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Ernie Francis Jr.

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Ernie Francis Jr.
Francis at New Jersey Motorsports Park in 2018
Born (1998-01-23) January 23, 1998 (age 26)
Davie, Florida, United States
Indy Lights career
16 races run over 2 years
Team(s)No. 99 (HMD Motorsports with Force Indy)
First race2022 Indy Lights Grand Prix of St. Petersburg (St. Petersburg)
Last race2023 Indy NXT Grand Prix of Indianapolis (Indianapolis)
Wins Podiums Poles
0 0 0
Previous series
2013–21
2021
2021

2018
2017
2017
2013–17		Trans-Am Series
Superstar Racing Experience
Formula Regional Americas Championship
NASCAR K&N Pro Series East
SprintX GT Championship Series
NASCAR Xfinity Series
Pirelli World Challenge
Championship titles
2014–2020Trans-Am Series

Ernie Francis Jr. (born January 23, 1998) is an American sports car racing and stock car racing driver who currently competes in Indy NXT driving for Force Indy.[1] He previously ran full time in the Trans-Am Series, running the 98 car for Breathless Racing, where he is a seven-time champion. In 2021, he competed in the Formula Regional Americas Championship running the 98 car for Future Star Racing, and in the inaugural Superstar Racing Experience, driving the No. 2 car. He became the youngest winner in the SRX series when he won at Lucas Oil Raceway. He secured 2nd place in the SRX championship. When he is not racing, he works at the family race shop - Breathless Racing Team - run by his father (Ernie Francis Sr.) and stepmother (Monica Zima Francis) in Davie, FL. He has also competed part-time in NASCAR in the past in both the Xfinity Series and the East Series.

Racing career

NASCAR Xfinity Series

Francis' 2017 Xfinity car at Road America

In 2017, Francis Jr. made his NASCAR debut, driving the No. 13 Toyota for MBM Motorsports in a partnership with NextGen Motorsports[2] at Road America. He started 38th and finished 39th due to engine problems.

NASCAR K&N Pro Series East

Francis' 2018 K&N East car at New Jersey Motorsports Park

In 2018, Francis Jr. began racing in the Pro Series East, driving the No. 42 Toyota for Max Siegel's Rev Racing team.[3][4] He began on the pole position at Millville and finished second to Will Rodgers. He returned for the Watkins Glen race, where he started 19th and finished 11th.[5]

In 2019, Francis Jr. returned to Siegel's Rev Racing team as part of the Drive for Diversity driver development program.[6]

Trans Am Series

Francis' 2017 Trans Am car at Road America

Francis Jr. has won seven consecutive Trans-Am Series championships.[7]

Indy Lights

For the 2022 racing season, Francis Jr. signed to drive for the Force Indy team in the Indy Lights series. Francis Jr.'s hiring came as part of an initiative by the Force Indy team to give African-American drivers and mechanics opportunities to enter open-wheel racing.[1]

Motorsports career results

Career summary

Season Series Team Races Wins Poles F/Laps Podiums Points Position
2013 Trans-Am Series - TA3 Breathless Performance 1 0 1 1 1 18 18th
Pirelli World Challenge - GTS 2 0 0 0 0 64 43rd
Pirelli World Challenge - TCB 14 7 7 6 9 1345 3rd
2014 Trans-Am Series - TA3A Breathless Performance 9 5 7 7 9 316 1st
Pirelli World Challenge - GTS 1 0 0 0 0 0 40th
Pirelli World Challenge - TCA 13 3 0 3 11 1366 3rd
2015 Trans-Am Series - TA3A Breathless Performance 12 8 12 10 8 249 1st
Pirelli World Challenge - TC 18 4 4 5 10 1621 2nd
2016 Trans-Am Series - TA3 Breathless Performance 2 0 1 1 1 54 16th
Trans-Am Series - TA4 10 9 8 10 10 338 1st
Pirelli World Challenge - GTS Breathless Racing 4 0 0 0 0 268 21st
Pirelli World Challenge - TC 2 0 0 0 0 37 32nd
2017 Trans-Am Series - TA Breathless Pro Racing 13 10 7 10 11 386 1st
NASCAR Xfinity Series MBM Motorsports 1 0 0 0 0 1 84th
Pirelli World Challenge - GTS PF Racing 4 0 0 0 1 59 19th
SprintX GT Championship Series - GTS Pro-Am 1 1 0 1 1 25 3rd
2018 Trans-Am Series - TA Breathless Racing 11 5 3 3 7 279 1st
Trans-Am Series - TA2 ECC Motorsports 5 0 0 0 1 88 15th
NASCAR K&N Pro Series East Max Siegel 2 0 1 0 1 76 28th
2019 Trans-Am Series - TA Breathless Racing 11 4 5 4 8 316 1st
2020 Trans-Am Series - TA Breathless Pro Racing 9 4 3 4 6 253 1st
2021 Formula Regional Americas Championship Future Star Racing 18 3 0 0 4 160 3rd
Trans-Am Series - TA 11 1 4 4 4 257 3rd
SRX Series N/A 6 1 0 1 2 192 2nd
2022 Indy Lights Force Indy 14 0 0 0 0 299 10th
SRX Series N/A 3 0 0 0 0 58 11th
2023 Indy NXT HMD Motorsports with Force Indy 13 0 0 0 1 300 9th
SRX Series N/A 1 0 0 0 0 0 NC†
2024 Lamborghini Super Trofeo North America - Pro TR3 Racing

