|
Kevin Kovac
CONCORD, N.C. (February 10) - He finished sixth in the 2004 points standings, fifth in 2005, third in 2006 and second in 2007.
So if this steady upward trend continues, Chub Frank will be your 2008 World of Outlaws Late Model Series champion.
"I sure hope we are," Frank smiled when asked if he will cap his annual WoO LMS improvement with a title this season. "That's what we're always shooting for."
There's simply nowhere left for Frank to go on the WoO LMS except the champion's throne, a place he's very anxious to sit.
"We've won some championships in the past, but not on the scope of the Outlaws deal," said Frank, who captured the STARS/Renegade Series title four years in a row (2000-2003). "There's no doubt - if we were to win the Outlaw championship, it would be the biggest thing we've ever done."
Bear Lake, Pa.'s Frank, who turned 46 on Jan. 22, begins his quest for the prestigious WoO LMS championship trophy in the tour's season-opening events this Thursday (Feb. 14) and Saturday (Feb. 16) during the 37th annual Alltel DIRTcar Nationals at Volusia Speedway Park in Barberville, Fla.
And when the first green flag of '08 is dropped, Frank will be well-positioned to make that final, difficult jump to the top spot in the standings. The only driver who has improved his final points position in each of the last four WoO LMS campaigns, Frank is coming off what was unquestionably his best season ever on the tour.
After winning one A-Main in 2004 and three in both '05 and '06, the popular racer known as 'Chubzilla' exploded for six victories last year to lead all drivers in the 'W' category. His checkered flags came in six different states - ranging from his home turf of Pennsylvania, Ohio and New York to new conquests in Delaware, Michigan and Minnesota - and he battled for the points title with eventual champion Steve Francis up until the next-to-last event of the season.
The difference in the points race? In 44 A-Mains, Frank had 19 top-five finishes (compared to 27 for Francis), 34 top-10s (Francis had 40) and three bad-luck DNFs (Francis suffered two early in the season before running off an amazing 38 straight lead-lap finishes).
"We couldn't quite match Francis," conceded Frank, who finished 126 points behind the rock-solid champ. "We didn't have too many bad nights, but it's hard to beat a guy when he doesn't drop out."
A WoO LMS stalwart who has failed to qualify for just one of the 154 A-Mains contested since the tour was reincarnated in 2004 by the World Racing Group, Frank has identified the weak points of his '07 effort and hopes to correct them this season.
"There's a few places where we have to pick up our program," said Frank, whose 13 career WoO LMS victories rank him fourth on the tour's win list since 2004. "To win a championship, you have to have everything going for you. You can't have many off nights, and we had a few too many last year."
Frank essentially returns to the WoO LMS grind with the same self-owned deal he operated so successfully in '07. He has a stable of three Lester Buildings/Corry Rubber-sponsored Rocket cars (one brand-new, one he ran throughout '07, and one with only a handful of races on it) and at least four motors built by Custom Race Engines of Knoxville, Tenn. He also continues to employ Brad Baum, who was voted to receive the 2007 WoO LMS 'Crew Chief of the Year' Award.
Following a short winter spent gearing up in his shop and a recent season-opening racing visit to Golden Isles Speedway in Brunswick, Ga., that helped him knock off any rust that might have developed from inactivity, Frank is ready to get down to business on the WoO LMS.
And make no mistake - Frank knows he must be totally focused in '08, lest he experience his first-ever fall in the WoO LMS points standings.
"Pretty much everybody there (among the 10 drivers who have committed to following the 2008 WoO LMS) is capable of winning the championship," said Frank, who ranks this season's group of Outlaws fulltimers as arguably the toughest in the history of the tour. "Whoever wins it will have to be on top of their game all year."
Considering his rivals, Frank said, "Francis had a new deal (driving for Dale Beitler), but you know he'll be tough. (Shannon) Babb has a real good team this year (owned by NASCAR star Clint Bowyer). Clint (Smith) picked up his program a lot last year. (Shane) Clanton has been fast. I'm sure (Rick) Eckert will be back concentrating on one car. (Tim) Fuller has really stepped his program up. Josh (Richards) is getting better and better. (Darrell) Lanigan is always tough. (Brian) Shirley is fast.
"They're all gonna be tough to beat."
For more information on the WoO LMS, visit www.worldofoutlaws.com.
Tickets for the Alltel DIRTcar Nationals are available on-line at www.volusiaspeedwaypark.com.
Fans unable to attend the spectacular week at Volusia can still catch all the action on the DIRTVision Cybercast. For just $29.99 fans can purchase the 'Alltel DIRTcar Nationals Racepass' and watch live streaming video of all 12 nights of racing action from Feb. 5-16. Log on to www.dirtvision.com for more information.
|
