Jake Garcia Bio
Steven Jacob Garcia, known professionally as Jake Garcia, is an American professional stock car racing driver. Born on March 3, 2005, in Monroe, Georgia, Garcia has built a steady path through the U.S. short-track ranks before reaching NASCAR’s national series. He last competed full-time in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, driving the No. 13 Ford F-150 for ThorSport Racing, and made his NASCAR Xfinity Series debut with RSS Racing in 2025. Across his young career, he has collected regional championships and marquee late model wins while continuing to develop in NASCAR.
Garcia first entered the sport as a child through midget racing and quickly moved into late model competition, where his results drew national attention. He is recognized as the youngest champion in the Southern Super Series and has remained a notable young talent in the Ford development pipeline.
Early Life and Background
Jake Garcia was born and raised in Monroe, Georgia, where he grew up surrounded by the deep short-track racing culture of the American Southeast. From a young age, he was exposed to racing through local tracks and family support, eventually stepping into competitive driving as a preteen. His early environment in Georgia, a state with a strong tradition of late model and short-track racing, helped shape his approach to the sport.
Garcia attended Athens Academy and graduated with the class of 2023, balancing his education with a rapidly growing racing schedule. Even as his career demanded more time on the road, he continued to meet his academic commitments, a balance that has become part of his professional reputation as a disciplined young driver.
Path to NASCAR
Garcia made his midget racing debut in 2016 in the USAC Eastern Midget Series and spent three seasons developing his skills in open-wheel and midget competition. In 2018, he made his first late model start with the Champion Racing Association, signaling a shift toward the stock car path that would define his career. The following year, he captured the pro late model track championship at Five Flags Speedway, a result that announced him as one of the Southeast’s promising talents.
In 2020, Garcia ran a full Southern Super Series schedule and earned Rookie of the Year honors. The next season, he won the Southern Super Series championship at just sixteen years old, becoming the youngest champion in series history. He also competed in the CARS Tour during this period, stacking results that opened the door to NASCAR’s ARCA and national series.
Jake Garcia Career
Early Career (2018-2021)
Garcia’s transition from midgets to stock cars began in earnest in 2018 with the Champion Racing Association, where he cut his teeth in late model equipment. He built momentum in 2019 by winning the pro late model track championship at Five Flags Speedway, a key milestone that proved he could win consistently on demanding ovals.
During 2020 and 2021, Garcia focused on the Southern Super Series, winning Rookie of the Year in 2020 and the series championship in 2021. He also made his ARCA Menards Series West debut on October 26, 2021, at Phoenix Raceway with David Gilliland Racing, starting fourth and finishing sixth in a single-race effort.
NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Breakthrough (2022-2024)
On March 16, 2022, McAnally-Hilgemann Racing announced Garcia would run five Truck Series races that season, beginning at Martinsville Speedway. After failing to make the Martinsville event due to qualifying being rained out, Garcia made his official Truck Series debut at Gateway Motorsports Park on June 4, 2022. He ran mid-pack until a late collision with Tanner Gray dropped him multiple laps down, finishing twenty-ninth.
On December 6, 2022, McAnally-Hilgemann Racing announced Garcia would run full-time in 2023 in the No. 35 truck. Because of NASCAR age restrictions, he missed the season opener at Daytona but received a waiver keeping him playoff-eligible. He scored his first career Truck Series top-ten at Las Vegas and added seven top-ten finishes during the regular season, ultimately finishing thirteenth in the final standings. On October 16, 2023, the team announced Garcia would not return for 2024, and on November 15, 2023, ThorSport Racing confirmed he would move to the No. 13 for the 2024 season, replacing Hailie Deegan.
Garcia’s 2024 Truck Series campaign was a learning year, with only two top-ten finishes, his best a sixth at Charlotte, and a seventeenth-place finish in the final standings. The season tested his consistency, but it also allowed him to integrate fully with ThorSport Racing’s operations and Ford’s national program.
