Hearn is hooked up at Malta

MALTA - Remember that slow start Brett Hearn got at Albany-Saratoga Speedway? Well, that's ancient history now.

After tinkering with the setup in a new car, the 4-Star Racing Team has finally come up with something that Hearn likes, and he proved it Friday night, when he drove to his second consecutive 358-modified victory at the Malta track.

Despite starting 16th and having only two cautions to work with, Hearn got the lead on lap 25 and finished with a half-a-straightaway lead over defending track champion Ken Tremont Jr. when the checkered flag fell.

The win was the 86th of Hearn's career at Albany-Saratoga, moving him to within four of tying Jack Johnson at the top of the track's all-time win list.

“I think we might have it figured out now,” said Hearn in victory lane after the win, referring to the Vinny Salerno-owned Teo Pro car, which is new this year.

Although Hearn got the win, Don Mattison and John Proctor kept the crowd buzzing through the first half of the feature with some incredible racing. Mattison set the pace for the first five laps, but Proctor kept setting him up for a pass that finally came on lap six. But the next time around, Mattison was back on the point.

Jeff Trombley brought out the first caution on lap 15, and Proctor used the restart to move back in front, but again, Mattison refused to yield, and on lap 20, was again the lead dog.

By that time, Hearn had cracked the top five, and was on the charge. Taking advantage of a lap-22 restart that sent Jack Johnson to the pits, Hearn only needed three more laps to get the lead, leaving the rest of the field to battle for second.

Tremont finally locked that spot down, while Dave Camara hit the finish line third. Mike Perrotte finished fourth, with Mike Ronca fifth.

“We just have to get a little bit better,” said Tremont, who is still looking for his first win of the season.

Completing the top 10 were Mattison, Proctor, Matt DeLorenzo, Elmo Reckner and Jimmy Cottrell.

Defending sportsman champion Mike Ketchum went flag-to-flag to record his first victory of the season in that division. Mike Tholin and Chris Busta waged a great battle for second, with Tholin just beating Busta to the finish line. Joe Santoro and Mark Kislowski completed the top five.

Lori Langevin made her way to victory lane for the second straight week in the 25-lap pro-street stock feature. After starting sixth, she grabbed the lead away from Bernie Companion on lap 10 and had a comfortable cushion over Ed Thompson and Companion at the finish.

The budget sportsman ran a special 50-lap feature, and Ricky Quick was glad to see the extra laps. Despite starting dead last in the 22-car field because of a handicapping snafu, Quick charged from the rear to come away with his first win of the season.

Scott Duell came off the front row and set the pace for the first 38 laps, but Quick got the lead on lap 39 and left Frank Hoard III and Cullen Howe to duke it out for second. Hoard won that battle, with Howe third, Frank Corradi breaking into the top five for the first time this season and Duell fifth.

Mike Ostrander held off Ken Conroy to take the checkered flag for the first time this season in the limited feature. Conroy took the lead twice in the closing stages of the race, but Ostrander used a last-lap pass to get the victory.

Albany-Saratoga Speedway will return to action on Friday, June 6, with the Spring Championships, offering double points in all divisions. The Central New York Mini-Sprints are also on the racing card, with competition beginning at 6:45 p.m.

MODIFIED: BRETT HEARN, Ken Tremont Jr., Dave Camara, Mike Perrotte, Mike Ronca, Don Mattison, John Proctor, Matt DeLorenzo, Elmo Reckner, Jimmy Cottrell, Tony Kawalchuk, Ronnie Johnson, Robert King, Marc Johnson, Don Ronca, A.J. Romano, Keith Flach, Vince Quenneville Jr., Jim Becker, Todd Stone, Ron Proctor, Jack Johnson, Jeff Trombley, Don Ackner.

SPORTSMAN: MIKE KETCHUM, Mike Tholin, Chris Busta, Joe Santoro, Mark Kislowski, Rich Ronca, Kory Sandstedt, Josh Hohenforst, Dave Manny, Matt Depew, Derrick McGrew, Pep Corradi, Corey Gilligan, Stan Lemiesz, Pat O'Hanlon, Whitey Slavin, Rob Langevin, Ken Anatriello, Jack Gentile, Bill Bokus, Dave DePaolo, Tyler Curtis, Andy Boniewski, John Rheome.

PRO-STREET STOCKS: LORI LANGEVIN, Ed Thompson, Bernie Companion, Kim Duell, Greg McGill, Walt Brownell, Vinnie Santoro, Jeff Washburn, Mike Paquin, Pete Broderson, Jim Monroe, Charles Towslee, Cale Kneer, Phil DeFiglio, Kevin Van Chance, Jake Losaw, Bill Smith IV, Randy Miller, Rob Yetman, Bobby Schmidt, Jim Groncki, Darryl Carl, Tom O'Connor.

BUDGET SPORSMAN (50 LAPS): RICKY QUICK, Frank Hoard !!!, Cullen Howe, Frank Corradi, Scott Duell, Mike Visconti, Paul Dunham, Al Williams, Fred Proctor, Bryan Davis, Mike Burdo, Anthony Marro, Bill Lussier, Mathew Hyde, Pete Carlotto, Jimmy Eaton, Ralph Denison, Scot Straight, Dennis Pennock, Rick LaMont, D.J. Brundige, Chuck Dickinson.

LIMITEDS: MIKE OSTRANDER, Ken Conroy, Dave Billings, Mark Lester, Dan Petronis, John Filarecki, Dan Older, Yule Cook, No. 112, Megan Purstell, Brian Ashline, Dan Carlton, Steve Burch, Jon Miller, John Morris Jr., Rich Howe, Jim Monroe, Brian O'Reilly.