Jake Finch Bio
James David “Jake” Finch Jr. is an American professional stock car racing driver born on June 16, 2005, in Lynn Haven, Florida. He last competed part-time in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, driving the No. 17 Chevrolet Camaro SS for Hendrick Motorsports, and he has also run part-time in the ARCA Menards Series for Venturini Motorsports and the ARCA Menards Series East. A young driver with deep family ties to the sport, Finch has built his early career around stock car racing’s developmental ladder.
Early Life and Background
Jake Finch was raised in Lynn Haven, Florida, a community in the Florida panhandle with a strong tradition of grassroots motorsports. His father, James Finch, is the owner of Phoenix Racing, a former NASCAR Cup Series team, and also runs Phoenix Construction, an airport construction company. Growing up in a household connected to professional racing gave Finch early exposure to the sport.
Before turning his full attention to racing, Finch was an active baseball player for his local school. He attended A. Crawford Mosley High School, where he balanced athletics with the early stages of his driving career, and he graduated in the class of 2023. That blend of team sports and family racing heritage shaped his path toward stock cars.
Path to NASCAR
Finch began racing go-karts at a young age, learning the basics of car control and race craft well before he reached national touring series. In 2020, he stepped into late model competition, driving three races for Anthony Campi Racing. He won his first start after dominating the race and leading the most laps, then finished second in each of his next two starts, an early signal of his pace.
Phoenix Racing, the family team that had been sold in 2013, reopened its doors and ran Finch in several late model events during 2021. He entered the SRL Southwest Tour with that same team in 2022, posting finishes of 22nd and 23rd in his opening two starts. Those regional miles helped prepare him for his NASCAR-sanctioned debut in the ARCA Menards Series and the ARCA Menards Series East.
Jake Finch Career
Early Career (2020–2021)
Finch’s early career was built around late model racing and family team connections. After his three-race 2020 slate with Anthony Campi Racing produced a debut win and two runner-up finishes, Phoenix Racing fielded him in additional late model events during 2021. The program gave him seat time in heavier, higher-horsepower cars and reestablished the Phoenix Racing banner in competitive racing.
Through 2021, Finch balanced regional competition with the responsibilities of being a student-athlete. The combination of structured team racing at Phoenix Racing and his late model development laid the groundwork for his first NASCAR-sanctioned appearances the following season.
ARCA Menards Series Breakthrough (2022–2025)
On March 15, 2022, Phoenix Racing announced that Finch would make his ARCA Menards Series East debut at Five Flags Speedway in the team’s No. 1 car, marking the first NASCAR-sanctioned race for Phoenix Racing since 2013. He later signed with Venturini Motorsports for one East race at Dover and one ARCA Menards Series start at Pocono. Finch finished sixth in the East Series standings despite running a partial schedule, and he added two top-ten ARCA Menards Series West finishes with Phoenix Racing.
In 2023, Finch split a partial schedule between Venturini Motorsports and Phoenix Racing across the main ARCA series and the East Series. At Dover in the East Series, he held off Landen Lewis in a side-by-side battle on the final restart to earn his first career ARCA Menards Series East win, dominating the event with a race-high 89 laps led.
In 2024, Finch returned to Venturini on a partial schedule. After leading the most laps at Daytona International Speedway before a late multi-car crash, he led every lap at Talladega Superspeedway to win his first career ARCA Menards Series race. The Talladega win was the first in series history where a driver led every lap to win. He continued with Venturini in 2025 and, in January 2026, was announced as the driver for Nitro Motorsports at Daytona and Talladega.
Hendrick Motorsports Era (2025)
On April 16, 2025, Dale Earnhardt Jr. revealed on The Dale Jr. Download that Finch would make his NASCAR Xfinity Series debut during the season, driving the No. 17 for Hendrick Motorsports. The team confirmed later that his debut would come at Dover, putting Finch in one of the premier Xfinity Series rides in the garage.
In 2025, Finch also continued his ARCA program with Venturini Motorsports in the No. 25 Toyota Camry, while balancing his new Xfinity Series duties. On March 25, 2026, it was announced that Finch would drive the No. 9 for JR Motorsports in five races, expanding his national series schedule. The pairing with two of NASCAR’s most respected teams signaled his growing role as a developing prospect.
Driving Style and Strengths
Finch has shown particular strength on superspeedways and intermediate tracks, where track position and clean air matter most. His Talladega performance, leading every lap to win, highlighted his ability to manage a draft and control the front of the field. His Dover win in the ARCA East Series showed short-track race craft, including a strong restart battle to hold off a late challenge.
Notable Races and Milestones
His signature results include the 2024 General Tire 200 at Talladega, where he led every lap for his first ARCA Menards Series victory, and the 2023 General Tire 125 at Dover, his first ARCA East win. His 2025 NASCAR Xfinity Series debut with Hendrick Motorsports marked his arrival on one of NASCAR’s top national platforms.
Jake Finch Career Wins
Jake Finch has recorded at least one win in both the ARCA Menards Series and the ARCA Menards Series East, along with strong top-ten runs across multiple ARCA divisions. His victories came in stock car series that serve as key developmental steps toward NASCAR’s national tours.
ARCA Menards Series Highlights
Finch’s first ARCA Menards Series win came at Talladega Superspeedway in 2024, when he led every lap of the General Tire 200. The performance marked the first time in series history that a driver led every lap to win the race, an unusual feat at the superspeedway.
Other Wins and Performances
In the ARCA Menards Series East, Finch earned his first win at Dover in 2023, leading a race-high 89 laps and winning a side-by-side battle on the final restart. Across the ARCA Menards Series West, he has posted six top-ten finishes without a win, while also running a partial ARCA national slate that produced 14 top-ten results and one pole position.
| Series | Wins | Top Tens | Poles |
|---|---|---|---|
| ARCA Menards Series | 1 | 14 | 1 |
| ARCA Menards Series East | 1 | 13 | 1 |
| ARCA Menards Series West | 0 | 6 | 0 |
Jake Finch Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Finch comes from a family with deep motorsports roots. His father, James Finch, owns Phoenix Racing, the former NASCAR Cup Series team that was sold to Harry Scott Jr. in 2013 and later reopened. His father also runs Phoenix Construction, an airport construction company based in the same region where Jake grew up.
Personal Life
Before focusing on racing, Jake was an active baseball player at his local school. He attended A. Crawford Mosley High School in Lynn Haven, Florida, and graduated with the class of 2023 while continuing to develop as a stock car driver. He remains based in Florida, where much of his early racing took place.
2025 Season Performance
The 2025 season marked Jake Finch’s transition from a regional ARCA prospect to a part-time national series driver. He continued his ARCA Menards Series program with Venturini Motorsports in the No. 25 Toyota Camry while preparing for his NASCAR Xfinity Series debut with Hendrick Motorsports in the No. 17 Chevrolet. He was originally scheduled to compete at Michigan International Speedway in ARCA but withdrew due to illness and was replaced by Corey Heim.
His Xfinity debut, confirmed by Hendrick Motorsports, was scheduled for Dover, giving him his first laps in NASCAR’s second-tier national series. Across his ARCA efforts, Finch built on his 2024 Talladega win and continued to log top-ten finishes, reinforcing his reputation as a superspeedaway specialist. His combined schedule positioned him within the broader Hendrick Motorsports development pipeline.
Looking ahead, Finch’s 2026 plans include driving the No. 9 for JR Motorsports in five Xfinity Series races, in addition to his ARCA program with Nitro Motorsports at Daytona and Talladega. The expanded calendar signals momentum toward a fuller national series role in the seasons to come.
