Post by dalejrfan on Mar 6, 2006 23:19:12 GMT -5
Steve Francis of Ashland, KY continued his 2006 winning ways on Saturday Night as he led from start to finish in capturing the $10,000 to win Second Annual Early Bird Classic at the Kentucky Lake Motor Speedway. Francis' fifth win already this year came aboard his MOPAR Performance / Valvoline / Freeport Recycling Center / Banshee Graphics / Moring Motorsports / MDI Environmental Service / Hoosier Tires / Ohlins / Braswell / Gary Stanton Racing Engines / Rocket Dodge Charger as the 39 year old former World 100 and Dirt Track World Championship Winner had to hold off Shannon Babb and Brian Birkhofer in the final laps after a caution with seven laps remaining bunched the field. Babb finished second with Birkhofer taking third. Completing the top five were defending track champion, Terry English and Billy Moyer of Batesville, AR. A total of 74 Late Models were on hand for the event before a huge crowd of spectators.
Babb and Francis started alongside each other on the front row of the 40 lap event with Francis getting the jump heading into turn number one as he beat Babb to the corner to take the lead on the opening lap with Babb, Birkhofer, English and John Blankenship running in the top five after one lap was scored. The first pass inside the top five occurred on lap five when Moyer got around Blankenship to take over fifth. Francis was maintaining just a one to two car length advantage over Babb as Birkhofer was all over Babb for second. The first caution of the race came out on lap nine when Ronny Lee Hollingsworth got into the back stretch wall and Blankenship stopped in turn two. On the restart Francis would take his lead to a three car length advantage over Babb as Birkhofer was still houding Babb for the second place position. English was still holding down the fourth slot with Moyer and Brad Neat in tow.
By lap 16 Francis was up to a five car length lead with Babb and Birkhofer still running hard in second and third trying to track Francis down. On lap 16 the second caution of the race flew for Will Vaught who stopped on the track. On the restart Babb and Birkhofer stayed right with Francis for a few laps until Francis again built a five car length lead. The third caution came out on lap 23 for Greg Johnson's flat tire which forced him pitside for a tire change. With Francis' five car length lead gone on the restart Babb and Birkhofer saw another opportunity to get by Francis on a restart, but Francis kept his line and in fact took his lead to six full car lengths over Babb and Birkhofer. But Babb started to slowly reel in Francis in the final ten circuits of the race slicing his lead to just three car lengths with seven laps remaining and then the fourth and final caution of the race came out for ninth place running, Don O'Neal, who had suffered a flat tire.
With a seven lap shootout looming it would be important for Francis to get the jump on Babb and Birkhofer on the restart. As the cars fire at the cone coming off of turn four Francis would again beat those two drivers to the spot maintaining his lead. In the closing laps Babb would be all over Francis trying to take over the lead and steal a win from Francis. But the veteran Francis who came into the race with four wins already in his pocket this season would handle the pressure and take his car to victory lane yet again at Kentucky Lake keeping the $10,000 to win check in his homestate of Kentucky. Babb would finish and close second with Birkhofer, English and Moyer completing the top five drivers. All 16 finishers were on the lead lap at the wave of the checkered flag.
"This was a night that you dream of where everything goes right. We qualified well, we won our heat, started on the front row, and led every lap. I just hope we can keep this run of good luck up, we ran the same car we won with at Volusia and the car was perfect all night."
Francis and crew will take this upcoming weekend off before getting back into WoO action in Louisiana.
Babb and Francis started alongside each other on the front row of the 40 lap event with Francis getting the jump heading into turn number one as he beat Babb to the corner to take the lead on the opening lap with Babb, Birkhofer, English and John Blankenship running in the top five after one lap was scored. The first pass inside the top five occurred on lap five when Moyer got around Blankenship to take over fifth. Francis was maintaining just a one to two car length advantage over Babb as Birkhofer was all over Babb for second. The first caution of the race came out on lap nine when Ronny Lee Hollingsworth got into the back stretch wall and Blankenship stopped in turn two. On the restart Francis would take his lead to a three car length advantage over Babb as Birkhofer was still houding Babb for the second place position. English was still holding down the fourth slot with Moyer and Brad Neat in tow.
By lap 16 Francis was up to a five car length lead with Babb and Birkhofer still running hard in second and third trying to track Francis down. On lap 16 the second caution of the race flew for Will Vaught who stopped on the track. On the restart Babb and Birkhofer stayed right with Francis for a few laps until Francis again built a five car length lead. The third caution came out on lap 23 for Greg Johnson's flat tire which forced him pitside for a tire change. With Francis' five car length lead gone on the restart Babb and Birkhofer saw another opportunity to get by Francis on a restart, but Francis kept his line and in fact took his lead to six full car lengths over Babb and Birkhofer. But Babb started to slowly reel in Francis in the final ten circuits of the race slicing his lead to just three car lengths with seven laps remaining and then the fourth and final caution of the race came out for ninth place running, Don O'Neal, who had suffered a flat tire.
With a seven lap shootout looming it would be important for Francis to get the jump on Babb and Birkhofer on the restart. As the cars fire at the cone coming off of turn four Francis would again beat those two drivers to the spot maintaining his lead. In the closing laps Babb would be all over Francis trying to take over the lead and steal a win from Francis. But the veteran Francis who came into the race with four wins already in his pocket this season would handle the pressure and take his car to victory lane yet again at Kentucky Lake keeping the $10,000 to win check in his homestate of Kentucky. Babb would finish and close second with Birkhofer, English and Moyer completing the top five drivers. All 16 finishers were on the lead lap at the wave of the checkered flag.
"This was a night that you dream of where everything goes right. We qualified well, we won our heat, started on the front row, and led every lap. I just hope we can keep this run of good luck up, we ran the same car we won with at Volusia and the car was perfect all night."
Francis and crew will take this upcoming weekend off before getting back into WoO action in Louisiana.