Steve Francis to run at KC Raceway

Steve Francis takes Team MOPAR Machine into Renegade DirtCar Series action this weekend at KC Raceway in Ohio,

Driver of Valvoline Dodge Intrepid scores 5th place run in The Dream at Eldora.

(Ashland, KY-- June 12, 2002) Fresh off of a strong fifth-place finish in the annual $100,000 to win Dream race at Eldora Speedway Steve Francis is ready to hunt for another win on the 2002 season as he enters the weekend's Renegade DirtCar Racing Series event at KC Raceway in Chillicothe, OH. The one-night event on Saturday offers $7,000 to the winner at a track where Francis has had numerous successes over the course of his career. Francis, known as the Kentucky Colonel, is a former 3-time champion of the Renegade DirtCar tour (formerly known as STARS) and is currently contending for the national championship of dirt late model racing on the United Dirt Track Racing Association (UDTRA).

To date through the 2002 UDTRA season Francis is once again in the hunt for the title of dirt late model racing. Francis is currently positioned in 4th place of the UDTRA national points chase with a UDTRA national victory coming earlier in the season in Lancaster, SC and two major national victories overall thus far. Should Francis be able to capture the National Title on the UDTRA trail he would become the first driver in history to win titles under both UDTRA and Renegade DirtCar sanctions. Francis campaigns the primary Rocket Chassis prepared machine in conjunction with his partnership with Rocket Chassis owner Mark Richards. The Dodge Intrepid R/T is powered by Gary Stanton Racing Engines with backing from MOPAR Parts and The Valvoline Company. So far during the season, in overall competition, Francis has tallied 11 top-five and 17 top-ten finishes to go with his 2 wins and astonishing 8 Pole Awards in just 26 starts during the 2002 season.

Following this weekend's Renegade DirtCar visit to KC Raceway Francis heads to America's Heartland as part of a combination UDTRA/Renegade DirtCar trek which could yield over $100,000 in bonus earnings as part of a special five-race promotion. The lucrative bonus spans one week and begins with UDTRA at Davenport, IA on Tuesday night (June 18) and continues with added Renegade DirtCar and UDTRA events at LaSalle (IL) Speedway; Cedar Lake Speedway (New Richmond, WI) and an additional date in Iowa on June 25th.

Francis also plans to campaign his own equipment on a limited basis throughout the balance of the season as scheduling permits. To arrange promotional appearances or special marketing opportunities with Steve Francis Racing or for additional information on Steve Francis visit

Steve's official home on the World Wide Web at, www.stevefrancisracing.com

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