MALTA, N.Y. — Jack Lehner claimed his second DIRTcar big block modified win of the season Friday night at the Albany-Saratoga Speedway but it wasn’t easy. From 17th on the grid to victory lane is never easy!
Polesitter C.G. Morey led off the break but by the time he got to turn three of the three-eighths-mile oval, fifth-starting Andrew Buff was alongside and he took the lead off turn four. For a while, the rim riding rookie appeared to be headed for his first win ever but by the late teen’s, defending track champion Mike Mahaney had clawed his way from 11th to second and appeared ready to slide under the leader.
Then, on lap 20, the night’s only yellow flew, setting up a pivotal restart. When the green reappeared, Buff edged up off the bottom, moving Mahaney up and leaving the inside lane open as they battled for the lead. That was all Lehner, who amazingly had advanced to third before the restart, needed.
“I found the bottom first!” declared Lehner. “They watered the track and ran it in before the feature and everyone thought it would be top dominant. I set up my car to run the bottom, figuring everyone would be up top and the inside lane would be open and it worked.
“Then, on the restart, the guys in front of me were fighting for the top and it let me pass them both on the bottom. Before the restart, I figured I’d end up third.”
Lehner took command on lap 23 as Buff and Mahaney battled behind him. Mahaney finally prevailed with two to go in the 35-lapper but while he closed on Lehner, he ran out of time to mount a serious challenge.
The last lap turned out to be the most exciting of the race, with last week’s winner, Justin Stone, hitting the finish line three wide with Buff and Demetrious Drellos. Stone was third by inches over Drellos and Buff, with the second five consisting of Ronnie Johnson, Peter Britten, Marc Johnson, Morey and Jack Speshock.
“That restart didn’t go in my favor,” offered a dejected Mahaney. “He went from the bottom to the top and pushed me up. That gave the bottom, where I wanted to be, to Jack.”
“That finish was crazy,” added Stone. “The water they put down gave us two good lanes and let us move around. We used it all there at the end!”
In the visiting DMA Midgets finale, rim rider Chris Murray charged from eighth to battle early leader Brandon Piastka for the lead. He caught Piastka just before halfway of the 20-lap finale but it took him until lap 16 to put Piastka away.
Meanwhile, 360 sprint car regular Matt Tanner and Will Hull were working their way forward from row 6 and they finished that way behind Piestka. Daniel Piastka rounded out the top five with John Forlano, Justin Phillips and Adam Whitney trailing.
“I had to put it all on the line on the top to get the lead,” said Murray. “Then I saw Brandon’s nose under me once so I moved down to protect the lead.”
In supporting class action, Chuckie Dumbluski prevailed over Jaxson Ryan, PJ Cram and old pro Rob Yetman in the Pro Stocks. Chris Crane Jr bested the Sportsman field with Connor Crane, Thomas Van Vorst, Jordan Hill and Cam Van Zandt trailing.
