Jake Finch has never raced in the Xfinity Series before, but he’s about to get behind the wheel of one of NASCAR’s hottest cars. The 20-year-old ARCA driver will pilot Hendrick Motorsports’ No. 17 Chevrolet at Dover International Speedway, stepping into a ride that has already won twice in 2025 with prominent Cup Series drivers.

Can Jake Finch Handle the Pressure of the No. 17 Car?

Hendrick Motorsports (HMS) has ramped up its Xfinity Series activity in 2025. The No. 17 car made only 10 starts in NASCAR’s second-tier series in 2024, but 19 races into this season, that number has already climbed to 11. Another race start is scheduled for the upcoming Dover International Speedway race.

After all the team’s Cup drivers have already piloted the No. 17 car this season, Mr. H has handed the keys to a debutant this time. The car has been a beast on the track so far, with Kyle Larson, William Byron, Alex Bowman, Chase Elliott, and Corey Day running it. Out of the 11 races, the car has visited victory lane twice: First with Larson at Bristol Motor Speedway and then with Byron at Charlotte. Beyond those wins, the car finished seven times in the top five, with three runner-up finishes.

You can imagine the pressure that its newest pilot faces, especially when he’s never even set foot in the Xfinity Series before. Part-time ARCA Menards series driver Finch will be taking on the car at the “Monster Mile.” HMS even released a teaser video on X, with the caption: “Next up in the No. 17! @jamessfinch will drive the No. 17 @HendrickCarsChevy at the @MonsterMile.”

Next up in the No. 17! @jamessfinch will drive the No. 17 @HendrickCars Chevy at the @MonsterMile. pic.twitter.com/g8SNtsqcsq

— Hendrick Motorsports (@TeamHendrick) July 14, 2025

Why Did Hendrick Motorsports Choose Dover for Finch’s Debut?

Finch making an Xfinity start was already known in the NASCAR community, thanks to Dale Earnhardt Jr. revealing it earlier in his podcast. However, few would have guessed that HMS would put him at Dover. The Dover track is called the Monster Mile for a reason. The track’s high banking challenges the most seasoned veterans, let alone a rookie.

Despite the challenge, the 20-year-old has shown promise in the ARCA series. He has made 18 race starts so far. As Sports Illustrated reported, Finch has accumulated two wins, 11 top-five finishes, and 28 top-10s in his ARCA career. Additionally, he is currently running for Venturini Motorsports. He already has three starts to his name this season. His best finish was a seventh-place run at Talladega.

Finch has been good at Talladega, where he even won in 2024. But the reason why HMS picked Dover for Finch was that he won there in 2023. Clearly, Finch has the talent. However, the race won’t be easy. Xfinity Series regulars will be pushing extra hard as the regular season will soon come to a close. Those who haven’t already secured a win would be desperate to get a victory and a playoff spot.

Still, Finch has some of that No. 17 car’s form on his side. After all, he isn’t the only debutant to run the car this year. Before him, Day drove it for four races and had decent runs. His best was an 11th-place finish at Nashville.

There is a chance that Finch could pull off something extraordinary at Dover, too. Only time will tell how he fares in the race.