FF: CP: Irwindale Turkey Night preview

SEASON-LONG CALIFORNIA PAVEMENT FOCUS BATTLE ENDS THURSDAY

INDIANAPOLIS -- Alex Harris, Audra Sasselli and Chase Barber have clawed and scraped for points all season for the California Ford Focus Pavement Midget Car Series championship, and Thursday's running of the "Turkey Night Grand Prix" will settle it.

The trio, which has combined to win eight of the 13 races on the 2005 calendar, are separated by only 24 points heading into the season finale at Irwindale Speedway in California. Harris, of Simi Valley, Calif. leads Sasselli, of Fresno, Calif., by six markers with Barber -- the California Dirt champion from Morgan Hill, Calif. -- only 18 behind Sasselli.

Harris and Barber have each visited Victory Lane at Irwindale this season. Harris has three wins and Barber one on the 1/3-mile.

Harris is aiming for his third USAC title, having won back-to-back USAC TQ Midget titles in the late 1990s. If Barber takes the crown, he'll be the first driver to win two Ford Focus championships in the same season.

But those three aren't the only ones eligible to leave Irwindale with the title. Californians Robbie Whitchurch and Benny Moon, both first-year fulltime Focus drivers, are within 65 points.

<pre> USAC CALIFORNIA FORD FOCUS PAVEMENT MIDGET CAR SERIES STANDINGS 1. Alex Harris 695 2. Audra Sasselli 689 3. Chase Barber 671 4. Robbie Whitchurch 634 5. Benny Moon 630 6. Jace Meier 611 7. Chris Veach 546 8. Jeff Sakowicz 541 9. Lindsay Kernohan 455 10. Cameron Veach 419

-usac