The Superstar Racing Experience has announced the youngest driver in its 2021 lineup, adding the Trans-Am Series’ Ernie Francis Jr. to the short-track series being started by Ray Evernham and Tony Stewart.
Francis, who will turn 23 next month, is a past winner and seven-time consecutive champion in the Trans-Am Series.
The Davie, Florida, native has one start in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, a 39th at Road America in 2017.
A member of the Drive for Diversity program, he also made two K&N Series starts in 2018, starting on pole and finishing second at New Jersey Motorsports Park.
“I am really excited to join the SRX series,” Francis said in a release. “I look forward to racing against some of the most iconic names in our sport and visiting some of America’s most historic short tracks.”
Francis becomes the eighth entrant in the new series and will be competing against a formidable lineup filled with many drivers who have been winning since before he was born. Three NASCAR Hall of Famers, two Indianapolis 500 winners, an IndyCar champion and F1 winner have committed to SRX.
The series, which is expecting to have a dozen drivers, also has Tony Stewart, Helio Castroneves, Bobby Labonte, Paul Tracy, Tony Kanaan, Willy T. Ribbs, Mark Webber and Bill Elliott in its lineup.
SRX was co-founded by NASCAR Hall of Famers Stewart and Evernham and was unveiled July 13.
Let’s get it! 2021 here we come 💪🏾 https://t.co/RlhBrjoSlN
— Ernie Francis Jr (@ErnieFrancisJr) December 7, 2020
Several drivers have expressed interest in the new circuit, which is modeled on the International Race of Champions (IROC) series that matched drivers from various auto racing disciplines in equally prepared cars for an annual four-race series for 30 years.
Superstar Racing Experience has yet to reveal a schedule or confirm any tracks beyond Stewart’s Eldora Speedway. The series has hinted that more tracks soon will be revealed.