CASA GRANDE, Ariz. — Kicking back into gear for the penultimate event of the 2026 Rio Grande Waste Services Wild West Shootout presented by O’Reilly Auto Parts, more than 160 competitors entered Round 5 at FK Rod Ends Central Arizona Raceway.
Garrett Alberson, Ken Schrader and Jeremy Payne visited Hoker Trucking Victory Lane.
Garrett Alberson earned his third Wild West Shootout victory on Saturday in a caution-free show over Hudson O’Neal and Bobby Pierce.
Alberson secured the pole position for the 40-lap main event in the Schaeffer’s Oil Redraw and jumped to the lead on the opening lap. Pulling away to a margin of more than five seconds at the checkered flag, the New Mexico native led all 40 circuits to claim the $15,000 victory.
“I love it when it goes caution free, I’m a green-flag racer,” said Garrett Alberson with a smile. “I caught lapped traffic there and really wasn’t sure where to be … I was trying to pick my battles … you know how that goes.” Alberson also credited his team’s role in the victory, adding, “Man, I’ve just got to thank this team. I’m so proud of these guys. They said, ‘Don’t touch this thing, just drive it.’”
Alberson and Roberts Motorsports collected their first victory of the 2026 Wild West Shootout and the team’s third in miniseries history. Alberson is second in the late model standings for the event.
Front-row starter Mike Marlar pulled into the hot pit with engine issues before the green flag and did not complete a lap in the A-Main. Friday night’s winner Hudson O’Neal finished second, while Jonathan Davenport secured his first podium of the event.
The legendary Ken Schrader picked up the victory in the Shocker Hitch X-Modifieds presented by Border Tire. Schrader started seventh in the 25-lap main event and outran Jake Smith and Christy Barnett to take the $1,000 win.
In his return to the driver’s seat, Jeremy Payne of Springfield, Mo., picked up the $2,000 triumph in the Mesilla Valley Transportation Modified division. Payne led every lap from the pole in the 25-lap feature, besting Reece Solander and Dustin Strand at the checkers.
The finish:
Feature (40 Laps): 1. 58-Garrett Alberson[1]; 2. 6-Hudson O’Neal[3]; 3. 49-Jonathan Davenport[4]; 4. 32-Bobby Pierce[6]; 5. 22*-Drake Troutman[8]; 6. 19R-Ryan Gustin[10]; 7. 74X-Ethan Dotson[7]; 8. 1-Tyler Erb[9]; 9. 97-Cade Dillard[12]; 10. 19-Dustin Sorensen[13]; 11. 0-Jake O’Neil[5]; 12. 15S-Clay Stuckey[11]; 13. 15D-Justin Duty[15]; 14. 18-Chase Junghans[16]; 15. 96T-RC Whitwell[14]; 16. 66-Eli Ross[17]; 17. 49T-Jake Timm[22]; 18. 86-Kyle Beard[21]; 19. 9T-Tim Isenberg[24]; 20. 8-Dillon McCowan[23]; 21. 13-Bricen James[20]; 22. 75-Terry Phillips[25]; 23. B5-Brandon Sheppard[18]; 24. 82-Eston Whisler[19]; 25. 157-Mike Marlar[2]
