Saguaro Speedway
Parker's last-lap pass tops Moriarty at Tucson
TUCSON, Ariz. (May 26) — Six-time series champion Lonnie Parker Jr. of El Mirage, Ariz., overtook race-long leader Joey Moriarty of Phoenix, Ariz., coming out of turn four on the final lap Saturday for a 30-lap Southwest Dirt Racing Association victory.
The sixth-starting Parker earned $1,000 at Tucson International Raceway, a track that tentatively announced its closure two weeks earlier but will apparently continue hosting events.
The pole-starting Moriarty, who led 29 laps and built leads of nearly a half-track margin, settled for second spot while Garrett Alberson of Las Cruces, N.M., advanced two position to finish third. Hometown driver Brad Williams was fourth and Moriarty’s front-row starting teammate, Ricky Thornton Jr. of Chandler, Ariz., was fifth.
Thornton held the second spot until he slid into the turn-one marbles and got into the wall, allowing several competitors past.
Among race stoppages were a pair of early spins by Wes Hall and a lap-three red flag when Williams and Terry Belcher Jr. tangled, triggering a multicar pileup in turns one and two that involved Chris Duchac, Dave Deetz, Jerry Fincher and Bruce Duckett. The red flag appeared for the cleanup.
Notes: Parker’s No. 8P is sponsored by Parker Concrete and Emo Wraps. ... Ricky Thornton Jr. won the night’s modified feature. ... SWDRA returns to action at Tucson on June 16.
SWDRA @ Tucson: (1) Lonnie Parker Jr., (2) Joey Moriarty, (3) Garrett Alberson, (4) Brad Williams, (5) Ricky Thornton Jr., (6) Terry Belcher Jr., (7) James Chavez Jr., (8) Bud Grossenbacher, (9) Dave Deetz, (10) Bruce Duckett, (11) Jerry Fincher, (12) John Cornell, (13) Chris Duchac, (14) Troy Ruebke, (15) Rick Butler, (16) Jimmy Ray, (17) Wes Hall. Heat race winners (among 17 cars): Cornell, Thornton.
