By Doc Lehman
When Stateline Speedway hosts it’s 50th anniversary celebration on Saturday July 2 with the inaugural appearance of the Stacker 2 World of Outlaws Late Model Series present and former fans, drivers, owners, crewmembers, media and others will descend upon the Busti, NY dirt track to watch an exciting night of big name racing along with spending time recollecting former glory days at the long time northeast track. And for Stacker 2 Woo LMS regular Chub Frank it will be no exception as family and friends will all come in from different parts of the country to catch some racing and have a good time reminiscing.
Stateline Speedway is one of two tracks (the other being Eriez Speedway) he literally grew up at from infancy until the start of his own racing career. This Independence Day weekend will be special to Chubzilla in more ways than one, and especially with his pals who will be on hand that weekend to cheer Chub on.
With Chubzilla having so much success at Stateline with wins and championships, several of his ‘cronies’ and friends were asked to recall special racing memories they had of Chubzilla racing ‘at home’ over the years.
“Well when I raced at Stateline Chub drove the water truck and track packer cars we used to go up to the fence just to watch Chub back then he could even slide a water truck thru the corners until his dad Jerry caught him and slowed him down,” recalled Mike Farr of Farr Motorsports who handles Chubzilla’s public relations & marketing. “But the best memory would be watching a guy from around my area come up thru the ranks in dirt Late Models from a kid that packed the track to the winner of the 34th Annual World 100 and four Renegade Championships. Now that's my memories with ChubZilla.”
“The best memories I have is watching him and my Dad coming from the back to the front every week,” said Rick ‘Boom’ Briggs who serves as Crew Chief for Chub Frank Racing. “Chub has always gotten more out of a car then anybody I have ever watched race no matter the handling of the car or the track conditions. One thing about him he never gives up!”
Steve Schnars has known Chub Frank since high school and attended Stateline Speedway for many years until relocating to the west coast. He still makes annual trips back to catch his long time friend in action. “There are so many fond memories of Chub and Stateline, that this is a difficult question,” explained Schnars. “Around 83-86, Chub was the man in the Limited Late Model class. Chub was pretty involved with Tobber Chassis and he hooked up with Shorty Lupica for his engines. Shorty was a great addition to the team and was as great of a worrier as he was an engine man.”
“About mid season, there was a rain out with less than 10 laps left in the Limited Late Model feature. So, the next week, they ran the balance of the Limited Late Model feature before the regularly scheduled feature, and I pretty sure Chub was leading. The class was tough, with Bill Catania Sr., Mike Moore, Bob Craig, Andy Kania and Brad Clark. If memory serves me the #18 of Catania was second to Chub, and I can't place the third place car.”
“The track was heavier than a usual feature, and Chub pushed badly losing first and second in one corner, with like three laps to go. It seems like Catania was leading, with Chub third going into turn four on the last lap. Somehow, I still don't know how, Chub drove into three & four high and hard, and powered by Catania and the second place car out of turn four to take the win. Amazing!”
“The range of emotions, in less than five laps, is what makes racing the great sport it is. The ability to get the most out of his car, at the right moment makes Chub the racer he is. And seeing Shorty face when he checked the tach to see what RPM's Chub turned out of turn four was priceless!”
Another long time friend is Ron Slavic who handles all of Chubzilla’s merchandising. Slavic didn’t hesitate when quizzed on what his favorite Chubzilla/Stateline racing memory was. “My best memory of Chub at Stateline would be a MACS race in 1997,” replied Slavic. “Chub had to start at the rear and in no time at all he was putting a show on. I don't know what lap it was but Chub split two lapped cars going into turn one and he was coming off of turn two he quickly caught West Virginia’s Dave Groves that he was racing for position, he drilled Dave's rear bumper and turned him totally sideways and Dave slid the entire back stretch Chub checked up and let Dave gather his car and passed him on the next lap on his way to the front, most people would have wrecked the guy.”
“I can't remember where Chub finished (he didn't win) but after, we were all in the pits and Chub went to Dave and while laughing apologized, he told Dave he wanted to wake him up a bit. Dave was laughing and said, ‘Well you definitely did that!’ That's Chub Frank always putting on a show.”
Another long time friend and sponsor of Chubzilla’s also has a definitive favorite memory of a Chubzilla in action at Stateline Speedway. “I remember one night about four or five years ago when the STARS came to Stateline,” recalled Scott Brady of Corry, PA. “This was right after the new clay had been put down and the track was a very slippery one-laner. The drivers had for weeks been making the inside groove smaller and smaller, trying to find a little extra bite down in the infield. Anyone who would try a higher groove would float towards the wall and get freight-trained on the bottom because it was so rough and hard to keep the car off the wall.”
“The heats and B-Mains proved to be no different this night than they had for weeks earlier at the track and everyone pretty much stayed on the bottom. I missed making the race by one position in the consy, so I sat relatively glum with myself on the fence and watched as the feature started.”
“Chub started in the third row, one or two positions behind Brian Ruhlman and when the green flag dropped the two of them came into turn one on the high side so hard and so fast that everyone on the fence instinctively took a couple of steps backwards and then ducked as the dirt from the rooster tails sprayed us as they went by. Everyone thought for sure that they'd hit the wall because no one had been working the high side at all. They both passed 3 or 4 cars in that first turn and kept their cars on the top side and before lap 2 they were first and second where they battled for the lead the rest of the race.”
“This really didn't surprise anyone because it was Chub and Brian, after all, and if any two of the drivers there know that track then it was those two, but they definitely out-classed everyone else there that night and made that race an adrenaline pumping experience for the fans to watch. Chub won, Brian finished second and Matt Urban, who after seeing Chub and Brian's groove decided to try it, finished third if I remember correctly.”
“I expect nothing less exciting in July when the WoO are here. I personally can't wait.”
For more information on Chub Frank visit: www.chubfrank.com For more information on Stateline Speedway visit: http://www.statelineeriezspeedway.com
