Reid Scott/Liberty Racing Review:
The “bump and run” is a maneuver often found divisive in short track racing. While some say it’s too agressive, others will argue that it is the perfect example of a gritty short track move, showcasing what makes the discipline as exciting as it is.
Either way, it’s what worked for Jake Finch at Montgomery Motor Speedway on Saturday night. Finch made the last lap maneuver on Augie Grill in turns 1 and 2 to take home his first victory of the Show Me The Money Pro Late Model Series season.
“I started having brakes fade there at the end. I guess we had a leak,” Finch told Liberty Racing Review. “Went off into 1 and gave [Grill] a little nudge and luckily got underneath him. I think he gave me a bit back there in 3 and 4.”
Despite setting the fast time in Pro Late Model qualifying with a 19.358, Finch had to start fifth due to the redraw. Finch elaborated on how that change of position set him up for 100 laps.
“It was a little bit frustrating the whole race. With us sitting on the pole, it just sucks with the invert. Especially with the car count, I feel like it’s not great,” said Finch. “With how little these motors have power, I just felt like I couldn’t really pass.”
Grill, who had led a majority of the latter half of the Spring Explosion 100, had to settle for second place, but still gave Finch one last shot in the final turn and fought to the end.
Jim Wall, who started up front after the redraw, led most of the first half of the feature but ended up rounding out the podium in third position.
Dylan Fetcho and Clint King rounded out the top five.
No one was quite sure where the partnership between Jake Finch and Ronnie Sanders Racing would go when it was announced at the start of the year, but don’t be shocked if the Show Me The Money championship at Montgomery becomes a main priority for the team.
Ronnie Sanders Racing was in contention for the Show Me The Money championship last season, with Hunter Robbins ultimately falling short of Christopher Tullis for the spoils. Now, with Jake Finch leading the points by a good margin, RSR is yet again in championship-caliber form at Montgomery.
“[The Show Me The Money schedule] lines up well with my ARCA schedule and my Super Late Model schedule,” said Finch. “I’m never really a points guy. My dad doesn’t care too much about points and tries to run the races that are probably best for me.”
“I think we’ll be able to run all these races. And now, being in the lead like we are, definitely looking forward to that.”
Spring Explosion 100 Results:
- Jake Finch
- Augie Grill
- Jim Wall
- Dylan Fetcho
- Clint King
- Zack Dixon
- Jeremy Williams
- Landon DeVaughn -1 lap
- Bryce Carver -1 lap
- Gage Rodgers -1 lap
- Brian Reeves -1 lap
- J.C. Cleckler -2 laps
- Gavin Graham -65 laps
- Jason Furrow -69 laps
- Harrison Halder -69 laps
- Dylan Armstrong -81 laps
- Hudson Halder -96 laps
- Steven Chunn -98 laps
- Hunter Johnson – DNS
