Hearn hits 70th win at Malta 

MALTA - Brett Hearn hit another milestone in his racing career Friday night, picking up his 70th career victory at Albany-Saratoga Speedway.

In what looked very much like a repeat performance from the previous week, Hearn overpowered the field in the 35-lap Bobcat of Saratoga 358 modified feature to get his ninth victory of the season, and move a step closer to his second straight track championship.

Friday night's racing featured the return of the big block modifieds to Albany-Saratoga, but even the big blocks couldn't touch Hearn's Delaney Construction-sponsored small block, which was the dominant car all night.

Mike Perrotte, the driver-turned-promoter who has spent as much time running his own racetrack as he has competing this season, started on the outside pole and set the early pace. But Ronnie Johnson and the JPR Construction small block were on the move early, and Johnson took over the lead on lap six.

Hearn, who had started 13th, cracked the top five by lap 11 and took advantage of a couple of restarts to quickly gain ground. On lap 16, he rocketed past Jack Cottrell to take over third, and set his sights on Johnson and Perrotte.

Perrotte was the first to go, giving up the No. 2 spot to Hearn on lap 19. Johnson looked strong, but Hearn kept pressuring and on lap 26, put the Vinny Salerno-owned small block in the top spot.

Lapped traffic helped Hearn build a 2.576-second margin of victory over Johnson at the finish. The runner-up finish was Johnson's third of the season, and all three times, he's been behind Hearn.

Ken Tremont Jr. came on strong during the latter stages of the race and hit the checkered flag third, with Perrotte fourth and Matt Delorenzo fifth. Perrotte's run was his first top-five finish of the season.

Cottrell finished sixth, with Bobby Varin sixth in the Jake Spraker big block. Completing the top 10 were A.J. Romano, Don Mattison and Keith Flach.

Friday was a night for repeat performances, as Joe Budka drove to his second straight victory in the 20-lap sportsman feature. The win was the fourth of the season for Budka, who has overcome a slow start to climb to second in the point chase.

Teenager Dustin Delaney, who has been in a slump since picking up his first career victory on June 10, was hooked up Friday night and came out of the fourth row to secure the lead on lap six in the sportsman feature.

Budka had started deep in the field, in 17th position, after being forced to qualify through the B main in the Schenectady Unit Parts small block, but three cautions in the first six laps helped him slice through the field. By the midway point of the race, the only three cars left in front of him were Delaney, Rich Ronca and point leader Tim Hartman, who has been consistent, but winless, since May 27.

Budka swooped around both Hartman and Ronca on lap 11, and the next time around, kept the B&H Racing 64 wound up and dropped Delaney to second.

Delaney hung tough, but had to settle for the the No. 2 position, 0.464 seconds behind Budka. Hartman hit the line third, with Dick Bisson fourth and Ronca fifth.

Joe Santoro broke out of his summer slump and drove to his seventh win of the season in the 20-lap pro-street stock feature. After starting seventh, Santoro only needed five laps to get to the front and held off teammate Scott Duell to get the victory, the 26th of his career at the Malta track.

The Rentway limited feature was an all-Monroe affair, with Jeff holding off Jim Sr. for his third win of the season. Dan Petronis led the first 11 laps of the 15-lap feature before Jeff Monroe, who had started 10th, got the lead for good. In the final four laps, Petronis was shuffled back to fourth, behind the Monroes and Kevin VanChance.

In the Pro-Built mini-stock features, Randy Manhey picked up his seventh win of the year in the six-cylinder division, and John Baldwin took the checkered flag for the fifth time in the four-cylinder class.

Another big block/small block challenge is set for Friday, Sept. 2, at Albany-Saratoga Speedway, with all other divisions also in action. Racing will begin at 7 p.m.

BOBCAT OF SARATOGA MODIFIEDS: BRETT HEARN, Ronnie Johnson, Ken Tremont Jr., Mike Perrotte, Matt Delorenzo, Jack Cottrell, Bobby Varin, A.J. Romano, Don Mattison, Keith Flach, Don Ackner, Mike Ronca, Frank Hoard Sr., Todd Ryan, Craig Hanson, Paul Cirincione, Marc Johnson, Ken McGuire, Don Ronca, Ryan Odasz, Robert King, Mike Kulzer, Erik Mack, Ron Proctor, Jack Johnson, Tim Clemons, John Proctor.

SPORTSMAN: JOE BUDKA, Dustin Delaney, Tim Hartman, Dick Bisson, Rich Ronca, Jimmy Cottrell, Chris Busta, Matt Depew, David Peek, Jack Swinton, Jack Gentile, Ken Anatriello, Mike Tholin, Neal Erickson, Bill Cody, Rick Davis, Ed Pieniazek Jr., Jamie Proctor, Brian Holbritter, Tony Ballestero, Adam Tranka, Skip Shippee, Chris Johnson, Dan Bublak, Mike Pinke.

PRO-STREET STOCKS: JOE SANTORO, Scott Duell, Butchie Irwin, Rob Langevin, Jimmy Eaton, Dean Charbonneau, Lori Cary, Lenny Brice, Steve Burega, Mark Dresher, Don Piper, Bob Schmidt, Matt Anatriello, Cale Kneer, Tom O'Connor, Jeff Washburn, Chris Maxon, Dan Madigan, Vince Santoro, Bernie Companion, William Smith IV.

RENTWAY LIMITEDS: JEFF MONROE, Jim Monroe Sr., Kevin VanChance, Dan Petronis, Paul Mulrain, Mike Pfau, John Filarecki, John Morris Jr., Rich Holmes, Jim Monroe Jr., Byron Wescott, Mike Ostrander, Tom Conroy, Dan Daniels, Mark Emigh, Bob Smith, Rich Burke, Brian Haas, Charlie Koenig, Steve Holcomb, Mike Scorzelli, Tom Pierce.

PRO-BUILT MINI-STOCKS (SIX-CYLINDER): RANDY MANHEY, Jeremy Brownell, Dan Uber, Tom Jeffalone, Kevin Lukasik, Mike Duclos, Ray Galusha, Amy Benacquista, Chris McCarthy, Randy Senecal, Lewis Kusalonis.

PRO-BUILT MINI-STOCKS (FOUR-CYLINDER): JOHN BALDWIN, Mike Cranston, Roger Newkirk, Travis Tromans, Kevin Connors, Tim Sayers, Rich Gorman, Pete Willis, Joe Baker, Brett Osgood, Chris Greene, Ryan Pechtel, Jeremy Curley, Jason Dickson, Mark Emigh.