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Alberson Wins Lucas Oil MLRA Thriller at 34 Raceway

By Billy Rock (West Burlington, IA) -- Garrett Alberson and teammate Jeremiah Hurst delivered a one-two punch on Saturday night at the 34 Raceway in West Burlington, Iowa for car owner Ken Roberts. The back and forth battle for the win saw Alberson collecting his first career Lucas Oil Midwest Late Model Racing Association (MLRA) victory worth $5,000.

For the second night in a row Billy Moyer Jr. dominated the early part of the night by collecting the Illini Racing & Supply Fast Time Award along with his heat race to start him on the DirtonDirt.com Pole for the 40 lap feature event. Current MLRA point leader Tony Jackson Jr. started alongside on row number one, but it was again Moyer Jr. darting to the lead at the drop of the green.

PHOTO CREDIT: Mike Ruefer

This time around Moyer Jr’s. time at the point would be short lived, as Jackson Jr. took to the top shelf and quickly took away the race lead on lap three. Jackson’s time on top would be just about as short as this time it was third starting Garrett Alberson diving to the bottom on lap number six to become the races third leader. Alberson would continue to show the way until the races only StopTech Brakes caution waved on lap eleven when Tim Simpson spun exciting turn four directly in front of Jackson who narrowly avoided disaster.

Back under the green Alberson would enjoy a comfortable advantage during the long green flag run, but the lapped traffic would eventually start to take its toll on the race leader as he would at times struggle to find separation. With Alberson maintaining the advantage, it was teammate Jeremiah Hurst making the moves from his fifth starting spot to slide past Moyer and into second with just over ten laps to go.

Hurst would chase down his teammate setting up a fierce battle for the elusive first career MLRA win. On lap 36 Hurst snuck by off the exit of turn four to take the top spot as the duo work lapped traffic. Hurst would maintain the top spot for a pair of laps , before Alberson was again able to sneak back by for the race lead with just two laps to go. Alberson would go on for the win by .615 seconds over Hurst while Moyer Jr. held on for third. Tad Pospisil scored the Casey’s Hard Charger Award finishing in fourth while Jackson Jr. claim fifth at the line.

34 Raceway Top 3: Garrett Alberson (center) scored is first career MLRA win at the 34 Raceway. Jeremiah Hurst finished in second (right), while Billy Moyer Jr. (Left) was third. Photo Credit--Photo Credit: Mike Ruefer Photos
An excited Alberson stood tall in Cedar Creek Beef Jerky Victory Lane and said of the win, “Last time I ran way too conservative here in the Slocum, and I knew I just had to go for it from the beginning and it worked out right there at the beginning getting some clean air. I actually liked racing in that traffic because the sticks were pretty big while we were in the traffic and I thought that might keep us all separated. I really didn’t want that caution because after that I didn’t know where to run. It was an awesome job on the track, it was just phenomenal and you could run all over it.”

Alberson said of his battle for the lead with his teammate, “I was having such a hard time getting around the 76 there and I needed to make speed because my car was getting kind of flat feeling, and I saw him (Hurst) down there and I told myself these have got to be the best five laps of your life right here. What an awesome run. We have been working for this for a long time and been getting really close, it just feels awesome."

Hurst collected his second MLRA runner-up finish of the year and was all smiles following the 40 lapper. “We have got speed,” said Hurst. "I just can’t thank Ken (Roberts) enough for giving us this opportunity. There ain’t no better car owner like I say than Ken Roberts.”

Hurst, who helped bring Alberson to the Roberts team in 2020 continued, “I think I’m the one that got Garrett on board here, so I’m kinda kicking myself in the ass right now for it,” joked Hurst. “I’m happy where were at and I’m happy for Garrett and all our people.”

For Moyer Jr. his third place run wrapped up a successful weekend that included a pair of podium finishes. “I just couldn’t circle that bottom as good as those guys and Garrett’s really good at that. Jeremiah did a great job too, we just couldn’t circle the bottom and really couldn’t go from right there to past the flag stand as good as we needed to.”

