|
|
| Driver: |
Jake Knowles |
 |
| Hometown: |
Rome, Georgia |
| DOB: |
09/12/1985 |
| Car #: |
66 |
| Marital Status: |
Single |
| Division: |
- Super Late Model
- Crate Late Model |
| Years Racing: |
23 |
| Chassis: |
BMF Race Car |
| Engine Builder: |
- Basnett Race Engines
- Chevrolet 525 Engine |
| Car Owner: |
Jake Knowles / Matt & Larry J Wester |
| Crew Chief: |
Wade Knowles |
| Crew: |
Brody Harris
Billy Basnett
Chad Waddell |
| Lap Times: |
Maegen Dalton |
| Public Relations: |
Cindy Knowles |
| Racing Hero: |
My dad, Wade Knowles |
| Favorite Music: |
Rap / Country / Rock |
| Favorite Bands: |
Nelly / Lincoln Park / David Banner |
| Favorite Movie: |
Days of Thunder |
| Favorite Race Track: |
Rome Speedway (Rome, Georgia) |
| Favorite Food: |
Steak and French Fries |
| Personal Vehicle: |
2006 Ford F-350 King Ranch |
| Hobbies: |
Crusing and going to the lake. |
| Heroes: |
My dad, Wade Knowles |
| First Racing Memory: |
Going out to qualify at my first race, which was at Dixie Speedway (Woodstock, Georgia). I was the first car out and hit the wall exiting turn 2 on the first lap. |
| Jake's Racing History |
In 2001, more than fifteen years ago, Jake Knowles made his
racing debut as part of the cruiser class at Dixie and Rome Speedways.
He finished second in points for the year in a Cadillac cruiser. Sitting
alongside a driver who would steer and operate the brakes, Jake
maintained control of the gas.
The following year, his father's 1996 Jig-A-Lo leaf spring car
became his first real race car. In that car, he not only finished third in
points for the year, but also won the Sportsman race in the Hardee's
Shootout at Dixie Speedway where he qualified on the pole and led
every lap.
In 2003, Jake won 5 races in the first 6 months, making it a year to
remember. In compliance with Dixie Speedway's rules, he was
obligated to start in the rear, at sixth, until he could win another race.
So, what did he do? He won two more races and the track
championship. Jake went on to win the Alabama State Race in Phoenix
City. Later that year he finished eighth at Atomic Speedway, and fifth at
North Georgia Speedway; both of which he had never raced before.
Knowles adopted another one of his father's cars in 2004, a 2001
Warrior Chassis, to drive in the Limited Late Model Division. During
that time, he won eight feature events and the track championship for
his division at Dixie and Rome Speedways.
He continued in the Limited Late Model division and won his first
race of the 2005 season. After being contacted by Mike Stewart, Jake
decided to participate in the crate motor race, Prelude to the Dream, at
Eldora Speedway in Ohio. Driving Stewart's car, he won the first heat
race, started on the pole for the feature, and won the big race. After
such an accomplishment, Knowles moved forward into a great season
driving for Mike Stewart.
2006 ended Jake's run with Stewart and marked the beginning of
a five-year racing span with longtime friend and Cleveland Speedway
owner Monty Morrow. He raced the Advanced Tennessee Thunder
Series, finished fourth in the O'Reilly Southern All-Stars, and finished
second in the Rookie of the Year chase. Unfortunately, due to
scheduling conflicts between the two races, Knowles was not able to
compete for either title.
One year he took home a feature win at Rome Boss as well as two
other feature wins. In another, he claimed his first win for both the
Lucas Oil Dirt Series and the Southern Regional Racing Series at
Cleveland Speedway, won at Green Valley Speedway, and again at Dixie
Speedway. He then spent two weeks in South Africa at the Worchester
Motor Club Oval Track where he had two heat wins and a feature win in
one night.
In his final year with Morrow, Jake took another trip to South
Africa, where he raced against his father for the first time. Within his
three weeks in Cape Town, he won two out of three main events, and
placed second in the other. He also had two second place, one third
place, and two fifth place heat wins and received the Fan's Choice
Award. Once back in the states, he gained four more feature wins, two
of which were in the Super Late Model division, and the others in the
Limited Late Model division.
In 2011 Jake bought a Rocket Chassis and a Race Engine Design
motor to start his own team. The year was challenging and his strength
was tested, but he pushed through to win two Super Late Model races.
Eventually a good friend of his, Chad Smith, gave him the opportunity
to run his Steel Head motor which he used to win four different races.
Knowles became somewhat of a mentor to Smith's young son as
they all travelled around the southeast participating in the Southern AllStars
Series, the Southern National Series, and some other local events
in 2012. During this year, he also made it on his third trip to South
Africa, where he won two races.
The following year held many victories for Knowles, winning the
prestigious Gobbler at the Cleveland Speedway and competing in 37
events with twenty-six top ten finishes and two wins for the year.
By 2014 he received sponsorship from Smith for his own car and
competed for the Chevrolet Performance 525 Series points title. He
was second in points throughout the year up until the final race when
he was passing for the lead and his motor broke, leaving him third in
points for the year. Additionally, Knowles had seventeen top ten
finishes out of nineteen races and one win.
In 2015, Jake teamed up with Matt and Larry Wester and began
racing their Super Late Model car while he continued to race his car in
the Chevrolet Performance Series. He finished the year at sixth place in
points, with twenty-two top ten finishes in thirty-six races and one win.
