Hearn and Duell Score Big Wins At Albany-Saratoga
Story By:TOBY LAGRANGE / ALBANY SARATOGA SPEEDWAY Photos By:DAVE DALESANDRO / RACERSGUIDE.COM
Malta, NY –June 11, 2016- Prior to the season if you would have asked anyone familiar with the racing at the Albany-Saratoga Speedway that Brett Hearn not only would not have won a heat race heading into Friday night’s racing program but a feature event as well, they likely would not have believed you. The Corporate Jet was winless heading into Friday night’s action but that all changed after he won the 35 lap Upstate GMC Dealers DIRTcar Modified feature event.
Scott Duell won the 26 lap 3rd annual Mark Hughes Memorial Sportsman event. The event is held each season in honor of the former track regular who passed away in 2014.
Other winners during the evening were Brandon Emigh (DIRTcar Pro Stock), Jack Lehner (Limited Sportsman), Adam Pierson (DMB USAC Midgets) and Damon Anderson (Street Stocks).
In between races over 90 bicycles were given away to as many luck children. The bicycles were donated by numerous drivers, officials, sponsors and patrons of the Great Race Place.
Jim Nagle and Bobby Hackle, IV led the Upstate GMC Dealers DIRTcar Modified field to the green with Nagle taking the early lead over Hackel, Jessey Mueller, Hector Stratton and Kris Vernold. Mark Kislowski moved past Vernold for fifth on lap three and then past Stratton a half lap later for fourth. Matt Delorenzo would move to fifth on lap five. Bryan Gleason slowed on lap five to bring out the caution flag.
On the restart Mueller took over the top spot with Kislowski taking second, Nagle third, Delorenzo fourth and Brett Hearn fifth. Hearn would move past both Delorenzo and Nagle for third on lap eight. Using the high side Kislowski would take the lead as the field clicked off lap ten however he went over the cushion in turn one and then over the banking to bring out the caution flag.
On the restart Mueller held the lead with Hearn second, Delorenzo third, Stewart Friesen fourth and 17th place starter Kenny Tremont, Jr. Elmo Reckner spun on lap 14 to bring out the caution flag. On the restart Ricky Davis and Cass Bennett were among those involved in a multi-car incident on the back stretch. The restart would see the top five remain the same.
Hearn would take over the lead from Mueller on lap 16. Delorenzo would hop the cushion on lap 17 and fall back to fifth. With 20 laps in the books Hearn held the top spot with Mueller in second, Friesen third, Tremont fourth and Delorenzo fifth. By lap 22 Mueller, Friesen and Tremont were under a blanket battling for position. Friesen was able to make the pass for second on lap 25.
On lap 25 Hector Stratton slowed to bring out the caution flag. On the restart Hearn and Friesen brought the field to the green with Hearn holding the lead and Tremont moving to third. Marc Johnson moved into fifth. Don Ronca took fifth from Johnson on lap 30 and then moved past Mueller for fourth, with Johnson also following to fifth.
Friesen and Tremont battled for the runner up position over the last five laps but neither had anything for the winningest driver at the Albany-Saratoga Speedway. Hearn picked up his first win of the season over Friesen, Tremont, Ronca and Johnson. With 35 Upstate GMC Dealers DIRTcar Modifieds in attendance heat races were won by Vernold, Nagle and Mueller. The consolation event was won by Keith Flach.
Mike Coffey and Daryl Nutting led the field to the green in the 26 lap 3rd Annual Mark Hughes Memorial for the Sportsman division with a multi-car incident in turn one bringing out a quick caution. The second attempt at a start would see Coffey hold the lead over Scott Duell and Nutting. On lap two Duell moved past Coffey for the lead. Coffey would spin in front of the field, in turn one soon after. Everyone was able to miss him.
On the restart Duell held the lead over Cody Bleau, Nutting, Chris Johnson and Connor Cleveland. Johnson moved past Nutting on lap six for the third position with Cleveland following past a lap later. By lap ten the top five had opened a gap over the rest of the field and leader Duell entered slower traffic. Andy Durie broke on lap 13 to bring out the caution flag.
