USA Driver – Steve Francis

USA Driver – Steve Francis
Steve Francis is one of the top late model drivers in America and is one of the four
American late model drivers arriving in Australia in January 2012 to compete in the
UltraTune USA Invasion tour.
Francis has raced on Australian soil on four different occasions over the years and
enjoyed great success his previous visits to Australia, highlighted by a runner-up
finish in the 1996 Australian Super Sedan Championship in Newcastle, what is still
regarded as one of the greatest title races ever.
This will be his first visit to the west coast of Australia racing in his own late model
which is now owned by good friend Michael Holmes. Francis and Holmes met at a
World of Outlaws race in Aberdeen South Dakota in July 2008, starting a friendship
that has led Michael back to the USA every year since, to crew for Francis on his
#15 dirt late model.
Steve Francis was born and raised in Ashland, Kentucky and began racing cars at
the ripe age of fifteen.
Steve Francis scored his first dirt late model feature event in 1984, which began a
streak of victories that would continue on to present day with well over 200 feature
wins. Throughout the years Francis earned numerous driver honours such as “most
improved driver” and also gained the respect of his competitors with his driving
ability and his dedication to the racing industry.
In 1997, the Governor of the Commonwealth of Kentucky recognized Steve Francis
and was awarded one of the highest honours in the state of Kentucky USA by
making Steve an “official and honorary” Kentucky Colonel. Francis earned this award
because of his achievements in the arena of auto racing and for also being a long
time member of Team USA Racing which representing the best drivers on dirt in
Australia in the late 90‟s.
Francis won the Late Model World Championship race in 1999 ahead of top drivers,
Scott Bloomquist and Donnie Moran.
In 1999 Steve Francis won the World 100. The first WORLD 100 Dirt Late Model
Race was run in 1971. The late model “World 100” race is one of the most
prestigious events on the American racing calendar and is classed by the racing
fraternity to be the „granddaddy of them all‟. The World 100 annually attracts on
average over 200 dirt late models.
One of the big national racing tours of the United States is The World of Outlaws
Late Model Series which is a racing championship series for dirt late model stock
cars. Since the series began in 2004 Francis has won 28 A Main feature races during
the World of Outlaws Late Model Series and won the series championship in 2007.
In 2011 Francis made a switch from Rocket to Mastersbilt Chassis and is also
running in the other national series, the Lucas Oil Championship Series, which was
founded in 2005. Steve Francis is currently sitting in 4th place on the Series, out of
a massive list of 465 other late model drivers, which goes to show he is not slowing
down anytime soon.
While it is almost impossible to list all his accomplishments in late model racing, we
do know he has had to date a massive combined total of 40 wins in the Xtreme Dirt
Car Series, World of Outlaws Late Model Series, Renegade Dirt Car Series, and the
World Dirt Racing League and Francis has more than 200 overall feature wins.
With 28 of the best late models nominated for the UltraTune USA Invasion Tour
including 3 other US drivers competing in the field, you‟d be crazy to miss any of
these 4 explosive nights of action will be packed into just seven days in the South
West of Western Australia!
Career Highlights in Late Models:
3x STARS Champion
1999
World 100 Winner
1999
Dirt Track World Championship Race Winner
2007
World of Outlaws Late Model Series Champion Winner
2008
3rd in World of Outlaws Late Model Series
2009
2nd World of Outlaws Late Model Series
2010
4th World of Outlaws Late Model Series
2010
National 100 Winner
2008
Colossal 100 Winner
UltraTune Morley USA Late Model Invasion Tour Schedule 2012
Round 1
Manjimup
Sunday January 1st
Round 2
Manjimup
Monday January 2nd
Round 3
Collie
Friday January 6th
Round 4
Bunbury
Saturday January 7th
More information please contact
Michael Holmes LMRA USA tour co-ordinator
sales@ozmineintl.com.au 0417 175 120 or
Lee Oldfield LMRA Marketing Manager
oldfield2@dodo.com.au 0403 538 371
Release prepared by Lee Oldfield for the LMRA
American Late Model Driver Steve Francis
Steve Francis in his #15 Late Model on his home soil
Steve will be running for Michael Holmes Racing in 2007 Rocket for the UltraTune
USA Invasion Tour.
Sponsored by: Ozmine Drill Consumables and Robit Rock Tools