ELMO RECKNER stuns Albany-Saratoga field to notch first career mod victory

MALTA - The all-time win list at Albany-Saratoga Speedway reads like a Who's Who of auto racing, etched with names like Evans, DeSarro, Flemke, Shoemaker, Lazzaro, Lape, Johnson and Hearn.

On Friday night, Elmo Reckner added his name to that illustrious list.

Reckner, whose last win at Albany-Saratoga Speedway came in the hobby stock class a few years ago, held off a late charge from A.J. Romano to record his first career 358-modified victory at the historic Malta track in the 35-lap Bobcat of Saratoga feature.

One thing that made Reckner's victory so improbable was that, until this year, he wasn't even a regular at the speedway, known as one of the toughest tracks in the Northeast to conquer. Because of work commitments at his body shop, Reckner was only racing on Saturday nights. But this year, he's gotten the opportunity to race on a regular basis at Albany-Saratoga, and he made the most of it Friday night.

Reckner started on the pole and led flag-to-flag, but Romano, looking for his first win of the season, made a late charge and pulled even on a couple of occasions late in the feature. But Reckner kept his rebuilt Walt Markert engine humming, and came away with the popular victory.

While Reckner was setting the pace, there was a good deal of exciting racing going on behind him. Ken Tremont Jr. had an eventful night. After starting 15th, Tremont was on the move quickly, and was up to fifth by the eighth lap. But he made contact with another car and the inside barrier in the second turn, which would cause his left front tire to go flat later in the race, keeping him from making a run at the leaders.

Ronnie Johnson was also flying during the middle stages of the race, and with eight laps to go, looked like he had the momentum to take the No. 2 position away from Romano, who was running the low groove on the speedway. Coming out of the fourth turn, Johnson tried to rocket around on the outside of Romano, whose line was taking him to the middle of the track coming out of the corners. The two cars made contact, with Johnson bouncing off the frontstretch wall. Johnson pitted and returned at the rear of the field, but he was never a factor after that.

That left it up to Romano, who hasn't been in victory lane at Malta since Sept. 10, 2004. But Reckner wasn't going to be denied.

After the race, Reckner said he got a lesson from Ronnie Johnson during the week.

“Ronnie saw me earlier in the week and after following me for a while last Friday night, told me to watch the tapes of the race because I was driving into the turns way too hard and then sliding up in the corners,” said Reckner in victory lane. “So I really owe this one to R.J.” Following Reckner and Romano across the finish line were Jack Johnson, Tremont and Jeff Trombley.

Completing the top 10 were Craig Hanson, Vince Quenneville Jr., Don Ronca, Don Ackner and Brett Hearn.

Defending point champion Tim Hartman picked up his first win of the year in the 25-lap sportsman feature. Mike Ballestero started on the pole and set the tone for much of the race, but Hartman, who came out of the seven hole, got around Joe Budka for second on lap 14, and then made the pass for the lead with just four to go. Ballestero hung on for second while Matt Depew had his second straight strong run, crossing the line third. Completing the top five were Ricky Davis and Jack Gentile.

Rob Langevin came away with the victory in the special 50-lap North-South Border War for pro street stocks. Lori Cary and Cale Kneer swapped the lead early in the race, but Langevin, who started seventh, took the lead for good on lap 30 and walked off with the $500 top prize. Jimmy Eaton hit the stripe second, followed by Cary, Vinny Santoro and Fred Little.

Jim Monroe picked up his first win of the year in the limited feature, and Ken Hollenbeck (four-cylinder) and Randy Manhey (six-cylinder) were repeat winners in the mini-stock division.

Albany-Saratoga will be hosting Full Throttle Friday on May 12. That card will include the first appearance of the season by the Empire Super Sprints.

BOBCAT OF SARATOGA MODIFIEDS: ELMO RECKNER, A.J. Romano, Jack Johnson, Ken Tremont Jr., Jeff Trombley, Craig Hanson, Vince Quenneville Jr., Don Ronca, Don Ackner, Brett Hearn, Todd Ryan, Mike Perrotte, Todd Stone, Matt DeLorenzo, Don Scarborough, Keith Flach, Mke Ronca, Ronnie Johnson, Tony Kawalchuk, Ken McGuire, Frank Hoard Sr., Marc Johnson, Jimmy Cottrell, Ron Proctor, Jim Davis, George Morse.

SPORTSMAN: TIM HARTMAN, Mike Ballestero, Matt Depew, Ricky Davis, Jack Gentile, Erik Mack, Dustin Delaney, Chris Busta, Robert Perry, David Peek, Mike Tholin, Stan Lemiesz, Dick Bisson, Brian Gerrain, Joe Budka, Neal Erickson, Whitey Slavin, Rich Ronca, Ken Anatriello, Adam Tranka, Mike Pinke, Skip Shippee, John Calcagni Jr.,

PRO-STREET STOCKS (50 LAPS): ROB LANGEVIN, Jimmy Eaton, Lori Cary, Vince Santoro, Fred Little, Dan Madigan, Dean Charbonneau, Greg McGill, Matt Anatriello, Cale Kneer, Kim Duell, Ed Thompson, Mark Dresher, Chris Maxon, Charles Townslee, Jeff Washburn, Bill Smith IV, Dave Madej, Jon Bates. DQ: Fred Shippee Sr.

LIMITEDS: JIM MONROE, Kevin VanChance, Pete DeFiglio, Rich Holmes, Jim Monroe Jr., John Filarecki, Mike Ostrander, Dan Older, Mike Pfau, John Morris Jr., Tom Conroy, Rich Burke, Dan Petronis, Joey Trudeau, Brandon Emigh, Nick Lussier, Brian Ashline, Mark Emigh, Curtis Condon, Robert Bublak, Tony Condon, D.J. Brundige, Mike Minick, T.J. Pierce.

MINI-STOCKS (FOUR-CYLINDER): KEN HOLLENBECK, Brett Osgood, Charlie Stoddard, Travis Tromans, Andy Hickok, Joe Baker, Mike Cranston, Ted Fitzgerald, John Baldwin, Alecia Mason, Roger Newkirk, Tim Sayers, Chris Greene, Jim Daniels, Jason Dickson.

MINI-STOCKS (SIX-CYLINDER): RANDY MANHEY, T.J. Brunell, Chris McCarthy, Mike Duclos, John Willis, Kevin Lukasik, Ron Zagata, Shawn Anagnos.