World of Outlaws Craftsman Late Model Series
Valone's '05 loaner gives Frank shot of confidence
By Kevin Kovac
World of Outlaws Late Model Series
Chub Frank (left) borrowed a car from Chad Valone (right).
Chub Frank entered the four-night swing of rescheduled World of Outlaws Late Model Series events – Aug. 20 at Muskingum County Speedway in Zanesville, Ohio, Aug. 21-22 at K-C Raceway in Alma, Ohio and Aug. 23 at Eriez Speedway in Hammett, Pa. – riding a 15-month-long, 62-race winless streak and with just three top-five finishes in 30 events this season. | WoO schedule/results
Yes, the tour’s fifth-winningest driver since 2004 has been in a full-fledged slump.
But Frank, 47, of Bear Lake, Pa., got his groove back in dramatic fashion. He won the 40-lapper at Muskingum County on Thursday and roared back to capture Saturday’s Buckeye 100 at K-C, bringing him $28,200 in dearly-needed earnings.
The key to Frank’s sudden turnaround? A 2005-vintage Rocket chassis he “borrowed” from western Pennsylvania racer Chad Valone.
In search of something to jerk him out of his struggles, Frank decided that parking his new-model machines in favor of an older style he’s familiar with might be the ticket. He remembered that Valone still had an ’05 chassis sitting in his garage, so he placed a call on Monday afternoon.
He’s got two new cars he’s been racing this year, so I just told him I was taking it (the ’05 car),” Frank cracked when asked about his conversation with Valone, who bought the chassis through Frank four years ago. “We went over to his shop to get it and then we put it together with our stuff. We started on it Monday night and finished it up Thursday morning before leaving (for Muskingum).
“I had to go back to something I knew,” he continued. “Your confidence gets down when you struggle. You’re making mistakes all the time — on what to choose for tires, what setup to run, whatever you’re doing — and you just keep getting further behind. Doing this, it just gets you back in the game.”
That’s certainly an understatement. With Frank returning to the World of Outlaws limelight with an ’05 machine, he has no interest in relinquishing it.
“I told (Valone), ‘Good luck getting that car back,’ ” Frank said with a mischievous smile. “I feel so comfortable in it. I’d like to find a few more (older) cars like it.”
Valone, who crossed paths with Frank during Sunday night’s rain-doomed program at Eriez, said he was happy to help out a veteran driver who has provided him plenty of assistance over the years.
“You can just see in his face that the old Chub is back,” said Valone. “He’s been struggling, and that’s not like him. He just needed something to get his confidence back and that old car did it.”
