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| WEST BURLINGTON, IA (July 10, 2025) – It was finally Garrett Alberson’s night on Thursday at 34 Raceway as the Las Cruces, New Mexico native won his first Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series event of the season. Alberson, who entered the event leading in most feature laps this season without a win, earned $15,000 for his second career Series victory. Alberson led the first 35 laps of the race and the final four as he held off Hudson O’Neal and Brandon Overton for the victory. Jonathan Davenport finished fourth and regained the championship points lead from Ricky Thornton, Jr., who failed to finish the race. Carson Ferguson rounded out the top five drivers. Alberson, who led 39 laps total, fell to third with 10 laps remaining but rallied using the top side of the race track to go from third to first in the final five laps of the race. In Lucas Oil Victory Lane for the first time since winning at Port Royal in August of 2024, Alberson came home with the win in dramatic fashion, “That was a crazy race right there. You know, we went hard on tires, and on some of those restarts, the track kept hacking. At first, I thought it was going to go our way, and then later I started skating around a little bit, and it was a little dirty here and there. It was like that last run we actually cleaned it up on the top and got that right rear going, and we just never quit,” said Alberson, who currently sits fifth in the championship points. “I could get in there in the bottom with Hud, but I couldn’t really leave out of there quite as nice as I needed to carry my speed, so I just got up there where I tried to get my right rear hot and try to get my momentum back up. At first, I didn’t really feel like I was getting anywhere, it was kind of a treacherous feeling, but then after a couple of laps, I just started to make up some ground, and it just worked out right.” O’Neal, who won the last series race at Muskingum County on July 5, came from 11th to claim the runner-up spot. “We raced all over this thing, from wall-to-wall and uke tire to uke tire. Man, 34 put on a show tonight. I really feel like I had something there. I was rolling on Brandon (Overton) and he went down there to protect and he kind of just shut it down on that bottom. Then I heard a motor firing up there outside of me and I thought oh no and then we got to the center of the corner, and I saw the white nose and I figured it was Garrett. He (Alberson) made a great move he just kind of took advantage of Brandon trying to protect a little bit and he was able to make the winning move.” Overton, who led 11 laps, rounded out the Big River Steel Podium in third. “I zigged when I should have zagged, I guess. Hats off to the race track, man that was an awesome race. You could go wherever you wanted to. I seen Hudson and I’m like man just get down and kind of block him and run back to the top and as soon as I moved down, I stalled out and I saw Garrett come around me. I didn’t know he was still there. It is what it is. We have been struggling, but we’re all working together, tonight I feel like was a big step. I am always on Burroughs, and I’m doing this and doing that; we are still learning each other. It has taken us a lot longer than we wanted to, but that’s alright, we are just going to keep working.” The winner’s Roberts Motorsports, Longhorn Chassis is powered by a Clements Racing Engine and sponsored by Low Voltage Solutions, Inc., Mesilla Valley Transportation, Sunoco Race Fuels, Bilstein Shocks, Titan Racing Products, Nutrien Ag Solutions, Bill’s Sport Shop, Dickie’s Doghouse, Cheap Cars, Done Right TV, Roemer Machine, Denago Powersports, Mitchell Ranch, and Fertilizer Equipment Specialists. Completing the top ten were Chad Simpson, Daniel Hilsabeck, Tyler Bruening, Brandon Sheppard, and Devin Moran. Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series presented by FloRacingRace Summary Thursday, July 10, 202534 Raceway – West Burlington, IA Allstar Performance Time TrialsTyler Bruening | 14.683 seconds Penske Shocks Heat Race #1 Finish (8 Laps, All Transfer): 1. 58-Garrett Alberson[3]; 2. 1-Brandon Sheppard[4]; 3. 32-Chris Simpson[2]; 4. 15-Clay Stuckey[6]; 5. 11T-Trevor Gundaker[7]; 6. 25-Chad Simpson[8]; 7. 19M-Spencer Hughes[5]; 8. 16-Tyler Bruening[1]; 9. 25B-Chevy Boyer[9] Summit Racing Products Heat Race #2 Finish (8 Laps, All Transfer): 1. 20RT-Ricky Thornton Jr[4]; 2. 99-Devin Moran[2]; 3. 49-Jonathan Davenport[1]; 4. 71-Hudson O’Neal[3]; 5. 11-Gordy Gundaker[6]; 6. 6-Clay Harris[7]; 7. 60-Dan Ebert[5]; 8. 51-Matt Furman[8]; 9. 