Tremont repeats

MALTA - It looks like getting the points lead at Albany-Saratoga Speedway away from Ken Tremont Jr. is going to be about as easy as getting a half-eaten pork chop away from a hungry dog.

Tremont, who moved into the points lead one week earlier, kept his name at the top of the charts Friday night, chalking up his second straight win in the 35-lap 358 modified feature at the Malta track.

Even though the 35-lap feature was run without a caution, going from start to finish in an incredible 11 minutes and 23 seconds, Tremont charged from the 12th starting position to get the hard-fought victory.

Mike Ballestero and Ron Proctor made up the front row for the feature, but it was Matt DeLorenzo who had the fastest car early in the race. After starting sixth, DeLorenzo went right to the front, snatching the lead away from Proctor on lap four.

Tremont and defending track champion Brett Hearn, who started 14th, seemed to be glued together early in the feature. Every place Tremont went, Hearn followed as they quickly made their way through the field.

Tremont cracked the top-five on lap 14 and then began battling Ballestero for the third spot three laps later.

Tremont made his move around Ballestero on the 21st lap, but then had his hands full with the lapped car of Chuck Higley before finally breaking clear and setting out after Mike Ronca, who was running second.

DeLorenzo, Ronca and Tremont had the fans on their feet. First, DeLorenzo made his one slip of the night on lap 30, allowing Ronca to get the lead and Tremont to move up to second. Then, with four laps left, Tremont found the opening he needed and sprinted past Ronca. Hearn, who was never far away from the leaders, then grabbed the No. 2 position on lap 33 and was all over Tremont during the final three laps. But Tremont hit the finish line just 0.341 seconds ahead of Hearn, adding a couple more points to his precious lead.

Mike Ronca came across the finish line third, his best performance of the season and first top-five finish since August 9, 2002. DeLorenzo faded to fourth, and Mike Ballestero was fifth.

Completing the top 10 were Don Mattison, Don Ackner, Jack Johnson, Mike Perrotte and Frank Hoard Sr.

Todd Ryan had a tough night, blowing the engine in his own car during a heat race, and running only six laps of the feature in Lenny Billings’ sportsman car.

David Peek added his name to the list of winners with his first career victory in the 20-lap sportsman feature. Peek is the son of the late Harry Peek, who was one of the most respected modified drivers in the Capital District. Harry Peek had two modified wins at Albany-Saratoga Speedway during his racing career.

David Peek, who is back behind the wheel of his own car after spending the first half of the season driving for Percy Barber, started on the outside pole and led every lap of the 20-lap feature. The race was slowed by three early restarts, two involving the 959 of Johnny Lutes, but Peek survived the restarts, and easily held Neal Erickson, who had started third, at bay during the first half of the race.

Dick Bisson, who started seventh, became a factor in the later stages of the feature, taking over the No. 2 position on lap 16. But Peek never bobbled in the last five laps, and beat Bisson to the finish line by just over a second.

The second-place finish matched Bisson’s best performance of the year. Erickson ran a solid race to finish third, with Joe Budka fourth and Dan Bublak fifth. Joe Budka passed the most cars for the second week in a row, as he started 14th in the 18-car field.

Butchie Irwin picked up his second win of the season in the 20-lap pro street stock feature. Irwin, who uses one of the CVRA spec engines, started on the pole by virtue of the heads-up start, and led all 20 laps of the feature. Walt Brownell came across the finish line second, but was later disqualified for having an illegal carburetor. That moved Bob Schmidt to second, with Don Daniels third, Steve Burega fourth and Cale Kneer fifth.

Lori Cary, who was looking for her second straight win, was shaken up after being involved in a lap-six crash with Chris Maxon, Dean Charbonneau and Dave Uline.

Kevin Sawyer came away with his first win of the season in the hobby stock feature, and Rich Mrzyglod won the cruiser feature.

The Central New York Mini-Sprints were also on Friday night’s card, with the win going to Bryan Howland. That was his second victory on the CVRA circuit this season.

Albany-Saratoga will be holding a 100-lap Big Block/Small Block Challenge race on Friday night. Home track rules will apply, and any 13x92 inch tire can be run. All other divisions will be in action on what promises to be an exciting night of racing.

MODIFIEDS: KEN TREMONT JR., Brett Hearn, Mike Ronca, Matt DeLorenzo, Mike Ballestero, Don Mattison, Don Ackner, Jack Johnson, Mike Perrotte, Frank Hoard Sr., Jack Cottrell, Ronnie Johnson, Randy Hotaling, Don Scarborough, Gene Munger, Don Ronca, Ron Proctor, Chuck Higley, Ray Hoard, Todd Ryan.

SPORTSMAN: DAVID PEEK, Dick Bisson, Neal Erickson, Joe Budka, Dan Bublac, Ken Anatriello, Stan Lemiesz, Erik Mack, Tim Hartman, Derrick McGrew, Doug Sheely, Fred Proctor, Keith Flach, Jack Swinton, Lenny Billings, Rich Ronca, Ray Martindale, Johnny Lutes.

PRO-STREET STOCKS: BUTCHIE IRWIN, Bob Schmidt, Don Daniels, Steve Burega, Cale Kneer, Henry Tanner, Jamie Proctor, Matt Anatriello, Tom O’Connor, Jim Groncki, Jimmy Eaton, Joe Santoro, Brian Holbritter, Vince Santoro, Carl Vladyka, Lori Cary, Chris Maxon, Dean Charbonneau, Dave Uline, Adam Tranka. DQ: Walt Brownell.

HOBBY STOCKS: KEVIN SAWYER, Brian Ashline, Byron Westcott, Jeff Monroe, Mike Tholin, John Morris Jr., Mike Scorzelli, John Filarecki, Adam Stoddard, Thomas Pierce, Chris Busta, Jim Monroe Jr., Dave Emigh, Bob Smith, Kevin Van Chance, Fred Harris. DQ: Jim Monroe III, Dan Daniels.

CRUISERS: RICH MRZYGLOD, Dave Kennedy, Jeremy Brownell, Jamie McCarthy, Luke MacIsaac, Matt Corbiel, Robert Bublac Jr., Keith Wright, Brittany Ladd, Chris Carrie, Amanda Clemens, Keith Keller, Chris Greene, Nick Wadman, Matt Delucia, Kevin Connors, Brian Myers, Mike Cranston, Joe Naccarato, Jon Atwell, Matt Thomas. DQ: Dan Uber.

CENTRAL NEW YORK MINI-SPRINTS: BRYAN HOWLAND, Doug Norrie, Mike Emhof, Cory Sparks, Don Harvey Jr., Jamie Kiser, Jared Fink, Blake Breen, Bobby Breen, Barry Virts.