When racing resumed Duell held the lead however Robert Bublak spun in turn four. On the restart Duell would hold the lead over Johnson, Cleveland, Bleau and Jason Gray. Gray took over the fourth position on lap 16 forcing Bleau back to fifth. Meanwhile Johnson was all over Duell for the lead. By lap 20 Duell had opened about a three car length gap. On lap 23 the leaders entered heavy lapped traffic.
As Duell and Johnson came up on the lapped car of Mike Tholin heading into turn four, Johnson went to the topside and Duell to the low side. Contact was made with Tholin and the two leaders were able to split Tholin. The duo ran side by side to the finish with Duell picking up the big win. Johnson settled for a close second with Cleveland third, Gray fourth and Bleau fifth. Heat races for the 31 Sportsman entries were won by Coffey, Nutting and Duell.
Dan Madigan and Zach Welch led the DIRTcar Pro Stock field to the green with Dan Older, Sr. taking the early lead over Norm Loubier, Madigan, Jeff Washburn and Dave DePaulo. Washburn moved past Madigan for third on lap two as Walt Brownell took over fifth from DePaulo. Brownell and DePaulo would move past Madigan for fourth and fifth.
Loubier though looked fast early and on lap five took over the top spot from Older. After a caution on lap seven racing resumed with Loubier the leader over Washburn, Older, DePaulo and Brandon Emigh. Emigh and Brownell moved past DePaulo on lap nine. Emigh would move past Older for third on lap 11 with Brownell doing the same on lap 12. Emigh took second from Washburn on lap 20. On lap 22 Emigh made it four wide with Loubier and two lapped cars to take over the lead. In the end Emigh would pick up the win over Loubier, Washburn, Brownell and Chuck Dumblewski.Madigan and Brownell won the two DIRTcar Pro Stock heat races. A total of 16 drivers entered the evening’s action.
James Meehan and Justin Severance led the Limited Sportsman field to the green with Meehan taking the early lead. Bob Schmidt spun on lap three to bring out the caution flag. On the restart Meehan held the lead over Travis Billington and ZacH Daurio. The caution flag waved on lap five when Bryan Jones and Steve Burch came together in turn four. When racing resumed Meehan led over Daurio and Jack Lehner. Lehner moved to the inside of Daurio on lap nine and took over the spot a lap later.
The caution waved on lap ten when Reggie Bonner Brandon Daley and Mike Block came together in turn four. On the restart Meehan held the lead over Lehner and Daurio. Lehner made a bold move on Meehan on lap 18 and took over the race lead with Daurio following to second. In the end Lehner would pick up the win over Daurio, Meehan, Brandon Pitcher and Severance. With 22 Limited Sportsman on hand heat races were won by Daurio and Lanfear.
Kevin Chaffee took the lead at the start of the 20 lap USAC DMA Midget A-Main with Mark Cole following in second. Adam Whitney spun in between turns three and four to bring out the first caution flag of the event on lap three. On the restart Chaffee held the top spot with Adam Pierson taking over second and Cole dropping to third.
Tyler Rivard spun in the second turn to bring out the caution flag on lap six. When racing resumed Pierson took over the top spot with Chaffee and Cole following. In the end Pierson was able to hold on for the win over Josh Sunn, Chaffee, Whitney and Kenny Johnson. A total of 16 USAC DMA Midgets entered the program with heat races being won by Chaffee and Pierson.
Curtis Condon and John Hayes led the Street Stock feature event to the green with Condon taking the early lead over fifth place starter Matt Mosher. Jeff Davis spun in turn two on lap nine to bring out the first caution flag of the event. On the restart Condon and Mosher continued to run one-two. Mosher took over the top spot on a lap ten restart with Paul Braymer second. On lap 16 Damon Anderson took over the race lead. In the end Anderson brought home the win over Mosher, Bill Dupree, Josh Coonradt and Jason Meltz. A total of 26 drivers entered the event.
The Albany-Saratoga Speedway returns to action next Friday night with the Upstate GMC Dealers DIRTcar Modifieds and the remainder of the weekly divisions, plus the Greg’s Towing and Repair Four Cylinders. It will also be the Hoosier Daddy Father’s Day Special. For more information on the Albany-Saratoga Speedway log onto the track website at www.albany-saratogaspeedway.com or visit us on Facebook.
