Aztec Speedway
Berry maintains perfect season with Aztec win
By Tom Friemann
Western Dirt Racing AssociationAZTEC, N.M. (Aug. 29) — Overcoming late-race mechanical woes, reigning series champion Jeep Berry of Grand Junction, Colo., continued his unprecedented perfect series season with a victory on opening night of the second annual Snap-On Tools Four Corners Late Model Shootout. Berry earned $1,000 at Aztec Speedway for his sixth consecutive Western Dirt Racing Association victory of the season.
In a race that went caution-free followed a couple of botched starts, Berry moved to the front early and led most of the 30 laps, building leads as big as a half-track margin. Former WDRA champion Dean Moore of Grand Junction finished second followed by New Mexico drivers Butch Reid and Jeff Davis, who started 12th. Ron Frazier, who started outside the front row, finished fifth. Berry raced the final five laps with an overheating car with no power steering after his fan broke.
Action continues Saturday at Aztec with a $2,500-to-win feature event, the richest WDRA race of the season.
Notes: A six-car inversion set the feature field. ... Bob Cook started on the pole but got sideways in turn two on the first lap, collecting Ron Lengel and knocking both drivers out of action. ... Terry Boushee got sideways on the second start attempt. ... Jason Davis scratched from his heat with oil system problems. ... Dean Moore rallied in the feature after getting into the turn-one wall on the last lap of his heat race. ... Kyle Hill scratched when he lost oil pressure in hot laps.
WDRA @ Aztec: (1) Jeep Berry, (2) Dean Moore, (3) Butch Reid, (4) Jeff Davis, (5) Ron Frazier, (6) Kim Horn, (7) Richard Johnson, (8) Richard Aragon (9) Marc Herrera, (10) Ron Williams (complete finish unavailable). Heat race winners (among 17 cars): Herrera, Reid, Berry.
