Johnson Makes It Three In A Row At Albany-Saratoga
Story By;TOBY LAGRANGE / ALBANY SARATOGA SPEEDWAY MEDIA Photos By:DAVE DALESANDRO / RACERSGUIDE.COM
Malta, NY –May 28, 2016- A win is great, two wins in a row is amazing but as Marc Johnson can tell you, three Upstate GMC Dealers DIRTcar Modified feature event wins in a row is an incredible feat at the Albany-Saratoga Speedway. Johnson picked up the 35 lap Upstate GMC Dealers DIRTcar Modified feature event win Friday night at The Great Race Place.
In other action feature winners were – Tim Hartman, Jr. (Sportsman), Robbie Speed (DIRTcar Pro Stock), Zach Daurio (Limited Sportsman) and Jason Meltz (Street Stocks).
Drivers went through the stands to collect money for Team Kamden. Just shy of $3,000 was raised. When added to the total raised from the benefit held last Sunday, a total of $12,000 was raised for Team Kamden.
Ray Hoard and Brian Whittemore led the Upstate GMC Dealers DIRTcar Modified field to the green with Hoard taking the initial lead over Demetrious Drellos, Brian Whittemore, Jimmy Cottrell and Rich Ronca. Bodie Bellinger and Ronnie Johnson were both involved in an incident on lap two in turn two to bring out the first caution flag.
On the restart Hoard held the lead over Drellos, Cottrell, Whittemore and Matt Depew. Depew took over fourth from Whittemore on lap six with Jesse Mueller following to fifth. Cottrell meanwhile moved to the topside and was able to move into the lead. On lap nine Brett Hearn moved into the fifth position as Mueller took over third. Depew slowed on lap 11 to bring out the caution flag.
When racing resumed Kenny Tremont, Jr. was involved in an incident with Whittemore and J.R. Heffner. On the restart Cottrell held the lead over Hoard, Hearn, Drellos and Mueller. On lap 12 Hearn took over second while Marc Johnson moved to fifth. On lap 13 Tremont came to a stop, bringing out the caution flag.
The restart would see Marc Johnson make a big move and take over the lead. Cottrell held on to second with Hearn third, Drellos fourth and Mueller fifth. Hearn took over second don lap 15 with Elmo Reckner taking fifth. Keith Flach would break after contact with Mueller on lap 16, bringing out the caution flag.
On the restart Johnson and Hearn continued to run one-two with Cottrell, Reckner and Drellos completing the top five. Ronnie Johnson used the outside line to take fifth on lap 21. Don Ronca came right back, using the low groove to challenge Johnson for fifth. Stewart Friesen spun in turn four on lap 23 to bring out the caution flag.
When racing resumed Johnson led Hearn, Cottrell, Ronnie Johnson and Reckner. In the end Johnson was untouchable, picking up his third feature win in a row. Hearn settled for second, Reckner, Cottrell and Tremont. Heat races for the 35 car Upstate GMC Dealers DIRTcar Modified field were won by J.R. Heffner, Depew and Tremont. The consolation event was won by Mark Kislowski.
Nick Lussier and Andrew Buff led the Sportsman field to the green with Lussier taking the early lead over Andrew Buff and Cody Bleau. On lap two Mike Coffey and Pat Jones spun in turn two, forcing a caution flag. On the restart Lussier held the lead over Bleau, Buff, Robert Bublak, Jr. and Connor Cleveland. Bublak moved to third on lap two forcing Buff to fourth. Defending track champion Derrick McGrew spun on lap four, causing the caution flag to wave.
On the restart Bleau moved into the lead briefly before Lussier regained the top spot. Bublak spun on lap five, forcing the caution flag to fly. When racing resumed David Schilling broke, causing drivers to take evasive action. When racing resumed Lussier held the lead over Bleau, Buff, Cleveland and Tim Hartman, Jr. On lap Buff moved past Bleau for second with Cleveland, Hartman and Chris Johnson following.
Cleveland and Hartman moved past Buff on lap ten with Hartman moving to second. On lap 13 Hartman took the top spot with Lussier falling to second, Cleveland third, Johnson fourth and Joey Scarborough fifth. Buff came to a stop on lap 14 forcing the caution flag to wave. When racing resumed Hartman held the lead over Lussier, Cleveland, Johnson and Scarborough. On lap 17 Nick Anatriello spun in turn four, bringing out the caution period.
On the restart Hartman held the lead over last week’s feature winner Chris Johnson, Lussier, Scarborough and Jeremy Pitts. Chris Murray spun on lap 20 to bring out the yellow. On the restart a multi-car incident slowed the field. When racing resumed Hartman held the lead over Johnson and Scarborough. In the end Hartman held off a determined Johnson for the win. Johnson finished second with Scarborough third, Chad Edwards fourth and Pitts fifth. A total of 31 Sportsman entered the event.
Chuck Hebing grabbed the early lead in the 25 lap Patriot Sprint Tour A-Main. Rotterdam’s Danny Varin settled into the second position with Jared Zimbardi third. James Hanson spun in turn one on lap two to bring out the caution. On the restart Hebing and Varin traded slide jobs for the lead with Steve Poirier a close third. Tommy Wickham spun in turn four, bringing out the caution flag.
When racing resumed Hebing held the lead over Varin, Poirier, Zimbardi and Friesen. On lap seven Varin slipped high off the backstretch dropping him to fourth. A lap later Poirier slowed and pulled to the infield. Varin made contact with the turn four wall on lap nine and in the process lost more positions.
