Ernie Francis Jr.

Last updated
Ernie Francis Jr.
Ernie Francis Jr. NJMP 2018.png
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 race 2022 Indy Lights Grand Prix of St. Petersburg (St. Petersburg)
Last race 2023 Indy NXT Grand Prix of Indianapolis (Indianapolis)
WinsPodiums Poles
000
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
2014–2020 Trans-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.

Contents

Racing career

NASCAR Xfinity Series

Francis' 2017 Xfinity car at Road America 13 Ernie Francis Jr 2017 Johnsonville 180.jpg
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 Ernie Francis Jr. on track NJMP 2018.png
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 2017 Road America TransAm TA 98 Ernie Francis Jr.jpg
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

SeasonSeriesTeamRacesWinsPolesF/LapsPodiumsPointsPosition
2013 Trans-Am Series - TA3 Breathless Performance101111818th
Pirelli World Challenge - GTS 200006443rd
Pirelli World Challenge - TCB 14776913453rd
2014 Trans-Am Series - TA3A Breathless Performance957793161st
Pirelli World Challenge - GTS 10000040th
Pirelli World Challenge - TCA 133031113663rd
2015 Trans-Am Series - TA3A Breathless Performance128121082491st
Pirelli World Challenge - TC 184451016212nd
2016 Trans-Am Series - TA3 Breathless Performance201115416th
Trans-Am Series - TA4 109810103381st
Pirelli World Challenge - GTS Breathless Racing4000026821st
Pirelli World Challenge - TC 200003732nd
2017 Trans-Am Series - TA Breathless Pro Racing1310710113861st
NASCAR Xfinity Series MBM Motorsports 10000184th
Pirelli World Challenge - GTS PF Racing400015919th
SprintX GT Championship Series - GTS Pro-Am 11011253rd
2018 Trans-Am Series - TA Breathless Racing1153372791st
Trans-Am Series - TA2 ECC Motorsports500018815th
NASCAR K&N Pro Series East Max Siegel 201017628th
2019 Trans-Am Series - TA Breathless Racing1145483161st
2020 Trans-Am Series - TA Breathless Pro Racing943462531st
2021 Formula Regional Americas Championship Future Star Racing1830041603rd
Trans-Am Series - TA 1114442573rd
SRX Series N/A610121922nd
2022 Indy Lights Force Indy14000029910th
SRX Series N/A300005811th
2023 Indy NXT HMD Motorsports with Force Indy1300013009th
SRX Series N/A100000NC†
2024 Lamborghini Super Trofeo North America - Pro TR3 Racing 621?570*2nd*

SCCA National Championship Runoffs

YearTrackCarEngineClassFinishStartStatus
2019 VIR Ford Mustang Ford GT-112Running
2020 Road America Ford Mustang Ford GT-1121Retired

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
YearTeamNo.Make123456789101112131415161718192021222324252627282930313233NXSCPtsRef
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 84th1 [8]

K&N Pro Series East

NASCAR K&N Pro Series East results
YearTeamNo.Make1234567891011121314NKNPSECPtsRef
2018 Rev Racing 42 Toyota NSM BRI LGY SBO SBO MEM NJM
2		 TMP NHA IOW GLN
11		 GTW NHA DOV 28th76 [9]

Superstar Racing Experience

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

Superstar Racing Experience results
YearNo.123456SRXCPts
2021 2 STA
6		 KNX
3		 ELD
8		 IRP
1*		 SLG
6		 NSV
6		2nd161
2022 5 FIF
11		 SBO
7		 STA NSV 11th58
99 I55
6		 SHA
2023 STA STA II MMS BER ELD IRP
11		25th01

American open-wheel racing results

(key)

Indy Lights/Indy NXT

YearTeam1234567891011121314RankPoints
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		10th299
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		9th300

* Season still in progress

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References

  1. 1 2 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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