By Dick Jordan
The 2011 USAC Eastern Ford Focus Series visits Ace Speedway in Altamahaw, N.C. Friday, then return to Hickory, N.C. for a Saturday night race at Hickory Motor Speedway. The USAC Western Ford Focuses and Focus Young Guns are slated Saturday night at All American Speedway in Roseville, Calif.
Jarett Andretti of Mooresville, N.C. leads the Eastern standings, while Jarid Blondel of Orange, Calif. sits atop the Western standings.
Andretti became the fourth member of the Andretti family to notch a USAC feature victory Saturday night, leading all but the first five laps of the 35-lap USAC Eastern Ford Focus race at Hickory Motor Speedway. The win, in the Tracy Trotter entry, left Andretti with a seven point lead over Nick Drake in the new Eastern Ford Focus point standings. Chris Lamb finished second in the 35-lap race, ahead of Steven Intravaia, Drake and Scott Hunter, who led the first five laps. Andretti was also the fastest qualifier.
Defending USAC Utah Ford Focus Champion Michael Daniels of Magna, Utah won Saturday night’s 2011 series opener at Rocky Mountain Raceways. He passed Ron Duncombe on lap 11 and led the final 15 laps to win the 25-lapper over Jeff Kelley, Jim Waters, Gregg Fuette and Austin Luttmer. Chuck Groat posted the fastest qualifying time, while Daniels and Waters won the heats.
Friday’s race at Ace Speedway marks the second USAC appearance there after rain interrupted the April debut following the heat races. Saturday’s event at Hickory is Nutex Concepts Night at the Races.
USAC NATIONAL FORD FOCUS POINT STANDINGS
1-Jarid Blondel-210; 2-Jessica Clark-201; 3-Brandon White-198; 4-Paul Graham-183; 5-Ricky Bowers-150; 6-Alex Jacobsen-144; 7-J.R. Williams-129; 8-Ross Rankine-120; 9-Jarett Andretti-117; 10-Nick Drake-111.
USAC EASTERN FORD FOCUS POINT STANDINGS
1-Jarett Andretti-138; 2-Nick Drake-131; 3-Chris Lamb-118; 4-Scott Hunter-118; 5-Steven Intravaia-113; 6-Austin Prock-100; 7-Tyler Corriher-97; 8-Billy Gaule-83; 9-Orry Hunte-79; 10-Eric Coomes-60.
USAC WESTERN FORD FOCUS POINT STANDINGS
1-Jarid Blondel-232; 2-Jessica Clark-227; 3-Brandon White-227; 4-Paul Graham-207; 5-Ricky Bowers-169; 6-Alex Jacobsen-160; 7-J.R. Williams-139; 8-Ross Rankine-137; 9-Wally Pankratz-112; 10-Jake Swanson-111.
USAC WESTERN FOCUS YOUNG GUNS POINT STANDINGS
1-Trevor Hunt-325; 2-Brody Kostecki-275; 3-Brandon White-264; 4-Ricky Bowers-181; 5-Cole Custer-136; 6-Christine Breckenridge-110; 7-Zach Bogner-64; 8-Parker Colston-63; 9-Sheldon DeBlauw-59; 10-Katlynn Leer-57.
USAC UTAH FORD FOCUS POINT STANDINGS
1-Jessica Clark-189; 2-Brandon White-173; 3-Paul Graham-148; 4-Jake Swanson-111; 5-Austin Luttmer-108; 6-Cody Gerhardt-107; 7-Ricky Bowers-104; 8-Alex Jacobsen-96; 9-Jimmy Moon-95; 10-J.R. Williams-93.