BLOOMINGDALE, TN :: Chad Finchum set a new track record, won one of two races and finished second in the second of two races on his way to winning the track championship at Kingsport Speedway in Tennessee and the NASCAR Whelen All American Series (NWAAS) Tennessee State Championship on Friday night.
Finchum started off the night laying down a blistering 14.944 second lap in qualifying, setting a new track record. He went on to win the first of two Late Model feature races, leading the race wire-to-wire. He would start fourth in the second race after an invert and worked his way up the field but was penalized for rough driving after an incident with another driver. Finchum drove back up through the field en route to a second place finish, securing the championship.
“Picture perfect,” said Finchum. “It would’ve been awesome to have a weekend sweep and get both wins, the pole, track record and everything. It would’ve been awesome to have that sweep but, in my book, it was a weekend sweep. We backed off in the second race after the penalty. We have it mathematically figured out down to a tee where we needed to finish. We were comfortable with a second place in the last race.”
Despite the penalty, Finchum continued to ease his way around the track, making sure he was in position to win the championship and not putting himself at risk of losing it.
“I told the guys to let me know when I get to 10th,” explained Finchum. “The guys are incredible. I couldn’t ask for a better crew chief. Dinky Torbett works his butt off non-stop 24 hours all week long. I can’t be more thankful to have him on our side and getting all these victorious wins.”
Chad Finchum scored six wins and 16 top five finishes on the 2013 season at Kingsport Speedway. It was his first career championship. Finchum started the season by scoring his first career Late Model Stock Car victory on March 9th in the season opener at Kingsport Speedway.
“The last thing we have on our agenda is shooting for a very good finish in the NWAAS national rankings,” remarked Finchum. “That’s next.”
Finchum’s championship crew includes Dinky Torbett, James Blankenship, David and Sam Couch, Tony Cordell, Tyler Reed, Eric Romines and Craig Phelps. Finchum also thanks his parents, James and Linda Finchum.
Finchum’s next race will be at Motor Mile Speedway on Friday night, August 30th.
Finchum is supported by Texas Roadhouse, Embassy Suites, A-1 Finchum Heating and Cooling, Food City, Creek Side Grill and Finchum Paint & Body. For more information on Finchum’s racing career check out his website at www.ChadFinchum.com and follow him on twitter @chadfinchum.
