CHATHAM-KENT, Ont. – June 1, 2016 – Jake Hooker’s rookie season in a UMP Late Model at South Buxton Raceway is going exactly according to plan. Actually, it’s gone better. The 15-year-old youngster drove his Triple P Farms/Profota’s Garage/AP Engines No.38 to third- and fourth-place finishes to score two top-five finishes in his first three starts. His worst finish was an impressive sixth on May 21.
“I’ve definitely exceeded what I was planning to and what my parents thought I was going to do. I didn’t think I would be contending. I thought I would be just running laps, not trying to win races,” Hooker says.
The reigning Sport Stock champion at South Buxton has noticed more than a couple of differences in moving up to his 800 horsepower Late Model.
“It’s not like a Sport Stock,” Hooker joked. “You have to be smooth on the throttle. You can’t mash (the pedal) to the floor. There’s a lot of horsepower going to the tires.”
It didn’t take long for Hooker to notice how the horsepower translates to speed, either.
“There’s a lot of good parts to Late Model racing. My favourite part has to be the competition and the speed. From Sport Stock to this is a jump. It’s like going from a small airplane to a rocket ship. The straightaways are so fast and they feel so short,” comments Hooker with a laugh.
Even with his early season success, Hooker knows he still have a long way to go. It will be a season of determined learning for the smart Chatham-Kent teenager. He took an unscheduled opportunity to learn from the defending track champion, Dale Glassford, earlier this month.
“Dale passed me and I kind of got to follow him. I figured out where I’ve been bobbling. I figured out I haven’t been cutting the corners where I should be. It’s all the little tips, like where to pick-up your momentum,” Hooker explains.
The learning curve is steep, but Hooker has it under control with the help of a supportive family, team and sponsorship base.
“I didn’t feel as confident as I was in my Sport Stock because I’m the small fish in a big pond. After I got out there and started racing, I’m starting to gain my confidence back and get in to the groove. It’s still going to take me a while to get everything,” Hooker remarks.
“My sponsors are good with that because it’s my first time (in a Late Model) and they understand. My family’s great at backing me up and understanding it,” adds Hooker.
Jake Hooker is gearing up for a busy month with four consecutive nights of racing. The month of racing concludes on June 25 with the Don Hendricks Memorial for the UMP Late Models at South Buxton, a prestigious event Hooker already has marked on his calendar.
“The memorial races are big at South Buxton like they are at any track. To win a Memorial race is a big deal. I won a few last year and it’s heartfelt because the family is there. They’re so proud because you can feel that he’s in your presence,” remarks Hooker honestly.
Keep up with Jake Hooker’s rookie Super Late Model season online by Liking his official Facebook page at Facebook.com/JakeHookerMotorsports and on Twitter by following @Jake_Hooker38. For his complete schedule of events, visit www.southbuxtonraceway.ca/schedule.
Jake Hooker would like to thank his dedicated corporate sponsors who support his 2016 UMP Super Late Model, including: Country View Golf Course, Triple P Farms, Profota’s Garage, AP Engines, Harris, Vertec Contractors Ltd., Churchill Transport, Steve’s Pizzeria, Waddick Fuels, Ray-Mac Auto Parts, Xtreme Bodies by Hook, RPM Design, Five Star Racecars, Westside, Inside Track Motorsport News, Spira Fire Protection, Chatham Outdoor and Pedal, Leaf Racewear, Drum Chip Inc, and Clayton Johns Media.
Prepared By Clayton Johns Media
Photo: Jake Hooker drives his No.38 UMP Late Model during his first month of competition at South Buxton Raceway. (James MacDonald photo).
