9/25/2025
Five Flags Speedway
Finch Focused on 100-Lap Finale, Not PLM Championship Scenarios for Night of Champions No. 2
Finch Focused on 100-Lap Finale, Not PLM Championship Scenarios for Night of Champions No. 2
By Chuck Corder
5flagsspeedway.com reporter
Jake Finch is blocking out all the noise.
When you inform him of his points lead in the Allen Turner Hyundai Pro Late Series at Five Flags Speedway, that’s the first Finch has heard of it.
The 20-year-old from nearby Lynn Haven doesn’t seem tempted by the “rat poison,” as former legendary Alabama football coach Nick Saban dubbed the praise his teams received.
Finch carries a 21-point lead against Georgia driver Seth Christensen into the Allen Turner Pro Late Model 100, the regular season finale, on Night of Champions No. 2 on Saturday. Mobile’s Dustin Smith is just 22 points behind Finch.
“Getting into a points’ mindset has always gotten me in trouble,” said Finch, who still has ARCA races along with other big Late Model events this year. “You get there, and you can drive timidly. If you’re thinking, ‘All I need to do is finish fifth’ or whatever, then if you fall short of that goal you’re running bad.
“I’m always shooting for a win. If you fall short of the win and finish third, then that’s still good.”
He hopes that philosophy earns him a second career track championship at Five Flags. Finch won the Outlaws track title in 2021.
The Super Late Models for the Southern Super Series Deep South Cranes 100—the Deep South Cranes Blizzard Series finale—and the Story and Bleich Roofing Crown Stocks will also crown their respective champions Saturday, too.
With the 58th annual Snowball Derby mere months away, some drivers Saturday won’t be concerned with championships, but instead will be looking to gather information for Derby Week. There’s no bigger name among that group than NASCAR legend Kevin Harvick, who will be making his second career Blizzard Series start at Five Flags. Keelan Harvick—the 49-year-old former Cup Series champion's 13-year-old son—will battle Finch and a stacked field in the PLM 100-lapper.
Gates open at 4 p.m. Saturday with Late Model qualifying beginning at 5:30 and pre-race ceremonies scheduled for 7:15. Admission is $20 for adults; $17 for seniors, military and students; $5 for children ages 6 to 11; free for kids 5 and under.
Finch has a win, a second and a third in three PLM races this season. Christensen returns after his victory in the August 100 lapper.
Driving for a brand-new team this season, J.C. Motorsports, the 17-year-old experienced some growing pains early on but seems to be peaking at the right time.
“It all starts with qualifying,” Christensen said. “Our mindset will be to not go too far away from what we’ve had. We don’t want to chase the rabbit too much. We’ve got a good baseline.”
Smith’s gameplan isn’t veering too far from the pair ahead of him in the championship chase.
After a dominant run to the PLM track championship at his hometrack of Mobile International Speedway—four wins in six races—Smith hopes to pull off a Gulf Coast sweep Saturday night.
“It’d be cool to grab another championship, but we’re going in with a clear head,” he said. “We’ve kept our head down this year, gotten better equipment and Alex (Query) and Greg Janes have really stepped up our program. A championship (Saturday) would be a plus. We’re gonna do the best we can and try to win.”
Finch is determined to not let Christensen, Smith or anyone else steal his thunder.
“Anytime you can compete for a championship at Five Flags, especially in Late Models,” Finch began, “it’s a testament to the consistency of the cars (crew chief) Ronnie (Sanders) brings to the track every week, not having any failures of any sort and having good finishes.
“It shows the work this team does to prepare these racecars and have everything up to date maintenance wise. I’m proud of my guys for that and, hopefully, it will be in tune again this weekend.”
