Episode 4 - Phoenix Racing

[@MatthewLewisAtlanta]

As far as I know, James Finch's first affiliation with Cup or NASCAR was a late sponsorship of Ronnie Sanders driving Henley Gray's #54 Chevrolet in a DNQ for the 1988 Daytona 500. They sponsored the car for the 125's but there are several shots of early Speedweeks where the logos are not on the car. Finch also sponsored Butch Miller at the spring Bristol and fall Richmond races in 1989 in the #51 Chevy. I always assumed he bought that team from Leroy Throop. Neil Bonnett was co-owner in 1990 and brought along the Plasti-Kote spray paints sponsorship and associate sponsorship from Citgo.

[@MatthewLewisAtlanta]

They also we're the first (and only) team to run Jackaroo Barby-Q Sauce sponsorship (a subsidiary of Hooters/Naturally Fresh) with Purvis in Cup.

[@LASTCARonBROCK]

Very interesting - thank you for the additional info. I did ask Finch specifically if Bonnett had a part ownership interest and he said he didn't, that he was just a friend.

[@MatthewLewisAtlanta]

@@LASTCARonBROCK oh ok, I saw him listed as owner in several articles and photo captions but I've never seen him as a listed owner in any official capacity. I imagine it was one of those "he brought the $ and some equipment" type of deals or maybe they used Neil's shop? Who knows? Thank you for the great content as always!

[@LASTCARonBROCK]

@@MatthewLewisAtlanta That may have been the case. I know I was thinking of the 1991 Daytona 500 starting grid where Ken Squier referred to the 51 as "the Neil Bonnett car." He seemed to be involved at least in an unofficial capacity, maybe even as a consultant like Bobby Allison was for Don Arnold.

[@mwdiphone]

The Bonnett deal is interesting. Originally, Neil was going to be the driver in 1990 but doctors wouldn’t let him drive. Bonnett and Finch’s connections started through Purvis’ short track team. While Finch owned and sponsored the cars, they were built by Grand American Race Cars of Birmingham, AL. Neil Bonnett owned that company. When Bonnett decided to try to come back, he opted to join up with Finch and bring Frankie Grill on as crew chief. Grill was the head of Grand American. When the doctors scrapped that idea, Finch decided to put in his own driver and Neil became the spokesperson/manager for the team. Neil hoped to drive in 1991 but again he couldn’t get approval.

[@NASCARFAN93100]

You forgot to mention that Kurt Busch drove the iconic ME Car at Talladega in 2012

[@FMecha]

And of course his radioactive moments during his stint there.

[@NASCARFAN93100]

@@FMecha Yeah 2012 was a dark time for Kurt Busch

[@FastEvan47]

I think of Geoff Bodine finishing 3rd in the 2002 Daytona 500 behind Ward Burton and Elliot Sadler.

[@michaeldeitch3642]

“New leader (been waiting all day to say this) IT’S RICKY BOBBY!!!!!!”

[@oscarjimenezsr.716]

Went from Champion to Disgraced Loser at the time

[@IvyLeather13]

"Handling troubles", "rear end troubles", "brake problems". The euphemisms for start and park lol

[@trainboy32]

Don’t forget brake problems

[@MartyTuro]

How could you forget “Vibration”

[@gonzalezproductionsinc]

James Finch when he made more money per lap at Bristol than the winner: Yeah this is big brain time

[@zachhatten261]

Fun fact: Technically the US is still at war with the Miccosukee tribe as no formal treaty was signed between them and the US.

[@ChrisPoindexter98]

omg, I think I heard of a similar thing somewhere in Europe, perhaps the Koreas, too, although the European one was far less tragic/implicating, with it simply being forgotten about, despite the war having *"technically"* never ended for centuries until recently

[@SamBrickell]

@@ChrisPoindexter98 Rome [the city] signed a peace agreement with Carthage in like 2015 or something. Rome [the nation] obliterated Carthage so thoroughly that there was nothing left to sign a peace treaty with.

[@davidtoups4684]

James Finch is a real character! Something that NASCAR could use right now.

[@Flatworlder]

Rise of the Field FIllers is what TV is supposed to be.

[@RacingWorldTV202]

It's what it used to be back in the days of SPEED/Speedvision, and in the late '90s/early '00s. Thank God for KZbin and Brock especially.

[@bluecup1129]

I think 99% of the people know this car off of that one talladega race

[@battlestar65]

i remember this car from playing nascar '08 as a kid. but i bet you're not wrong!

