June 25 Lernerville

Frank Scores Second MACS Win at Lernerville

Photo By Sue Stevenson

June 25, 2004

By: Jeff Geesey

Indiana, PA--Chub Frank, Bear Lake, PA, scored his second Mid-Atlantic Championship Series win of the season pocketing $5,000 at Lernerville Speedway, Sarver, PA.

David Scott and Davey Johnson paced the 24-car starting field, with eventual winner, Frank in third. Scott blasted into the lead at the drop of the green and was hotly pursued by Johnson, Frank, Delmas Conley, and Denny Chamberlain.

Scott led the first circuit only to have the first of three cautions. Ryan Markham spun in turn four. With three very distinctive grooves available the high flying Scott chose the outside rail for the restart. Again, Scott catapulted around the top using his rim riding style to maintain the lead over Frank, as he vaulted past Johnson into second, Conley, and Blair who was up from eighth.

The action and pace was torrid as the battle for the top spot was incredible with rim riding and slide jobs a plenty throughout the entire pack. The battle for the lead had most eyes focused on Scott and Frank as both were running an all-out thrilling race to a near capacity crowd.

Scott was still on point through four revolutions over Frank, Johnson, Blair and Conley. Frank was utilizing both the middle and bottom groove in his pursuit of Scott and finally made it work coming to the strip on lap five narrowly nipping Scott for the lead.

Scott wasn’t going to surrender that easily as he kept Frank within half-car length lap after lap and regained the lead on lap twelve, only to have Frank recapture it on lap 13. The two were locked in a ferocious dog fight for the win.

David reeled Chub back in once again and grabbed the lead on lap fourteen. Neither driver was willing to relent in their quest for the victory. By lap 15, Scott engaged lapped traffic for the first time during the event, hoping to shield himself from Frank’s onslaught. Scott successfully maneuvered through lapped traffic putting at least one car per lap between himself and Frank.

At the half-way, Frank dispatched all the lapped cars and had Scott within striking distance. Coming to the line on lap 26, Frank swept underneath Scott for the lead. Frank was now using the same tactic that had been tried on him as he positioned lapped traffic to his advantage.

The final caution flew on lap 30 for Davey Johnson who looped his mount in turn four. The restart lineup had Frank on point with three lapped car acting as a buffer over Scott, Blair, Chamberlain, and Conley. Frank fired the field at the cone and with clear track in front of him stretched an advantage over Scott. Scott’s great run ended two short laps later as he retired to the pits after losing the oil plug.

Chub never skipped a beat with his contender’s departure as he continued to out race his pursuers. Blair was having nothing of it and by lap 39 was nipping at the leaders heels. Frank entered lapped traffic for the third time with just ten to go as Blair turned up the wick trying to gain the top spot.

Chub sensed the pressure and aggressiveness pushing him harder to put more space between himself and Robbie. With five to go, Frank only had two cars between himself and Blair. That wasn’t enough margin for the four-time Renegade champion. In the final five circuits, as Blair’s tires began to fade, Frank was able to march through the back of the field taking a comfortable margin of victory over Blair, Ron Davies, from fourteenth, Chamberlain, and Conley.

Rod Conley, from eleventh, led the next flight of five across the line finishing sixth over defending MACS Champion Chuck Harper, from eighteenth; Bob Close; Gary Lyle, from seventeenth; and Paul Wilmoth. After the race, Wilmoth was disqualified for failing to cross the scales resulting in Matt Gaston being awarded the position.

Chub Frank Racing

Rt.1 Box 146

Lottsville Niobe Rd.

Bear Lake, PA 16402