17-Tim Simpson[9] Cool-It Thermo-Tec Heat Race #3 Finish (8 Laps, All Transfer): 1. 93-Carson Ferguson[1]; 2. 76-Brandon Overton[2]; 3. 93L-Cory Lawler[4]; 4. 18D-Daulton Wilson[5]; 5. 22-Daniel Hilsabeck[7]; 6. 43-Derrick Stewart[6]; 7. 79-Donald McIntosh[3]; 8. 33-Rickey Frankel[9]; 9. (DNS) 50-Kayden Clatt Feature Finish (50 Laps): Pos – Start – Car # – Competitor – Hometown – Pay1 – 1 – 58 – Garrett Alberson – Las Cruces, NM – $15,8002 – 11 – 71 – Hudson O’Neal – Martinsville, IN – $7,8003 – 6 – 76 – Brandon Overton – Evans, GA – $5,7004 – 8 – 49 – Jonathan Davenport – Blairsville, GA – $5,1005 – 3 – 93 – Carson Ferguson – Lincolnton, NC – $3,7006 – 16 – 25 – Chad Simpson – Mt. Vernon, IA – $2,5007 – 15 – 22 – Daniel Hilsabeck – Earlham, IA – $3,2008 – 22 – 16 – Tyler Bruening – Decorah, IA – $2,3009 – 4 – 1 – Brandon Sheppard – New Berlin, IL – $2,90010 – 5 – 99 – Devin Moran – Dresden, OH – $3,10011 – 12 – 18D – Daulton Wilson – Fayetteville, NC – $2,70012 – 10 – 15 – Clay Stuckey – Shreveport, LA – $1,80013 – 18 – 43 – Derrick Stewart – Ainsworth, IA – $1,60014 – 21 – 79 – Donald McIntosh – Dawsonville, GA – $2,20015 – 14 – 11 – Gordy Gundaker – St. Charles, MO – $1,40016 – 13 – 11T – Trevor Gundaker – St. Charles, MO – $1,30017 – 19 – 19M – Spencer Hughes – Meridian, MS – $1,90018 – 9 – 93L – Cory Lawler – Hanover, PA – $1,80019 – 25 – 25B – Chevy Boyer – New Haven, MO – $1,00020 – 2 – 20RT – Ricky Thornton Jr – Chandler, AZ – $2,20021 – 20 – 60 – Dan Ebert – Lake Shore, MN – $1,70022 – 24 – 33 – Rickey Frankel – Quincy, IL – $1,00023 – 26 – 17 – Tim Simpson – Iowa City, IA – $1,00024 – 23 – 51 – Matt Furman – Iowa City, IA – $1,00025 – 17 – 6 – Clay Harris – Jupiter, FL – $1,70026 – 7 – 32 – Chris Simpson – Oxford, IA – $1,000 Race Statistics Entrants: 27Victory Fuel Pole Sitter: Garrett AlbersonMD3 Lap Leaders: Garrett Alberson (Laps 1-35); Brandon Overton (Laps 36-46); Garrett Alberson (Laps 47-50)Hellraizer Jacks Halfway Leader: Garrett AlbersonWieland Feature Winner: Garrett AlbersonMargin of Victory: 1.482 secondsColtman Farms Racing Cautions: Rickey Frankel (Lap 1); Brandon Sheppard, Chris Simpson, Clay Stuckey (Lap 4); Clay Harris (Lap 6); Matt Furman (Lap 8); Gordy Gundaker (Lap 10); Ricky Thornton, Jr. (Lap 15); Ricky Thornton, Jr. (Lap 18); Devin Moran (Lap 30); Ricky Thornton, Jr. (Lap 39)Series Provisionals: n/aFast Time Provisional: n/aEmergency Provisional: n/aTrack Provisional: n/aBig River Steel Podium Top 3: Garrett Alberson, Hudson O’Neal, Brandon OvertonPenske Shocks Top 5: Garrett Alberson, Hudson O’Neal, Brandon Overton, Jonathan Davenport, Carson FergusonPEM 4th Place Feature: Jonathan DavenportDMI Rearends 5th Place Feature: Carson FergusonWilwood Brakes Lucky 7th Place Feature: Daniel HilsabeckWehrs Machine 11th Place Feature: Daulton WilsonDeatherage Opticians Lucky 13th Place Feature: Derrick StewartMD3 24th Place Feature: Matt FurmanHoker Trucking Hard Charger of the Race: MD3 Most Laps Led: Garrett Alberson (39 Laps)Sunoco Race for Gas Highest Finisher: Garrett AlbersonMidwest Sheet Metal Spoiler Challenge Point Leader: Ricky Thornton, Jr.O’Reilly Auto Parts Rookie of the Race: Daniel HilsabeckPro Fabrication Headers Fastest Lap of the Race: Garrett Alberson | Lap 2 | 15.354 secondsSlicker Graphics Slickest Move of the Race: Garrett AlbersonFresh Roof Hard Luck Award: Ricky Thornton, Jr.Outerwears Crew Chief of the Race: Zach HustonARP Engine Builder of the Race: Clements Racing EnginesMiller Welders Chassis Builder of the Race: Longhorn ChassisDirt Draft Fastest in Hot Laps: Ricky Thornton Jr. | 14.616 secondsTime of Race: 43 minutes 31 seconds Big River Steel Chase for the Championship Presented by ARP Point Standings:Pos – Car # – Competitor – Hometown – Points – Pay1 – 49 – Jonathan Davenport – Blairsville, GA – 5045 – $251,3002 – 20RT – Ricky Thornton Jr – Chandler, AZ – 4975 – $266,4503 – 99 – Devin Moran – Dresden, OH – 4775 – $187,4494 – 71 – Hudson O’Neal – Martinsville, IN – 4755 – $144,1755 – 58 – Garrett Alberson – Las Cruces, NM – 4560 – $110,3506 – 1 – Brandon Sheppard – New Berlin, IL – 4465 – $120,4007 – 76 – Brandon Overton – Evans, GA – 4365 – $96,2008 – 18D – Daulton Wilson – Fayetteville, NC – 4110 – $77,9259 – 93 – Carson Ferguson – Lincolnton, NC – 3945 – $66,12510 – 79 – Donald McIntosh – Dawsonville, GA – 3785 – $51,90011 – 22 – Daniel Hilsabeck – Earlham, IA – 3705 – $48,42512 – 19M – Spencer Hughes – Meridian, MS – 3420 – $46,52513 – 60 – Dan Ebert – Lake Shore, MN – 3370 – $39,30014 – 6 – Clay Harris – Jupiter, FL – 3175 – $38,45015 – 93L – Cory Lawler – Hanover, PA – 2980 – $29,725 |