He was not able to pull out a win in the 2016 season, finishing
second in points with thirty top ten finishes in thirty-nine races.
However, together with the Wester's, Knowles Race Parts and Bodies,
LLC was created and opened for business.
This year Jake plans to have two cars running; one to run heavy
for the Chevrolet Performance 525 Super Late Model Series title, and
one with an open motor for various events in the Southeast.
The 2017 season saw Jake Knowles compete in a total of 41 events while visiting victory lane one time at East Alabama Motor Speedway (Phenix City, Alabama) on July 2nd for the NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series sanctioned Salute to America Nationals. With the weather determining the outcome of 11 of his scheduled dates, Knowles recorded 27 Top-10 outings and 19 Top-5 finishes. He also finished second in the Chevrolet Perfomance Super Late Model Series point standings and seventh in the NeSmith Series.
Jake Knowles enjoyed a fantastic 2018 campaign behind the wheel of his Knowles Race Parts & Bodies #66 Josh Roberts Trucking/ Coosa Heating & Cooling/ Longhorn Chassis Late Model. In 32 starts this season the Georgia racer amassed eight wins to go along with 22 Top-5 finishes and 27 Top-10 finishes. His season-best victory was worth $10,000 and came in early November during the annual Southern 100 at Southern Raceway (Milton, Florida) with the Durrence Layne Dirt Late Model Series.
Enjoying another stellar season, Jake Knowles piloted his Knowles Race Parts & Bodies No. 66 Late Model entry to eight wins in a total of 36 events throughout the 2019 campaign. Along with capturing the Durrence Layne Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series National Championship, Knowles finished second in points in his rookie season with the Schaeffer's Oil Southern Nationals Series. He also tallied 21 top-five finishes and 32 top-ten outings.
In a year that saw several events cancelled due to the Covid-19 pandemic, Jake Knowles participated in a total of 42 races behind the wheel of his Knowles Race Parts & Bodies No. 66 Late Model. He scored one win in the B.J. Parker Memorial at Talladega Short Track (Eastaboga, Ala.) on October 3rd while grabbing 8 Top-5 finishes and 18 Top-10 peformances throughout the year. |
| Accomplishments |
2022
- 35 Events
- 7 Top-5's
- 15 Top-10's
2021
- 41 Events
- 4 Wins
- 16 Top-5's
- 25 Top-10's
2020
- 42 Events
- 1 Win
- 8 Top-5's
- 18 Top-10's
2019
- 36 Events
- 8 Wins
- 21 Top-5's
- 32 Top-10's
2018
- 32 Events
- 8 Wins
- 22 Top-5's
- 27 Top-10's
2017
- 41 Events
- 1 Win
- 19 Top-5's
- 27 Top-10's
2016
- 39 Events
- 30 Top-10's
2015
- 36 Events
- 1 Win
- 25 Top-10's
2014
- 1st Chevrolet Performance Super Late Model Series win.
2013
- Winning the prestigious Gobbler race at Cleveland Speedway.
2012
- Going Back to South Africa and picking back up in winner’s circle.
2011
-
Getting the first win as a car owner.
2010
- Going to South Africa and racing against my dad (Wade Knowles) for the 1st time ever. Winning 2 of the 3 feature events and winning over all points for the 3 weekends. Being named the Driver of the tour and voted fan favorite.
2009
-
Lucas Oil Dirt Series and SRRS win. Going to South Africa and winning feature.
2008
-
Rome Boss winner.
2007
-
1 Top Tracks Challenge Series win. Top Tracks Challenge Champion. 4th in O’Reilly Southern All-Star Series. Named Georgia Automobile Racing Hall of Fame Association Georgia of the Year.
2006
- Was not really a good year. Started off the year with a win at the Jimmy Thomas Memorial Race at Phenix City Alabama which paid $10,000.
2005
- Won the Eldora Crate Late Model Nextel Prelude to the Dream race. Qualified 40th out of 143 cars at the Dream.
- Moved up to Super Late Model.
- Qualified on the pole in my first O’Reilly Southern All-Star race June 18, finished 8th.
- First Super Late Model win July 2.
- First big Super Late Model win July 16 at North Georgia Speedway, $5000.00 to win.
- First O’Reilly Southern All-Star win July 17 at Rome International Speedway.
-
Finished 4th at the - Lucas Oil NARA Dirt Series Shootout at Dixie Speedway.
- Featured in Dirt Late Model Magazine.
2004
- Moved up to Limited Late Model. Track Champion at Dixie and Rome Speedway. 8 wins. Attended Dale McDowell Driving School at North Georgia Speedway.
2003
-
Alabama State Championship race on the last lap pass
- Track Champion at Dixie and Rome Speedway
- Ga. State Championship race Rome Speedway (which was the Xtreme Racing Series race)
Career Feature Wins
2016 – 0 Super Late Model
2015 – 1 Super Late Model
2014 – 1 Super Late Model
2013 – 2 Super Late Model
2012 – 3 Super Late Model
2011 – 2 Super Late Model
– 4 Steel Head Late Model
2010 – 4 Super Late Model
2 Limited Late Model
2009 – 6 Super Late Model
2008 – 3 Super Late Model
2007 – 1 Super Late Model
2006 – 1 Limited Late Model
2005 – 4 Super Late Model
2004 – 8 Limited Late Model
2003 – 9 B-sportsman
2002 – 3 B-sportsman
2001 – 3 Cruiser Class
|
|
|
|
|
