Canyon Speedway Park
Alberson gets first West Coast Shootout victory
PEORIA, Ariz. (March 2) — Garrett Alberson of Las Cruces, N.M., grabbed his first career West Coast Late Model Shootout tour victory Saturday at Canyon Speedway’s Copper on Dirt weekend finale. The 24-year-old Alberson topped a 22-car field for a $2,000 payday at the 3/8-mile oval northwest of Phoenix.
Outside front-row starter Clay Daly of Watsonville, Calif., the two-time and reigning series champion, finished second in the Jeff Manka-owned No. 00 while Phoenix driver Anthony Madrid improved eight positions to finish third.
Fast qualifier Nick Bartels of El Segundo, Calif., and Tony Toste of Arroyo Grande, Calif., rounded out the top five finishes in the second race of four WCS events over a nine-day stretch to open the 2013 season.
Don Shaw of Ham Lake, Minn., who won Friday’s opener at Canyon, started on the pole but finished 20th in the main event.
Note: Alberson’s Dave Deetz-owned No. 43 MasterSbilt Race Car is sponsored by Batteries Plus, Rio Grande Foot Clinic, Argyle Welding Supply, Wehrs Machine, J. Craig’s Tile Co. and Indy Screen Print. ... Runner-up Clay Daly had engine problems in his Pete Van Iderstine-owned No. 32B, and Jeff Manka gave up his car to Daly, who is looking for a ride at Wednesday’s West Coast Shootout event as the Las Vegas Motor Speedway Dirt Track. ... NASCAR driver Kenny Wallace fielded a Tony Toste-owned machine during the weekend, finishing ninth in the finale. ... WCS drivers return to action Wednesday at Las Vegas and close the busy stretch next Saturday at Bakersfield (Calif.) Speedway for the first home-state event of the series season.
Copper on Dirt: (1) Garrett Alberson, (2) Clay Daly, (3) Anthony Madrid, (4) Nick Bartels, (5) Tony Toste, (6) Mike Balcaen, (7) Jason Papich, (8) Steve Drake, (9) Kenny Wallace, (10) Lonnie Parker Jr.,� (11) John Cornell, (12) Brad Williams, (13) Mike Stadel, (14) Dave Deetz, (15) Randy Brown, (16) Bill Bartels, (17) Bud Grossenbacher, (18) Troy Ruebke, (19) Bruce Duckett, (20) Don Shaw, (21) Jerry Fincher,� (22) Chad Reichenbach. Fast qualifier (among 23 cars): Bartels, 14.872 seconds. Heat race winners: Shaw, Riechenbach, Drake.
