ASHLAND, KY – Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series driver, Steve Francis of Ashland, KY competed in two LOLMDS events this past weekend in the Commonwealth State of Virginia.

On Friday Night, September 16th at Greg Gunter’s Winchester Speedway in Winchester, VA Steve would come in sixth place in the Verizon Wireless 50 after starting in 11^th.  On Sunday Afternoon, September 18th Steve the race team ventured to Bill Sawyer’s Virginia Motor Speedway in Jamaica, VA for the 32^nd Annual USA 100 paying $15,000 to win.

Steve and Scott Bloomquist battled side-by-side for several laps until Steve got boxed in behind a lapped car as Bloomquist passed him on the low side on lap 24.  Bloomquist then put three lapped cars between himself and Steve when rain started to fall forcing officials to call the race official with 31 of the 50 laps completed.

Earlier in the day Steve captured one of the 2-25 lap qualifying heat races to earn the pole position.  Steve did finish second in the finale behind Bloomquist to earn a podium finish before the cameras of SPEED Channel who were on hand to tape the event.  The race will be shown on SPEED on October 9^th at 1 PM.

Coming up this weekend Steve and the rest of the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series regulars head to Brownstown Speedway in Brownstown, Indiana for the 32^nd Annual Jackson 100 paying $20,000 to win.  Steve is looking for his first Jackson 100 victory this weekend.  Steve ran extremely well at Brownstown back in April during the Indiana Icebreaker.

On Friday Night will be Red Buck Cigar Time Trials.  Saturday Night will see the LOLMDS compete in Heat Races, B-Mains and the Jackson 100.  For more information on this event log on to www.brownstownspeedway.com.

Steve would like to thank his 2011 sponsors including; Valvoline, MasterSbilt Race Cars, Roush-Yates Racing Engines, PRC, Ohlins, Keyser Mfg., Harbaugh Amusement Machine Inc., VP Racing Fuels, JFRgraphics.com, Tim Logan Racing and Bobst Auto Parts.

Current Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series Championship Points Standings

1. Scott Bloomquist (Mooresburg, TN) – 6070
2. Jimmy Owens (Newport, TN) – 6070
3. Don O’Neal (Martinsville, IN) – 5475
4. Steve Francis (Ashland, KY) – 5220
5. Jared Landers (Batesville, AR) – 4860

ASHLAND, KY – Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series driver, Steve Francis of Ashland, KY competed last weekend in three LOLMDS events as he recorded 3-top ten finishes.  Steve also debuted his new Roush-Yates Ford Engines last week in his Valvoline/MasterSbilt #15.

On Thursday Night, August 25^th the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series ventured to the Volunteer Speedway in Bulls Gap, TN.  Before a huge crowd Steve would race for the first-time the Roush-Yates Ford under the hood of his car as he would come home in the sixth finishing position.  Jimmy Owens of Newport, TN was the winner of the event passing Dale McDowell of Chickamauga, GA on lap 42 of the 50-lap main event.

Action headed up I-75 on Friday Night to the Lawrenceburg Speedway in Lawrenceburg, IN.  The beautiful facility hosted another huge crowd that came to see the stars of the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series.  Steve would encounter issues in his heat race when the battery died in the car relegating him to running the B-Main.  Steve would not be able to transfer out of the B-Main and had to take a provisional to start the $10,000 to win feature event.  Steve would start 23^rd and finish 9^th to earn the PBM/Erson Cams Hard Charger of the Race after passing 14 other competitors.

On Saturday Night, August 27^th the Steve Francis Racing Team headed to Bluegrass Speedway in Bardstown, KY for the annual Bluegrass Classic, which was held again with a packed grandstand.  Steve would win his heat race.  He started fourth in the main event and that’s where he ended up to conclude a weekend of 3-top ten finishes to maintain fourth in the LOLMDS Championship Points Standings.

