James Finch

For the civil engineer, see James Kip Finch. For the Missouri Supreme Court judge, see James A. Finch, Jr.
James Finch
Born 1950 (age 65–66)
Lynn Haven, Florida, U.S.
Nationality American
Occupation Owner, Phoenix Construction
Owner, Phoenix Racing
Years active 1989–2013 (Phoenix Racing)

James Finch (born 1950, Lynn Haven, Florida) is an American businessman. He is the owner of Phoenix Construction, a construction company that specializes in airport construction. He owned Phoenix Racing until late 2013 when he sold the team to Harry Scott. Finch began work in construction as a teenager, and later formed Phoenix Construction Services, whose first job was at Tyndall Air Force Base.

Controversies

Finch and Phoenix Construction have incurred criticism and several fines for environmental infractions and botched construction work. These incidents include filling a bayou in his home and filling wetlands in Panama Beach; the latter drew a $23,000 fine from the EPA. Finch has drawn nearly $2 million in fines.[1]

Finch won a $1.7 million contract in the 1990s to build a pipeline across St. Andrew Bay that would carry away sewage from a nearby paper mill. After construction of the pipeline began, the pipe began to be built above ground, which was a violation of requirements set forth by the Department of Environmental Protection (10 feet below channel depth or 4 feet below the mudline) to prevent a dredge or anchor from breaking the pipe. Finch received a notice of non-compliance on May 25, 2000, but Finch and Phoenix were eventually cleared of responsibility after the work was corrected in 2005.[2][3][4][1]

In 2009, Finch and Phoenix were fined for allowing stormwater runoff to pollute creeks and wetlands near Northwest Florida Beaches International Airport. Finch was fined $1.7 million by the DEP for permit violations in 2010, and the incident led to suits filed between Finch and the airport authority.[2][1]

NASCAR

Further information: Phoenix Racing (NASCAR team)

Finch began his racing team with driver Jeff Purvis in dirt oval track racing. He moved to NASCAR in 1989 in the Busch Series and then Winston Cup Series racing. Phoenix Racing fielded a single entry, numbered 51 and 09, on a mostly part-time basis in the Cup Series throughout its history before going full-time in its final years, and was known for its sponsorship from Miccosukee resorts. The team scored one win in the Cup Series, the 2009 Aaron's 499 won by Brad Keselowski. Finch announced in 2013 that he was leaving the sport after failing to find consistent sponsorship for the past three seasons.[5][6]

He sold the team to Harry Scott Jr., of Turner Scott Motorsports, who took over at the Federated Auto Parts 400 at Richmond.[7]

In 2014, Finch partnered with the renamed HScott Motorsports to field an entry in the Daytona 500 for Bobby Labonte, with Labonte driving to a 15th-place finish.[8] Later in the year, Finch funded sponsorship worth at least US$25,000 for Phil Parsons Racing's No. 98 car at Daytona in July, endorsing the Florida gubernatorial campaign of Democrat Charlie Crist. The decals were removed out of respect for PPR partner Mike Curb, a Republican former lieutenant governor of California.[9] The relationship between Finch and Crist generated additional controversy when Crist was found to be using Finch's private Cessna plane en route to a global warming lecture.[1]

Finch returned to NASCAR sponsorship in 2015, when Phoenix Construction sponsored the No. 98 for the Daytona 500.[10] However, the car suffered an electrical failure prior to its Budweiser Duel race and failed to qualify.[11]

Video games

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 Gillin, Joshua (August 15, 2014). "Charlie Crist used jet owned by 'serial polluter,' RPOF says". PolitiFact.com. PolitiFact.com. Retrieved 5 February 2015.
  2. 1 2 http://www.baylifemagazine.com/index2.php?option=com_content&do_pdf=1&id=213
  3. ↑ "United States Environmental Protection Agency Region 4: In the Matter of: Phoenix Construction Services, Inc." (PDF). yosemite.epa.gov. United States Environmental Protection Agency. August 1, 2002. Retrieved 5 February 2015.
  4. ↑ "Bay County, Florida for Sale to the Highest Bidder" (PDF). peer.org. Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility. January 2005. Retrieved February 5, 2015.
  5. ↑ Ryan, Nate (April 4, 2013). "James Finch's Phoenix Racing just hanging on in NASCAR". USA Today. USA Today. Retrieved 26 November 2014.
  6. ↑ Shoot, Jason (2013-05-06). "Finch's Phoenix Racing to wrap up NASCAR operations July 28". News Herald. Retrieved 2013-05-08.
  7. ↑ Gluck, Jeff (August 28, 2013). "Justin Allgaier gets Cup ride after Harry Scott buys team". USA Today. USA Today. Retrieved 26 November 2014.
  8. ↑ Gluck, Jeff (2013-12-17). "2014 Daytona 500: Bobby Labonte to drive for Phoenix Racing". USA Today. McLean, VA. Retrieved 2013-12-17.
  9. ↑ Estrada, Chris (July 4, 2014). "NASCAR: Phil Parsons Racing removes Florida governor campaign ads from Josh Wise's car". MotorSportsTalk. NBC Sports. Retrieved 5 February 2015.
  10. ↑ "Daytona Entry List". Jayski's Silly Season Site. Retrieved 15 February 2015.
  11. ↑ Owens, Jeff (February 20, 2015). "Who made the Daytona 500, who missed it". Sporting News. Retrieved April 30, 2015.
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