BRISTOW, VA :: Northern Virginia driver Jonathan Findley will be one of many Old Dominion Speedway regulars heading up to Shenandoah Speedway for the season opener. Findley has raced in the Bandeleros at Old Dominion Speedway where he won eight races in the track’s final season. Now, the 14 year old has moved up to the bigger, faster Late Model Stock Cars and finds himself competing at new tracks.
“We were told that Davey Callihan was going back to motocross so Burger King Racing put me in that car,” Findley said about acquiring the car that was driven by Callihan in 2012. “They had that car and another car that Mike Darne and Wes Burton are working on that will be my primary car when it’s finished. I really want to get to NASCAR so I’m glad they’re helping me. I’ve got good people behind me. BK Racing, Race to Volunteer, Pawn USA, Deem Printin and American Helicopter. I’m hoping I can get there. I’m just trying to get seat time this year and that’s why we’re going to Shenandoah this season.”
Findley had originally planned on going to Old Dominion Speedway but the track’s closure forced his team to change his plans.
“Originally we had planned on running Old Dominion a little while traveling to multiple tracks instead of just racing at one,” Findley explained. “We’re racing at Motor Mile and Southern National. If we have time, we’ll go to South Boston and Hickory or places like that. We’re planning to run three or four races at Shenandoah if we have the car ready. We’ll be at Southern National and Motor Mile most of the season.”
Findley had been approached by Burger King Racing at Old Dominion Speedway in 2012. Burger King Racing fields cars in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. While the team didn’t originate in 2012, where they also fielded a car for Davey Callihan, Burger King has been a long time sponsor at Old Dominion Speedway which sits about a half hour outside of Washington, DC. After the team first approached Findley, the team learned that Davey Callihan would compete in Motocross racing at the Budds Creek Motocross Park facility in Southern Maryland in 2013 (a result of the imminent closure of Old Dominion Speedway) which prompted the move to put Findley in the Late Model Stock Car.
Findley’s grandfather, John Findley, has competed in the Mini Modified division at Old Dominion Speedway for many years. Jonathan says that being at the track with his grandfather is what peaked his interest in racing.
“My grandfather and my uncle built a Mini Modified five years ago and I was up there one weekend and saw a Bandelero. I asked soemone if I could race one. A few weeks later, my grandfather bought me one and I’ve been moving up ever since. I raced at Old Dominion for one race in the Mini Modifieds and then we went on to Late Models. I was 10 when I started in the Bandelero and raced until this year before going to a Late Model.”
Findley is hoping to race in the Washington, DC region in 2014. If Dominion Raceway is constructed on schedule, Findley will race at the track in its inaugural season.
“If they approve Dominion Raceway and have it done next year, we’ll race there more than anywhere since it’s close. Depending on how I do this year, we might go to some places. Dominion Raceway would be about an hour away from where I live. I know some of the Old Dominion guys are going to Shenandoah. As for next year, it all depends on what the sponsors want to do.”
Findley hopes to stay with Burger King Racing and move up the racing ladder over the years to come.
“I hope to go on the road to NASCAR. Right now it’s all about seat time. I hope I can keep going with Burger King Racing and get up to the bigger ranks.”
Findley has won the Bandelero championship at Old Dominion Speedway in 2011 and 2012 and also won the INEX Bandelero Virginia State Championship for three consecutive seasons (2010, 2011 and 2012).