The 15th Annual CMH Diamond Nationals now awaits the stars of the MLRA on Saturday July, 17th at the Lucas Oil Speedway in Wheatland, Missouri. This single day $15,000 to win main event will be co-sanctioned with the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series (LOLMDS). One year ago Chris Ferguson scored the win and the coveted diamond ring that traditionally awaits the winner.

34 Raceway Contingencies 7/3/21
Lap Leaders— B. Moyer Jr. (1 - 2), T. Jackson Jr. (3 - 5), G. Alberson (6 - 35), J. Hurst (36 - 37), J. Hurst (38 - 40)
Stop Tech Brakes Cautions— T. Simpson (Lap 11)
Illini Racing & Supply "Fast Time" -- Billly Moyer Jr. (15.075sec)
Casey’s “Hard Charger of the Race” – Tad Pospisil (+7)
DirtonDirt.com “Pole Award” – Billy Moyer Jr.
Dynamic Drivelines Crew Chief of the Race –Dani Alberson
Gorsuch Performance Solutions “10th Place Finisher” – Tony Toste
Hooker Harness "11th Place Finisher"— Jason Papich
Midwest Sheet Metal "Points Leader Spoiler Challenge" – Tony Jackson Jr.
Performance Bodies "Performer of the Race"-- Garrett Alberson
Racing Junk “Hard Luck Award” – Tim Simpson
StopTech Brakes “6th Place Finisher”- Justin Duty
Sunoco “Rookie of the Race” – Mason Oberkramer
Swift Springs “Move of the Race”— Jeremiah Hurst
Wrisco Feature Winner-- Garrett Alberson

Feature 40 Laps | 00:11:48.688 | Lucas Oil Products

1. 59-Garrett Alberson[3]; 2. 41-Jeremiah Hurst[5]; 3. 21-Billy Moyer Jr[1]; 4. 04-Tad Pospisil[11]; 5. 56JR-Tony Jackson Jr[2]; 6. 15-Justin Duty[9]; 7. 25-Chad Simpson[7]; 8. 93-Mason Oberkramer[10]; 9. 32S-Chris Simpson[15]; 10. 91T-Tony Toste[16]; 11. 91P-Jason Papich[12]; 12. 11H-Jeff Herzog[4]; 13. 22-Daniel Hilsabeck[6]; 14. 76-Blair Nothdurft[8]; 15. 14M-Reid Millard[19]; 16. 12B-Brandon Queen[18]; 17. 17-Tim Simpson[24]; 18. 3W-Brennon Willard[20]; 19. 75-Terry Phillips[13]; 20. (DNF) 99-Dylan Hoover[17]; 21. (DNF) 3X-Skip Frey[22]; 22. (DNF) 11R-Justin Reed[14]; 23. (DNF) 33-Brandon Rothzen[23]; 24. (DNF) 33F-Rickey Frankel[21]

Heat 1 8 Laps | 00:04:59.495 | Dynamic Drivelines

1. 21-Billy Moyer Jr[1]; 2. 11H-Jeff Herzog[3]; 3. 25-Chad Simpson[2]; 4. 93-Mason Oberkramer[5]; 5. 75-Terry Phillips[6]; 6. 91T-Tony Toste[4]; 7. 14M-Reid Millard[7]; 8. (DNF) 3X-Skip Frey[8]

Heat 2 8 Laps | 00:03:09.213 | Midwest Sheet Metal

1. 56JR-Tony Jackson Jr[1]; 2. 41-Jeremiah Hurst[2]; 3. 76-Blair Nothdurft[3]; 4. 04-Tad Pospisil[5]; 5. 11R-Justin Reed[4]; 6. 99-Dylan Hoover[7]; 7. (DNF) 3W-Brennon Willard[6]; 8. (DNF) 33-Brandon Rothzen[8]

Heat 3 8 Laps | 00:04:41.112 | Sunoco

1. 59-Garrett Alberson[4]; 2. 22-Daniel Hilsabeck[1]; 3. 15-Justin Duty[3]; 4. 91P-Jason Papich[2]; 5. 32S-Chris Simpson[5]; 6. 12B-Brandon Queen[7]; 7. (DNF) 33F-Rickey Frankel[6]; 8. (DNF) 17-Tim Simpson[8]
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