Jake Garcia Bio
Steven Jacob “Jake” Garcia (born March 3, 2005) is an American professional stock car racing driver. He last competed full-time in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, driving the No. 13 Ford F-150 for ThorSport Racing, while also running part-time in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, driving the No. 29 Ford Mustang Dark Horse for RSS Racing. Garcia first made his midget racing debut in 2016 and has since built a resume that includes becoming the youngest champion in the Southern Super Series history.
Early Life and Background
Jake Garcia was born on March 3, 2005, in Monroe, Georgia, in the United States. He grew up in a region with deep short-track racing roots, where local speedways and late model programs have long produced top NASCAR talent. His Southern surroundings gave him early access to grassroots racing, and he began learning the craft at a young age.
Garcia attended Athens Academy and graduated with the class of 2023, balancing his education with a rising racing schedule. From the start of his career, his family supported his push into competitive motorsports, and the travel required for regional and national events became a regular part of his teenage years. His hometown and schooling remain part of the foundation that shaped his approach to racing.
Path to NASCAR
Garcia made his midget racing debut in 2016, driving in the USAC Eastern Midget Series. He spent three seasons racing midget cars and made his first late model debut in 2018 with the Champion Racing Association. In 2019, he won the pro late model track championship at Five Flags Speedway, signaling that he was ready for bigger late model opportunities.
In 2020, Garcia ran full-time in the Southern Super Series and earned Rookie of the Year honors. A year later, in 2021, he captured the Southern Super Series championship at just sixteen years old, becoming the youngest champion in series history. These results, along with select starts in the CARS Tour, drew the attention of NASCAR team owners and set the stage for his move into the national touring ranks.
Jake Garcia Career
Early Career (2016–2021)
Garcia’s early career centered on open-wheel and late model competition. After debuting in the USAC Eastern Midget Series in 2016, he added Champion Racing Association late model starts in 2018 and a Five Flags Speedway pro late model track title in 2019. The following season, he ran the full Southern Super Series schedule and was named Rookie of the Year.
In 2021, Garcia won the Southern Super Series championship, becoming the youngest title-holder in series history at age sixteen. He also signed with David Gilliland Racing for the final race of the 2021 ARCA Menards Series West at Phoenix Raceway, where he started fourth and finished sixth. Those performances served as his introduction to NASCAR-style national series competition.
NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Breakthrough (2022–2023)
On March 16, 2022, McAnally–Hilgemann Racing announced that Garcia would drive five races for the team in the 2022 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, starting at Martinsville Speedway, where rain cancelled qualifying and he failed to make the field. Garcia made his Truck Series debut at Gateway Motorsports Park on June 4, 2022, finishing twenty-ninth after a mid-race collision.
On December 6, 2022, McAnally–Hilgemann Racing announced Garcia would run full-time in 2023, continuing with 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 top-ten at Las Vegas and added seven top-tens during the regular season, finishing thirteenth in the final standings as Rookie of the Year contender. On October 16, 2023, the team announced Garcia would not return for 2024.
ThorSport Racing Era (2024–Present)
On November 15, 2023, ThorSport Racing announced Garcia would drive the No. 13 Ford F-150 in 2024, replacing Hailie Deegan. His first full season with the team was a learning year, as he scored two top-ten finishes, with a best result of sixth at Charlotte, and ended the campaign seventeenth in the Truck Series standings.
Garcia opened 2025 with a twelfth-place finish at Daytona and later earned his first career Truck Series pole at Rockingham. He qualified for the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Playoffs for the first time but was eliminated in the first round. On April 20, 2025, it was revealed he would attempt his NASCAR Xfinity Series debut at Talladega Superspeedway with RSS Racing in the No. 29 Ford Mustang Dark Horse, though he ultimately failed to qualify.
Notable Races and Milestones
Garcia’s signature moments include his 2021 Southern Super Series championship, his first Truck Series top-ten at Las Vegas in 2023, his first pole at Rockingham in 2025, and his first Playoffs appearance that same season. He also won the 2023 North-South Challenge and the 2024 All American 400, reinforcing his strength on the short tracks and superspeedways where he first built his reputation.
Jake Garcia Career Wins
Jake Garcia has collected victories across the late model ranks, including the 2021 Southern Super Series championship, the 2023 North-South Challenge, and the 2024 All American 400. His national NASCAR win total has not been verified in available sources, so those totals are omitted to avoid speculation.
Other Wins and Performances
Beyond his Southern Super Series title, Garcia captured the 2019 pro late model track championship at Five Flags Speedway and earned 2020 Southern Super Series Rookie of the Year honors. He also posted a sixth-place run in his lone ARCA Menards Series West start at Phoenix Raceway in 2021, marking a smooth transition into NASCAR-style national events.
Jake Garcia Family
Personal Life
Garcia graduated from Athens Academy in 2023 and continued balancing education with his racing schedule. Public details about his immediate family, marital status, or personal relationships are not verified in available sources, so those areas are not detailed here.
2025 Season Performance
The 2025 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series season has been a breakthrough year for Jake Garcia at ThorSport Racing. He opened the schedule with a twelfth-place finish at Daytona, then earned his first career pole at Rockingham Speedway. Those results helped him qualify for the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Playoffs for the first time, although he was eliminated in the opening round.
Garcia also attempted to expand into the NASCAR Xfinity Series in 2025, announcing a deal with RSS Racing to drive the No. 29 Ford Mustang Dark Horse at Talladega Superspeedway on April 20, 2025. He was unable to make the race, but the move signals his intent to climb further up the NASCAR ladder. With his first pole, first Playoffs appearance, and a new Xfinity opportunity now on record, Garcia’s 2025 campaign reflects steady growth and a clearer path forward at the national level.