PORT ROYAL, Pa. — Garrett Alberson has been a regular with the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series since winning the O’Reilly Auto Parts Rookie of the Year in 2022.
On Friday night, he was finally able to get his first career win with the tour in dramatic fashion at the Port Royal Speedway.
The Las Cruces, New Mexico native got underneath race leader Devin Moran coming off turn four and won a drag race to the finish line to become the 92nd different winner in the series’ 20-year history. The margin of victory was 0.009 seconds.
Hudson O’Neal, who led one lap during the race finished in third followed by Jonathan Davenport and Ricky Thornton Jr.
Tim McCreadie led the first four laps until he slowed suddenly in turn two, drawing the first caution of the race with terminal mechanical issues.
With McCreadie sidelined for the rest of the race Moran would inherit the lead. Moran stayed out front until O’Neal was able to mount a challenge, diving to the lead on lap 34. O’Neal’s foray to the front ended a lap later when he made contact with a lapped car. Moran was able to get back by him as a lap was scored when the caution flew for a slowing Colton Flinner.
On the restart, Moran, O’Neal, and Alberson — who was running in third — would settle the race in the final five laps as a single-file restart ensued.
Alberson quickly moved into second by O’Neal and had one last shot at Moran on the last lap. As Moran entered turn four, he drifted just high enough to allow Alberson to pull alongside and as the two raced down to the finish line Alberson was able to get enough grip to get the win.
Alberson became the 14th different winner of the year in the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series, earning a hard-fought and popular $10,000 victory.
“Oh man this is everything,” said the winner. “We have tried so hard, we have put so much time and Ken [Roberts] has put so much money into all this. This is so cool. What a cool race it was with Ricky, Hud, and Devin up there. Thank the Lord, this is a true blessing right here. I don’t know what to say. I have wanted this for a long time for as long as I can remember.”
Alberson described his position when he and Moran went side-by-side in heading to the checkers.
“I thought he would cut me off right there. As soon he went up on the track, I said don’t turn this wheel, keep this thing as straight as possible, and don’t spin the tires, and then once we came off of four there, I had a little edge there. I just pulled it down and floorboarded it. Man, what a cool track you don’t get a chance to do something like that at other tracks. This place gives you so much room, so much creativity and stuff like that,’ said Alberson after his long-awaited first win with the series.
Moran, who entered the weekend second in points led 34 of the 40 laps but couldn’t hold off Alberson heading down the front stretch to the finish line.
“It’s bittersweet because I am good buddies with Garrett and them, and I am happy for them, but I felt like I had that one in the bag, and I just messed up in three and four and pushed and shoved and got up the cushion too hard and came back down. It was just a really good race. Steve and all of them guys here at Port Royal, they do a great job with the race track, and we raced all over it.”
O’Neal like Moran thought he let one slip away in the final five laps.
“I went in there, and I thought I was going to have a good run [on the lapped car], and I just hit that little bit of hole, and it upset when I stuck my right rear, and I just kind of took off sliding,” O’Neal said. “I felt like it cost me the race, but all-in-all it’s awesome to come here and have good speed, especially with a big paying race here tomorrow. I didn’t grow up on these big tracks, but ever since I have been coming here this place has really fit me good. I enjoy coming here every year.”
Dillon Stake won the limited late model feature.
The finish:
Garrett Alberson, Devin Moran, Hudson O’Neal, Jonathan Davenport, Ricky Thornton Jr., Daulton Wilson, Max Blair, Mason Zeigler, Mike Marlar, Rick Eckert, Clay Harris, Alex Ferree, Carson Ferguson, Drake Troutman, Jimmy Owens, Hayes Mattern, Ross Robinson, Brenden Smith, Cory Lawler, Dylan Yoder, Colton Flinner, Logan Zarin, Bryan Bernheisel, Justin Weaver, Boom Briggs, Andrew Yoder, Tim McCreadie.