Friday September 18, 2026 Results
Posted on September 19, 2026 by admin
Malta, NY – The old saying goes that someone would rather be lucky than good. On Friday night 2026 Albany-Saratoga Speedway Track Champion Matt DeLorenzo was both – lucky and good.
DeLorenzo ran away with the 45-lap John & Chris Grady Memorial DIRTcar Modified feature, showing just how good the #3D was.
Where did the “lucky” part come in?
That showed its head on the last lap when he developed a left rear flat tire but was able to wheel his familiar DIRTcar Modified home for the win.
The win was worth $4,500 for the now two-time DIRTcar Modified track champion.
Rich Ronca was the first to lead the 45-lap feature event with Jeremy Pitts and track champion Matt DeLorenzo third. DeLorenzo took over the number two position on lap three and set his sights on the veteran, second generation driver.
By lap seven DeLorenzo was all over the rear bumper of Ronca. On lap eight DeLorenzo pulled alongside of Ronca. The duo raced side by side for another lap before DeLorenzo pulled away on lap ten. Ronca held down second with Pitts third, Neil Stratton fourth and Jack Speshock fifth.
As DeLorenzo clicked off laps, his lead increased and so did the slower, lapped traffic. By lap 15 DeLorenzo had put first time DIRTcar Modified starter Tanner Coon a lap down in a second car out of the Dylan Grogan stables. Coon’s first DIRTcar Modified start ended on lap 25 when he pulled pit side.
Pitts moved past Ronca for the number two position on lap 18 with Stratton closing in on the younger of the Racing Ronca Boys. Stratton took over the third position on lap 21, forcing Ronca back to fourth.
As the race reached the half-way point, DeLorenzo’s lead was approaching a full straightaway. Five laps later the lead for DeLorenzo remained the same, despite heavy slower traffic.
With ten laps to go Pitts had company in the form of Stratton. Pitts was stuck behind a pair of lapped cars which allowed Stratton to close in. Both drivers cleared traffic by lap 37, at least temporarily.
When DeLorenzo clicked off lap 40, he had a large lead. A lead that he would never relinquish. In the end DeLorenzo picked up the win over Pitts, Stratton, Ronca and Jesse Mueller. Heat races were won by Grogan and Pitts. Grogan won the Four States Enterprises Dash.
Chris Crane, Jr. won the DIRTcar Sportsman feature event. The win was worth $1,250. Crane used the “Crane Lane” to take over the race lead and once out front, was never challenged. Crane picked up the win over Joey Scarborough, Zach Buff, Joe Venditti and Thomas VanVorst. DIRTcar Sportsman heat races were won by Josh Coonradt and VanVorst.
Kim Duell won the 25-lap DIRTcar Pro Stock feature event. The win was worth $1,250 for the division’s all-time winningest driver. Duell took the early lead and quickly opened up a sizable advantage. Duell would never relinquish the lead as he picked up the win over his son Scott Duell, Shane Henderson, Brandon Emigh and Jordan Modiano.
Cordell Younger won the 20-lap Limited Sportsman feature event. Younger picked up the win over William Lussier, Jr., Anthony Alger, Alex Smith and Nick Arnold. Coming into the night Smith and Arnold were tied for the point lead. With Smith’s fourth place run and Arnold’s fifth, Smith was crowned track champion for the second year in a row.
Chris Murray won the 20-lap Street Stock feature event. Murray picked up the win over Shane Wetherington, Damian Ward, Tyler Irwin and Jim McKiernan. With his win, Murray was crowned the 2026 Street Stock Track Champion.
All points for 2026 are now final, with the exception of the 4-cylinders (which will be completed on Friday September 25th).
The Independent Vintage Racing Association (IVRA) was on hand for their season finale. Picking up the division wins were John Flach (Vintage Modified), Jackie Brown, Jr. (Vintage Sportsman), Joe Judge (Vintage Steel Body), Frank Hoard, Jr. (Vintage Late Model) and Robbie Rowe (Vintage Antique). A total of 28 entries took part in the event.
The Albany-Saratoga Speedway returns to action on Friday, September 25th and September 26th with the annual Malta Massive Weekend. The DIRTcar 358 Modified Series and DIRTcar Sportsman Championship Series will join the Street Stocks and DIRTcar Four Cylinders on Friday night with the Super DIRTcar Series for Big Block Modifieds and DIRTcar Pro Stock Series being joined by the Limited Sportsman division on Saturday.
For more information on the Albany-Saratoga Speedway, please find us on our social media pages and our website – albany-saratogaspeedway.com.
