Tremont snaps long drought 

MALTA - Although it’s too early in the season to tell if Ken Tremont Jr. has regained the form that carried him to six consecutive track championships at Albany-Saratoga Speedway, it certainly looks like he’s back on the right track.

After suffering through a winless season in 2004, Tremont got the monkey off his back Friday night, holding off veteran Jack Johnson to win the 35-lap 358 feature at the historic Malta track as point races got under way in all divisions.

Tremont, who had started 14th in the field, worked his way up to second by lap 20, and then rocketed past Johnson three laps later to get the lead for good. A caution on lap 31 put Jumpin’ Jack right on Tremont’s rear bumper one final time, but Tremont pulled away to record his first win at Albany-Saratoga since Aug. 22, 2003.

"We didn’t get a win here last year. And to tell you the truth, last year is something I would just as soon forget," Tremont said after the race.

Tremont has been on a roller-coaster at Albany-Saratoga in the last two seasons. In 2003, he put together his own small block team, after racing for his cousin Dennis for years, and won the track championship. But last year, he failed to record a win at Malta for the first time since 1992.

"I changed my whole way of thinking this year and after some setup changes, we actually went opposite of where we were last year and here we are, in victory lane," Tremont said.

Bob Savoie, who started third, jumped out to an early lead, but most of the action was behind him, as Tremont, Johnson and Brett Hearn were working their way through the pack.

Johnson was the quickest to the front, moving into the No. 2 position on lap 18, and then taking the lead away from Savoie two laps later. Savoie then slipped a couple of more positions, allowing Tremont and Hearn to move up to second and third. Tremont and Johnson were side by side when they passed in front of the flaggers’ stand on lap 22, but a Tony Kowalczak spin brought out the caution.

Tremont used the subsequent restart to get the lead, and that’s where he stayed, finishing 1.874 seconds ahead of Johnson.

Hearn, who had won on opening night, had to settle for third, with Savoie fourth and Don Ackner fifth.

Completing the top 10 were Jack Cottrell, Ronnie Johnson, Gene Munger, Matt Delorenzo and Tim Clemons, the 2004 sportsman champion who is campaigning the John Kollar-owned car in the modified division this year.

Tim Hartman picked up his first win of the season in the 20-lap sportsman feature. Hartman had his work cut out for him, starting sixth and knowing that talented second-year driver Mike Tholin was on the pole.

A caution on lap seven allowed Hartman to get the lead, and he and Tholin then put on a whale of a battle. Tholin snatched the lead back on lap nine and did everything he could to hold off Hartman, but with two laps to go, Hartman finally made the pass for the lead for the final time, and beat Tholin and Joe Budka to the finish line by less than a second. Neal Erickson finished fourth, with David Peek fifth.

Scott Duell, who joined the Lazzaro Motorsports team during the offseason just to stay in racing, helped pay off some of his debt, driving to his first win of the year in the 20-lap pro street stock feature. Duell started on the pole and led all 20 laps, but never had time to even take a breath, as defending track champion Butchie Irwin was breathing down his neck for the second half of the race. But Duell held his line like a veteran, beating Irwin to the finish line by 0.215 seconds. Robert Langevin was third, with Duell’s new teammate, Hollywood Joe Santoro, fourth and Lori Cary fifth.

The flaggers got a good scare when Dean Charbonneau flipped down the front stretch during the pro street stock feature. Chardonneau’s car actually bounced off the side of the flagstand, and the race had to be red-flagged for track crews to replace a cable that was taken down. But no one was injured.

The Rentway limiteds were back in action Friday night, with Byron Wescott picking up his second consecutive victory. Despite starting ninth, Wescott had the lead after sixth laps and held off polesitter Curtis Condon to get the victory. Mike Pfau crossed the finish line third, with John Filarecki fourth and Jim Monroe fifth.

The Pro Built mini stocks were in action for the first time, with Kevin Connors dominating the four-cylinder feature and Jeremy Brownell outrunning Randy Senecal to win the six-cylinder division.

The Empire Super Sprints will be making their first appearance at the speedway in two years when Albany-Saratoga Speedway returns to action on Friday, May 13. All other divisions will be in action with the exception of the sportsmen, who will have the night off. Racing will begin at 7 p.m.

BOBCAT OF SARATOGA MODIFIEDS: KEN TREMONT JR., Jack Johnson, Brett Hearn, Bob Savoie, Don Ackner, Jack Cottrell, Ronnie Johnson, Gene Munger, Matt DeLorenzo, Tim Clemons, Keith Flach, Tony Kowalczak, Ken McGuire, Ray Hoard, Don Ronca, Ron Proctor, Frank Hoard Sr., Todd Stone, Mike Ronca, Derrick McGrew, Todd Ryan, A.J. Romano.

SPORTSMEN: TIM HARTMAN, Mike Tholin, Joe Budka, Neal Erickson, David Peek, David Towns, Rich Ronca, Chris Busta, Mike Ballestero, Jack Gentile, Jim Cottrell, Johnny Lutes Jr., Stan Lemiesz, Ken Anatriello, Tony Ballestero, Dan Bublak, Dennis Pennock, Bill Cody, Paul Dunham Jr., Dustin Delaney, Matt Depew, Skip Shippee, Rick Davis.

PRO STREET STOCKS: SCOTT DUELL, Butchie Irwin, Robert Langevin, Joe Santoro, Lori Cary, Cale Kneer, Jimmy Eaton, William Smith IV, Don Piper, Mike Paquin, Jeff Washburn, Steve Burega, Joe Mottoshiski, Mark Dresher, Brian Ashline, Vince Santoro, Scott Fowler, Bob Schmidt, Bernie Companion, Walt Brownell Jr., Dave Uline, Dean Charbonneau, Chris Maxon, Adam Tranka.

RENTWAY LIMITEDS: BYRON WESCOTT, Curtis Condon, Mike Pfau, John Filarecki, Jim Monroe, Mark Burch, Bob Smith, Jeff Monroe, Richard Burke, Mike Scorzelli, Adam Stoddard, John Morris Jr., Kevin Van Chance, Amanda Clemens, Mike Minick, Thomas Conroy, Richard Holmes, Jim Monroe Jr., Robert Bublak.

PRO BUILT MINI STOCKS (SIX-CYLINDER): JEREMY BROWNELL, Randy Senecal, Randy Mann, Matt Thomas, Chris McCarthy, Dan Uber, Ryan Pechtel, Mike Duclos, Rich Mrzyglod, Kewis Kusalonski, Amy Benaquista, Emerson Ostrander.

PRO BUILT MINI STOCKS (FOUR-CYLINDER): Kevin Connors, Ben Durie, Mike Cranston, Randy Senecal, John Baldwin, Brett Osgood, Matt Corbiel, John Willis, Joe Baker, Mark Emigh, Chris Greene, Travis Tromans, Tyler Peetz.