VICTORIES GO TO CARLSON (2), FERNS, ARMSTRONG & BLONDEL


Five USAC Ford Focus races are scheduled this week, with the Midwest series facing three events and one each slated for the USAC/UMARA and Carolina series.


 


Joe Liguori of Tampa, Fla. leads the Midwest series to races at Twin Cities Raceway Park in North Vernon, Ind. (Tuesday), Anderson (Ind.) Speedway (Wednesday) and Kil-Kare Speedway in Xenia, Ohio (Friday). Concord (N.C.) Motor Speedway hosts Wednesday night’s Carolina race with Jeremy Frankoski atop the standings. The USAC/UMARA race occurs Saturday at Grundy County Speedway in Morris, Ill. where Liguori also leads the standings.


 


Nick Carlson of Norwalk, Calif. posted a pair of wins in USAC’s California Dirt Focus series last week, taking home the hardware Friday at Ocean Speedway in Watsonville, Calif. and Saturday night at Ventura (Calif,) Raceway. He led the final 13 laps of Friday’s 20-lap race to beat series leader Brody Roa, Cody Swanson, Jake Swanson and Jet Davison. Roa led the first seven laps of the race. Carlson then led all the way to win the 20-lap feature on the 1/5-mile dirt Ventura oval. Sean Dodenhoff was second ahead of Roa, Bobby Michnowicz and Cody Swanson. The dirt series resumes August 1 at Perris (Calif.) Auto Speedway.


 


Dalton Armstrong of New Castle, Ind. led all 30 laps of Friday night’s USAC Midwest Ford Focus feature at the Anderson (Ind.) Speedway in the Beast Enterprises Beast/Ford Focus. Series point leader Liguori came home second, ahead of Jimmy Simpson, Katie Hargitt and Kyle Ogara. Liguori was the fastest qualifier.


 


Jarid Blondel of Orange, Calif. earned his first USAC feature win Saturday night, leading all 20 laps of the USAC Junior Ford Focus race at the Ventura Raceway. Taylor Ferns finished second ahead of Alex Jacobsen, Dennis Simunovich and Ethan Quinn.


 


Taylor Ferns of Shelby Township, Mich. became the first female driver in USAC history to score five feature wins in a single season by winning Friday night’s 15-lap Junior Ford Focus race at Ocean Speedway in Watsonville, Calif.. She passed Dennis Simunovich on lap six and led the rest of the way in her Kruseman Enterprises machine to beat Simunovich, Kyle Edwards, Andrew Murray and Daniel Voyles. Edwards continues to lead the series standings with the next race slated August 1 at Perris.