Championship Point Battle Shaping Up
Story By: TOBY LaGRANGE / ALBANY-SARATOGA SPEEDWAY MEDIA Photos By: DAVE DALESANDRO / RACERSGUIDE.COM
MALTA, NY- July 30, 2016- The Upstate GMC Dealers DIRTcar Modified division competed in twin 20 lap feature Friday night. When the final checkered flag waved on the second event, it was clear the race fans got their monies work. Stewart Friesen picked up the win in the first event while veteran Ray Hoard won the second event. The win for Hoard was his first ever at the fast, four tenths of a mile oval.
Floyd Billington and Mark Kislowski led the field to the green in the first 20 lap event. Kislowski would take the early lead over Bobby Hackel, IV, Ray Hoard, Brian Gleason and Matt Depew. With five laps complete the top five remained the same however current points leader Marc Johnson moved to sixth. Johnson, with Elmo Reckner in tow quickly closed on fifth place Depew.
With Kislowski running the low side Hackel ran the top side and by lap eight was within a car length of Kislowski. Johnson meanwhile took the fifth position. The caution flag waved on lap ten when L.J. Lombardo and Rich Ronca tangled in turn four.
The double file restart would see Kislowski taking the lead over Hackel, Hoard, Johnson and Reckner. Stewart Friesen took fifth from Reckner on lap 12 while Hackel was all over Kislowski for the lead. Friesen moved past Johnson for fourth on lap 13. Rich Ronca came to a stop to bring out the caution flag on lap 13. While under yellow Johnson drove to the pit area, retiring from the first event.
When racing resumed Friesen moved into the lead with Kislowski, Hackel, Reckner and Gleason following. With five laps to go Ronca again brought out the caution flag when he spun in turn one. On the restart Friesen held the lead over Kislowski, Hackel, Reckner and Brett Hearn. Bodie Bellinger slowed on lap 16 forcing a caution flag.
After Matt Delorenzo and Kris Vernold spun on the restart, racing resumed with Friesen as the leader over Kislowski, Reckner, Hackel and Hearn. Reckner moved to second on lap 18. In the end Friesen picked up the win over Reckner, Hackel, Hearn and Kislowski.
The top 18 positions were handicapped to create the starting lineup for the second 20 lap event.
Depew and Hoard led the second 20 lap event to the green with Depew leading Hoard and L.J. Lombardo. The caution flag waved on lap one when Floyd Billington came to a stop in turn four. On the restart Ryan Darcy was involved in an incident in turn four, forcing the caution and a single file restart. The restart would see Depew and Hoard battle for the lead with Hoard taking it over Depew, Lombardo, Neil Stratton and Jesse Mueller.
On lap six Lombardo took over the second position from Depew while J.R. Heffner took over fourth and Stratton fifth. At the halfway point Hoard held a ten car length lead over Lombardo, Depew, Heffner and Hearn. On lap 12 Hearn moved past Heffner and Depew for third as Friesen took over sixth. Hoard was using the top side and Lombardo the low side as they worked their way through slower traffic.
With five laps to go, Stratton and Reckner came together in turn two, forcing a restart. On the restart Heffner spun in turn four, forcing a restart. The restart would see Hoard holds the lead over a battle between Lombardo and Hearn. Don Ronca spun on lap 17 to force another caution period.
On the restart, Hoard held the lead while positions shuffled behind him. Friesen tried to make it three wide out of turn two only to clip the inside implement tire, ending his night. Marc Johnson entered the top five and quickly move to second. In the end Hoard would bring home his first career win at the Great Race Place over Hearn, Johnson, Lombardo and Tremont.
Hearn takes over the points lead by 18 over Johnson. Heat races for the 35 car Upstate GMC Dealers DIRTcar Modified field were won by Depew, Hoard and Kislowski. The consolation event was won by Rob Pitcher.
Robert Bublak, Jr. won the 25 lap Sportsman feature event. Jesse Edwards and Joe Orlando led the field to the green with Orlando taking the early lead over Pat Jones and Bublak. Bublak moved to second on lap three and closed in on Orlando. Bublak moved to the lead on lap ten, forcing Orlando back to second. Jones continued to run third with Justin Smith fourth and Mike Coffey fifth.
