TowerView
04-05-2012, 06:35 PM
Steve Francis Finishes Month of March Second in Lucas Oil Series Points
ASHLAND, KY – Steve Francis of Ashland, KY concluded the month of March last weekend on the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series Tour as he now sits second in the championship points standings.
In the first LOLMDS event since the East Bay Winternationals in February Francis and the rest of the series regulars ventured to the famous Brownstown (IN) Speedway on March 24th. Steve started off the night in fine fashion setting Red Buck Cigars Fast Time and winning his heat race to earn the outside front row starting spot for the $10,000 to win main event.
However misfortune struck on the first lap when Steve got off of all four wheels in turn two and bent some suspension parts. Steve held on for the entire 50-lap event to finish in fourth after running third for most of the race. He was passed by Greg Johnson on the final lap denying Steve a top three finish.
Last weekend the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series headed to Jackson (MS) Speedway in Byram, MS and LoneStar Speedway in Kilgore, TX for a pair of $10,000 to win events. On Friday Night, March 30th at Jackson before a record-setting crowd Steve had a night that would be termed “frustrating.” A couple of mishaps during the heat race and feature kept Steve out of victory lane or a most likely top five finish. In the main event Steve would work his way back from the tail to finish eighth salvaging what could have been a big hit in the points.
On Saturday Night, March 31st the series hit I-20 west to the state of Texas. Before another huge crowd Steve would race to a fourth place finish in his heat race. After the heat the Barry Wright house-car team went to work making adjustments on the number 15 and it paid off handsomely. Steve would start 14th on the grid and work his way to third without the benefit of a caution flag.
The only caution of the race came out with two laps to go and Steve would line up third behind racer-leader Jared Landers and second place running Jimmy Owens. Before the caution Steve had an excellent chance to pass both of them to take the win, but with the restart Landers and Owens would battle to the very end with Landers taking his first series win of the season barely edging out Owens. Steve could not get the type of run in the closing laps he needed as he settled for third earning the Optima Batteries Hard Charger of the Race.
Steve is currently second the LOLMDS Championship Points Standings behind Owens. Those two are followed by Don O’Neal, Jonathan Davenport and Dennis Erb Jr.
Steve’s next scheduled Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series event will be the Commonwealth 100 on April 13th and 14th at Virginia Motor Speedway in Jamaica, VA. It will be the richest first-place prize offered so far in 2012 with a $25,000 payday on the line. For more information you can visit www.vamotorspeedway.com and www.lucasdirt.com.
ASHLAND, KY – Steve Francis of Ashland, KY concluded the month of March last weekend on the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series Tour as he now sits second in the championship points standings.
In the first LOLMDS event since the East Bay Winternationals in February Francis and the rest of the series regulars ventured to the famous Brownstown (IN) Speedway on March 24th. Steve started off the night in fine fashion setting Red Buck Cigars Fast Time and winning his heat race to earn the outside front row starting spot for the $10,000 to win main event.
However misfortune struck on the first lap when Steve got off of all four wheels in turn two and bent some suspension parts. Steve held on for the entire 50-lap event to finish in fourth after running third for most of the race. He was passed by Greg Johnson on the final lap denying Steve a top three finish.
Last weekend the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series headed to Jackson (MS) Speedway in Byram, MS and LoneStar Speedway in Kilgore, TX for a pair of $10,000 to win events. On Friday Night, March 30th at Jackson before a record-setting crowd Steve had a night that would be termed “frustrating.” A couple of mishaps during the heat race and feature kept Steve out of victory lane or a most likely top five finish. In the main event Steve would work his way back from the tail to finish eighth salvaging what could have been a big hit in the points.
On Saturday Night, March 31st the series hit I-20 west to the state of Texas. Before another huge crowd Steve would race to a fourth place finish in his heat race. After the heat the Barry Wright house-car team went to work making adjustments on the number 15 and it paid off handsomely. Steve would start 14th on the grid and work his way to third without the benefit of a caution flag.
The only caution of the race came out with two laps to go and Steve would line up third behind racer-leader Jared Landers and second place running Jimmy Owens. Before the caution Steve had an excellent chance to pass both of them to take the win, but with the restart Landers and Owens would battle to the very end with Landers taking his first series win of the season barely edging out Owens. Steve could not get the type of run in the closing laps he needed as he settled for third earning the Optima Batteries Hard Charger of the Race.
Steve is currently second the LOLMDS Championship Points Standings behind Owens. Those two are followed by Don O’Neal, Jonathan Davenport and Dennis Erb Jr.
Steve’s next scheduled Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series event will be the Commonwealth 100 on April 13th and 14th at Virginia Motor Speedway in Jamaica, VA. It will be the richest first-place prize offered so far in 2012 with a $25,000 payday on the line. For more information you can visit www.vamotorspeedway.com and www.lucasdirt.com.