SCCA National Championship Runoffs

Year Track Car Engine Class Finish Start Status
2019 VIR Ford Mustang Ford GT-1 1 2 Running
2020 Road America Ford Mustang Ford GT-1 12 1 Retired

NASCAR

(key) (Bold – Pole position awarded by qualifying time. Italics – Pole position earned by points standings or practice time. * – Most laps led.)

Xfinity Series

NASCAR Xfinity Series results
Year Team No. Make 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 NXSC Pts Ref
2017 MBM Motorsports 13 Toyota DAY ATL LVS PHO CAL TEX BRI RCH TAL CLT DOV POC MCH IOW DAY KEN NHA IND IOW GLN MOH BRI ROA
39 		DAR RCH CHI KEN DOV CLT KAN TEX PHO HOM 84th 1 [8]

K&N Pro Series East

NASCAR K&N Pro Series East results
Year Team No. Make 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 NKNPSEC Pts Ref
2018 Rev Racing 42 Toyota NSM BRI LGY SBO SBO MEM NJM
2 		TMP NHA IOW GLN
11 		GTW NHA DOV 28th 76 [9]

Superstar Racing Experience

(key) * – Most laps led. 1 – Heat 1 winner. 2 – Heat 2 winner.

Superstar Racing Experience results
Year No. 1 2 3 4 5 6 SRXC Pts
2021 2 STA
6 		KNX
3 		ELD
8 		IRP
1* 		SLG
6 		NSV
6 		2nd 161
2022 5 FIF
11 		SBO
7 		STA NSV 11th 58
99 I55
6 		SHA
2023 STA STA II MMS BER ELD IRP
11 		25th 01

American open-wheel racing results

(key)

Indy Lights/Indy NXT

Year Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 Rank Points
2022 Force Indy STP
7 		ALA
8 		IMS
9 		IMS
10 		DET
9 		DET
10 		RDA
10 		MDO
11 		IOW
8 		NSH
11 		GTW
9 		POR
8 		LAG
11 		LAG
13 		10th 299
2023 HMD Motorsports with Force Indy STP
6 		ALA
8 		IMS1
 DET
3 		DET
7 		RDA
12 		MDO
13 		IOW
8 		NSH
18 		IMS2
14 		GTW
8 		POR
7 		LAG
7 		LAG
8 		9th 300

* Season still in progress

References

  1. ^ a b Furst, Dave (January 27, 2022). "African American-led Force Indy rises to Indy Lights with Francis". IndyCar.com. Brickyard Trademarks, Inc. Retrieved February 5, 2022.
  2. ^ "Ernie Francis Jr. set for NASCAR Xfinity Series debut". Speedsport.com. August 24, 2017. Retrieved May 19, 2020.
  3. ^ "Trans-Am champ Ernie Francis Jr. set for NASCAR K&N race". June 12, 2018. Retrieved March 13, 2019.
  4. ^ Spencer, Reid (November 7, 2017). "Unveil of 2018 NASCAR Drive for Diversity class marks emphasis on seat time". Retrieved March 13, 2019.
  5. ^ Segal, Davey (August 3, 2018). "Late-race heroics earn Brett Moffitt Watkins Glen NASCAR K&N East victory". Retrieved March 13, 2019.
  6. ^ "NASCAR announces Drive for Diversity program's Class of 2019". December 6, 2018. Retrieved March 13, 2019.
  7. ^ James, Richard (February 27, 2019). "Storylines building ahead of 2019 Trans Am curtain-raiser". Retrieved March 13, 2019.
  8. ^ "Ernie Francis, Jr. – 2017 NASCAR Xfinity Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved March 13, 2019.
  9. ^ "Ernie Francis, Jr. – 2018 NASCAR K&N Pro Series East Series Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved March 13, 2019.
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