Nick Lussier spun in turn two forcing the caution flag to wave. On the restart a five car incident forced the red flag to wave. Current points leader Jeremy Pitts was involved but pulled away, Tim Hartman, Jr. was also involved. Hartman came into the night third in points.
The restart would see Bublak lead Orlando, Coffey, Jones and David Schilling. On lap 16 Schilling moved to fourth. Connor Cleveland took over fifth on lap 16. Lussier spun on lap 23 to force a late race restart. In the end no one had anything for Bublak who picked up the win over Coffey, Schilling, Orlando and Cleveland. A total of 30 Sportsman drivers entered the event with heat races being won by Bublak, Orlando and Jones.
Nick Stone won the 25 lap DIRTcar Pro Stock feature event. Zach Welch and Dean Charbonneau led the field to the green with Welch taking the early advantage over Charbonneau and Chuck Dumblewski. Stone moved past Dumblewski on lap two for third and then moved past Charbonneau for second a lap later. On lap five Norm Loubier and Walt Brownell came together in turn one, resulting in Brownell spinning in turn two.
The restart would see Welch spin exiting turn two, forcing a caution. This gave the lead to the Stone Creations number 27 of Stone. Stone controlled the restart with Charbonneau and Dumblewski following. Dumblewski gave way to Kim Duell while Dumblewski fell to fourth and had to deal with points leader Robbie Speed. Speed took over the third position around lap eight and reeled in Charbonneau. Speed took second on lap 12 and started to close in on Stone.
Speed was able to close the gap over the final few laps however he could not get past Stone who picked up his second feature win of the season. Speed finished second with Duell third, Brandon Emigh fourth and Charbonneau fifth. With 17 DIRTcar Pro Stocks on hand, heat races were won by Charbonneau and Duell.
Nick Fretto won the 20 lap Limited Sportsman feature event. Fretto took the lead early and led the rest of the way for his first win of the season over John Stowell, Derek Bornt, Brandon Pitcher and Gary Derocher. A total of 20 Limited Sportsman were on hand with heat races being won by Stowell and Bornt.
Hunter Sanchez won the 20 lap Street Stock feature event. The win was his second of the season at the track. Josh Coonradt finished second with David Shippee third, Al Relyea fourth and Chase Aussicker fifth. Heat races for the 17 Street Stock entries were won by Relyea and Mosher.
The Greg’s Towing and Repair Four Cylinder event was won by Steve Ryan. Ryan’s seventh win of the season came over Josh Wood, Ben Grant, David Mullineaux and Tom Meltz. A total of 13 drivers entered the event.
The Albany-Saratoga Speedway is back in action on August 5th with all weekly divisions in action. The Sportsman division will be competing in the Featherfoot Warrior Series. The DMA USAC Midgets will also be on the card. For more information on the Albany-Saratoga Speedway please visit our website at www.albany-saratogaspeedway.com.
