FF: Weekend summary 2004-07-26

The inaugural Ford Focus Belleville Midget Nationals are slated Thursday night at the famed Belleville (Kans.) High Banks and indications are that a record field of cars is expected to compete on the action-packed 1/4-mile dirt oval.

A 100-lap feature event is scheduled, following five 10-lap heat races, a 20-lap C Main and a 20-lap B Main. Twenty-six cars will start the 100-lap finale, which offers points toward four 2004 USAC Ford Focus Midget championships, the Midwest, Carolina/Virginia and California North and South. Top drivers and teams from all four series are among those expected to compete for the initial Belleville Focus title.

Total prize money of $14,430 has been posted for this special Ford Focus event, the first "true" National race for Ford Focus cars. Thursday night's race winner will take home $1,300 plus accessories.

Chris Rahe of Placentia, Calif., Jordan Noblitt of Columbus, Ind. and Stephanie Mockler of Westfield, Ind. tuned up for the Belleville program with USAC Ford Focus feature victories last week.

Mockler became only the eighth female feature winner in USAC history and the first ever in Ford Focus competition as she triumphed in Wednesday night's 50-lapper at the Blossom Chevrolet Indianapolis Speedrome. She caught John Mount on the 10th lap and led the rest of the way in the Mark Frew Regal Printing/AED Motorsports Ellis to beat Jamie Williams, Travis Young, Clemons and Andy Baber. She joins previous USAC female feature winners Kaylene Verville, Shauna Hogg, Bev Griffis, Amy Wilson, Kara Hendrick, Randi Pankratz and Denise Bennet. Speedrome Focus point leader Brice Kenyon finished sixth.

Rahe leads the California South series standings and won Saturday night's 20-lapper at the Ventura (Calif.) Raceway. He caught Chase Barber on lap five and led the rest of the way in his Panelite Eng./JMI Stealth to beat J.J. Ercse, Barber, Brett Engstrom and Robert Kershaw. Bradley Galedrige leads the California North series standings but failed to finish the Ventura feature.

Noblitt led all 25 laps of Friday night's Midwest 25-lapper at the Lakeville (Ohio) Speedway in his Robert Allen, MD/Columbus Silgas Beast. Trenton Darland, Willie Magrell, Tate Martz and Joshua Clemons trailed at the finish. Rex Norris III finished eighth and enters the Belleville events in a virtual tie with Tate Martz for the Midwest series point lead. Saturday's originally-scheduled race at Wayne County Speedway in Orrville, Ohio was removed from the calendar at the beginning of last week.

Chase Scott leads the Carolina/Virginia Focus contingent to Belleville, holding a 75-point lead over Michael Ward.

USAC MIDWEST FORD FOCUS MIDGET CAR SERIES STANDINGS
1.-Tate Martz-581
2.-Rex Norris III-581
3.-Ryan Litt-573
4.-Jordan Noblitt-527
5.-Brad Loyet-468
6.-Trenton Darland-461
7.-Jimmy Light-431
8.-Travis Young-429
9.-Brice Kenyon-413
10.-Joshua Clemons-384

USAC CALIFORNIA FORD FOCUS NORTH MIDGET CAR SERIES STANDINGS
1.-Bradley Galedrige-553
2.-Chris Rahe-533
3.-Chase Barber-432
4.-Josh Lakatos-423
5.-Nick Morago-396
6.-Bobby McGowan-371
7.-Audra Sasselli-368
8.-Bobby Michnowicz-362
9.-Eric Pace-340
10.-Ryan Pace-289

USAC CALIFORNIA FORD FOCUS SOUTH MIDGET CAR SERIES STANDINGS 1.-Chris Rahe-498
2.-Chase Barber-476
3.-Bobby Michnowicz-434
4.-Josh Lakatos-420
5.-Bradley Galedrige-405
6.-Bobby McGowan-400
7.-Ryan Pace-329
8.-Cal Smith-317
9.-J.R. Williams-264
10.-Eric Pace-253

USAC CAROLINA/VIRGINIA FORD FOCUS MIDGET CAR SERIES STANDINGS
1.-Chase Scott-492
2.-Michael Ward-417
3.-Robbie Ray-352
4.-Kevin Conway-342
5.-Michael Sboro-340
6.-Sam Beam-323
7.-Danny Bopp-261
8.-Aron Oakley-260
9.-Travis Jones-250
10.-Brit Andersen-245