MOORESVILLE, NC :: Jake Engle is a late entry for the UNOH Battle at the Beach at Daytona on February 18th, but he’s there to win and he’s confident he’ll have a solid run.  Engle has competed at Myrtle Beach Speedway in South Carolina and won races at Orange Show Speedway in Southern California.  Now, he’s looking for a win at the World Center of Speed on Monday night.

“Ever since I started racing go-karts as a little kid, I’ve dreamed about racing at the big track,” Engle said.  “Even though it’s a Late Model, it means a lot with the exposure and everything.  It’s going to be a cool experience.  I wish we had something on the bigger track but we’ll take this.”

Engle will be taking a Late Model Stock Car prepared by his own team, Jake Racing Enterprises, and sponsored by Roush-Yates, Hess Racecars, Access Agility and CustomRaceShirts.com.  He’ll be working with Kingsport Speedway Champion Nate Monteith, who is taking a straight-rail chassis.

“Nate Monteith and I are working together,” he explained.  “He’s bringing a straight rail car.”

Engle feels comfortable racing on flat tracks with his experience on the west coast, racing on quarter-mile flat tracks that are slightly similar to the flat, 4/10 mile circuit he will be competing at on Monday.  He also feels the straight-rail cars won’t have an advantage.

“We’ve raced in this car at Myrtle Beach,” Engle stated.  “I grew up racing a Super Late Model on a quarter mile flat track like what we’re running so I think we’ve got a good shot here.  This is my kind of racing.  With all the lead the straight-rail cars have to bolt on, I don’t think the straight-rails will have an advantage.  I think Lynn Carroll’s going to do what he can to keep the racers happy.  I think the perimeter cars will have a good shot at it.”

Engle has been to Daytona to watch the Daytona 500 and the ARCA race before, but he’s never raced there.  He will have the opportunity on Monday night when driving his Late Model Stock along the course on the Daytona Superstretch.

“This is a last minute deal so I’ve got to thank everybody who came through and made this deal come together,” Engle concluded.

RACE22.com will continue to provide coverage of the UNOH Battle at the Beach at Daytona on February 18th, with driver interviews and preview stories. So, stick with RACE22.com, the Short Track Authority.