Lehner, Bornt Also First-Time Winners
Story By: MATT KEITTH / ALBANY-SARATOGA SPEEDWAY MEDIA
Photos By: DAVE DALESANDRO and MATT NOLES / RACERSGUIDE.COM
MALTA, NY- June 18, 2017- Demetrios Drellos held off the charges of the all-time winner at Albany-Saratoga, Brett Hearn, to score his first career win at the “Great Race Place.”
The win was not without controversy though. On lap six, Drellos and thirteen time champion Kenny Tremont, who is in the midst of an already tough season, made contact several times that resulted in Tremont spinning over the backstretch. Tremont would continue, finishing 13th.
A handful of laps later Drellos would make contact with early race leader Don Mattison, sending Mattison off the backstretch, and inheriting the lead. During his on-track victory lane ceremony following the race, a chorus of boos rang out from the crowd, many feeling that fan favorite Tremont was a victim of Drellos on-track driving.
Jeremy Wilder had a great run from 24th to third with Brian Gleason and Bodie Bellinger rounding out the top five. A tough night for defending track champion Marc Johnson as a lap four wreck in turn two collected the “White Knight,” ending his three race win streak stemming back to last Friday night at Albany-Saratoga Speedway.
Jack Lehner went wire to wire for his first career Sportsman division win. On two separate occasions Lehner built over a four second lead on second place. Despite a couple of restarts he was never seriously challenged. JaMike Sowle got up to finish second from his fourteenth starting spot. Darryl Nutting finished in third, with Nick Lussier fourth, and coming home fifth was Jim Osgood.
“Stormin’ Norman” Loubier led the entire 25-lap Pro Stock feature until the final turn when Brandon Emigh slipped underneath him and drove to his first win of the year in the Pro Stock division.
Emigh spent much of the race throwing everything he could at Loubier but could not make the pass until the end. Chucky Dumblewski was third followed by Jeff Washburn in fourth and Walt Brownell rounding out the top five.
Jeff Champane went wire to wire in the DMA USAC Bear Ridge Midget 25-lap feature. Anthony Nocella was involved in a wild flip in turn two on the final lap as he caught the cushion in turn two flipping at least four times. Nocella was okay.
Derek Bornt picked up his first career win in the Limited Sportsman division leading from green to checkers.
Randy Miller became the first three-time winner in the 2017, in any division at Albany-Saratoga, winning the Street Stock feature for the second consecutive night.
Coming up Friday, June 23, will be “Kiddie Ride Night” at Albany-Saratoga. A kid’s bike raffle will take place with bikes coming from various sponsors and race teams. The Modified and Sportsman divisions will run qualifying races for the “Mr. Dirt Track USA” event to be held at the Lebanon Valley Speedway on Thursday, September 1. All divisions will be in action, including the 4-cylinders.
Admission will be $10 for Adults and $2 for Children 2 and under. Pit gates open at 4 p.m. Grandstands open at 6 p.m. Pit gates will open at 4 p.m.
Don’t forget the biggest event of the summer on the Albany-Saratoga schedule is coming up on Tuesday, June 27, “Brett Hearn’s Big Show 9” part of the Super DIRTcar NE Series. Reserved seating is available and tickets can be purchased in advance at www.thebigshow9.com.
For more information about the “Big Show 9” log on to www.thebigshow9.com, www.albany-saratogaspeedway.com, or for information regarding the Super DIRTcar Series log onto www.superdirtcarseries.com.
Modified Results (35 Laps) – 1) Demetrios Drellos, 2) Brett Hearn, 3) Jeremy Wilder, 4) Brian Gleason, 5) Bodie Bellinger, 6) Peter Britten, 7) Kris Vernold, 8) Keith Flach, 9) Jessey Mueller, 10) Don Ronca, 11) Matt Depew, 12) Neil Stratton, 13) Ken Tremont Jr, 14) Ray Hoard, 15) Bobby Hackel IV, 16) Matt Delorenzo, 17) Justin Barber, 18) Rich Ronca, 19) Jeff Rockefeller, 20) C.G. Morey, 21) Travis Billington, 22) Cass Bennett, 23) Ronnie Johnson, 24) Ricky Davis, 25) Elmo Reckner, 26) Jimmy Cottrell, 27) Don Mattison, 28) Marc Johnson, DNS) Bill Cody
DMA USAC Bear Ridge Midget Results (25 Laps) – 1) Jeff Champane, 2) Seth Carlson, 3) Adam Whitney, 4) Derek O’Hearn, 5) Joe Korisk, 6) Dean Christensen, 7) David Moniz, 8) Manny Dias, 9) Jim Mossman, 10) Anthony Nocella, 11) Robert Dino, 12) Tyler Rivard, 13) Alex Rose, DNS) Brett Hearn
Sportsman Results (25 Laps) – 1) Jack Lehner, 2) Jamike Sowle, 3) Daryl Nutting, 4) Nick Lussier, 5) Jim Osgood, 6) Rocky Warner, 7) Robert Bublak, 8) Elliott Lussier, 9) Connor Cleveland, 10) Fred Proctor, 11) Jon Miller, 12) Jeremy Pitts, 13) Adam McAuliffe, 14) Chris Johnson, 15) Hunter Bates, 16) Josh Neal, 17) Dave Baranowski, 18) Jack Speshock, 19) Tim Hartman Jr, 20) Dave Constantino, 21) Mike Coffey, 22) Ken Conroy, 23) Brian Pessalano, 24) Christopher Ronca, 25) Alissa Cody, 26) David Schilling, 27) Joe Orlando, 28) Jason Reome, 29) Scott Duell, 30) Mike Ostrander, 31) Pat Jones, DNS) Andrew Buff
Limited Sportsman Results (15 Laps) – 1) Derek Bornt, 2) James Meehan, 3) Paolo Pascarella, 4) Rob Lanfear, 5) John Stowell, 6) E.J. McAuliffe, 7) Stephen Kneer, 8) Michael Wagner Fitzgerald, 9) Gary Derocher, 10) Steve Burch, 11) Ryan Heath, 12) Scott Bennett Jr, 13) Bryan Jones, 14) Matt Rich, 15) Mike Parodi, 16) Bobby Gage, 17) William August, 18) Don Greco, 19) Jerard LeClair, 20) Jason Miller, 21) Lenny Billings
Pro Stock Results (25 Laps) – 1) Brandon Emigh, 2) Norm Loubier, 3) Chuck Dumblewski, 4) Jeff Washburn, 5) Walt Brownell, 6) Robbie Speed, 7) Dan Older, 8) Kim Duell, 9) Luke Horning, 10) Kenny Martin, 11) Dave Depaulo, 12) Todd Hoffman, 13) Nick Arnold, 14) Ivan Joslin, 15) Ernie Greenier, 16) Matt Roberts, 17) Josh Rozelle, 18) Ed Thompson
