‘Chub & Bub’ Renew Acquaintances With Brighton Speedway Fans At World of Outlaws Late Model Series Event June 20
Mid-Week Excel Tower Service 50 Marks National Tour’s First-Ever Visit To Canadian Track
BRIGHTON, ONT – June 14, 2013 – The World of Outlaws Late Model Series has never visited Brighton Speedway, but a couple of Outlaws have been to the one-third-mile Canadian oval.
And of course, both drivers hope their 2012 appearances at Brighton will give them a leg up on their World of Outlaws rivals when the national tour makes its inaugural stop at the track on Thurs., June 20, for the Excel Tower Service 50 presented by Dibbits Excavating, Campbellford Chrysler and J.J. Stewart Motors.
Chub Frank of Bear Lake, Pa., and Bub McCool of Vicksburg, Miss. – WoO LMS traveling buddies when on the road – are the only circuit regulars who have previous experience at Brighton. They accepted an invitation from Brighton promoter Mark Rinaldi to compete in a special exhibition race last year on an off-day between WoO LMS events north of the border – a decision that gave them an unexpected preview of the track.
The rhyming buddies – Chub & Bub – understand that it’s difficult to ever gain an advantage on the WoO LMS’s biggest winners like Josh Richards of Shinnston, W.Va., Darrell Lanigan of Union, Ky., Shane Clanton of Zebulon, Ga., Rick Eckert of York, Pa., and Tim McCreadie of Watertown, N.Y., so they’re eager to grasp any perceived edge their prior circuits around Brighton might provide.
“I think being there last year should help us going back,” said McCool, whose run at Brighton last year came during the first racing trip to Canada he had ever made. “We’ll know a little bit about what to expect anyway. That’s a good thing considering we’ve raced at a lot of tracks for the first time since we started the Outlaw deal last year.”
Frank, 51, won last year’s dirt Late Model exhibition race at Brighton, a 15-lap dash that also included Brighton crate Late Model regulars Greg Belyea, Charlie Sandercock, Philip Potts and Corey Earl. McCool took the lead at the start of the event but exploded an engine on lap four.
In an odd quirk, Frank and Earl were the only drivers to finish last year’s dash. Frank laughed when he recalled the race.
“I don’t know what happened, but just about everybody had some mechanical issues,” said Frank, who has been a WoO LMS stalwart since the tour was restarted in 2004 under the World Racing Group banner. “Bub, Belyea – everybody was blowing up! The track wasn’t hard on motors or anything, so I guess it was just one of those nights for everybody.”
Frank turned sufficient laps at Brighton to proclaim the place ready for an action-packed WoO LMS event on June 20.
“I’m pretty sure it will be a good racetrack,” said Frank. “It kind of reminds me of a smaller Lernerville (Speedway in Sarver, Pa.) because it’s basically got a wall on the front straightaway and that’s it. You don’t have to worry about hitting the wall in the corners so you can race pretty much all over it.
“I think it’s going to be faster (on June 20) than when we were there last year,” he continued. “I’ve heard from Greg (Belyea) – I talk with him a lot because I put cars together for him – that they’ve put some new clay on it.”
Beyond the racetrack itself, both Frank and McCool relish the opportunity for a return engagement at Brighton because of the Canadian hospitality they received last year. The two drivers couldn’t overlook the fact that they were featured attractions that evening.
“They treated us real good,” said McCool, who will celebrate his 36th birthday the same day the WoO LMS invades Brighton for the first time. “We had our cars up front before the races and signed autographs for the fans. They cooked for us, even had a party for us after the race. Everybody was so nice to us – we were the center of attention, that’s for sure.
“We’re ready to go back. When you get treated like we were, you can’t wait to go back.”
The ever-personable Frank expects another warm welcome from the Brighton faithful on June 20.
“The people up there were awesome,” said Frank, who has plans to put Frankford, Ont.’s Belyea, a former Brighton crate Late Model champion, behind the wheel of his second Rocket No. 1* for the Excel Tower 50. “The promoter, the fans, the other racers – everybody was so friendly all night. They even hung out with us after the race.
“We signed a lot of autographs and sold a lot of shirts last year, so hopefully we made some fans up there and they’ll stop by to see us and buy some more shirts this year.”
Both Frank (currently eighth in the WoO LMS points standings) and McCool (ninth in points) are winless on the tour this season. Through 18 events, Frank has two top-five and seven top-10 finishes while McCool, who was the circuit’s Rookie of the Year in 2012, has one top-five and seven top-10 finishes.
With Brighton part of a WoO LMS swing that starts with an event on June 19 at Fonda (N.Y.) Speedway, the 25-year-old Richards sits atop the points standings over Clanton, Lanigan, Eckert and Tim Fuller of Watertown, N.Y. McCreadie, whose father, legendary DIRTcar Big-Block Modified driver ‘Barefoot’ Bob McCreadie, competed at Brighton more than 30 years ago, sits sixth in the standings, followed by rookie Eric Wells of Hazard, Ky., Frank, McCool, rookie Morgan Bagley of Longview, Texas, and Clint Smith of Senoia, Ga.
Advance tickets to Brighton’s $10,000-to-win WoO LMS spectacular – the richest and arguably most highly anticipated race in the track’s history – have sold at a fast pace through the spring but can still be purchased on-line at www.WorldofOutlaws.com/tickets or www.brightonspeedway.com. Phone orders can also be placed by calling the speedway at 866-681-1102 or the event hotline at 877-395-6606.
All seats in Brighton’s two main grandstand areas are reserved at a price of $35 per ticket. A general admission seating/standing section will also be available in the lower North tower/bar area with tickets priced at $35 for adults and $20 for children ages 16-and-under.
Of note is that fans have just one more day to take advantage of a special perk for advance-sale ticket buyers. All tickets purchased by tomorrow – Sat., June 15 – include a free fan pit pass, allowing holders to make a pre-race visit to the pit area to check out the WoO LMS cars and meet the drivers.
Tickets ordered on-line or over the phone are subject to a one-time $5 convenience fee per order (not per ticket). Advance-sale tickets can be picked up on race day at the track’s Will Call window.
For this event Brighton Speedway is prohibiting coolers, blankets and seats with chairbacks in the grandstand. Only seat cushions will be permitted.
Additional information on Brighton Speedway and the Excel Tower Service 50 presented by Dibbits Excavating, Campbellford Chrysler and J.J. Stewart Motors can be obtained by logging on to www.brightonspeedway.com.
The World of Outlaws Late Model Series is brought to fans across the country by many important sponsors and partners, including: American Racing Custom Wheels (Official Custom Wheel), Arizona Sport Shirts (Official Apparel Company), Armor All (Official Car Care Products), Hoosier Racing Tires (Official Racing Tires), KMC (Official Custom Truck Wheel), STP (Official Fuel Treatment), Vicci (Official Uniform), VP Racing Fuel (Official Racing Fuel), DirtonDirt.com (Hard Charger Award) and McCarthy’s One Hour Heating & Air Conditioning (Raye Vest Memorial Pill Draw Award); in addition to contingency sponsors: Butlerbuilt, Cometic Gasket, Comp Cams, Dominator Race Products, Edelbrock, Eibach Springs, JE Pistons, JRI Shocks, Klotz Synthetic Lubricants, MSD Ignition, Ohlins Shocks, QuarterMaster, Roush Yates Performance Parts, Superflow Dynos, Wrisco Aluminum and XS Power Racing Batteries; along with manufacturer sponsors Capital Race Cars, Integra Shocks, GRT Chassis, Jake’s Carts, Racing Electronics, Rocket Chassis, TNT Rescue, and Warrior Chassis.
