QUINCY, Illinois — 16-year-old, Jake Griffin is eagerly preparing for the 11th Annual Summit Racing Equipment UMP Modified Mania Dirt Nationals at Tri City Speedway (Pontoon Beach, Illinois), where he will team with Ken Schrader Racing and Vatterott College to compete in two Modified events Friday and Saturday nights respectively.
“This is a really exciting opportunity,” Griffin said with a smile. “The folks with Vatterott College have been big supporters of my racing program, especially in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, and Ken Schrader is a hero of mine. To get to pilot one of his race cars is a true honor.”
Griffin will pilot the Federated Auto Parts No. 9 Vatterott College / Impressive Chassis Modified in the 11thAnnual Summit Racing Equipment UMP Modified Mania Dirt Nationals at Tri City Speedway on September 25 and 26.
Friday’s event posts a $4,000 top prize, while the final night of the three-day show rewards the victor with a $5,000 check.
The mega-event traditionally attracts a star-studded field of competitors to the Gundaker-owned 3/8 mile oval.
In addition to sponsoring Griffin, Vatterott College will be the presenting sponsor of Friday night’s racing program.
Griffin opened his weekend driving for the Schrader on Thursday night hoping to seal the $3,000 pay day, but the Quincy, Illinois native came up short.
While the teenager is back in familiar territory, his aspirations of competing in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series on a more permanent basis is only taking a short sabbatical.
Making starts earlier this season at Martinsville (Va.) Speedway and Iowa Speedway respectively, Griffin hasn’t been afraid to showcase his talent, which became evident in qualifying in his most recent race at Iowa in June, where he qualified a note-worthy 15th in underfunded equipment.
“NASCAR is where I want to be, but the opportunity to drive for Ken Schrader this weekend was something I could not turn down,” Griffin added. “We’re working hard on making something happen towards the end of the season.”
We tried real hard at Eldora to make the show, but the odds were stacked against us. Still, the track time and experience in a truck were beneficial and I’m looking forward to my next opportunity in a truck, where I know I can get the job done.”
Vatterott College is a vocational school specializing in Automotive, Trades, Medical, Business, Technology, and Legal professions. For more information on Vatterott College, please visitVatterott.edu .
Follow Jake Griffin on Twitter @JakeGriffin08 or visit jakegriffin.net.
