Speedway, Ind. — USAC's Ford Focus Midget Car Series face their busiest weekend ever, with five races on tap in four states. Midwest participants will compete Wednesday at the Indianapolis Speedrome and Friday at Memphis (Tenn.) Motorsports Park, while Carolina/Virginia participants head for South Boston (Va.) Speedway Saturday and California participants are at Watsonville (Calif.) Speedway Friday and Kings Speedway in Hanford, Calif. Saturday.

Chase Scott of Concord, N.C., the 18-year-old son of legendary motorcycle racer Hank Scott and brother of USAC Midget veteran Ryan Scott, sped to victory in Saturday night's 30-lap race at Hickory (N.C.) Motor Speedway, leading the final eight laps after passing fast qualifier Sam Beam. Beam finished second ahead of Mike Ward, Aron Oakley and Robbie Ray. Scott's win in his Real Race Cars/Simpson Special leaves him with an 82-point lead in the series going into this Saturday night's race at South Boston Speedway.

Ward led the first seven laps, then yielded to Scott for laps 8-18. Beam then led the next four laps before Scott took over for good.

Josh Lakatos of Pasadena, Calif. led the final six laps of Saturday night's "Vukovich Classic" 20-lapper at Madera (Calif.) Speedway after passing Chase Barber on lap 15. Lakatos drove the Matco Tools/Race Truck Trends Beast. Fast qualifier Nick Morago was second ahead of Chris Rahe, Bobby McGowan and Bradley Galedrige. Galedrige escaped with a three-point lead ahead of Rahe in the California North standings going into this weekend's races at Watsonville Speedway on Friday and Kings Speedway in Hanford. Saturday. Friday's race also offers South points, with Lakatos trailing McGowan by 18 points in the south standings. The Watsonville and Hanford features are 25-lappers.

Tate Martz and Rex Norris III won heat races before rains interrupted Friday night's Midwest Ford Focus program at Gas City (Ind.) I-69 Speedway. Then series resumes with a race this Wednesday night at the Indianapolis Speedrome and Friday night at Memphis. Wednesday night's event kicks off the Speedrome's "Open Wheel Wednesday" scheduling and will witness a 50-lap feature offering points toward both the Midwest and Speedrome championships. A 30-lapper is on tap at the quarter-mile dirt Memphis oval.

FAST QUALIFIERS
Drivers posting Earl's Plumbing Fast Qualifier efforts during USAC racing action last week included Ford drivers. Honors this past weekend were Sam Beam (Carolina/Virginia Ford Focuses at Hickory, NC) and Nick Morago (California Focuses at Madera).

Each USAC National, Western and Ford Focus Midget Car Earl's Plumbing FQ Champion will be honored at USAC's Champions Night ceremony in Indianapolis in December. The National and Western FQ champs will receive $5,000 each, while the Ford Focus FQ champs will each receive $1,500.

2004 Standings:

Weld Racing Silver Crown: 1-Dave Steele-9; 2-Tyler Walker-6; 3-J.J. Yeley-4; 4-Michael Lewis-3; 5-Brian Tyler-2.
Valvoline National Sprint Car: 1-Jay Drake-11; 2-Josh Wise-10; 3-Jason McCord & John Wolfe-9; 5-Cory Kruseman & Dave Steele-6.
National Midget Car: 1-Dave Steele-18; 2-Josh Wise & J.J. Yeley-9; 4-Bobby East-8; 5-Brian Gerster & Ron Gregory-6.
Valvoline Western Sprint Car: 1-Tony Hunt-15; 2-Michael Lewis-12; 3-Brian McClish-8; 4-Chad Nichols-7; 5-Jeff Gardner-3.
Western Midget Car: 1-Michael Lewis-16; 2-Jerome Rodela-12; 3-Garrett Hansen-11; 4-Steve Paden-10; 5-Tony Hunt & Dave Steele-9.
California Ford Focus: 1-Chris Rahe-21; 2-Bradley Galedrige-13; 3-Bobby Grewohl- & Nick Morago12; 5-Bobby McGowan and Josh Lakatos-11.
Carolina/Virginia Ford Focus: 1-Chase Scott-22; 2-Sam Beam-21; 3-Kevin Conway-11; 4-Jordan Noblitt-9; 5-Danny Bopp and Terry Hall-6.
Midwest Ford Focus: 1-Rex Norris III-9; 2-Brandon Hartsell-6; 3-A.J. Davis-4; 4-Brandon Wagner-3; 5-Robbie Ray-2.

USAC MIDWEST FORD FOCUS MIDGET CAR SERIES STANDINGS
1.-Trenton Darland-71
2.-Ryan Litt-69
3.-Brad Loyet-62
4.-Jimmy Light-60
5.-Rex Norris III-60
6.-Travis Young-56
7.-A.J. Davis-53
8.-Brandon Hartsell-49
9.-Jodi Meyers-46
10.-Brice Kenyon-44

USAC CALIFORNIA FORD FOCUS NORTH MIDGET CAR SERIES STANDINGS
1.-Bradley Galedrige-197
2.-Chris Rahe-194
3.-Bobby McGowan-179
4.-Nick Morago-172
5.-Josh Lakatos-167
6.-Audra Sasselli-138
7.-Chase Barber-135
8.-Bobby Grewohl-122
9.-Eric Pace-122
10.-Scott Pierovich-119

USAC CAROLINA/VIRGINIA FORD FOCUS MIDGET CAR SERIES STANDINGS
1.-Chase Scott-301
2.-Michael Sboro-219
3.-Michael Ward-208
4.-Kevin Conway-187
5.-Sam Beam-186
6.-Robbie Ray-183
7.-Terry Hall-166
8.-Travis Jones-129
9.-Aron Oakley-126
10.-T.J. Bell-124

Contributed by USAC News Bureau