5.9.14 Albany Saratoga Speedway Results
Malta, NY – Despite an ominous forecast the Albany-Saratoga Speedway was able to get race number four of the 2014 racing season in the record books Friday night, and when all was said and done one driver reached victory lane for the first time, another won his second in a row and a jet improved his batting average to .750 on the season.
Brett Hearn won the night’s 35 lap DIRTcar Modified feature event. The win was the 110th of his career at the Great Race Place. In other action Jeremy Pitts won the Sportsman feature event while Nick Stone repeated in the DIRTcar Pro Stock ranks. Rob Maxon picked up his first career Limited Sportsman feature win while Doug Norrie and Randy Miller won the Empire Lightning Sprint and Street Stock events respectfully.
The Recovery Room/BBL Companies number 14g of Brian Gleason and the Jewels Cash 4 Gold number four of Rich Ronca led the field to Rich Peterson’s green flag with Gleason edging Ronca to lead lap number one. One week ago Jeff Trombley had a solid podium finish however this week the Altamont driver suffered mechanical issues and pulled from the event on lap two. While Trombley was heading pit side Ronca was taking the lead from Gleason. Mike Perrotte would run third with John Lutes, Jr. and Matt Depew completing the top five.
By lap five Gleason’s teammate Matt Delorenzo was knocking on the door of the top five and on lap seven would take fifth from Depew and then a lap later fourth from Lutes. The first caution of the event would slow the field on lap 11 when Elmo Reckner would spin the Wendy’s Restaurants number 17 in between turns three and four.
Ronca would lead on the restart with Gleason, Delorenzo, Perrotte and Ronnie Johnson following. On lap 13 Brett Hearn would enter the mix; he would join Perrotte and Johnson in a three wide battle for the fourth position. Hearn would take it with Johnson holding fifth. At the same time Delorenzo would move the Recovery Room/BBL Companies number 3d into the second position forcing Gleason to third.
Hearn would take third from Gleason on lap 15. Later in that lap Delorenzo would take the lead from Ronca however Depew would spin in turn four bringing out the caution flag and negating Delorenzo’s pass.
Ronca would lead on the restart with Delorenzo, Hearn, Gleason and Johnson following. Delorenzo would take the lead on lap 16 with Hearn moving to second a lap later. On lap 18 Johnson would take fourth from Gleason. Johnson would take third from Ronca on lap 20.
Hearn would patiently haunt Delorenzo until lap 20 when he powered the Madsen Overhead Doors/Cedar Peaks number 20 Teo Pro Car to the lead. Meanwhile behind Hearn Jimmy Cottrell was starting to put together a good run. The second generation driver took fifth from Gleason on lap 21 and then fourth from Ronca on lap 22. Kenny Tremont, Jr. would follow into fifth.
Delorenzo would stay with Hearn through the end of the race but he could not overtake the now three time 2014 feature winner. In the end Hearn would take the win over Delorenzo, Johnson, Cottrell and Tremont. A total of 30 drivers entered the event with heat races being won by Hearn, Cottrell and Mark Kislowski.
With the win Hearn now is half way to the most consecutive feature wins record, a record that Hearn set at six back in the 2002 racing season.
“I had to take my time at the beginning,” Hearn said. “These guys were two by two but when the openings were there I was able to get in them. I have to thank Guy Madsen and Don Kruger along with Cedar Peaks, Fox Shocks, Steve Hough Motors, 417 Bus Lines, my fantastic team and my man Steve, who is in the ship with me. He is doing a great job.”
Jeremy Pitts picked up his first win of the season in the 25 lap Sportsman feature event. The win for Pitts was his third of his divisional career and came just over a year since his first career win. He becomes the fourth different winner in as many weeks.
Derrick McGrew and Mike Burdo brought the field to the green with McGrew taking the early lead over Burdo and Chad Miller. On lap five Hunter Bates was involved in a tangle that ended up being a pile up and bringing out the first of two red flags in the event. This one would include point leader Connor Cleveland, Cody Bleau, Robert Bublak, Scott Duell and others. Following another restart on lap seven McGrew would hold the lead over Timothy Davis and Burdo.
The second red flag would stop the field on lap 11 when Ivan Joslin, Nick Lussier and Ken Anatriello came together in a hard crash on the front stretch. There were no injuries. McGrew and Davis would run one-two on the restart with Peter Carlotto moving into third. Pitts however was on the move.
Pitts, the only driver to win a track championship in both the Sportsman and DIRTcar Pro Stock divisions, would take fourth from Burdo on lap 14 and then third from Carlotto a lap later. On lap 13 Pitts would take second from Davis. Following a caution for Joe Scarborough on lap 18 and Jack Swinton on lap 19, racing would resume with McGrew leading Pitts and Davis.
On lap 21 Pitts would take the lead from McGrew as Carlotto regains the third position. Once out front Pitts would pull away and bring home the win. McGrew finished second with Carlotto third, John Scarborough fourth and Brian Krummel fifth. Heat races for the 31 car field were won by Burdo, Cleveland and McGrew.
“I have got to thank all of my sponsors and everybody who helps out,” an excited Pitts said.
Robbie Speed crossed the finish line first in the 25 lap DIRTcar Pro Stock feature event. However Speed was disqualified in post-race inspection for the second week in a row. The win would go to Nick Stone for the second week in a row.
Dan Older, Sr. and Dave DePaulo led the field to the green with Older taking the early lead over Speed following a pair of early restarts. Speed would take the lead on lap one while Stone would take second on lap seven. Stone would hound Speed through the end of the race however was not able to get past. Speed would cross the finish line first followed by Stone.
The official finish would see Stone pick up the win over Rob Yetman, Older, Byron Wescott and Brandon Emigh. A total of 19 drivers entered the event with heat races being won by Bill Smith and Older.
