FF: CP: Irwindale season finale preview

HENRY FORD SWEEPSTAKES TROPHY THURSDAY FORD FOCUS TARGET AT IRWINDALE SPEEDWAY

Ian Miille and Alex Bowman have more to shoot for than the 2008 USAC California Pavement Ford Focus Series title Thursday at Toyota Speedway at Irwindale, Calif. The National Ford Focus Champion will emerge from the 40-lap race on the track's 1/3-mile oval.

Miille, of Pleasanton, Calif. and Bowman, of Tucson, Ariz., are just 35 points apart, with 74 available Thursday. Actually, Brendan Langlois of Kamloops, B.C., Canada, holds slim title hopes as well, trailing Miille by 69 in the latest rankings.

USAC's Ford Focus racing program began in 2002 but the National Championship started in 2005 and drivers from Iowa (Robbie Ray), California (Michael Faccinto) and Indiana (James Robertson) have placed their names on the permanent trophy -- the Henry Ford Sweepstakes Trophy -- which will be on display at Irwindale.

Bowman has won six times this year, while Miille has won twice. Bowman's nine total feature wins on the pavement and dirt are the most for any single driver in all of USAC during 2008! Langlois has three wins but his four Irwindale outings have resulted in a win, a second and two thirds!

Included among pre-entries for Thursday's race are numerous competitors in USAC's 2008 Utah Ford Focus Series, including champion Tim Savage of Herriman, Utah.

USAC CALIFORNIA PAVEMENT FORD FOCUS MIDGET SERIES POINT STANDINGS
1-Ian Miille-967
2-Alex Bowman-932
3-Brendan Langlois-898
4-Brennan Newberry-873
5-Jeff Oleen-771
6-Jessica Brunelli-639
7-Justin Hommel-634
8-Zach Stout-564
9-J.R. Williams-489
10-Garrett Peterson-381

-credit: usac