Jake Garcia pummels Southern Super Series at Montgomery

Jake Garcia was methodical in picking an opportunity to take the lead in the Rumble by the River 125 at Montgomery Motor Speedway, but once he did, it was lights-out for the field in the second Southern Super Series points race of the season.

Dustin Smith inherited the pole during the redraw and held the lead over Garcia through a Lap 50 competition caution. It took four laps off the restart, but Garcia powered to the lead and never looked back to win one of the more memorable trophies in the discipline.

A pair of oversized boxing gloves.

“I think there is kind of an art to saving tires and I just kind of did what I felt was right to win the race, you know, so I didn’t really concern myself with anybody else,” Garcia said. “I tried to get around Dustin there, early, because I don’t like riding behind somebody.

“He doored me a little and I just rode and got him on the restart. So yeah, I felt like I just did my own thing and didn’t really concern myself with anybody else. I just waited to see how it played out. I felt like our tires were in a good spot for a late restart and we were able to win it.”

How much tire life he had left was important due to a caution with 20 laps to go. Hudson Bulger chopped down on John Bolen in Turns 1 and 2 and then stayed on the gas through Turns 3 and 4 and crashed them both.

“I never want to tear up race cars but he was racing like that since Lap 2, dive bombing me,” said the 18-year-old. “I haven’t seen the replay but I’ve been getting pushed around too much in this class this year and I’m not taking anything more off of anybody. Like I said, I hate to tear up race cars, but it is what is.”

Bolen was measured.

“It’s unfortunate for all of us who put this car together,” said the GMS Race Cars veteran. “It takes a lot for us to do that. We don’t get to buy unlimited cars like some people. We have to work and pay for our cars but daddy’s money over there just wrecks cars. I don’t even know if he’s finished a race. That’s life.”

Meanwhile, the race resumed and the battle was for second between the other GMS Race Car of Spencer Davis and Matt Craig, who combined to complete the podium.

What did Davis need?

“I needed something that experienced drivers don’t do,” Davis said. “I needed him to miss a shift or … I just needed some more drive. That’s where he killed us all tonight. You put the top five under a blanket from second place on back but (Garcia) was just so much better.

“Dude, he had way better drive and I think his starting position helped. The aerodynamics have changed so much in racing. People are going to hate hearing that but when you can control the race from the front, that’s clean air. You can manage your tires better. (Smith) did a good job early and sitting in fifth I wish he could have pushed him harder but he didn’t and Jake played the perfect race.”

Craig echoed that sentiment.

“It was such a weird race because Jake ran so hard and I thought he would punish his tires, but he never did.”

For Garcia, this was just a fun detour during an off-season in his Truck Series campaign for ThorSport Racing.

SSS Rumble by the River
Montgomery Motor Speedway
April 18 2026

1. Jake Garcia
2. Spencer Davis
3. Matt Craig
4. Dylan Fetcho
5. Tristan Mckee
6. George Phillips
7. Donnie Wilson
8. Dustin Smith
9. Bubba Pollard
10. John Bolen
11. Hudson Bulger