NEXT GENERATION ROOFING “John & Chris Grady Memorial” DIRTcar Modified Feature (35 Laps): 1. 3D-Matt DeLorenzo[5]; 2. 27-Jeremy Pitts[3]; 3. 87-Neil Stratton[7]; 4. 1-Rich Ronca[1]; 5. 19-Jessey Mueller[11]; 6. 08-Jack Speshock[2]; 7. 15X-Justin Stone[13]; 8. 3B-Ryan Behrent[4]; 9. 88-Michael Wagner Fitzgerald[9]; 10. 14B-Brendan Darrah[6]; 11. 34-Dylan Grogan[8]; 12. 23D-Tommy D’Angelo[15]; 13. 21M-Bob Mcgannon[10]; 14. 667-Matt Depew[14]; 15. 22M-Alex Bell[18]; 16. 14P-Nicholas Perez[17]; 17. 21A-Tom Faxon[16]; 18. 55-John Kendall[12]; 19. 34C-Tanner Coon[19]; 20. 97H-Allan Hammond[20]
DOUG WHOLEY’S IDEAL EXCAVATING “John & Chris Grady Memorial” DIRTcar Sportsman Feature (25 Laps): 1. 711C-Chris Crane Jr[9]; 2. 11VT-Joey Scarborough[8]; 3. 01-Zach Buff[6]; 4. 29V-Joe Venditti[7]; 5. TV12-Thomas VanVorst[1]; 6. 112-Dave Baranowski[3]; 7. 33B-Mike Benson[13]; 8. 4-Elliott Lussier[2]; 9. 00X-Josh Coonradt[5]; 10. 42D-Daniel Grignon[16]; 11. 02-Cody Ochs[15]; 12. 667-Andrew Cormie[20]; 13. 76-Raelin Dunham[17]; 14. 216-Phil Arnold[14]; 15. 98-Craig Wholey[4]; 16. 3-Nick Lussier[19]; 17. 51-Jordan Hill[10]; 18. 1D-Paul DeRuyter[18]; 19. 61-Alex Palmer Sawyer[12]; 20. (DQ) 88-Michael Wagner Fitzgerald[11]
SARATOGA MASONRY SUPPLY “John & Chris Grady Memorial” DIRTcar Pro Feature (25 Laps): 1. 14-Kim Duell[1]; 2. 14X-Scott Duell[8]; 3. 9-Shane Henderson[4]; 4. 2-Brandon Emigh[6]; 5. 4M-Jordan Modiano[3]; 6. 76-Kyle Hoard[7]; 7. 9B-Slater Baker[5]; 8. 463-Daniel Sanchez[2]
HAUN WELDING “John & Chris Grady Memorial” Limited Sportsman Feature (20 Laps): 1. 117-Cordell Younger[8]; 2. 25JR-William Lussier Jr[5]; 3. 11A-Anthony Alger[20]; 4. 99S-Alex Smith[12]; 5. 1A-Nick Arnold[13]; 6. 723-Eric Dingman[22]; 7. 19X-Kyle Lanfear[10]; 8. 9J-James Galarneau[11]; 9. 02B-Michael Baker[18]; 10. 21C-Logan Carter[1]; 11. 625-Rob Steves[23]; 12. 1I-Dan Odell[7]; 13. 42-Zach Delaney[4]; 14. 57-Jarron Maguire[16]; 15. 11K-Jim Kraus[25]; 16. 47-Walter Cook[15]; 17. 9X-Colten Emigh[9]; 18. 17-mark lindblade[27]; 19. 1NY-Mark Rabideau[24]; 20. 23Z-Zach Mecca[28]; 21. 2E-Derrik Emigh[6]; 22. 2X-Jackson Kuhl[26]; 23. 24-Kirsten Swartz[3]; 24. 48G-Matthew Gebo[21]; 25. 25-Sarah Arnold[2]; 26. 395-Craig Coons[14]; 27. 14N-Noah Carlo[17]; 28. 11-Gus Kamburelis[19]
CORNELL’S AUTO PARTS “John & Chris Grady Memorial” Street Stock Feature (20 Laps): 1. 7-Chris Murray[12]; 2. 54-Shane Wetherington[7]; 3. 32-Damian Ward[5]; 4. 54T-Tyler Irwin[9]; 5. 52-Jim McKiernan[17]; 6. 24M-Dan Madigan[11]; 7. 11-Josh Hemming[8]; 8. 40-Dana Van Veghten[3]; 9. 28-John Filarecki[15]; 10. 92-Mike Duggan[2]; 11. 11W-Tim Wilcox[18]; 12. 16-Kevin Walker[16]; 13. 5VT-Andrew Fitzgerald[13]; 14. 76B-Mark Burch[6]; 15. 5-Damon Anderson[14]; 16. 33-Tim McFarland[1]; 17. 96-Derek Van Veghten[10]; 18. 88M-Jake Middleton[4]
IVRA “John & Chris Grady Memorial” Vintage Modified Feature (20 Laps): John Flach, Ron Constantino, Dan Karl
IVRA “John & Chris Grady Memorial” Vintage Sportsman Feature (20 Laps): Jackie Brown, Jr., Larry Ricci, Jon Trudeau, Dave Perretta
IVRA “John & Chris Grady Memorial” Vintage Steel Body Feature (20 Laps): Joe Judge, Adam Douglas, Tony Paes, Jeremy Gundberg, Rick Leveque, Ray Kilmer, Phil Goetschius, George Palmer
IVRA “John & Chris Grady Memorial” Vintage Late Model Feature (20 Laps): Frank Hoard, Jr., Dave Madej, Carl Burnham, Joe Budka
IVRA “John & Chris Grady Memorial” Vintage Antique Feature (20 Laps): Robbie Rowe, Joe Firstiun, Tom Stevens, Tom Campfield, Peter Barba