Finley Racing History

(From Left to Right: Jeff Finley, Diane Finley, Doug Finley, & Bob Finley)

The Patriarch of Finley Racing, legendary Car Owner, Bob Finley as well as his sons, Jeff Finley & Doug Finley are ALL members of the prestigious Michigan Motorsports Hall of Fame! Bob was formally inducted in 2006 while Jeff was enshrined in 2010. Doug was honored in 2011.

Bob Finley
Bob was born in 1937 in McKenzie, TN. He moved to Lansing, MI in 1956. His interest in auto racing was initially sparked when Diane, his wife of over fifty years, said “let’s go to watch the races at Capital City Speedway”. After one trip, Bob developed the passion for racing. He then met Willy and Gary Fedewa, and helped them build their racecars through the 1960’s and 70’s.

In 1967 Bob started his Northside Service, a major towing service based out of Lansing, which has now grown to over 40 employees and three locations. Bob is always ready to help another racer get started or assist them in running better, as Bob’s twist on that is that he welcomes the competition.

Over the seasons, Bob has had some the best drivers in the state driving his Super Late Models: Gary, Tim, and Tom Fedewa, Tim Felver, Charlie Ryan, Tim Ryan, and Gary Sherman. Dale Earnhardt, Sr. drove for Bob in 1987 at Kalamazoo’s NASCAR Night, as did Rusty Wallace during Galesburg’s NASCAR Night in 1989.

His sons Jeff and and Doug Finley have driven for their Dad, and Jeff’s son Chad at thirteen has turned some laps, and will be eventually be competing in Bob’s Super Late Model.As crew chief for for Gary Fedewa in the 60’s and 70’s, Bob and Gary competed at over 50 different paved and dirt tracks throughout the Midwest and Canada, winning over 150 feature events. This includes five MSPA championships, and track championships at Owosso, Spartan, and Crystal.

As crew chief and owner for his son Jeff, they won seven national karting events from 1973 to 1982. In Jeff moving up to late model, they won the Harvest 100 at Spartan in ‘86 and ‘87, along with six track championships in ‘86, ‘90, ‘93, ‘95, and 2001, collecting over 100 feature wins. In one year, 1990, Jeff and Bob won the track championship at Owosso, Spartan, and Michigan Ideal.

As car owner and crew chief for son Doug, together they won the Harvest 100 at Spartan in 1988 and 2000. In 1988, they won the Willy Fedewa 100 at Spartan, as well as Michigan Cup victories at Springport in ‘97 and ‘99. A total of six track championships were attained by Doug and Bob in ‘91, ’92, ’98, ‘99, 2000 and 2002, collecting nearly 100 feature wins. In 1995, Bob was awarded the Golden Circle Award at Spartan Speedway. Bob has been a factor in twenty three championships with over three hundred and fifty feature wins.

Jeff Finley
DeWitt, Michigan veteran, Jeff Finley is one of the most successful drivers to ever race Outlaw Bodied Super Late Models in the state of Michigan during the 1980s and 1990s driving for his Father, legendary Car Owner, Bob Finley, who also fielded cars for Jeff’s older brother, Doug Finley.

Jeff Finley was born on August 16, 1963 in Lansing, Michigan. His racing career began in 1973 at just 10 years old racing Go-Karts. The Finley family acquired the Go-Kart after the previous owner traded it in to take care of a towing bill for the Finley family business; Northside Service. Finley raced that Go-Kart and picked up Three Track Championships at the East Lansing Kart Track as well as several International Kart Federation (I.K.F.) National Feature Wins.

In 1980, Finley moved up to full size cars and began running in the Sportsmen division at Crystal Motor Speedway. In 1983, Finley moved up to Super Late Models and in 1985 won the Michigan Speedway Promoters Association (MSPA) Series Rookie of the Year honors while finishing second overall in the points standings!

