MALTA, N.Y. — Matt DeLorenzo, one of the hottest drivers at the Albany-Saratoga Speedway last season, has been consistent but not fast enough to win in 2019.
Friday night he finally broke loose, handily winning the 35-lap DIRTcar modified feature, taking the lead in the tight points battle as well.
Three yellows in the first four laps kept the field closed up but didn’t let the 12th-starting DeLorenzo build up much momentum around his favored outside groove. Mike Mahaney benefitted most from the early yellows, scooting from 10th to stand third on the lap four restart. But from there he stalled out and DeLorenzo closed rapidly on the lead pack under an extended green.
With Mahaney working second place Don Ronca behind leader Kris Vernold, the fleet DeLorenzo swept around the lead pack, going from third to first in one swoop on lap 13. By halfway, he was long gone, with Vernold, Mahaney, Brian Berger, Ronca and Rocky Warner dueling behind him.
A yellow right after halfway broke DeLorenzo’s momentum momentarily but a return to green saw him drive away again as Warner clawed his way to second just before the lap counter hit 30. By then, hard track specialist Marc Johnson had arrived from the last row to challenge Warner, finally grabbing second with three to go. Warner followed DeLorenzo and Johnson to the checkers, with Mahaney and 15th-starting Peter Britten rounding out the top five.
Brandon Emigh bested Josh Coonradt and Dan and Darrell Older to claim the Pro Stock feature, while Derek Bornt prevailed in the $1,000-to-win Dean’s Electric Service Sportsman Shootout. He was trailed by Brian Calabrese and a fast closing Tim Hartman Jr.