[@MatthewLewisAtlanta]

I always think of Joe Ruttman 2004 at Rockingham lol

[@81casperflip]

I remember it from Mike Wallace in Richmond

[@Charkled19]

I remember Phoenix Racing because of my 2012 red Kurt Busch diecast

[@ddvshow6473]

Thank God I knew it before that i remember that Richmond race my dad flipped his shit when that car ran so well plus everyone watched the 02 500

[@lordshankracing4724]

Can't wait for next episode. Morgan Shepard is my favourite feild filler.

[@randomCADstuff]

Me too! He's an interesting driver and I enjoyed watching his successes in the late 80's/early 90's. I remember one race at New Hampshire he was scrubbing tires then selling them to other teams. Found a nice excuse not to park after a few laps lol.

[@robertjames5536]

Do we have a trailer for it fellas? Looked but couldn't find anything

[@montana262]

He seems like a great guy. Did a lot than what most owners could say. Won 13 NXS races and a Cup race too. Had a Cup champion drive for him for a year and wasn't your average field filler.

[@Shiggiesmalls02]

Two cup champions, one in the making Keslowki. and the '04 champ Kurt Busch

[@LSTNSCRFN]

One of my favorite field filler teams when I was growing up!!! Their cup and Busch series operations were awesome!!! Geoff Bodine, Mike Wallace, Reed Sorenson, Sterling Marlin, Brad Kesslowski, JJ Yeley, Kurt Busch 2012 😂, and Kyle Larson got his first cup start for the team in 2013

[@81casperflip]

Buckshot Jones made his final cup start for them I believe

[@hypesion2223]

Don't forget Johnny Benson.

[@TheLocalLt]

Nah by the time Kyle Larson ran for them in 2013 the team had been taken over by Harry Scott Jr.

[@wyattnorman4207]

TIL: Joe Ruttmans brother is an Indianapolis 500 champion

[@oscarjimenezsr.716]

Year?

[@wyattnorman4207]

@@oscarjimenezsr.716 1952

[@zachhatten261]

40:11 "Brad KEZ-O-LOW-SK-I won this race"

[@philback7920]

Release the Morgan Shepard documentary..... perfect way to end the year

[@LASTCARonBROCK]

Work is already underway on that one, but it will likely be out in January 2021. Hopefully it will be a good way to start the new year!

[@FlyinBlaney]

@@LASTCARonBROCK Keep up the good work, man! Thank you for your hard work on these videos!

[@joeyoung4871]

@@LASTCARonBROCK THANKYOU

[@Mistertbones]

One of my favorite NASCAR liveries of all time.

[@81casperflip]

One of my all time favorite small teams. Must have been the paint schemes

[@mcj88]

Shout out to EA Sports' _NASCAR 08,_ to my knowledge the _only_ appearance of Finch's #09 Miccosukee car in a NASCAR video game, driven by Mike Wallace; albeit _slightly_ amended to advertise the tribe as a whole instead of just their casino.

[@NascarNick2488]

Once again, another masterpiece Brock!!!! I love the Field Filler series so much!!! I can’t wait for the next episode

[@papadragon695]

This is why NASCAR is awesome. Great stories of ingenuity and grit from not only the big stars of the sport, but the little guys whose might’ve never even won a national series race in their life. I feel like this is what makes Motorsports special, especially NASCAR. We have the upmost regard for pretty much all the guys on the track.

[@StickersnScuffsPodcast]

I loved the Miccosukee car. Miss seeing it on track

[@andrewhaywood1262]

Always loved that Yellow Freight car they ran from 2003 to 2005 in Busch competition. The colors went so well with the Dodges. (also the Stratus was the Dodge that was ran in 2004, not the Intrepid. Intrepid was discontinued in August 2003)

[@benscovil]

It was the Avenger, not the Stratus.

[@TheLocalLt]

@@benscovil it was a Stratus body, without the name on it, though it was registered with NASCAR as an Avenger so they wouldn’t have to change again in 2005

[@RACECAR]

Feel like I am always learning something from watching these despite remembering all these races. That Miccosukee Paint scheme is easily the most memorable for me, really miss seeing it.

[@DavidRagan3134]

This was a great video! I loved the interview segments with Finch. It really adds a lot to it.

[@dontfrankitupfrank1479]

I enjoy the knowledge dump you always make learning fun, especially for someone that is ADHD thank you, and merry Christmas

[@zaymclovin4178]

that miccosukee car will always be my all time favorite scheme

[@randomreviewsrebooted5156]

God their schemes look amazing Also BRAD KESELOWSKI WON THIS RACE INTENSIFIES

[@alecbrackenbush5851]

Brock, Thank you for all the history you are sharing. I really appreciate what you are doing for the community. I was really young in this era of NASCAR and never really got to enjoy it in its golden days (born in 97) I will most likely become a Patreon soon, after the holidays. Please keep up the awesome work and thank you so much

[@mikeywest6508]

I lived 10 minutes from their shop and my uncle knew many of the crew because they went to the bar my uncle always went to so I got to meet then and tour the shop and they all came to his funeral and Nick Harrison (Justin Haley’s crew chief that died also spoke at his funeral)

[@wilhelmofcharlotte772]

Ah yes, the rise of James Finch and Phoenix Racing.

