Aztec Speedway
Alberson pockets $2,500 for CLMA win at Aztec
By Lynn Hensley
Aztec SpeedwayAZTEC, N.M. (June 9) — Taking the lead on an early restart, Garrett Alberson of Las Cruces, N.M., led the rest of the way Saturday at Aztec Speedway for a victory on the Championship Late Model Association DIRTCar Southern Series.
The fifth-starting Alberson earned $2,500 for the home-state victory in outrunning reigning CLMA champion Scott Lewis of Henderson, Colo. Dean Moore of Grand Junction, Colo., was third followed by Lonnie Parker Jr. of El Mirage, Ariz., and Jimmy Ray of Las Cruces. Garrett Higgins of Farmington, N.M., started outside the front row and led early, but dropped out in the closing laps.
Jeep Berry of Grand Junction, Colo., who won Friday’s $1,500 winner’s purse, pitted early and then was involved in a tangle that ended his night.
Higgins got the jump on polesitter Jeff Whyman of Albuquerque, N.M., at the outset, but the action was slowed on the third lap for a major pileup entering turn three that ended the races of Kyle Hill, Alan Bowers, Jason Hockenhull and Steve Francis.
A 30-minute red flag was required to clean up the mess, and officials decided to shorten the race to 25 laps from the original 30.
On the restart, Alberson made a high-side move to get around Higgins, and he was on cruise control the rest of the way in racing to the checkers. Higgins gave chase most of the way, but a broken wheel assembly with two laps remaining dropped him to 15th at the finish.
Notes: Alberson’s No. 43 is sponsored by Batteries Plus. ... His only previous CLMA victory came with another $2,500 last July at Aztec. ... In pre-race activities, drivers tossed tennis balls into the crowd with their numbers on them, and the fan who held Alberson’s No. 43 received $50 from T-n-T Motorsports. ... Next up for CLMA competitors is a $1,200-to-win event on June 17 at Thomas County Speedway in Colby, Kan.
CLMA @ Aztec: (1) Garrett Alberson, (2) Scott Lewis, (3) Dean Moore, (4) Lonnie Parker Jr., (5) Jimmy Ray, (6) Dave Garmann, (7) Jason Davis, (8) Jeff Whyman, (9) Andy Hockenhull, (10) Steve Lewis, (11) Nate Beacham, (12) Cooter Frazier, (13) Rick Ortega, (14) Dave Deetz, (15) Garrett Higgins, (16) Jeep Berry, (17) Alan Bowers, (18) Steve Francis, (19) Jason Hockenhull, (20) Kyle Hill. Dash winner: Berry.
