Photo Credit - Ryan Roberts Photography
Before last night Garrett Alberson had never won anything at the famous Ohio half mile but now we can call him a feature winner at Eldora Speedway. Alberson led all 30 laps of the American Late Model Iron-Man Series Baltes Classic surving some late restarts. Pole sitter Carson Ferguson charged up to a runner up finish with some great restarts with Jonathan Davenport finishing third.
With the Tyler County Speedway postponing the Lucas Oil Series Hillbilly Hundred several drivers went north to Eldora Speedway to get ready for the FloRacing Night In America race Wednesday before the World 100 kicks off Thursday.
65 Late Models would fill the pits with Garrett Alberson taking overall fast time. He would also pick up his first ever heat race win at The Big E. Thornton, Zack Mitchell, Ferguson, Davenport, and Owens also won heats. The B Main winners were Josh Rice and Tristan Chamberlain.
Alberson and Carson Ferguson brought the field to green with Alberson taking control and stretch his lead out. As Alberson's lead shrunk while in lapped traffic it was erased on lap 19 as last year's Baltes Classic winner Ricky Weiss had a RF go flat. The crew gave him a new one and he tagged the rear.
On the restart Ricky Thornton Jr got a great restart on the bottom of the Delaware Double File restart and slid Alberson in two. RTJ left an opening for Alberson and Alberson returned the favor in turn 4 and was really never challenged after that.
The yellow waved again just two laps later as Tyler Erb went around in turn 2 rolling backwards down the backstretch.
On the restart Alberson went unchallenged and later said that he got better at the restarts as he had to do it a few more times with two debris cautions including a green white checkered. As he exited turn 4 coming to the scheduled checkered flag the yellow came out first for the slowing Zack Mitchell in turn 2.
Carson Ferguson used some great timed restarts to finish second for his best Eldora finish to date. He would stay on the Eldora cushion on the restarts as the other drivers chose to dive to the bottom.
Jonathan Davenport got up to second trying to chase down Alberson the first half of the race before losing a couple of positions then recovered to take the third spot.
After challenging for the lead and holding the runner up spot Ricky Thornton Jr faded at the end to take the fourth spot. That's four Lucas Oil regulars claiming the top four spots in the running order.
"The Truth" Gregg Satterlee, who has a couple of Eldora prelim wins, took fifth at the end of the race.
The next series race is September 13th at Moler Raceway Park in Williamsburg,OH paying $5,000 to win.
Baltes Classic
GARRETT ALBERSON
Ferguson
Davenport
Thornton Jr
Satterlee
Owens
Weiss
Wilson
Hoffman
Erb
Smith
English
Chamberlain
Daniels
Morey
Hedgecock
Mitchell
Jameson
Josh Rice
James Rice
Drown
Schlenk
Keenan
Bowersock
Missler
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