[@RubyNekomata]

Put cat ears on Jeff Purvis, now he's Jeff PURRvis

[@cameronchiesa1031]

Wow, what an excellent video. These videos are such a treat, they feel like an entire experience. Thank you, Brock!

[@Jeyrod]

Another quality video Brock. Can’t wait for part 5!

[@mesousagaby740]

James Finch got to win a Cup race. That's eough to set quite the legacy for him. That and getting sort of a last laugh in being paid more than the winner. XD

[@brenanconroy4052]

I still love that bit near the start: "Lets do 3 more start and parks, that way you can pay your house off and then lets go racing the rest of the year". Finch seems like one hell of a guy

[@johnkramer54]

its a genuine pleasure to watch these, please keep them coming!

[@nateh9507]

Legendary. You post. We click.

[@14fitzzpatrick34]

One of the things that I've greatly enjoyed about this series. Is how it ties every field filler team covered before in the past episodes together. While also giving hints of the involvement of the rest of the field filler teams like Hover racing or the involvement of non field filler teams such as Bodine Racing with the 09 and 27/72 teams. I've been a fan of auto racing since 1994 and I've always been way more interested in the mid tier and field filler teams. Since they just seemed so much more interesting then the main line teams. Phoenix Racing cars in the early 00s were really cool looking with the odd nose without the logos and had solid drivers who didn't wreck the cars to much when they did the full races. Buying that innovatory of Elliott racing cars really set them up well in the long term. Shepherd racing ventures is interesting. Also the third field filler team in this 2004 season to mainly run dodge body's after Arnold Motorsports and Phoenix Racing. Wonder if there was a surplus of 03 dodge body's that season. Thank you for doing this look back Mr Beard and I look forward to the next episode of this series.

[@Cruz55360]

Thank you for your hard work once again.

[@Dalejr88rox]

I'm still mad that the truck team collaboration between Finch, Wauters, and Billy Ballew with Erik Jones driving didn't get to run last year. Three renegade team owners like them working together was gonna be awesome

[@kevincorbat7084]

4:03 "there might be, a lil dust on the throttle..."

[@NotSteveCook]

But don't let it fool ya, 'bout what's insiiiiiiiiiiiiiide

[@crouchb15]

bottle

[@badassbaja]

Such a great video series! Can't wait until the next one!

[@aaronkristofer18]

I met Finch's son on a Class D Late Model race on iRacing a few months ago during a Twitch stream where he was also streaming. I have the .vod sitting around somewhere on one of my 12 million harddrives. We all thanked him for everything his family had done for the sport.

[@nc2827]

Thanks for these episodes. So much fun to watch and the stories of these backmarker teams are as good, maybe better than the big teams everyone talks about. Thank you for all the effort you put into these videos, it does not go unnoticed!

[@DavesWorld76]

Thank you for the awesome videos. I really loved nascar back in the day and I always watch your videos and the old races here on KZbin.

[@CarlCrisp]

Once again another very entertaining video and yet another thank you from me. I love this series you’re doing, keep it up.

[@LummoxAHiredHoodlum]

Your videos are so good. So detailed. Thank you for your hard work.

[@jeffwilson6088]

Great job like always. Best one yet . Thanx

[@adammartin5809]

Another fantastic episode. I remember that Geoff Bodine run.

[@jeffreyrussell8165]

I shared this to a nascar group I am part of. Love this series.

[@MiscRocketVideos]

Another great documentary. Keep it up!!!!!

[@brandonmitchell1056]

These videos are awesome! Thanks for making them

[@NASCARLegocupseries]

The intro hits different

[@kettlerunrailfan]

Hell of a job on this one Brock!

[@CSDonohue11]

How Bad @$$ is Brad Keselowski Victory on The 09 Clean too Cousin Carl came down on him Such a memorable race too That’s still so many Highlights and then Carl with “ Shades of Ricky Bobby “

[@NASCARFAN93100]

I came from The Iceberg's vid

[@lilwill6985]

Living here in Panama City i know the Finches personally... good representation of their history.

