Jake Francis Anxiously Awaiting ARCA Debut In Milwaukee

Topics:  Jake Francis, Governor’s Cup 200

Chris Knight
Francis Racing
August 22, 2007

“17-Year Old Young Thrilled About Opportunity Of A Lifetime”

WEST ALLIS, Wisconsin (August, 22 2007) – - For 17-year old young-gun Jake Francis Sunday’s Governor’s Cup 200 from The Milwaukee Mile offers an opportunity of a lifetime. Heading to one of the most respected races on the 2007 ARCA RE/MAX Series (ARS) tour, Francis wants to debut himself looking like a veteran.

Teaming up with Rebecca Kasten Racing, LLC. (RKR), Francis will be coming to The Milwaukee Mile fully equipped with a strong Dodge Intrepid, a superb motor package and some of the most veteran Motorsports personnel around.

The accomplished NASCAR late model driver knows he has a lot on his plate for the 17th ARS event of the season, but he’s hoping his prior experience in racing and the support of his team will make up for any challenges he may fret during next weekend’s activities.

“I’m really excited about joining the ARCA RE/MAX Series tour and going to The Milwaukee Mile,” explained Francis, a native of Ohio . “We’ve spent months preparing for this race and I think all of our dedication will pay off in Sunday’s race.”

“Rebecca Kasten Racing has been kind enough to supply us with the right tools to make our ARCA debut a reality. She purchased her ARCA equipment from ST2 Motorsports, who ran very competitively with Chevy White in the series a couple years ago. The car is in excellent condition. We should be able to pick up where they left off.”

Francis Engineering, Habco Tool & Development, Bonner Frams, Campana Excavating, J.R. Collins Trucking and Sander Excavating have all stepped up to the plate to sponsor Francis No. 61 entry this weekend.

“Sponsorship is tough in any racing series, but we kept digging and digging and we found some great partners for the race next weekend. I know, I’ll say this over and over again, but I’m very thankful for their support and their confidence in me to get the job done.”

Francis knows the task at end may be difficult, but he says he’s taken the right approach to The Milwaukee Mile.

“The track is not the easiest place in the world, but it is a lot of fun to race at. The ARCA RE/MAX Series is seeing another very competitive year and I expect Sunday’s race to be no different. We are taking the extra strides to make sure we can run competitively and in contention. We could have picked an earlier race on the schedule, but Milwaukee was the best opportunity for us to make a statement. We don’t plan to disappoint.”

While Milwaukee will provide the first chance for Francis to get behind the wheel, he experienced the ARCA RE/MAX Series first hand in February when he worked as a crew member for female ARCA RE/MAX Series sensation Jennifer Jo Cobb.

Cobb, taking the role of both owner and driver in the ARCA 200 at Daytona headed into the season opener looking to make history came up a little short, but Francis realizes the event was still a triumph and he plans to roll over some of the confidence in that race to his biggest challenge yet.

“Jennifer Jo Cobb is a very important person to me,” added Francis. “She is not only a talented driver, but she is a great friend and mentor. She has given me a lot of advice and while she is going to try and attend the race, I know she has prior commitments. Nonetheless, her encouragement will be something I will cherish the entire weekend.”

Should everything go according to plan, Francis plans to take a few weeks break before returning to competition for the season ending Hantz Group 200 by Belle Tire at Toledo Speedway.

“One step at a time, baby steps,” offered Francis. “While it’s important for me to think about my future in the ARCA RE/MAX Series, I also know that my main concern is on The Milwaukee Mile. If we reel in a competitive finish, we’ll regroup and plan another trip to my home state of Ohio in October. After that, we’ll think ahead to 2008.”

The Governor’s Cup 200 (200 laps/200 miles) is the 17 of 23 races on the 2007 ARCA RE/MAX Series schedule. The 10h ARCA race held at The Milwaukee Mile is a two day show. Practice begins Saturday August 25 with an hour practice and fifteen minute (1:00pm-2:15pm) session planned. ARCA SIM Factory pole qualifying is set for later in the day at 5:15pm Local Time. The event will take the green flag Sunday August 26 shortly after 12:00pm Local Time. The race will be televised live on SPEED with additional race coverage online at arcaracing.com.

For more information on Jack Francis, please visit jdfracing.com.

MEDIA CONTACT:
NAME: Chris Knight, Francis Racing
PHONE: 239.834.9797
EMAIL: Knight849@aol.com