9/21 Chub Hopes His Pittsburgher Experience Helps

Chub Hopes His Pittsburgher Experience Helps Keep Him In World of Outlaws Late Model Series Title Chase This Weekend

Sept. 21, 2006

By Kevin Kovac

IMPERIAL, PA. Chub doesn’t merely have more experience competing in the prestigious Pittsburgher 100 than all of his rivals on the World of Outlaws Late Model Series.

Actually, Chub has more experience in the marquee event at Pittsburgh’s Pennsylvania Motor Speedway than practically everyone.

The Bear Lake, Pa., star has raced in every Pittsburgher 100 since its launch in 1989 except last year’s edition, when it wasn’t part of the WoO LMS and he was off running in the Midwest instead.

So Chub, 44, is an obvious favorite to capture the $18,000 top prize when the WoO LMS invades PPMS this weekend (Sept. 22-23) for the 18th annual running of the event.

Chub, of course, wouldn’t mind adding another Pittsburgher trophy to his collection.

“It’s one of the 12 biggest races in the country for dirt Late Models,” said Chub, who won the Pittsburgher in 2001. “It’s also close to home for us, so it means a lot to win it.”

But does Chub believe his experience at the ‘Monster Half-Mile’ – and superb recent finishing record in the Pittsburgher 100 – will give him an advantage this weekend?

Chub, who sits fourth in the WoO LMS points standings, is aware of the fact that the five drivers he’s battling for the $120,000 tour points championship don’t have similarly deep backgrounds racing at PPMS.

A quick snapshot reveals that points leader Tim McCreadie of Watertown, N.Y., has run the Pittsburgher once (24th place in 2004); Shane Clanton of Locust Grove, Ga., has never raced at the track; Billy Moyer of Batesville, Ark., has three career Pittsburgher starts (top finish: second in 1991); Darrell Lanigan of Union, Ky., has a career-best Pittsburgher run of fifth (1995) in five career starts; and Steve Francis of Ashland, Ky., has run the race 11 times but never finished better than seventh (1994 and 2000).

Chub, meanwhile, has nearly perfect attendance in the event, and since 1998 his performance in the Pittsburgher includes five top-five finishes – a win, three thirds (1998, 1999 and 2003) and a fourth (2002) – plus a 10th-place in 2000 and a 21st in 2004.

But stats aside, Chub modestly downplays any perceived edge he has at PPMS.

“We found a good setup that really worked there for awhile,” Chub said of successful run since ’98. “I’d like to think it’ll still do the job, but I’m not too sure our setup works there anymore like it used to. The cars and setups have changed.”

That’s why Chub sees the pre-Pittsburger practice session on Thursday night (Sept. 21) as being very important. He’ll be there to test two of his Lester Buildings Rocket cars equipped with significantly different setups.

“The blue front-end car we’ll bring has a whole different front-end geometry than we’ve usually run at Pittsburgh,” said Chub, who will also experiment with some different tire compounds during the open practice. “Our newer car – the one we brought out at Tri-City (in winning fashion on Sept. 3) – is like the other cars we used to race there. We’ll try both of them and see which one works the best.”

Chub, who has three WoO LMS victories in 2006, does see Saturday night’s extra-distance feature as being good for his hopes. It will be the first 100-lap event on this year’s WoO LMS schedule.

“I like the 100s,” said Chub, who took the weekend of Sept. 15-17 off from racing to gear up for the Pittsburgher. “Running 100 laps makes it more difficult for everyone. A guy’s maintenance program comes more into play, and I like ‘em because I usually run better as the race goes on.”

Chub enters the Pittsburgher 100 weekend with his WoO LMS title hopes flickering, but still not extinguished. He’s 56 points behind McCreadie, so he must slice that deficit to less that 48 points if he wants to have even an outside chance at winning the championship in the season finale Gator 100 on Oct. 13-14 at Volusia Speedway Park in Barberville, Fla.

“I haven’t given up on the championship,” said Chub, who finished fifth in the 2005 WoO LMS points standings. “But realistically, Timmy would have to have two bad runs in a row for us to have a chance, and I don’t see that happening.

“If things go our way, though, we can get up to second in the points (he’s 28 behind Clanton for that spot). I’m looking at that as our best scenario.”

Fortunately for Chub, he’ll be at a familiar track to start his final push in the ultra-competitive WoO LMS points standings.

The Pittsburgher 100 activities will be run under the lights on Fri., Sept. 22, and Sat., Sept. 23. A practice will be held on Thurs., Sept. 21, from 7-10 p.m. for dirt Late Model, E-Mod and Pure Stock racers.

Sun., Sept. 24, will be reserved as a raindate.

On Fri., Sept. 22, pit gates are scheduled to open at 4 p.m. and spectator gates at 5 p.m. WoO LMS time trials are set for 7 p.m., followed by qualifying heat races for the WoO LMS, E-Mods and Pure Stocks.

Pit gates will open for the Sat., Sept. 23, program at 11 a.m. and spectator gates at 12 noon. Racing will begin at 7 p.m., featuring WoO LMS B-Mains, specials for the E-Mods and Pure Stocks, and the 18th annual Pittsburgher 100, which will not have a halfway fuel stop.

Thursday’s practice boasts free admission to the grandstand. Adult general admission is $25 on Friday and $40 on Saturday, with a two-day pass available for $40. Kids 9-14 will be admitted for $10 each day, and kids 9 and under are free.

Chub Frank Racing

Rt.1 Box 146

Lottsville Niobe Rd.

Bear Lake, PA 16402