MALTA, N.Y. – With a number of regulars absent due to the weekend’s major events at Orange County Fair Speedway, the DIRTcar modified feature lineup at the Albany-Saratoga Speedway was set by heat finishes after a blind draw for heat starting positions.
Ronnie Johnson, who won his heat, then started on the outside front row of the feature and led green to checkers to notch his 30th win at the four-tenths-mile oval.
That’s not to say he wasn’t challenged, as Kenny Tremont Jr. advanced from 12th to second, swapping the spot back and forth with sixth starting Rocky Warner, but in the end neither had much to throw at the fleet Johnson.
“I didn’t know what to expect with the late afternoon rain and the wet, narrow track conditions,” said Johnson. “When I saw Tremont alongside for that one restart, I knew he’d come a long way. That’s why I took the bottom, so whoever challenged me would have to go around me, and it worked out.”
At the checkers, Warner was second ahead of Tremont, Jessey Mueller, Matt DeLorenzo, Matt DePew, Keith Flach, Don Ronca, Brian Berger and David Schilling.
Polesitter Bobby Hackel III and third starting Flach had battled for second early on but both got to bouncing on the huge turn one cushion, drawing a caution that saw Hackel retire for the evening and forced Flach to start working his way back from the rear.
In the companion USAC-DMA Midget Series feature, Jason Goff put on a big charge from eighth to take the lead on lap two, after which he drove away from the field.
Justin Phelps advanced almost as far, working his way from sixth to stand third on a lap three restart, then jumping to second on the green. Behind him, Will Hull and Joe Krawiec battled for third until Hull’s motor expired with one lap to go. At the checkers, it was Goff, Phillips, Krawiec, Jeff Horn, Tim West and David Moniz.
Connor Cleveland claimed his second Sportsman feature of the season, besting Jack Sperlock, Jon Miller, Tim Hartman Jr. and Stephen Kneer.