We sat down with Jake Bollman, who is off to a blistering start to the 2024 Cook Out Summer Shootout. He has unfinished business behind the wheel of a Legend Car after finishing second in the INEX National Points in 2023. But his approach in 2024 is "what happens, happens." With a recent move from California to North Carolina, Bollman has gone all-in with racing with the goal to one day making it to the NASCAR Cup Series.
Hometown: Huntington Beach, California
Car Number: 71
Division: Pro
Team: Donny St.Ours Racing
Favorite Song: Beer Can’t Fix - Thomas Rhett
Favorite Driver: Kyle Larson
1. What made you get into racing?
My dad used to race off road and then I started doing that when I was about 8 years old and then I moved into Bandoleros when I was 10 years old.
2. What’s your favorite thing about racing?
Just the adrenaline rush really.
3. What made you choose the number on your car?
I’ve just always had 71 since I was a little kid, it’s just always been my number. When I first started racing off road there were only two numbers left in the series and I just liked 71 the best.
4. What’s your favorite track to race at and why?
I like Charlotte, it’s not because I feel like I’m good at it but just because I like how slow the short track is.
5. What has been your favorite racing memory?
Winning my first Pro Late Model race at Nashville fairgrounds for the All-American 100.
6. What advice would you give to younger kids wanting to get into racing?
Race as much as you can, start young. You’ll never be too young to start racing.
7. If you didn’t race what would you be doing?
I have no idea. I mean racing is my life really. I did football when I was a kid but I just decided to focus on racing.
8. How do you balance racing with school and other parts of your life?
School, I graduated early from high school. I took online for a month or two and I graduated my last two years, junior and senior year within a month or two. So I got it out of the way before I actually started racing all the time, so that helped a ton.
9. What are your long term goals for racing?
Every driver's goal is to make it to the NASCAR Cup Series but I want to at least make it to [NASCAR] Trucks hopefully, and atleast run a couple Truck races and go from there.
10. What’s the biggest obstacle you’ve had to overcome?
Now, I don’t really have one but I feel like the biggest obstacle I’ve had growing up in racing is always being the youngest kid out there. I’ve always been two or three years younger than anybody that was racing in the class. I’ve been in the Pro Division since I was 13 years old and I think the next youngest driver was 17. I feel like now I’ve learned not to put up with any other drivers stuff and just take control of the track.
11. If you could describe your racing style in one word what would it be?
Nonchalant
12. What is your greatest motivation in racing?
I wanna be the best.
13. What is the biggest difference between living in California and now living here in North Carolina, do you like it better?
I love it, California is a different animal. I feel like living here now I have met a ton more people than I would have ever met in California. I feel like if you really wanna make it somewhere in racing you have to be in North Carolina. Everything is out here in racing.
14. Name all of the cars you have ever driven?
Karts, Bandoleros, Legends, Pro-Late Models, Pro Trucks, Super-Late Models, and ARCA.
15. What clicks with you at the Charlotte Motor Speedway quarter-mile that makes you do so good here?
I guess my driving style, I feel like I know to be smooth instead of hustling it. You gotta go slow to go fast.
16. What has been your favorite Summer Shootout memory so far?
Last year, it was my first Summer Shootout win in the Pro series. I won from the outside.
17. Did finishing second in last years national points leave you wanting to come back and win this years national title that much more?
It’s definitely something that I have wanted to do. I’m trying this year but I’m not at the same time. If it happens that's great but if not then it’s not the end of the world.
18. What would it mean to you to win your first Summer Shootout championship?
That was my main goal this year for the Legends, come out here and win the belt. I mean the Summer Shootout is the best of the best in the country, if you can win here you can go anywhere else and win.
19. As someone who has driven late models and ARCA cars, what does the Legend car teach you that helps you succeed in bigger stock cars?
Legend Cars teach you about car control, throttle control, all of that.