Hebing’s time out front came to an end on lap ten when he spun to the infield. During the caution period both Hebing and Varin went pit side. On the restart Zimbardi controlled the lead over Friesen and Paul Habeck. In the end no one could catch the former series champion. Zimbardi picked up the win over Friesen, Cory Sparks, Habeck and Matt Tanner. A total of 24 drivers the second ever appearance by the Patriot Sprint Tour with heat races being won by Poirier, Hebing and Zimbardi. The Four Laps of Fame Dash was won by Dane Lorenc.
Dan Older, Sr. and Nick Arnold led the DIRTcar Pro Stock field to the green with Older leading lap one. Older spun over the banking on lap one, ending his time out front. On the restart Chuck Dumblewski took over control of the lead. On lap two Danny Wood spun in turn three, collecting Nick Stone. Both drivers continued.
The restart would see Dumblewski lead however he had Bill Smith all over him. Smith would lead lap four before another caution period slowed the field. On the restart Smith held the lead over Robbie Speed. On lap nine Speed and Smith ran side by side before Arnold slowed in turn four.
When racing resumed Smith held the lead with Speed applying the pressure. Speed would take over the top spot on lap 11 with Smith staying close in second. Speed however was untouchable, picking up the win over Smith, Walt Brownell, Nick Stone and Brandon Emigh. A total of 22 drivers entered the event.
Travis Billington and Scott Bennett, Jr. led the Limited Sportsman field to the green taking the early lead over Gary Derocher and Anthony Alger. Derocher took a look under Billington as they clicked off lap four and then made contact heading into turn one. The contact caused Billington to spin and resulted in Derocher being sent to the rear for his involvement.
On the restart Alger took control over James Meehan and Nick Fretto. Derek Bornt spun in turn four on lap seven to bring out the caution period. On the restart Alger paced the field with Meehan and Fretto continuing to run in second and third. Meehan’s good run came to an end on lap 11, moving Zack Daurio to third. Daurio took second from Fretto on lap 13 and set his sights on Alger. Jacob Volpi and Randy Miller spun in turn four on lap 15 to setup a restart.
When racing resumed Daurio took over the lead with Alger falling to second and Brandon Pitcher moving to third. In the end no one had anything for Daurio who picked up the win over Alger, Pitcher, Fretto and Jack Lehner. A total of 20 drivers entered the event.
Mark Burch took the early lead in the 20 lap Street Stock feature event. Yule Cook took over second on lap five with Jason Meltz third. On lap eight Meltz took over second with Josh Coonradt moving to third. After a lap nine caution, the race resumed with Meltz the leader. Burch regained the lead on lap ten with Meltz not giving up. Following a caution period for Joey Wilson, racing resumed on lap 11 with Meltz out front. In the end Meltz would pick up the win over Hunter Sanchez, Bill Dupree, Fred Harris and Burch. A total of 21 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, including the Greg’s Towing and Repair Four Cylinders. The Sportsman division will compete in a Featherfoot Sportsman Series event and the Pro Stock division will compete in the opening round of the King of Dirt Series. 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 Feature (35 laps) – Marc Johnson, Brett Hearn, Elmo Reckner, Jimmy Cottrell, Kenny Tremont, Jr., Ronnie Johnson, Don Ronca, Matt Delorenzo, Demetrious Drellos, Rich Ronca, Rob Pitcher, Mark Kislowski, Hector Stratton, Brian Gleason, J.R. Heffner, Neil Stratton, CG Morey, Matt Janiak, Ricky Davis, Stewart Friesen, Kyle Armstrong, Keith Flach, Jessey Mueller, Kris Vernold, Ray Hoard, Brian Whittemore, Bobby Hackel, IV, Matt Depew, Cass Bennett, Bodie Bellinger, Todd Morey (DNS).
Sportsman Feature (25 laps) – Tim Hartman, Jr., Chris Johnson, Joey Scarborough, Chad Edwards, Jeremy Pitts, Connor Cleveland, Robert Bublak, Derrick McGrew, Nick Lussier, John Proctor, Justin Smith, Andrew Buff, Adam Gage, Scott Duell, Daryl Nutting, Jim Morgan, Daniel Morgiewicz, Chris Murray, Ken Conroy, Mike Coffey, Jr., Jack Swinton, Nick Anatriello, Mike Tholin, Cody Bleau, Jack Speshock, Mike Ostrander, Pat Jones, David Schilling, Hunter Bates, Jon Miller, Jason Gray
Patriot Sprint Tour A-Main (25 laps) – Jared Zimbardi, Stewart Friesen, Cory Sparks, Paul Habeck, Matt Tanner, Jeff Cook, Justin Barger, Paulie Colagiovanni, Tommy Wickham, Dane Lorenc, Warren Alexson, Steve Glover, Pete Richardson, James Hanson, Dave Just, Denny Peebles, Robert Gray, Mike Kiser, Tyler Graves, Kory Gurney, Chuck Hebing, Danny Varin, Steve Poirier, Jason Barney (DNS)
DIRTcar Pro Stock Feature (25 laps) – Robbie Speed, Bill Smith, Walt Brownell, Nick Stone, Brandon Emigh, Jeff Washburn, Dean Charbonneau, Norm Loubier, Dave DePaulo, Chuck Dumblewski, Ed Thompson, Kim Duell, Gus Hollner, Zach Welch, Dan Older, Sr., Josh Rozelle, Kevin Loomis, Steve Burch, Nick Arnold, Danny Wood, Dan Madigan, Jimmy Eaton
Limited Sportsman Feature (20 laps) – Zach Daurio, Anthony Alger, Brandon Pitcher, Nick Fretto, Jack Lehner, Rob Lanfear, Travis Billington, Bryan Jones, Jr., Mike Block, John Stowell, Steve Burch, Jacob Volpi, Diana Huyck, Reggie Bonner, Gary Derocher, Randy Miller, James Meehan, Derek Bornt, Bob Schmidt, Scott Benntt, Jr.
