MALTA, N.Y. — Justin Stone, Felix Roy and Chris Crane, Jr. did something Friday night at the Albany-Saratoga Speedway that not many can do – they beat Mother Nature.
Stone (DIRTcar Modified), Roy (DIRTcar 358 Modifieds) and Crane (DIRTcar Sportsman) won their respective feature events before rain came washing out the remainder of the program.
A veteran and a rookie led the DIRTcar Modified feature event to the green with the rookie – Dylan Grogan leading the veteran – C.G. Morey early on.
Grogan opened up comfortable lead early on as Justin Stone moved into second and Jack Lehner third. With five laps on the lap counter, the top three remained unchanged. They were joined by Rich Ronca and Brendan Darrah inside the top five.
Darrah though was in a battle with Morey and Brian Calabrese for that fifth position. By lap ten Morey would take the position.
At the same time Stone pulled a slide job on Grogan for the race lead as the duo entered turn four. It worked and Stone took control of the race lead. Lehner would follow through for second shortly after. Calabrese found the high side to his liking and at the same time, took over fifth from Morey.
Just as Lehner made a move for the lead, Mike Mahaney spun exiting turn four. This forced the caution flag to wave. Mahaney took it to the hot pit to change a Hoosier Racing Tire.
On the restart Stone and Lehner resumed their battle for the top spot while Calabrese moved into third, Darrah fourth and Ronca fifth. Stone and Calabrese were married to the top side while Legner and Darrah kept way down low as the drivers battled for their respective positions.
Neil Stratton brought the caution flag out again on lap 23 after he came to a stop on the outside of turn two.
When racing resumed Stone continued to hold the lead however rookie Andrew Buff spun to the infield after contact with Darrah, causing the caution lights to come back on.
On the restart Stone and Lehner battled for the lead while Matt DeLorenzo battled Calabrese for third. DeLorenzo would take the position.
By lap 28 the top two had opened a pretty sizeable gap between themselves and the current points leader – DeLorenzo.
With five laps to go the leaders were still side by side with Stone having the narrowest of advantages. On lap 32 Stone went a little higher in turn one and it paid off with more momentum.
That is all the third-generation driver needed. Stone held on over the final few laps to claim the win over Lehner, DeLorenzo, Calabrese and Demetrios Drellos.
Felix Roy won the 25-lap DIRTcar 358 Modified feature event. A.J. Munger and Felix Roy battled early for the race lead with Munger holding a narrow lead. The top two remained the same as the race hit lap five with Jesse Mueller, Marc Johnson and Jack Speshock battling for third.
Roy took over the top spot on lap six and quickly put a few car lengths between himself and Munger.
The caution flag waved on lap nine when Zach Buff spun in turn four.
When racing returned to green Roy held the lead with Johnson moving to second and Munger, who had a left front flat tire, third. Mueller took over third on lap 11 forcing Munger to fourth.
As the race reached lap 15, Roy held a health lead over Johnson, Mueller, Munger and fifth place running Brendan Gibbons. Gibbons took over fourth from Munger on lap 17, forcing the second-generation driver from Vermont to fifth. Speshock would take over fifth on lap 20.
Mueller drove off the high side of turn two on lap 21, forcing him back to fifth. A lap later Neil Stratton slowed on the backstretch, bringing out the caution flag.
While under yellow the rains came, forcing the cars off the track and ending the night. The race was marked complete with Roy picking up the win over Johnson, Gibbons, Speshock and Mueller.
Chris Crane, Jr. won the 25-lap DIRTcar Sportsman feature event.
