DRAKE, LITTLE, LIGUORI, GROAT ALL RECORD WINS

 


USAC’s Carolina, Midwest and Western Ford Focuses all see action this week with events slated at Concord, N.C., Plymouth, Ind. and Perris, Calif.


 


The Carolina Ford Focus and Young Guns series return to Concord Speedway for Thursday night’s program, while Plymouth (Ind.) Speedway hosts Thursday’s Midwest events. Perris (Calif.) Auto Speedway hosts Saturday’s Western races.


 


Nick Drake of Mooresville, N.C. and Jesse Little of Sherrills Ford, N.C. scored USAC feature victories in Wednesday night’s USAC Eastern/Carolina Ford Focus and Young Guns racing program at Concord (N.C.) Speedway. Drake, the son of USAC’s Jay Drake, led all 40 laps to win the Ford Focus feature in his Haas/SEM Johnsens Beast. Eastern point leader Scott Hunter took second ahead of Justin Hommel, Chris Lamb and Rick Fedrizzi. Little, son of NASCAR’s Chad Little, led all 25 laps to win the Young Guns feature over Brendon Bock, Stephen Bergh Jr. and Adam Brown.


 


USAC Midwest Ford Focus point leader Joe Liguori of Tampa, Fla. led all but the first lap of Saturday night’s 20-lap feature at Lincoln Park Speedway in Putnamville, Ind. Liguori and his Pit Stop Bar-B-Q and Grill Beast were trailed at the checkered flag by Jake Blackhurst, Alfred Galedrige Jr., Eric Rankine and Jessica Bean. Bean led the opening lap of the race.


 


Chuck Groat of West Valley City, Utah won Saturday night’s 20-lap USAC Western/Utah Ford Focus feature at Rocky Mountain Raceways in Salt Lake City. Groat passed Bobby Runyan on lap 18 and led to the checkered flag to beat Western Ford Focus point leader Cody Gerhardt, Ron Duncombe, Gregg Fuette and Austin Luttmer. Runyan led 15 laps, Gerhardt led two and Groat, the night’s fastest qualifier, led the last eight.


 


The Utah Ford Focus Series resumes August 7 at RMR.