Hamm simply grand at Bullring

The Las Vegan hasn’t forgotten about last year when he finished second to friend Chris Bray in the Late Models division of the NASCAR All-American Series.

Hamm and his volunteer team vowed at the start of this season to reclaim the championship they had won in 2004 and ’05.

But no one — not even Hamm — expected he would dominate the way he has. Saturday night marked the sixth time in eight races this year Hamm has won the feature event.

His latest victory was the most enjoyable because it came on a special $1,000-to-win night.

“I just want to win them all,” Hamm said with a smile nearly as big as his lead over Bray in the standings.

The victory didn’t come easily, however, even though Hamm led from start to finish. Eleven caution flags, including one at the end of the 27-lap overtime race, forced Hamm to use his rearview mirror.

And it wasn’t to watch the wrecks that sent half the 18-car starting field limping early into the pits.

“The guys behind me had faster cars, faster than me,” Hamm said of his defensive driving. “I had to keep them behind me.”

Bray, who finished second, was hottest in pursuit.

Hamm, 33, gave credit to hard work by his father, A.J., crew chief Larry Holona and other team members. He also said the bad luck from last year has reversed this year.

“We weren’t able to finish a lot of races a year ago, and so far we haven’t failed to finish,” he said.

Victory celebrations have become routine for Hamm’s team, but it’s taken a dozen races into the season for reigning Super Late Models champ Scott Gafforini to win.

“I needed my Geritol tonight,” Gafforini said, referring to drivers nearly half his age dominating the division this year. “These kids are tough. They have big dollars, big hearts and big throttle pedals.”

Dustin Ash, 19, finished second after winning two of the previous three races. Taylor Barton, 22, who won the previous race, was third, and five-time winner Justin Johnson, 21, was fourth.

Other division winners were Jim Goodwin (Chargers), Bear Rzesnowiecky (Legends), Larry Dittman (Bombers), Brianna Holley (Young Guns) and Dylan Kwasniewski (Bandits) in Bandoleros.

The Bullring’s next scheduled race is the annual Night of Fire on July 3, which features monster trucks, fireworks and a scheduled return of Las Vegas-raised NASCAR star Kyle Busch in the Super Late Models race.