After winning two of his five total Track Championships at his home track of Spartan Speedway in Mason, Michigan, Finley moved down to North Carolina in 1991 and competed at the historic Concord Motorsports Park where he finished second in points in the tracks premiere division, Super Late Models. The following season, he moved back to Michigan and resumed his stellar career driving Super Late Models in his home state.

Over his career, Finley has won over 100 Features and collected seven (7) Track Championships at three different facilities. His home track of the Spartan was where most of his success occurred. Finley scored five (5) of his Track Championships there in 1986, 1990, 1993, 1995, and 2001.

In 1990, Finley won a title three different facilities when in addition to his Spartan Track title he also scored the Super Late Model Track Championships at Owosso Speedway as well as Michigan Ideal Speedway. That season, Finley won an amazing 17 Features between the three tracks!

Some of Finley’s memorable Feature Wins include a MSPA race at Owosso Speedway in 1985, back when the track was still a wicked fast ½ mile high-banked dirt oval. Finley held off dirt track legends such as Michigan Motorsports Hall of Fame drivers and former MSPA Champions, Kris Patterson, Frank Seder, and Bob Kingen in one of the most exciting races ever on the historic ½ mile dirt track. Finley is also a two-time winner of the Harvest 100, traditionally held at Spartan. He won those races in 1986 and 1987.

In addition to his weekly short track accolades, Finley was also a stout competitor in the ARCA RE/MAX Series as he ran full schedules between the 1997-1999 seasons. He also raced partial schedules at various points between the 1992-1996 seasons and again between the 2000-2001 campaigns.

Over a 67-race ARCA career, Finley picked up one Feature win, which came on the one-mile dirt track of DuQuion State Fairgrounds in DuQuion, Illinois in 1999. He finished seventh in points in 1997 and in 1998 by brought home a sixth place finish in the final points.

Finley also collected one Pole Award, which occurred at the tricky Shady Bowl Speedway in DeGraff, Ohio during the 1999 season. In addition to his one win, Finley also racked up 24 Top Five finishes and 38 Top 10 showings in his ARCA career.

The DeWitt, Michigan veteran also raced in one NASCAR Busch (Now Nationwide) Series race in 1999 at Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Florida in a car fielded by Ed Rensi! Finley finished 13th after starting 31st in the NAPA Auto Parts 300 which was won by former series champion, Randy LaJoie.

Finley also has one career start in the NASCAR Craftsman (Now Camping World) Truck Series in 2002. He finished 26th in the Advance Auto Parts 250 at Martinsville Speedway in Martinsville, Virginia driving for James Bailey and the Bailey Excavating Team. That race was won by Trucks veteran, Dennis Setzer.

He retired from driving in 2005 to concentrate on his son Chad Finley’s budding career. Jeff did return behind the wheel for one race in 2008 during the Harvest 100 at Spartan Speedway where he finished fifth. His son, Chad finished third, and his older brother, Doug finished fourth in the same race!

Doug Finley
When one thinks of short track racing in the Lansing, Michigan area, one name immediately comes to mind; Finley! From legendary Car Owner, Bob Finley to his two sons, 2010 Michigan Motor Sports Hall of Fame inductee, Jeff Finley and his older brother, Doug Finley. Doug was born on New Years Day, January 1, 1961 in Lansing, Michigan to Bob and Diane Finley. He currently resides in Lansing, Michigan and has two children; Corey and Ashleigh.

Finley spends his days working for the family business, Northside Service, and his nights working on his passion, his race cars. His racing career was sparked by his Father, legendary Car Owner, Bob Finley who has been around racing since the early sixties beginning with Michigan Motor Sports Hall of Fame drivers, Willie and Gary Fedewa as well as his younger brother, Jeff, and more recently with Doug.

The 50-year-old fan favorite has been working on race cars since he was very young and has learned a lot over the years, which have been a learning experience for the entire family and the crew that has stuck by him through the years. Finley owes a lot of love and support to his family and Jim Martske who has been with him for the entire ride. Doug puts his heart and soul into his racing career and is always willing to help out another driver, a trait learned from his father.

