Jake Finch to make NASCAR Xfinity debut with Hendrick Motorsports

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — ARCA Menards Series winner Jake Finch is set to make his NASCAR Xfinity Series debut with Hendrick Motorsports.

Hendrick Motorsports named Finch to their No. 17 HendrickCars.com Chevrolet Camaro for the July 19 NASCAR Xfinity Series race at Dover Motor Speedway.

Dover is where Finch earned his first ARCA-sanctioned win in 2023 in the East series. In 2024, he earned a win in the main ARCA series at Talladega Superspeedway.

Finch has just one start so far this season – in the April ARCA Menards Series East race at Rockingham Speedway.

Jake Finch is the son of James Finch, the owner of Phoenix Racing. Up until its closure in 2013, Phoenix Racing worked closely with Hendrick Motorsports. In 2009, they allowed one of their developmental drivers at the time to get a big opportunity. Brad Keselowski claimed his and Phoenix Racing’s first NASCAR Cup Series victory in a wild finish at Talladega in April 2009. The future NASCAR Cup Series champion went on to win much more but the team never won again.

Jake Finch will be the second driver to make his NASCAR Xfinity Series debut since the 2022 revival of Hendrick Motorsports’ program in the series.

In his series debut in March at Martinsville Speedway, Corey Day finished 21st after starting eighth at Martinsville. Day finished 16th after starting 33rd at Texas, 11th after starting 21st at Nashville Superspeedway and 24th after starting 14th at Sonoma.

Jonathan Fjeld is the co-owner of the The Racing Experts, LLC. He has been with TRE since 2010.

A Twin Valley, MN, native, Fjeld became a motorsports fan at just three years old (first race was the 2002 Pennsylvania 500). He worked as a contributor and writer for TRE from 2010-18. Since then, he has stepped up and covered 24 NASCAR race weekends and taken on a larger role with TRE. He became the co-owner and managing editor in 2023 and has guided the site to massive growth in that time.

Fjeld has covered a wide array of stories and moments over the years, including Kevin Harvick’s final Cup Series season, the first NASCAR national series disqualification in over 50 years, Shane van Gisbergen’s stunning win in Chicago and the first Cup Series race at Road America in 66 years – as well as up-and-coming drivers’ stories and stories from inside the sport, like the tech it takes for Hendrick Motorsports to remain a top-tier team.

Currently, he resides in Albuquerque, N.M., where he works for KOB 4, an NBC station. He works as a digital producer and does on-air reports. He loves spending time with friends and family, playing and listening to music, exploring new places, being outdoors, reading books and writing among other activities. You can email him at fjeldjonathan@gmail.com