By Dick Jordan
Nick Drake, Brodie Kostecki and Jessica Clark left Toyota Speedway at Irwndale, Calif.; Thursday night with 2011 USAC Ford Focus championships.
Drake, of Mooresville, N.C., finalized his second consecutive USAC National Ford Focus title with a second-place finish in the 40-lap Western finale which was held as part of the track’s “Turkey Night Grand Prix” events. Kostecki, of Roseville, Calif., grabbed the Western Ford Focus title with his fifth-place Irwindale finish.
Clark, of Westlake Village, Calif., became USAC’s third female driving champion in history, walking off with both the Western Pavement and Southern California titles after her 13th-place finish in the 40-lap finale.
Ross Rankine of Willard, Ohio passed Kostecki on lap 20 and led the final 21 laps to win Thursday night’s race at Irwindale. Rankine piloted the National Pride Beast/Ford Focus to the win over Drake, Garett Peterson, Jim Waters and Kostecki. Rankine ended up as the 10th different winner of the “Turkey Night” Ford Focus race in its 10 runnings.
USAC NATIONAL FORD FOCUS POINT STANDINGS
1-Nick Drake-720; 2-Ross Rankine-708; 3-Brodie Kostecki-702; 4-Garett Peterson-687; 5-Jarett Andretti-687; 6-Keegan Walmer-681; 7-Chris Lamb-678; 8-Wally Pankratz-678; 9-Jim Waters-675; 10-Scott Hunter-672.
USAC WESTERN FORD FOCUS POINT STANDINGS
1-Brodie Kostecki-826; 2-Jim Waters-807; 3-Garett Peterson-769; 4-Wally Pankratz-768; 5-Chuck Groat-760; 6-Keegan Walmer-752; 7-Jessica Clark-747; 8-Tyler Dolacki-721; 9-Jarid Blondel-709; 10-Austin Luttmer-708.