Steve and the rest of the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series drivers will be appearing this Saturday and Sunday, September 3^rd and 4^th at Portsmouth Raceway Park in Portsmouth, OH.  On Saturday Night it will be the $10,000 to win Pepsi 50 River Days Rumble followed on Sunday by the historic 43^rd Annual Hillbilly 100 paying $25,000 to win.  For more information please visit www.portsraceway.com

Steve would like to thank his 2011 sponsors including; Valvoline, MasterSbilt Race Cars, Roush-Yates Racing Engines, PRC, Ohlins, Keyser Mfg., Harbaugh Amusement Machine Inc., VP Racing Fuels, JFRgraphics.com, Tim Logan Racing and Bobst Auto Parts.

Current Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series Championship Points Standings

1. Jimmy Owens (Newport, TN) – 5480
2. Scott Bloomquist (Mooresburg, TN) – 5350
3. Don O’Neal (Martinsville, IN) – 4925
4. Steve Francis (Ashland, KY) – 4590
5. Earl Pearson Jr. (Jacksonville, FL) – 4330

ASHLAND, KY – Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series driver, Steve Francis of Ashland, KY competed last weekend in the 19^th Annual COMP Cams Topless 100 at Batesville Motor Speedway in Locust Grove, AR.  Steve would have the Roush-Yates Chevrolet under the hood of his Valvoline/MasterSbilt #15 at Batesville as he anxiously awaits the arrival of the Ford Motors this week.

Action would get underway on Friday Night with Red Buck Cigar Time Trials and Heat Races.  Steve would qualify for the seventh starting spot in his 12-lap heat race.  He would move through the field passing four cars on his way to a third-place finish.

Steve would start 14^th in the $40,000 to win main event on Saturday Night.  At the drop of the green flag Steve would quickly make his way into the top ten advancing to the seventh position when the race was halted for rain with 12 laps scored.

The race would resume on Sunday afternoon under sunny skies and oppressive heat Steve would restart seventh and advance to the fourth position where he stayed for most of the last half of the race.  At the finish of the 100-laps Steve would finish behind race winner, Scott Bloomquist, Jimmy Owens and Jared Landers in the final rundown as he maintains fourth place in the championship points standings.

This week Steve and the rest of the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series drivers will have a three-race swing though three different states.  Racing action will kick-off on Thursday Night, August 25^th at Volunteer Speedway in Bulls Gap, TN, followed on Friday Night, August 26^th with a trip up I-75 to Lawrenceburg Speedway in Lawrenceburg, IN.  The weekend finale will be a Bluegrass Speedway in Bardstown, KY on Saturday Night, August 27^th.  All three races will pay $10,000 to win.

Steve would like to thank his 2011 sponsors including; Valvoline, MasterSbilt Race Cars, Roush-Yates Racing Engines, PRC, Ohlins, Keyser Mfg., Harbaugh Amusement Machine Inc., VP Racing Fuels, JFRgraphics.com, Tim Logan Racing and Bobst Auto Parts.

Current Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series Championship Points Standings

1. Jimmy Owens (Newport, TN) – 4830
2. Scott Bloomquist (Mooresburg, TN) – 4690
3. Don O’Neal (Martinsville, IN) – 4195
4. Steve Francis (Ashland, KY) – 3995
5. Earl Pearson Jr. (Jacksonville, FL) – 3900

ASHLAND, KY – Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series driver, Steve Francis of Ashland, KY competed last weekend in the 29^th Annual Sunoco Race Fuels North/South 100 Presented by Lucas Oil at the famed Florence Speedway in Union, KY.

Steve would make the 100-lap event which was taped before the cameras of SPEED Channel by finishing second in his B-Main on Saturday Night.  Steve would start 22^nd in the star-studded field and steadily worked his way into the top ten.

At the end of the event Steve would earn the PBM/Erson Cams Hard Charger of the Race as he finished in the seventh position after advancing 15 spots from his original starting position on the grid.  Jimmy Owens of Newport, TN would win his third North/South 100 and extend his points lead over Scott Bloomquist of Mooresburg, TN.  The event will be shown on SPEED at 11 AM Eastern Time on September 4^th.