The knowledge and experience he has gained over the years is priceless. Not every race is a winning race it’s just knowing that you put your best foot forward. Doug has had the support of some very dedicated crew members Martske, Jeff Smith, Tom Klopp, and last but certainly not least, his Father, Bob Finley.

He started racing in 1983 and began his career on top of the rung in a Super Late Model on the dirt before moving to the pavement beginning with the 1988 season. Over his 25-year career, Finley has won nine (9) Track Championships with eight (8) of those coming at his home track of Spartan Speedway in Mason, Michigan. His eight Track Championships at Spartan came in 1991, 1992, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2002, 2006, and 2007. Also in 2000, Finley scored the Super Late Model Championship at Owosso Speedway.

In addition to his nine overall track titles, he has over 100 asphalt feature wins and 12 dirt feature triumphs. Amongst his victories include; Two (2) Harvest 100 wins at Spartan in 1988 and 2000, and two (2) Michigan Cup wins at Michigan Ideal Speedway in 1997 and 1999. He was also the first ever winner of the Will Terry Memorial at Owosso in 1990. He also won the Willie Fedewa Memorial at Spartan in 1988, the Mason-Dixon Showdown in 2006, which was held indoors at the DeVos Place in Grand Rapids, Michigan, the Firecracker 100 at Auto City Speedway 2007 and the Godfather Stan Perry Memorial at Spartan in 2008 and the Charlie Ryan Jr., Memorial also at Spartan, in 2008 and again in 2010.

Some other noteworthy accomplishments include; a second place finish in the Main Event Series Race in 1997 and a third place showing in the Colonel’s 150 in 1997, both at Auto City. He also finished third in the prestigious Glass City 200 in 2000 at Toledo Speedway in Toledo, Ohio. He’s also a former Co-Champion of the Triple Crown Series at Owosso and has received several Hard Charger Awards over the years.

In 2009, Finley purchased a Mastersbilt Chassis and went back to where his career began, on the dirt! He made select appearances throughout the season at neighboring dirt tracks, Crystal Motor Speedway, I-96 Speedway, Merritt Speedway, Mid-Michigan Raceway Park, and Mt. Pleasant Speedway. He also returned to his home track of Spartan back on the pavement and despite limited appearances, still finished ninth in the point’s standings.

In 2010, the role of Car Owner took precedence over his driving duties as he hired Perry, Michigan stand out, Sammy Epling to steer his Dirt Late Model and he was rewarded as Epling would steer the #29 Northside Service / SJE Trucking UMP Late Model to the 2010 Track Championship at Mt. Pleasant Speedway in Mt. Pleasant, Michigan. Epling also finish sixth in the points chase at near-by I-96 Speedway in Lake Odessa, Michigan. Despite missing three nights due to traveling with the Sunoco American Late Model Series, Epling scored three feature wins out of just six starts at I-96.

Finley did climb behind the wheel of his pavement Super Late Model on three separate occasions in 2010 and proved he hadn’t lost his touch; He scored the win in the prestigious Charlie Ryan Jr., Memorial at his home track of Spartan Speedway on July 11th, 2010 for his second career victory in that event. He also grabbed a third place finish in the Stan Perry “Godfather” 75 and a fourth place finish in the Summer 75.

With the 2011 racing season on the horizon, Finley started the season back with Epling before teaming up with another dirt track standout, Dona Marcoullier and made select appearances in the Sunoco American Late Model Series as well as at the famed Eldora Speedway in Rossburg, Ohio while staying closer to home and appeared in select shows throughout the Midwest including several appearances back at I-96 and Mt. Pleasant. In addition, Finley also did manage to race a couple of events back behind the wheel of his pavement Super Late Model for special events back at Spartan.