From Dick Jordan
Nik Romano of Atherton, Calif. will conclude his drive to the 2009 USAC California Pavement Ford Focus title Thursday night at Toyota Speedway at Irwindale, Calif. The Ron Sutton’s Winners Circle driver caps his season as part of the track’s 69th Lucas Oil “Turkey Night Grand Prix” celebrating 75 years of the southern California racing tradition which began in 1934.
Romano won the last two series races at Stockton and Madera, Calif. and a Thursday victory would give him this year’s first “turkey” (the first driver to win three in a row).
Andrew Mulhearn of Whittier, Calif. is the 2009 USAC Dirt Ford Focus National Champion. Mulhearn led all 30 laps of Saturday night’s feature at the Ventura (Calif.) Raceway, part of the track’s “J.W. Mitchell Classic.” Trailing Mulhearn in the feature were Cody Swanson, Cody Kershaw, Nick Rossi and Brody Roa. Roa, of Buena Park, Calif., emerged as the 2009 California Dirt Ford Focus champion.
Alex Jacobsen of San Jose, Calif. passed Casey Martinez on the white-flag lap and held on to win Saturday night’s 20-lap National Young Guns Championship feature at Ventura Raceway. Martinez took second ahead of Andrew Murrray, Dennis Simunovich and Jarid Blondel. Nick Drake led the first six laps but flipped. Martinez then led the next 12 laps before yielding to the winner.
Kyle Edwards of Fountain Valley, Calif. finished 13th but claimed the 2009 USAC Young Guns (Formerly Junior Focus) title. Saturday night’s race was part of the track’s “J.W. Mitchell Classic.”
USAC CALIFORNIA PAVEMENT FORD FOCUS SERIES POINT STANDINGS
1-Nik Romano-996; 2-Cody Gerhardt-929; 3-Zach Stout-716; 4-Jeff Oleen-541; 5-Michael J. Lewis-508; 6-Eric Gunderson-481; 7-J.R. Williams-424; 8-Connor Kassik-422; 9-Garrett Peterson-417; 10-Luis Ramos III-356.
FINAL USAC CALIFORNIA DIRT FORD FOCUS SERIES POINT STANDINGS
1-Brody Roa-877, 2-Cody Swanson-832, 3-Sean-Mikael Dodenhoff-774, 4-Jet Davison-741, 5-Nick Rossi-722, 6-Nick Carlson-598, 7-Andrew Mulhearn-594, 8-Connor Kassik-480, 9-Kevin Michnowicz-457, 10-Jake Swanson-403.
FINAL USAC FORD FOCUS YOUNG GUNS (Junior Focus) SERIES POINT STANDINGS
1-Kyle Edwards-1,422, 2-Andrew Murray-1,328, 3-Dennis Simunovich-1,048, 4-Casey Martinez-807, 5-Taylor Ferns-771, 6-Alex Jacobsen-755, 7-Ethan Quinn-653, 8-Tanner Kershaw-571, 9-Jarid Blondel-497, 10-Mavrick Gaunt-375.