Chad Finchum enjoys returning ‘home’ to Bristol Motor Speedway
BRISTOL, Tenn. — For Chad Finchum, coming to Bristol Motor Speedway is more than his average race weekend. It is a homecoming for the 24 year-old driver from Knoxville, Tennessee — which is just over 100 miles to the southeast. Finchum’s early racing career took him to the nearby Kingsport Speedway where the 24-year-old is a champion. The track nicknamed “The Last Great Colosseum” is also the site of his debut in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series.
“I’m just glad to be home,” the driver of the No. 42 MBM Motorsports said. “I call Bristol my home, it’s about an hour and a half away, I got to sleep in my own bed last night. I love this place, I’ve been coming here spectating as a kid and I’ve been racing here off and on since 2012 through the K&N cars.
“I had the opportunity to win here back in 2016 (in the K&N Pro Series). I think that’s what makes this place so sweet. Each time a driver can win at place and then come back to it, you always feel that confidence coming into the race weekend and I think we have a shot to run really good.”
Finchum has a really strong relationship with the community in Bristol, making this weekend a special one.
“I think the community is awesome here at Bristol and all the surrounding cities: Kingsport, Johnson City, and Abbingdon. Everybody is so welcoming and I’ve raced in the Tri-Cities for years at the Kingsport Speedway and it’s really cool that they are going to be on the car this weekend.
“That just really hit home for me, I’ve race there for years and was track champion there in 2013 and to have them back on board with us this weekend really hit home with me and I couldn’t be more thankful for the opportunity they gave me.”
Throughout his career, Finchum has found success on the local short track scene in Tennessee. In 2013, Finchum won the track championship at Kingsport Speedway and picked up his only career K&N Series win in 2016 at Bristol. Finchum’s short track background is something that he believes helps him get around Bristol Motor Speedway.
“I have a really strong short track background,” The MBM Motorsports driver said. “I raced on short tracks my whole life coming up through the different series and had a ton of success. NASCAR doesn’t go to a ton of short tracks on the circuit so anytime we have an opportunity to run on one I’m smiling from ear to ear.”
Finchum has recorded 46 starts across the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series and the NASCAR Xfinity Series and has competed for over 6,000 laps. Finchum’s best career finish is a 14th-place effort at Daytona International Speedway last July.