Upstate GMC Dealers DIRTcar Modified Results (35 Laps) – 1) Brett Hearn, 2) Stewart Friesen, 3) Ken Tremont Jr, 4) Don Ronca, 5) Marc Johnson, 6) Jessey Mueller, 7) Keith Flach, 8) Matt Delorenzo, 9) L.J. Lombardo, 10) Neil Stratton, 11) Bodie Bellinger, 12) Mark Kislowski, 13) Bobby Hackel IV, 14) Ronnie Johnson, 15) Matt Depew, 16) Rob Pitcher, 17) Jimmy Cottrell, 18) Brian Gleason, 19) Jim Nagle, 20) Ray Hoard, 21) Hector Stratton, 22) Justin Barber, 23) Elmo Reckner, 24) Ricky Davis, 25) Brian Whittemore, 26) C.G. Morey, 27) Rich Ronca, 28) Cass Bennett, 29) Kris Vernold, 30) Anthony Alger, DNS) Bill Cody, DNS) Demetrios Drellos, DNS) J.R. Heffner, DNS) Todd Morey, DNS) Craig Seeley
Sportsman Mark Hughes Memorial Results (26 Laps) – 1) Scott Duell, 2) Chris Johnson, 3) Connor Cleveland, 4) Jason Gray, 5) Cody Bleau, 6) Tim Hartman Jr, 7) Chad Edwards, 8) Jeremy Pitts, 9) Adam Pierson, 10) Derek McGrew, 11) Daryl Nutting, 12) Andrew Buff, 13) David Schilling, 14) Hunter Bates, 15) Adam Gage, 16) Justin Smith, 17) Jack Speshock, 18) Jon Miller, 19) Nick Anatriello, 20) Pat Jones, 21) Mike Coffey, 22) Jack Swinton, 23) Floyd Billington, 24) Mike Ostrander, 25) Mike Tholin, 26) Robert Bublak, 27) John Proctor, 28) Andy Durie, 29) Nick Lussier, 30) Ken Conroy, 31) Tim Hodge
Pro Stock Results (25 Laps) – 1) Brandon Emigh, 2) Norm Loubier, 3) Jeff Washburn, 4) Walt Brownell, 5) Chuck Dumblewski, 6) Dan Older, 7) Bill Smith, 8) Dave Depaulo, 9) Kim Duell, 10) Nick Arnold, 11) Zach Welch, 12) Dan Madigan, 13) Danny Wood, 14) Pete Porter, 15) Josh Rozelle, 16) Kevin Loomis
Limited Sportsman Results (20 Laps) – 1) Jack Lehner, 2) Zach Daurio, 3) James Meehan, 4) Brandon Pitcher, 5) Justin Severance, 6) Rob Lanfear, 7) Derek Bornt, 8) Travis Billington, 9) Randy Miller, 10) Dan Grignon, 11) John Stowell, 12) Bob Schmidt, 13) Bryan Jones, 14) Brandon Daley, 15) Diana Huyck, 16) Mike Block, 17) Gary Derocher, 18) Steve Burch, 19) Clint Bonner, 20) Bonner, Reggie DNS) Scott Bennett Jr, DNS) Nick Fretto
Bear Ridge Speedway DMA USAC Midget Results (20 Laps) – 1) Adam Pierson, 2) Josh Sunn, 3) Kevin Chaffee, 4) Adam Whitney, 5) Kenny Johnson,6) Dean Christensen, 7) Mark Cole, 8) Robert Tucker, 9) Jeff Champagne, 10) Jeff Horn, 11) Manny Dias, 12) Tyler Rivard, 13) David Rose, DNS) Scott Duell, DNS) Bobby White, DNS) Vince Lucca
Street Stock Results (20 Laps) – 1) Damon Anderson, 2) Matt Mosher, 3) Biill Dupre, 4) Josh Coonradt, 5) Jason Meltz, 6) Paul Braymer, 7) John Morris Jr, 8) Hunter Sanchez, 9) Jeff Meltz Sr, 10) Mark Burch, 11) Curt Condon, 12) Yule Cook, 13) Ron Redmond, 14) Scott Lawrence, 15) John Filarecki, 16) Chase Aussicker, 17) Luke MacIsaac, 18) Nathan Dahoda, 19) John Hayes, 20) Jake Currier, 21) Jeff Davis, 22) Al Relyea, 23) Joshua Reome, 24) Jordan Casper, 25) David Cook, DQ) Josh Bussino
