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After Sunday-Night Appearance On ‘Wind Tunnel With Dave Despain,’ Steve Francis Turns Attention To ‘Outlaws World Finals’
World of Outlaws Late Model Series Points Leader Hopes To Clinch Title In Front Of Live National T.V. Audience On SPEED This Saturday Night (Nov. 3)
CONCORD , NC – Oct. 28, 2007 – One national television appearance down for Steve Francis.
One more to go.
The World of Outlaws Late Model Series points leader was a guest Sunday night on SPEED’s ‘Wind Tunnel With Dave Despain,’ appearing live via satellite from his shop in Ashland , Ky. He spent two segments of the popular show chatting with Despain about a variety of subjects, including his hopes of clinching the 2007 tour championship during the inaugural ‘Outlaws World Finals’ this weekend (Nov. 1-3) at The Dirt Track @ Lowe’s Motor Speedway.
Francis, 40, has an opportunity to celebrate his first-ever WoO LMS points crown in front of a national television audience on SPEED, which will broadcast the ‘World Finals’ program on Sat., Nov. 3, live from 8 p.m. to 11 p.m. Eastern Time. Despain is slated to host the unique television show that will also feature the season finale for the World of Outlaws Sprint Cars.
Sitting in front of his Valvoline Rocket No. 15 and banners for Integra Shocks and VP Race Fuels, Francis began his ‘Wind Tunnel’ appearance by telling Despain what capturing the $100,000 WoO LMS championship would mean to him.
“It would be right at the top (of his resume) with the World 100 and the Dirt Track World Championship,” said Francis, who won the prestigious dirt Late Model events in 1999. “It seems like the competition level has just gotten so tough in the dirt Late Models the last few years. There’s 30, 40, 50 cars capable of winning everywhere we go to, so to win a championship by being consistent all year is what it’s all about.”
Francis, who owns a 62-point lead over Chub Frank of Bear Lake, Pa., told Despain that there will be no secrets between him and Frank in the ‘World Finals.’ The fellow Rocket Chassis campaigners will discuss setup ideas throughout the weekend and the best man will come out on top.
“Our cars are pretty much identical,” Francis said when discussing Frank. “I run Integra Shocks and he runs Genesis Shocks, and that’s about the only difference in our cars. We both use Custom Race Engines, we both use VP Race Fuels – we got a lot of things the same.”
Francis, who can assure himself of the title by finishing at least 14th in each of the $10,000-to-win, 50-lap A-Mains that comprise the ‘World Finals’ for the Late Models, fielded questions from callers in Mississippi and Wisconsin during his ‘Wind Tunnel’ appearance. One fan asked for his feelings on the interest that NASCAR NEXTEL Cup drivers have begun to show toward dirt Late Model racing.
“It just brings more notoriety to our sport,” he said. “You see a lot of fans who weren’t necessarily dirt fans but are now because they went to see those (NASCAR) guys run a (dirt) race.”
Francis also talked with Despain about his recent practice session behind the wheel of a Sprint Car at Ohio’s K-C Raceway; the tough local competition he faces across the country; his favorite bumper sticker saying that promotes dirt over pavement racing; and his opinion that “everything is good right now” with the WoO LMS.
Despain closed the interview by asking Francis to summarize the essence of dirt Late Model racing.
“I would say ‘controlled slide’ is the best way to put it,” said Francis. “A ‘controlled slide’ all the way around the racetrack, (while) two-, three- or four-wide.”
Francis’s assault on the WoO LMS title begins this Thursday night (Nov. 1) when the ‘World Finals’ kicks off with practice and qualifying for the WoO Late Models and Sprint Cars. Each division will have two time-trial sessions, with the first round determining lineups for Friday night and the second round setting the Saturday night card.
Full racing programs are on tap for both divisions Friday and Saturday, with each night highlighted by $10,000-to-win main events for both the Late Models and Sprint Cars.
The Saturday-night program will be broadcast live nationally on SPEED from 8 p.m. to 11 p.m. Eastern Time.
Tickets for the Nov. 1-3 ‘Outlaws World Finals’ can be purchased online at www.lowesmotorspeedway.com or by calling the Lowe's Motor Speedway ticket office at 1-800-455-FANS. Camping spots can be reserved by calling (704) 455-4445. |
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