lot of great drivers entered into this event, and my goal is to just make the race," noted the enthusiastic Griffin. Forty-one competitors have already filed entries for the event, and most ASA Midwest events start thirty cars or less so just making the show will be a challenge against a field of competitors that includes NASCAR Nationwide competitors as well NASCAR Camping World Truck Series racers. The team's main goal is to qualify for the feature and get track experience. Jake made his debut on asphalt earlier this year at Hawkeye Downs Speedway (Cedar Rapids, Iowa), where he competed in both the Late Model and Open Wheel Modified division on a weekly basis. Throughout the year he registered several strong runs as well as multiple wins at the paved oval. This success led to Griffin getting approval to race in the upcoming ASA event at Iowa Speedway. "I can't thank ASA and Iowa Speedway enough for approving me to compete in the Iowa 50. I'm ready to put everything I have into showing everybody that I can compete on the ASA level," concluded Jake. The team will shake down their entry this Saturday at Hawkeye Downs Speedway with a practice session. In addition to the practice session the team plans a busy weekend with their UMP Late Model and UMP Modified with action that will begin on Friday night at Tri City Speedway (Pontoon Beach, Illinois) before moving onto Montgomery Motorsports Park (New Florence, Missouri) on Saturday and concluding on Sunday evening at Quincy Raceway (Quincy, Illinois). |
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