The Empire Lightning Sprints visited the Great Race Place for their only 2014 appearance. Doug Norrie would dominate the 20 lap feature event. The Enfield, Ct. driver would take the lead on a lap one restart that was caused by early race leader Jamie Beaudry flipping in turn one. Norrie would lead on the restart and lead the remainder of the event, bringing home the win over Jon Moore, Kerry Senn, Adam Roe and Adam White. Heat races for the 13 car field were won by Justin Phillips and Phil Bessett.
Rob Maxon won the 15 lap Limited Sportsman feature event. The win was the first for Maxon in the division at the fast Route 9 oval. Maxon led the entire event to take the win over Pete Jeske, Colin Bokus, David Emigh and Jack Bublak. A total of 18 drivers entered the event with heat race wins going to Maxon and Ricky Davis.
Randy Miller was the winner of the exciting 20 lap Don Don’s Delights Street Stock feature event. Jody Thew would take the early lead before giving way to David Shippee. Following a restart on lap Thew would regain the lead before losing it to Shippee again on lap four. Defending track champion Bill Duprey would take over the top spot on lap five and hold it until giving way to Miller following a hard battle on lap 15. Miller would lead the rest of the way to take the win over Duprey, Shippee, Josh Coonradt and Scott Lawrence.
The Albany-Saratoga Speedway will return to action this Friday night with all divisions in action including the Greg’s Towing and Recovery Four Cylinders. The DIRTcar Modifieds will be competing in a Mr. DIRT Track U.S.A qualifier while the Sportsman will be competing in the second leg of the Featherfoot Warrior Series. For more information on the Albany-Saratoga Speedway including the 2014 racing schedule, photos and point standings please log on to our website at www.albany-saratogaspeedway.com.
Friday, May 9, 2014 – Malta, NY – Modified Results (35 Laps) – 1) Brett Hearn, 2)
Matt Delorenzo, 3) Ronnie Johnson, 4) Jimmy Cottrell, 5) Ken Tremont Jr, 6) Peter
Britten, 7) Marc Johnson, 8) Brian Gleason, 9) Jeremy Wilder, 10) Rich Ronca, 11)
Mike Perrotte 12) John Lutes Jr., 13) Neil Stratton, 14) Mark Kislowski, 15) Keith
Flach, 16) Pep Corradi, 17) Elmo Reckner, 18) Brett Wright, 19) C.G. Morey, 20) Jeff
Rockefeller 21) Rich Scagliotta, 22) Don Ronca, 23) Floyd Billington, 24) Cass
Bennett, 25) Jamike Sowle, 26) Matt Depew, 27) Frank Hoard III, 28) Jeff Trombley,
DNS) Alex Bell
Sportsman Results (25 Laps) – 1) Jeremy Pitts, 2) Derek McGrew, 3) Pete Carlotto, 4)
Johnny Scarborough, 5) Brian Krummel, 6) Jack Speshock, 7) Timothy Davis, 8) Mike Burdo, 9) Elliott Lussier, 10) Chad Miller, 11) Scott Duell, 12) Joe Orlando, 13) Jack Gentile, 14) Tim Hartman Jr, 15) Robert Bublak, 16) Chris Murray, 17) Cody Bleau, 18) Connor Cleveland, 19) Jon Miller, 20) Jake Scarborough, 21) Colin Clow, 22) Joey Scarborough, 23) Bert Film, 24) Jack Swinton, 25) Hunter Bates, 26) Ray Sitterly, 27) Nick Anatriello, 28) Ivan Joslin, 29) Nick Lussier, 30) Dave Baranowski Jr, DNS) Mike Ostrander
Limited Sportsman Results (15 Laps) – 1) Rob Maxon, 2) Pete Jeske, 3) Colin Bokus,
4) David Emigh, 5) Jack Bublak, 6) Anthony Alger, 7) Alissa Cody, 8) Ben Brownell,
9) Jesse Edwards, 10) John Linblade, 11) Christopher Ronca, 12) Wally Potter, 13)
Chris Curtis, 14) Ricky Davis, 15) Ron Casey, 16) Bob Schmidt, DNS) Ken Conroy, DNS)
Diana Huyck
Pro Stock Results (25 Laps) – 1) Nick Stone, 2) Rob Yetman, 3) Dan Older, 4) Byron
Wescott, 5) Brandon Emigh, 6) Danny Wood, 7) Bernie Companion, 8) Kim Duell, 9) Bill
Smith, 10) Kyle Weiler, 11) Ken Martin, 12) Dave Depaulo, 13) Randy Cosselman, 14)
Walt Brownell, 15) Kevin Loomis, 16) Kevin VanChance, 17) Rowdy Burch, DNS) Henry
Warner, DQ) Robbie Speed
Street Stock Results (20 Laps) – 1) Randy Miller, 2) Bill Duprey, 3) David Shippee,
4) Josh Coonradt, 5) Scott Lawrence, 6) Dave Stickles, 7) Jody Thew, 8) Jason Meltz,
9) Yule Cook, 10) Paul Braymer, 11) Frank Monroe, 12) Chase Aussicker, 13) Fred
Harris, 14) Jeff Meltz, 15) Damon Anderson, 16) Jason Barrett, 17) Nathan Dahoda,
18) Luke MacIsaac, 19) Matt Mosher, 20) John Hayes
Empire Lightning Sprints (20 Laps) – 1) Doug Norrie, 2) Jon Moore, 3) Jerry Senn, 4)
Adam Roe, 5) Adam White, 6) Zach Bennett, 7) Phil Bessett, 8) Nick DeNyse, 9) Ron
Root, 10) Rick Stone, 11) Jamie Beaudry, 12) Justin Phillips, DNS) Curt Conklin,