June 27th , 2003

 Conneaut (Monroe Center), OH
 

 
By  BRET EMRICK - Renegade DirtCar Series
 

Chub Frank of Bear Lake,PA scored a very popular win Friday at Raceway 7 near Conneaut,OH as the three-time defending Renegade DirtCar Racing Series charged to his third sanctioned victory of the season pocketing the $5,000 top prize in the "Jay's Auto Wrecking 50". Starting from the pole position the driver of the Corry Rubber Corp./Corry Lazer Technology/Nystrom's Auto Sales No. 1* Chub Frank Racing Rocket Chassis/Draime Racing Engines Chevrolet Monte Carlo traded the lead with Rob Blair five times in the races first 30 laps and then held off Davey Johnson in the races last five laps to take the win by .422 seconds. Blair rode home third with ninth starting Mike Balzano fourth and Todd Andrews fifth. Rounding out the top
ten finishers were 12th starting Dick Barton in sixth followed by Ron Davies, Rich Gardner, Dutch Davies and 18th starting Jay Watson.
 

Chub coming at you!

 

"We had to earn that one!", Frank told the near capacity crowd from victory lane. "I knew Robbie was going to be tough and what a battle we had there for awhile. Then we got into the lapped cars and Davey was right there at the end. That was a fun race to drive and I'm sure you fans loved it!" When asked about using the outside groove the entire race Frank said of his strategy, "We set it up that way. We just figured the outside was the place to be. We were able to carry the momentum after those restarts and that was what we wanted to do."
 

Frank and R. Davies brough the 26 car starting field to the flag with Frank winning the race into turn one. Blair blasted by R. Davies to grab second at the end of the first lap with Allen Dellinger fourth and Johnson fifth. Frank ran the extreme outside edge of the track with Blair in the middle as the two front runners ran the next 5 laps side by side. Contact in turn on lap 6 between John Mason and Watson slowed the field. Two laps after going back to green Blair found the traction and power exiting turn four to beat Frank back to the line by a nose and then pulled in front of Frank as they exited turn two. Blair and Frank used their chosen lines and again hooked up in a high-speed side by side war. But the yellow waved again on lap 12 when Watson spun in turn two.
 

Rare site at Raceway 7 Chub going by Robbie Blair!
 
The "Delaware Double-File" restart order had Blair with the point with Frank outside in second then Dellinger third followed by R. Davies and Balzano with Johnson sixth then Andrews, Gardner, Ed Carley and Barton. Blair put some distance on Frank on the restart but the yellow was quickly back out on lap 14 when Dave Troutman spun from contact in turn one. Five more laps were recorded before Brent Rhebergen spun in turn four.
 
Frank stayed right with Blair on the restart and just like before went to the outside while Blair ran the middle of the track. Frank pulled even with Blair racing off of turn three and carried huge momentum off of turn four to retake the lead on lap 21. Blair stayed right with Frank regaining the top spot on lap 23 but Frank stayed right with Blair with halfway leader board showing Frank and Blair then Johnson, Balzano and Dellinger with Andrews sixth trailed by R. Davies, Carley, Barton and Scott Johnson. Franks and Blairs side by side duel slowed for the final time on lap 26 when Jack Pencil lost his steering after contact with S. Johnson, who was trying to exit the track with mechanical problems, brought Pencil to a halt.
 
 

Chub and the 1* at Speeed
 
With the race restarted Blair slipped just a bit exiting turn four on lap 27 and had to break his momentum while Frank whistled by on the outside to grab the lead for the final time on lap 28. Frank began to open up a sizeable lead on Blair by lap 35 with Johnson working into second on lap 37. Frank entered heavy lapped traffic on lap 39 allowing Johnson to whittle down the leaders 1.2 second lead. With five laps to go Johnson had closed to within less than .5 seconds of Frank who had his hands full trying to get through the lapped traffic. With 2 laps to go Johnson was now on the back bumper of Frank as they entered turn one. Frank blew the "chrome horn" on the lapped car of Greg Fenno giving him the room to squeeze between Fenno and John Mason as they entered turn three. The hole quickly closed forcing Johnson to change his line which gave Frank the margin he needed on the final lap to secure the win.
 

Chub & Friends and Sponsors in Victory Lane
 
The $27,000 purse event drew 43 drivers to the semi-banked 7/16ths mile speedway with D. Johnson earning the CARRERA SHOCKS "Challenge the Clock" Time Trial award with his fast lap of 17.891 seconds. BRODIX,INC. heat race wins fell to Gardner, Andrews, Balzano (by .023 seconds over Frank) and Carley while the MASTERSBILT RACE CARS "B" Mains fell to Rod Conley and Watson and the ISKY RACING CAMS dash went to Chub Frank.
 

Chub & Mary at Raceway 7
 

1.  Chub Frank 50 Running
2.  Davey Johnson 50 Running
3.  Rob Blair 50 Running
4.  Mike Balzano 50 Running
5.  Todd Andrews 50 Running
6.  Dick Barton 50 Running
7.  Ron Davies 50 Running
8.  Rich Gardner 50 Running
9.  Dutch Davies 50 Running
10.  Jay Watson 50 Running

 

2003 Renegade DirtCar Racing Series Point Standings (after 6-21-03)
 
1.  Chub Frank Bear Lake,PA 2,550
2.  Davey Johnson Greensburg,PA 2,450
3.  Mike Balzano Parkersburg,WV 2,450
4.  Rob Blair Titusville,PA 1,910
5.  Rod Conley Wheelersburg,OH 1,740
6.  John Mason Millersburg,OH 1,350
7. Dave Troutman Hyndman,PA 1,340
8.  Steve Shaver Vienna,WV 1,180
9.  Jackie Boggs Grayson,KY 1,100
10.  Jack Pencil Bedford,PA 990
 

The next scheduled event for Chub
McKean County Raceway at East Smethport, PA on June 28th for
The Renegade DirtCar Series
 
Don’t forget to stop by merchandise, there’s been a lot of new merchandise and his 1/24& 1/64 scale Diecast Collectable 2003 car recently added.
 

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