Big Weekend Ahead For Chub

Big Weekend Ahead For Chub

June 28, 2006

By Kevin Kovac, WoO LM PR

For starters, the veteran driver will return to his old stomping grounds this Saturday night (July 1) when the World of Outlaws Late Model Series visits Stateline Speedway to contest the Roberts Trucking 50.

Frank, 44, of Bear Lake, Pa., will also be a national television star. While he’s running WoO LMS events at Stateline and on Sunday night at Cayuga County Fair Speedway in Weedsport, N.Y., he will be featured as part of a highly-anticipated documentary about dirt Late Model racing that is scheduled to air on the CNN television network.

The award-winning “CNN Presents” documentary series will take an hour-long, behind-the-scenes look at dirt Late Model racing with a show titled “Dirt Track Warriors.” Set for broadcast on CNN at 8 p.m. and 11 p.m. EDT both Saturday (July 1) and Sunday (July 2), the program will also include in-depth interviews with former World of Outlaws Late Model Series champion Scott Bloomquist and 2005 tour rookie of the year Josh Richards.

Interestingly, one of the “Dirt Track Warriors” segments focusing on Frank includes footage from Stateline Speedway, where Frank launched his racing career in 1978. Frank was filmed standing on the one-third-mile oval’s surface with his father Jerry, who helped build the track 50 years ago and co-owned it until 1984.

“I’m excited to see the show,” said Frank, who was followed by CNN camera crews at his shop and several racetracks during the 2005 season. “I wish it wasn’t on when we’re racing, but I guess everybody can tape or TIVO it and watch it when they get home.”

That’s certainly what Frank’s relatives, friends and local fans will do this Saturday night, because they’re not about to miss a rare appearance at Stateline by ‘Chubzilla.’ Frank always is the center of attention at the track, which is located mere miles from his race team’s shop.

“I do like to come back home (to Stateline) and see all the people I haven’t seen in awhile,” said Frank, who over a decade ago left the weekly wars at Stateline and other area tracks to become a fulltime touring driver.

But Frank does have to carefully balance the demands placed on him by racing in his backyard. As the local star who’s made good, everybody wants to talk with him, including his virtual army of relatives.

“My grandmother had 18 kids,” smiled Frank, “so we definitely have a big family.”

Frank is hopeful that he’ll give his backers more to cheer about than he did during last year’s inaugural WoO LMS event at Stateline. Problems hampered him in time trials, and he managed just a disappointing 14th-place finish in the 50-lap feature.

“We’re trying not to let that happen again,” said Frank, who owns five career WoO LMS victories.

Frank, who enters Stateline’s event ranked seventh in the WoO LMS points standings, doesn’t believe his hometrack advantage will help him very much, reasoning that “the guys I’m racing against are too good.” He’s also been struggling on the WoO tour since scoring a victory on May 6 at Wayne County Speedway in Orrville, Ohio.

But he’s confident that some elbow grease will propel him to the front of the pack.

“We haven’t run very good lately, so we have the cars all torn apart,” Frank said from his shop with Stateline’s action just days away. “We’re gonna find what’s been wrong.”

Would a Frank triumph in Saturday’s 50-lapper set off a wild party in the Stateline pit area? You can bet on it.

But it’s not like Frank will go to bed early if his night isn’t memorable.

“It doesn’t matter whether we win or lose,” said Frank. “There’s gonna be a lot of time spent talking with relatives and friends after the races.

“And we gotta go past ‘The Bucket’ on the way home,” he added, referring to a popular post-race watering hole near the track. “I’m sure we’ll stop in to see everybody.”

STATELINE SPEEDWAY INFO: Saturday’s Roberts Trucking 50, which pays $10,000 to win, will be preceded by time trials, heat races, B-Main events and a pole dash. As an added attraction, Frank will battle local favorite Rich Gardner in a one-on-one ‘King of the Hill’ match race.

Pre-sale adult general admission tickets for the event are available through 12 noon EDT on Friday (June 30) for $20. Call 814-489-7866 for more information.

On race day, adult general admission tickets are $25, senior citizens are $20, youths 6-15 are $15 and children under five are free. Pit admission is $35.

Pit gates are scheduled to open at 3 p.m. (or earlier). Spectator gates are set to open at 3:30 p.m., with warmups beginning at 6 p.m. and time trials commencing at 6:30 p.m.

To get to Stateline Speedway, go nine miles southwest of Jamestown, N.Y., on Sugar Grove Road to Kortwright Road, then west (track located south of Busti, N.Y.).

CAYUGA COUNTY FAIR SPEEDWAY INFO: Sunday night’s Star Spangled 50 will mark the WoO LMS’s first-ever appearance at DIRT MotorSports NorthEast’s flagship track. The event will offer a $10,000 top prize.

Pit gates open are scheduled to open at 4 p.m. and spectator gates at 5 p.m. Warmups are set to begin at 6 p.m., with time trials at 6:30 p.m. and racing at 7 p.m.

Ticket prices are $25 for adult general admission; $23 for senior citizen general admission; and $13 for students (11-18) general admission. Children under 10 are free, and pit admission is $25 for DIRT members and $30 for non-members.

To get to Cayuga County Fair Speedway, take I-90 to exit 40. Go one mile south on State Route 34, then east on State Route 31.

Phone 315-834-6606 for more information.

WEBSITES: The World of Outlaws Late Model Series: http://www.dirtmotorsports.com/LMS.
Stateline Speedway: http://www.stateline-speedway.com.
Cayuga County Fair Speedway: http://www.cayugacountyfairspeedway.com.

WoO LATE MODELS ON TELEVISION: The SPEED cameras will capture all the exciting action of Sunday’s Star Spangled 50 at Cayuga County Fair Speedway. The race will be broadcast on SPEED on Sun., Aug. 13, at 6 p.m. EDT.
SPEED’s WoO LMS coverage, hosted by lead commentator Rick Benjamin along with color man Shane Andrews and pit reporter Mark Kenyon, will include 15 events beginning this Sunday night (July 2). A WoO LMS event will be broadcast on SPEED every Sunday night through Dec. 3 at the 6 o’clock air time.
This first SPEED broadcast this Sunday night at 6 p.m. EDT will feature the WoO LMS event held at Volusia Speedway Park in Barberville, Fla.

WoO LATE MODELS ON THE INTERNET: Fans can experience the excitement of all World of Outlaws Late Model Series events live on Dirtvision.com through the DIRT Radio Network broadcasts.
There will also be selected video cybercast coverage of WoO LMS throughout the season.
To find the DIRTvision.com video broadcast schedule or listen to the audio broadcast, log on to www.dirtvision.com and click on the DIRT Radio Network logo. Listeners will need Windows Media Player 9 or higher to listen and view the DIRT Radio Network.

Chub Frank Racing

Rt.1 Box 146

Lottsville Niobe Rd.

Bear Lake, PA 16402