2025 Truck Series Season
Garcia opened 2025 with a twelfth-place finish at Daytona and quickly showed improvement. At Rockingham, he earned his first career Truck Series pole position, a breakthrough that underscored his growing one-lap speed. He qualified for his first career NASCAR Playoffs appearance during the 2025 season, advancing past the regular season cutoff before being eliminated in the first round.
His 2025 results placed him tenth in the final Truck Series standings, a career-best mark. Throughout the year, Garcia posted multiple top-ten finishes and demonstrated the kind of consistency ThorSport had hoped to see when it brought him aboard in 2024.
NASCAR Xfinity Series Debut (2025)
On April 20, 2025, it was revealed Garcia would attempt his NASCAR Xfinity Series debut at Talladega Superspeedway, driving the No. 29 Ford Mustang Dark Horse for RSS Racing. The attempt ended without a start, as Garcia failed to qualify for the event, and he did not return to the Xfinity Series during the remainder of that season.
Driving Style and Strengths
Garcia has shown strength on intermediate and abrasive ovals, where his short-track background in late models translates well to long-run pace and tire management. His first career Truck Series pole at Rockingham highlighted improved qualifying speed, and his ability to log consistent top-ten finishes points to a measured, mistake-free race craft. Continued development within ThorSport Racing’s structure is expected to refine his aggressive side, particularly on drafting tracks.
Notable Races and Milestones
Garcia’s 2021 Southern Super Series championship made him the youngest title holder in series history. His first career Truck Series top-ten at Las Vegas in 2023 and his first pole at Rockingham in 2025 stand as career milestones, alongside his All American 400 victory in 2024 and North-South Challenge win in 2023.
Jake Garcia Career Wins
Jake Garcia’s win list is anchored in late model racing, where he has built his reputation as a championship-caliber talent. Across regional and national late model events, he has accumulated a series of high-profile victories that have helped him earn opportunities in NASCAR’s top developmental series.
NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Highlights
Garcia has not yet recorded a win in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, though his 2025 campaign produced his first career pole at Rockingham and a playoff appearance that ended in the first round. His best career Truck Series result through 2025 remains a sixth-place finish at Charlotte in 2024. He has posted twenty-five top-ten finishes and five poles across his Truck Series career to date.
Other Wins and Performances
Outside the Truck Series, Garcia captured the 2021 Southern Super Series championship as its youngest-ever title holder, won the 2023 North-South Challenge, and added the 2024 All American 400 to his résumé. Earlier, he won the pro late model track championship at Five Flags Speedway in 2019 and the Southern Super Series Rookie of the Year award in 2020.
| Series | Wins | Top Tens | Poles |
|---|---|---|---|
| NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series | 0 | 25 | 5 |
| ARCA Menards Series West | 0 | 1 | 0 |
Jake Garcia Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Garcia grew up in Monroe, Georgia, a community closely tied to short-track racing, and his family supported his early move into competitive driving. His progression from local tracks to national series reflects the kind of grassroots racing background common among successful NASCAR prospects from the Southeast.
Personal Life
Garcia graduated from Athens Academy in 2023 while continuing to race full-time, a balance that reflects his disciplined approach to the sport. He remains based in the Southeast and is active on social media, where fans can follow his racing updates.
2025 Season Performance
Jake Garcia’s 2025 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series season represented his most complete year to date. Driving the No. 13 Ford F-150 for ThorSport Racing, he opened with a twelfth-place run at Daytona and quickly found rhythm on intermediate tracks. At Rockingham, he earned his first career Truck Series pole, a sign that his single-lap speed had reached a new level within the ThorSport program.
Garcia’s regular-season consistency earned him a spot in the 2025 NASCAR Playoffs, his first career appearance in the postseason. Although he was eliminated in the first round, the campaign underscored his growth as a full-time national series driver and validated ThorSport’s decision to promote him from the No. 35 development seat to a flagship ride.
He finished the 2025 season tenth in the final Truck Series standings, a career-best result. Garcia also attempted his NASCAR Xfinity Series debut at Talladega with RSS Racing in 2025, though he did not make the field. Looking ahead, his combination of playoff experience, growing qualifying speed, and continued partnership with ThorSport Racing positions him as a driver to watch in the next phase of his NASCAR career.
