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Chubzilla Keeps On Racing
 

Photo By Tony Hammett
 
April 14th, 2004
By Doc Lehman
 
With a couple weeks removed from the devastating (to his racing operation) circumstances on Tuesday March 23, when a huge fire swept through the shop of Chub Frank Racing located near Bear Lake, PA, the friendly and popular driver finds himself hard at work taking care of business only spending an inordinate amount of time dealing with insurance adjusters, fire inspectors and building contractors. Seven fire departments responded to the early afternoon blaze that was declared a total loss. Frank is one of the ‘Dirty Dozen’ dirt Late Model stars on the World of Outlaws Late Model Series and drives the Corry Rubber, Allstar Performance, Nystrom's Auto Sales, Draime Racing Engines, Rocket Chassis, Pierotti Motorsports, The Slavic Group, Farr MotorSports, Chevrolet Monte Carlo #1*.
 

He has spent the past couple weeks cleaning up and regrouping, restocking and moving into new, smaller quarters for the time being. He took off the first weekend and headed to the Duayne Hommel Benefit race and subsequent World of Outlaw Late Model Series race in Bulls Gap, TN but was forced to remain idle from the racetracks this past weekend due to pressing business and responsibilities at home.
 
When Frank, known affectionately as ‘Chubzilla’ by his legion of fans, is asked the first obvious question, he immediately begins to chuckle.
 
“(Laughs) Oh, that’s kind of a hard one to say,” responded Frank to being asked how things have been going the past two weeks. “It’s still a disaster. Every time I go to get something I’ve got to remember that it burnt up (laughs)! I’m still trying to get stuff that I need and we’re reorganizing my cousin’ garage right now so we can use that. That part of it we’re pretty close on but it’ll be all summer just trying to get back into the swing of the racing part of it. You just get so used to everything being in a certain spot and now you’ve got to chase it. It takes you twice as long to do anything.”
 

One pressing matter at hand is for Chubzilla to get a new shop constructed as soon as possible, and he is quizzed on whether it will be done this year or not, given the labor intensive schedule of his racing program. “Yes, in fact the guy was supposed to fax me some prices today,” replied Frank. “We’ve been doing some pricing on buildings to see where we’re at. So we’ll get one put up but we probably won’t be in it until fall or until the season is over just because of all the work it takes to do that.”
 
Some good news has come along as three new product sponsors, Hedman Headers, Brodix and Aurora appear to be joining the team for the 2004 season.
 

“The Hedman stuff, they are trying to get into the dirt market and they make a really nice header and we had some prototype stuff that we were trying,” explained Frank. “Actually right now we only have one set because the rest burnt up but they have been working with us recoating headers and stuff. We’re testing them out to make sure everything fits good before they put them out on the market. But they’re really a nice looking set of headers and I appreciate them working with me after the fire, that’s a big thing.”

“Brodix, we’re still in the works with them but I think they’re going to help us out with some stuff and give us a break until we get back. We lost two motors in the fire so they’re going to help us out some. We’ll still have to spend some money but not as much so that’s a big thing right now. Even though we have insurance, it’s still going to come down to you’re not going to get everything back. There was 25 years worth of stuff in that garage (laughs)! Everyday I find something more that I forgot that burnt up.”
 

Frank only has a couple days at home before the road beckons for his return. On Wednesday Chubzilla and team will head west to Texas for a World of Outlaw Late Model Series weekend at Lone Star Speedway in Kilgore, TX. In the past Frank has shown a penchant for turning up at tracks for the first time and spanking the field. He was asked if he was confident that history could repeat given the fact that he will be going into three consecutive weekends with WoO LMS races in five different states and four different racetracks. Three of these tracks Frank has never laid eyes on before.
 

“We’re going racing and I don’t know, the new tracks we’re going to, and like the tracks in Tennessee and stuff, that’s probably not our big thing, the big high banked tracks, we don’t run them enough,” said Frank. “The Texas track, until I get there and see what it looks like, and if it looks like stuff we’ve raced on all the time, we’ve had good luck at new places, but most of the new tracks were similar to something we raced on all the time and that helps us.”

“This deal with the fire has put us behind and it’s even hurt us with our maintenance a little bit just because you can’t keep up with it. That’s why we didn’t go racing this last weekend, we’re just trying to get organized and caught up a little bit because we know we have a bunch of races coming up. We have some new tracks and then in May we go for like three weeks before we come home. So we’re trying to get organized so we can just get through the season.”

 
The World of Outlaws Late Model Series will take to the dirt at Lone Star Speedway April 16th and 17th. This weekend will kick off Friday night with a $5,000 to-win main event showcase. Fans will then have the opportunity the following night to watch the WoO LMS battle to bring home the $12,000 in winning prize money. Ticket information for the April 16th and 17th events can be found on the Lone Star Speedway web site at http://www.lonestarspeedway.net or you can call Lone Star Speedway direct at (903) 986-9731.
 

Before heading back to work Chub Frank was adamant about stressing a point he wanted to make.
 
“I know Mike (Farr) sent a thank you out for us but I want to again thank all the fans who have sent emails and for all their support and all my product sponsors and my personal sponsors I guess you can say who have helped us out,” stated Frank. “We still have a long way to go but we’re going to keep on racing and I just want to let them know that Mary and I appreciate them and thank them for all their help and support.”
 
The shop telephone and computer system is down. Emails of support can be sent to Chub & Mary Frank through his webmaster at: info@chubfrank.com Telephone calls can be directed through Mike Farr at: 770.992.4301.
 

Courtesy of

©2004 Doc Lehman/Dirt America

www.DirtAmericaOnline.com

 
Don’t forget to stop by merchandise.
 

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Copyright © 2003
Chub Frank Racing
Rt.1 Box 146
Lottsville Niobe Rd.
Bear Lake, PA 16402