Steve and the rest of the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series drivers are preparing for one of the their biggest events of 2011 this week with the 19^th Annual COMP Cams Topless 100 to be held at Batesville Motor Speedway in Locust Grove, AR.  The event will pay $40,000 to win and $2,000 to start.

Activity will get underway on Thursday Night, August 18^th with a special practice session followed by Red Buck Cigar Time Trials and Heat Races on Friday Night, August 19th.  On Saturday, August 20^th will be the B-Mains and the 100-lap Topless 100.  For more information log on to www.batesvillemotorspeedway.net.

Steve would like to thank his 2011 sponsors including; Valvoline, MasterSbilt Race Cars, Roush-Yates Racing Engines, PRC, Ohlins, Keyser Mfg., Harbaugh Amusement Machine Inc., VP Racing Fuels, JFRgraphics.com, Tim Logan Racing and Bobst Auto Parts.

Current Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series Championship Points Standings

1. Jimmy Owens (Newport, TN) – 4600
2. Scott Bloomquist (Mooresburg, TN) – 4440
3. Don O’Neal (Martinsville, IN) – 4060
4. Steve Francis (Ashland, KY) – 3785
5. Earl Pearson Jr. (Jacksonville, FL) – 3705

ASHLAND, KY – Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series driver, Steve Francis of Ashland, KY just recently completed a three-race Northeast swing as he recorded three-top ten finishes along the way.

On Wednesday Night, July 27^th Steve made his first ever appearance at the Fonda Speedway in Fonda, NY.  Despite a miss in the engine Steve would bring home a sixth place finish at the historic track.  The event was won by Jimmy Owens of Newport, TN.

On Thursday Night, July 28^th Steve would visit another race track for the first time in his career as the team competed at Utica-Rome Speedway in Vernon, NY.  Despite a poor qualifying time Steve would rebound in the main event and finish in the ninth position.  Tim McCreadie of Watertown, NY took the win.

After a day off for travel Steve would join the other LOLMDS regulars at Hagerstown Speedway in Hagerstown, MD for the “Conocoheague 50.”  Steve had visited victory twice in this annual event with wins in 1996 and 2009.  Steve would also debut a new Roush-Yates Racing Engine in the MasterSbilt Race Car on Saturday Night, July 30^th at Hagerstown.

Steve would wind up sixth in the main event with representatives from Roush-Yates in the house for advice. Steve would come out of the race still fourth in the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series Championship Points Standings. John Blankenship of Williamson, WV, who started 17^th in the race, picked up his first career LOLMDS victory.

Steve and the rest of the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series drivers are preparing for one of the their biggest events of 2011 this week with the 29^th Annual Sunoco Race Fuels North/South 100 Presented by Lucas Oil Products at Florence Speedway in Union, KY.  The event will pay $50,000 to win and $2500 to start.

Activity will get underway on Thursday Night, July 11^th with a special practice session followed by red Buck Cigar Time Trials on Friday Night, August 12^th.  On Saturday, August 13^th will be the Heat Races, B-Mains and the 100-lap North/South 100.  For more information log on to www.florencespeedway.com

Steve would like to thank his 2011 sponsors including; Valvoline, MasterSbilt Race Cars, Roush-Yates Racing Engines, PRC, Ohlins, Keyser Mfg., Harbaugh Amusement Machine Inc., VP Racing Fuels, JFRgraphics.com, Tim Logan Racing and Bobst Auto Parts.

Current Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series Championship Points Standings

1. Scott Bloomquist (Mooresburg, TN) – 4350
2. Jimmy Owens (Newport, TN) – 4210
3. Don O’Neal (Martinsville, IN) – 3885
4. Steve Francis (Ashland, KY) – 3590
5. Earl Pearson Jr. (Jacksonville, FL) – 3580