HPD
Sunday, 5 July 2009

ANDERSON, WATSONVILLE & VENTURA HOST FOCUS RACES

DANIELS, SIMPSON, ROA, MURRAY, HUNTER ALL POST WINS


USAC Ford Focus competition occurs in Indiana and California this week as 2009 championship battles continue. Brody Roa, fresh from his first USAC feature win, is the co-leader in the Calfiornia Dirt series which heads for Ocean Speedway in Watsonville, Calif. Friday night. Joe Liguori of Tampa, Fla. is atop the Midwest series, which visits Anderson (Ind.) Speedway Friday. The California Dirt series also heads for Ventura (Calif.) Raceway Saturday, with the Junior Focuses in tow, led by Kyle Edwards of Fountain Valley, Calif.


 


Roa, of Buena Park, Calif., notched his initial USAC California Dirt Ford Focus feature win Saturday night at the Perris (Calif.) Auto Speedway. He passed Nick Rossi on lap two and led the rest of the way to win the 20-lapper over Jake Swanson, Eric Gunderson, Nick Carlson and Cody Swanson. The win left Roa and Sean Dodenhoff virtually tied for the series point lead.


 


Michael Daniels of Magna, Utah earned his first USAC feature victory Saturday night at Rocky Mountain Raceways in Salt Lake City, Utah, leading all 20 laps to win the Utah Ford Focus feature event. He was trailed at the checkered flag by Bob Brewer, series point leader Kipp Posey, Austin Luttmer and Gregg Fuette. The Utah series resumes July 25 at Salt Lake City.


 


Jimmy Simpson of Indianapolis, Ind. led the final 15 laps of Wednesday night’s 20-lap USAC/UMARA Ford Focus feature at Grundy County Speedway in Morris, Ill. in his Fat Tommy’s Restaurant Beast. The win left him 19 points behind Liguori in the new series standings. Tyler Trainor finished second ahead of fast qualifier Liguori, Tanner Whitten and Tyler Cottongim. The UMARA series continues July 18 at Grundy County.


 


Andrew Murray of Temecula, Calif. won Saturday night’s 20-lap USAC Junior Focus race at Perris Auto Speedway. He passed Dennis Simunovich on lap 16 and led the final five laps to beat Mavrick Gaunt, Casey Martinez, Chasen Gaunt and Logan Williams. Series point leader Kyle Edwards finished sixth.


 


Scott Hunter of Concord, N.C. led all 40 laps Wednesday night at Concord (N.C.) Motorsports Park to stop Jeremy Frankoski’s three-race USAC Carolina Ford Focus winning streak. Hunter piloted the Brown & Miller Racing Solutions/Kenny’s Components Ascot and was followed at the checkered flag by Steven Intravaia, Eric Coomes, Bryce Burden and Frankoski. Concord next hosts a July 15 race.