[@benscovil]

Excellent video, Brock. I remember being at a friend's house in 2002 and I forgot about the race (I think it was delayed if I remember right), my dad called me up and said Ward Burton won, and MICCOSUKEE finished THIRD! (We always liked the name of the tribe and saying it haha)

[@ChrisPoindexter98]

wow, very neat and poetic intro, an interesting tone shift, yet immensely fitting, a disadvantaged group, albeit this one facing far worse, fighting back and standing strong against resistance, and even in this case, happening to be somewhat close to the aforementioned Naples, Florida...

[@affandi99]

8:40 Geoffrey Bodine's truck looks cool!

[@highoctanecards]

Great video as always. I think Finch had connections to the #51 team that Leroy Throop owned. Watch the 1989 ValleyDale 500 from Bristol. During the race, Bob Jenkins talked about Butch Miller's top 10 qualifying run and a friend of the team offered to buy four sets of tires if the qualifed top ten. That friend, James Finch.

[@LASTCARonBROCK]

This is something I need to follow up on because I completely overlooked it in my research. Focusing on Purvis' side of it, I didn't think to do a sponsor search. I'm hoping to get in touch with Finch again and ask him about it.

[@highoctanecards]

@@LASTCARonBROCK I don't think it was an oversight on your part. There are certain races from the mid 80's to mid 90's I've watched countless times. That race is one of them. There are certain little tidbits that stick with me. One interesting one is from the 1993 Motorcraft 500. I read in that weeks Winston Cup Scene, that Alan Kulwicki was in the Wood Brothers pits at the end of the race. Alan had crashed out earlier in the day. The article stated the when Kulwicki fell out of a race, that he would be at the winners pit to congratulate them. If you watch the 1991 Peak 500 at Dover, after Harry Gant takes the checkered flag, there is a brief shot in the #33 pits. You can clearly see AK in a peach/orange colored polo shirt in their pits. The mid 80's to mid 90's is my wheelhouse for Nascar trivia. I read or watch anything I can of that timeframe.

[@Ghostmotorfinger]

Who wouldn't want to drive for a guy like James Finch?.

[@DiegoOspina86]

The iconic Miccosukee car.

[@kangarooswild]

I remember racing against Purvis #44 on NASCAR Racing 2

[@zachg9065]

Great job!

[@tysonfrank2105]

How the heck did I miss the debut of this 😂😂😂😂 darn cows

[@mwdiphone]

What a great video. Finch has always fascinated me. Going to back to his time with Butch Miller and when Neil Bonnett brought sponsorship to the team and joined up with Purvis. It was interesting to see Neil end up driving for Finch after being involved with the team several years earlier. One question though, what was the Finch/ Morgan McClure connection? It’s my understanding that Finch used MM engines for many years. This led to Purvis driving the Kodak Busch car and driving the MM Cup car after Irvan left for Yates. I could be wrong but I always thought some of the early Finch rides were actually MM cars. Marc Reno was involved with both teams. Did they have an alliance of some kind?

[@LASTCARonBROCK]

I believe you're right - there was some connection with Morgan-McClure. The subject didn't come up in my interview. NASCARMAN did a video on Purvis' 1993 ARCA winner which was Ernie Irvan's 1991 Daytona 500 winner from MM.

[@TangoWolf09]

Wonderful video, definitely one of my favorite series on KZbin #Signature09

[@CR7659]

Another great video.

[@chardab8824]

I cant wait for the next episode now

[@brianwertman5848]

Me and my team owner Mark Smith got in trouble by the SAME thing like James did at Rockingham. Not having a pit crew in the box at a start of the race. Instead of putting Jeff Green parked in the garage on lap 6 at Richmond. After the race My GM, Mark Smith and Jeff Green crew chief got yelled at by breaking 3 rules. 1. No pit crew in the box at the start of the race. 2. No pit box or equipment in the pit stall before the race. 3. We went to the garage instead of stopping in our box before we parked it. NASCAR threatened to fine the team $50,000 but didn't. Then later in the season I took crew chief duty for the last 6 races. With 3 races to go NASCAR told me and my GM that if we park they want us to give another reason other than vibration or they will confescate the car and we need to tear it down.

[@TheLocalLt]

You guys and Finch both gave the opportunity for Mike Bliss to drive some decent cars his last few years (and in your case Jason Keller as well), when other veterans had been forced to retire or become a driver coach/start&parker like your own Jeff Green. I always found it depressing whenever competitive Busch teams like Phoenix, TriStar, Braun Racing and NEMCO had to field an S&P car to cover their costs.

