USAC - MIDWEST FOCUS OPENER DELAYED; SEVERAL REGIONS TO BE REPRESENTED FRIDAY AT LIMA

Between 30-35 cars are expected to be present Friday in USAC’s Midwest Ford
Focus Midget Car Series season opener at Lima (Ohio) Motorsports Park, as
cars from several regions are expected to compete in a prelude to the
National Ford Focus show in September.

Defending Midwest Ford Focus champion Tate Martz of Rushville, Ind. is one
of three former USAC Ford Focus champions expected to compete in the season
opener, which was delayed from Saturday following heavy rains at the
Columbus (Ohio) Motor Speedway. That race will not be rescheduled.

Several drivers from other regions are expected to trek to Lima, which holds
the first of two National Ford Focus features on Sept. 17. The Anderson
(Ind.) Speedway will host the two-race series finale and crown the National
champion on Sept. 18.

The features, which hold invitational status, are open to the top 8 in
points through July 18 and a wildcard.

Defending Carolina/Virginia Ford Focus champion and current points leader
Chase Scott will compete at Lima, in addition to Oklahoma leader Dustin
Morgan of Collinsville, Okla. and Northeast leader Ryan Smith of Kunkletown,
Pa., who won the Northeast’s debut Saturday at Oswego (N.Y.) Speedway.

Robbie Ray of Davenport, Iowa, the 2003 Midwest titlist, and Jordan Noblitt
of Columbus, Ind., who placed fifth in Midwest points in 2004, have won Ford
Focus races at Lima and are expected to compete. Other Midwest regulars from
2004 expected to run include defending series runner-up Rex Norris III of
Knightstown, Ind.; Canadian Ryan Litt of Lyons, Ontario; Jimmy Light of West
Springfield, Pa.; and Josh Clemons of Greenfield, Ind.

“I’m looking forward to it,” Martz said. “With the National championship
scheduled for September, it would be good to see where we’re at. We haven’t
run yet, so we don’t have really anything to go off of, but we’ll just go
out and see what we can do.”

The record car count for Ford Focus cars in one event came July 10, 2004 at
Kentucky Speedway in Sparta, Ky., when 38 cars graced the track.