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Jake Finch (left) and Gio Ruggiero (right).

Jake Finch and Gio Ruggiero pulling double-duty with ARCA and ASA at Five Flags Speedway

Track Enterprises March 1, 2024

PENSACOLA, Fla. —  The big opening weekend of racing at Five Flags Speedway in Pensacola, Florida, is fast approaching on Friday-Sunday, March 22-24.

The three-day show features the local division opener Friday night, ARCA Menards Series East and Crown Stocks on Saturday night, and the ASA STARS National Tour on Sunday afternoon. For at least two young drivers, the weekend will be extra busy as they look to pull off wins in ARCA and ASA.

The first of which is 2021 Five Flags Speedway Outlaw division champion, Jake Finch, of nearby Lynn Haven, Florida. Finch led 65 of 84 laps in the ARCA Menards Series opener at Daytona International Speedway before a late-race restart led to a crash, relegating him to 11th. Finch also competed in the ASA STARS National Tour opener at New Smyrna Speedway and finished a solid 10th against a stout field.

Finch claimed an ARCA Menards Series East win last season at Dover Motor Speedway, where he led 89 of the 127 laps. He had four other East Series starts, taking third at Five Flags, fifth at Nashville, ninth at Milwaukee, and fourth at Bristol.

Next on the list has come onto the Super Late Model radar strong over the last year and a half, winning two ASA STARS National Tour races in 2023 and finishing third in the standings. Gio Ruggiero, of Seekonk, Massachusetts, has made just one ARCA platform start and that came in an East race last year at Nashville, where he finished fourth. That said, his Super Late Model accolades are growing quickly with championships in CRA and the Southern Super Series last season, the first driver to win both in the same season. He claimed wins on the STARS tour at Hickory Motor Speedway and Winchester Speedway in addition to the Salem CRA race.

The three-day race weekend begins on Friday night, March 22 with the local division opener featuring Outlaws, Pure Stocks, and Sportsman. On Saturday afternoon, March 23, the Super Late Models will hit the track for practice, while ARCA Menards Series East opens up the 2024 season with the Pensacola 150. The Crown Stocks will also be in action for their season opener that night. The Sunshine State 200 will be held Sunday afternoon for the Super Late Models of the ASA STARS National Tour. Saturday and Sunday will also have on track autograph sessions for fans to meet their favorite drivers.

Discounted tickets for each day in addition to a special three-day ticket package are available at starsnationaltour.com/event/stars-032424/. Tickets will also be available at the track on each race day. Primitive camping is free for the weekend on a first come, first serve basis.