[@mvd3338698]

Great video

[@travis3732]

Love the intro

[@skeleguns10oooooo10]

Phoenix Racing actually returned to field cars for James’ son Jake Finch in the ARCA Menards Series East

[@Maverick33]

You talking about Miccosukee and especially Seminole reminded me of the country song "Seminole Wind" by John Anderson. Also FSU to a lesser extent

[@TracksideViews]

For $665,000 you can be an Xfinity field filler for Carl Long racing in 2021 per a wanted ad on r/NASCAR.

[@TrickiVicBB71]

I've seen this car on the track. But like everyone, I only remember that Dega race

[@danielfoster3642]

Out of all of the start and park teams of the mid-to-late 2000s, James Finch and Barney Visser had the most success.

[@stevenkingan7163]

This is almost single handedly why Justin Algier went to Xfinity and now seems like a permanent home. Even though I think Justin is better and can be better then a lot of cup drivers given the right equipment, he seems to never move up again.

[@CatGoomba64]

That was more HScott and not Finch tho, HScott just kept Finch's old number until he shut that team down. Allgaier only ran 4 races for Phoenix back when Finch owned it

[@TheLocalLt]

@@CatGoomba64 None of the Cup races Allgaier ran in 2013 were even for Finch anyway. Allgaier’s Cup debut was Harry Scott Jr’s second race as owner, if I remember correctly, Finch’s last race was Atlanta with Mike Bliss, then Ryan Truex ran Scott’s first race the next week at Richmond, with Allgaier making his Cup debut the following week at Chicagoland

[@anandguruji83]

R.I.P PHOENIX RACING

[@anandguruji83]

R.I.P PHOENIX RACING

[@aidanztrainsnthingz]

@@anandguruji83 shut it bot

[@missaellopez9363]

@@anandguruji83 odiame mas dise

[@penskepc2374]

Im pretty sure Micossuke use to sponsor a Fountain race boat also at the Worlds in Key West.

[@pepsibottleq]

James Finch is awesome

[@CertifiedForkLiftOperator69420]

i miss this team/car. i use to like to follow the car with the nascar thing on the website.

[@mattkaustickomments]

The tribe’s logo just doesn’t ‘read’ like the graphics of the other advertisers. Maybe it was recognizable to FL locals?

[@DennyDeliversYT]

Anytime people see this car they’ll immediately go to thinking *BRAD KESELOWSKI WON THIS RACE* and Carl flipping

[@LSTNSCRFN]

I think of Mike Bliss’ rain shortened win at Charlotte and Kurt Busch’s 2012 rageaholic season

[@DupontandLowesWarrior]

Merry Christmas To The NASCAR Community

[@samuelrichmond8300]

18:48 lol '3th July'

[@NASCARFAN93100]

RIP Neil Bonnett

[@rosschastainfan1851]

I wanted Kurt to win so badly at Sonoma. He probably should’ve won 3 in a row (2011, 2012, 2013) if things went his way. But, there is always that pesky catchphrase known as coulda woulda shoulda.

[@spencerbrayall8678]

I like how you keep showing this car with Benson as the driver.

[@roxstrongo8961]

Can't wait for Morgan Shepherd

[@stormkelleh]

I guess I’m a bit confused about the pit crew thing… I mean didn’t Morgan Shepherd run without a crew if he’s there changing his own tires?

[@TheTotallyRealXiJinping]

How has Mike Helton not hit you up for a position

[@CutlassFire2722]

12:30 another prime example of NASCARs inconsistency on the out of bounds line.

[@liamworley8265]

Didn't Mike Bliss win in the nationwide Miccosukee car in the charlotte 2009 race

[@TheLocalLt]

Yes

[@ilackedtheheart]

Wow, totally forgot that Ward Burton won a Daytona 500. I think that was the race that Sterling had a strong car, but his front quarter panel got pushed in when he was up front. He was leading during a red flag and then he went out to push it back out, and the pace car driver ran out of the car to stop him, and he had to serve a penalty.

[@ThatBoyEpic08]

Now, James Finch fields a Phoenix Construction Toyota in ARCA for his son Jake

[@Mentally_Will]

I adore this series. How many episodes do you plan on doing total? Seeing the closing sequence, it seems like you can never run out of material.

[@LASTCARonBROCK]

I don't have a firm number on episodes, but the good news is I'm not planning on ending it anytime soon. I certainly aim to make this series as comprehensive as possible.

[@Mentally_Will]

@@LASTCARonBROCK Now that's what I like to hear.

[@haydendecker6766]

Fun Fact: The bodines are from Chemung NY not Homestead.

[@BoiseState47]

39:20 had to put that on all the Mark Martin fans!!

[@jabrown]

Wait so... this guy basically INVENTED the start and park?