By Dick Jordan
USAC’s Focus racing resumes this Friday night at Gas City, Ind. (Midwest) before May 12 races at Columbus, Ohio (Midwest/East) and Stockton, Calif. (West) after last weekend’s activity which included races at four different tracks.
Ross Rankine of Willard, Ohio led the final eight laps to win Saturday night’s 20-lap USAC Midwest Focus race at Montpelier (Ind.) Motor Speedway. Rankine passed Sam McGhee after McGhee had led the first 12 laps. Josh Staten also got by McGhee for second, with McGhee third ahead of Tyler Shullick and Adam Thomason. Rain forced postponement of Friday’s race at Gas City (Ind.) Speedway, which has been rescheduled for this Friday night.
Garrett Peterson of Sacramento, Calif. swept to victory in a pair of 30-lap USAC Western Focus features Saturday night at Stockton (Calif.) 99 Speedway. He passed Sheldon Didinger on lap 15 in race one and led the final 16 laps, then led the final 27 laps of the nightcap after passing Didinger on lap four. Ricky Bowers finished second in both races ahead of Tyler Edwards and Didinger. Molly Helmuth and Christine Breckenridge were the respective fifth-place finishers.
Jet Davison of Running Springs, Calif. remained undefeated on the dirt this year in USAC’s Western Focus series, leading all 30 laps of Friday night’s race at Ocean Speedway in Watsonville, Calif. He was closely pursued by Cody Elliott, followed at the checkered flag by Parker Colston and Michael Steele.
Jared Peterson of Stanwood, Wash. won Saturday night’s 25-lap USAC Northwest Focus debut at Grays Harbor Raceway in Elma, Wash., leading the final 12 laps after passing Garrett Thomas on lap 14. Jeremy Miller, Ariel Biggs, Garrett Johnson and Thomas rounded out the “top10.” Peterson leads the standings entering a May 12 race at Banks, Ore.
2012 USAC MIDWEST FOCUS POINT STANDINGS
1-Ross Rankine-176, 2-Jared Irvan-138, 3-Bradley Riethmeyer-135, 4-Copper Clouse-128, 5-Sam McGhee-124, 6-Nic Davidson-121, 7-Tyler Corriher-100, 8-Austin Prock-99, 9-Chris Lamb-94, 10-Davey Hamilton Jr.-90.
2012 USAC WESTERN FOCUS POINT STANDINGS
1-Christine Breckenridge-205, 2-Jet Davison-136, 3-Wally Pankratz-135, 4-Bryant Dawson-127, 5-Parker Colston-123, 6-Garrett Peterson-120, 7-Winn Frazin-119, 8-Cody Elliott-116, 9-Michael Steele-114, 10-Ricky Bowers-114.
2012 USAC NORTHWESTERN FOCUS POINT STANDINGS
1-Jared Peterson-74, 2-Jeremy Miller-66, 3-Garret Johnson-62, 3-Ariel Biggs-61, 5-Garrett Thomas-57, 6-Zak DeBakker-50, 7-Michael Millard-47, 8-Madison Hess-47, 9-Hannah Lindquist-41, 10-Chase Goetz-40.