Upstate GMC Dealers DIRTcar Modified Twin 20 Feature #1 Results (20 Laps) – 1) Stewart Friesen, 2) Elmo Reckner, 3) Bobby Hackel IV, 4) Brett Hearn, 5) Mark Kislowski, 6) Brian Gleason, 7) Jessey Mueller, 8) Ken Tremont Jr, 9) Keith Flach, 10) Ronnie Johnson, 11) Ray Hoard, 12) Don Ronca, 13) Ricky Davis, 14) Matt Depew, 15) J.R. Heffner, 16) L.J. Lombardo, 17) Neil Stratton, 18) Brian Whittemore, 19) Jimmy Cottrell, 20) Todd Morey, 21) Matt Delorenzo, 22) Hector Stratton, 23) Kris Vernold, 24) Bodie Bellinger, 25) C.G. Morey, 26) Rich Ronca, 27) Marc Johnson, 28) Floyd Billington, 29) Rob Pitcher, 30) Ryan Darcy, DNS) Justin Barber, DNS) Cass Bennett, DNS) Bill Cody, DNS) Nick Hotaliing, DNS) Craig Seeley
Upstate GMC Dealers DIRTcar Modified Twin 20 Feature #2 Results (20 Laps) – 1) Ray Hoard, 2) Brett Hearn, 3) Marc Johnson, 4) L.J. Lombardo, 5) Ken Tremont Jr, 6) Matt Depew, 7) Mark Kislowski, 8) Jessey Mueller, 9) Ronnie Johnson, 10) Brian Gleason, 11) Bobby Hackel IV, 12) Keith Flach, 13) Bodie Bellinger, 14) Elmo Reckner, 15) Matt Delorenzo, 16) Neil Stratton, 17) Ricky Davis, 18) J.R. Heffner, 19) Todd Morey, 20) Kris Vernold, 21) Brian Whittemore, 22) C.G. Morey, 23) Hector Stratton, 24) Stewart Friesen, 25) Don Ronca, 26) Rich Ronca, 27) Jimmy Cottrell, 28) Rob Pitcher, 29) Floyd Billington, 30) Ryan Darcy, DNS) Justin Barber, DNS) Cass Bennett, DNS) Bill Cody, DNS) Nick Hotaliing, DNS) Craig Seeley
Sportsman Feature Results (25 Laps) – 1) Robert Bublak, 2) Mike Coffey, 3) David Schilling, 4) Joe Orlando, 5) Connor Cleveland, 6) Cody Bleau, 7) Jeremy Pitts, 8) Chad Edwards, 9) Jack Lehner, 10) Scott Duell, 11) Ken Conroy, 12) Nick Anatriello, 13) Adam Gage, 14) Chris Johnson, 15) Daryl Nutting, 16) Mike Ostrander, 17) Jason Gray, 18) Tim Hartman Jr, 19) John Proctor, 20) Zach Daurio, 21) Nick Lussier, 22) Tim Clemons, 23) Christopher Ronca, 24) Hunter Bates, 25) Pat Jones, 26) Jon Miller, 27) Justin Smith, 28) Andrew Buff, 29) Jesse Edwards, DNS) Jack Swinton
Limited Sportsman Feature Results (20 Laps) – 1) Nick Fretto, 2) John Stowell, 3) Derek Bornt, 4) Gary Derocher, 5) Rob Lanfear, 6) Jacob Volpi, 7) Diana Huyck, 8) Travis Billington, 9) Clint Bonner, 10) Reggie Bonner, 11) Steve Burch, 12) Bob Schmidt, 13) Scott Bennett Jr, 14) Bruce Loomis, 15) Dylan Bokus, 16) Mike Block, DQ) Brandon Pitcher, DNS) Ryan Heath, DNS) Bryan Jones, DNS) Stephen Kneer
DIRTcar Pro Stock Results (25 Laps) – 1) Nick Stone, 2) Robbie Speed, 3) Kim Duell, 4) Brandon Emigh, 5) Dean Charbonneau, 6) Kenny Martin, 7) Norm Loubier,8) Walt Brownell, 9) Chuck Dumblewski, 10) Dan Older, 11) Gus Hollner, 12) Zach Welch, 13) Dan Madigan, 14) Josh Rozelle, 15) Chris Wemple, 16) Nick Arnold, 17) Dave DePaulo
Street Stock Results (20 Laps) – 1) Hunter Sanchez, 2) Josh Coonradt, 3) David Shippee, 4) Al Relyea, 5) Chase Aussicker, 6) Damon Anderson, 7) Jeff Meltz Sr, 8) Scott Lawrence, 9) John Hayes, 10) Joey Wilson, 11) Matt Mosher, 12) Jason Meltz, 13) Curt Condon, DNS) Paul Braymer, DNS) John Filarecki, DNS) Chris Murphy, DQ) Mark Burch
Greg’s Towing & Repair Four Cylinder Single Cam Results (15 Laps) – 1) Mike Parodi, 2) Will Ryan, 3) Tim Meltz, 4) Brett Horlacher, 5) Robert Garney, 6) Daryl Connor, 7) Tyler
Greg’s Towing & Repair Four Cylinder Dual Cam Results (15 Laps) – 1) Steve Ryan, 2) Josh Wood, 3) Ben Grant, 4) Dave Mullineaux, 5) Tom Meltz, 6) Jason Lang
