MALTA, N.Y. — With beautiful weather greeting drivers and fans on Friday night, the Albany-Saratoga Speedway presented the first of their weekly programs, which kicked off the points season for their weekly divisions.
When the final checkered flag waved on the night a pair of drivers would share the spotlight as the winners of the nights entertaining headliners.
Those drivers are two-time DIRTcar Modified track champion Marc Johnson and last year’s DIRTcar Modified titlist Mike Mahaney.
Johnson and Mike Mahaney led the DIRTcar Modified field to the green flag with Johnson leading the first lap over Mahaney, Brian Calabrese, Jack Lehner and Justin Stone. Matt Delorenzo, who nearly won the Super DIRTcar Series 61st Season Opener event one week earlier, moved past Stone for fifth soon after.
The race for the third position started to heat up by lap six and within two more laps it was a three-car dance between Lehner, Calabrese and Delorenzo. By lap ten Lehner had left the Calabrese/Delorenzo battle. Delorenzo would take over fourth on lap 12.
By lap 15 Johnson held about a 10-car length advantage over second place Mahaney as Lehner closed in from third. Soon there after the top three entered slower traffic which allowed Lehner to close the gap between himself and Mahaney to about three car lengths.
On lap 22 Johnson got trapped behind the slower cars of Derek Borndt and C.G. Morey. It took Johnson a couple of laps to clear the duo. As the lap counter clicked off lap 25, Delorenzo had reeled him Lehner. The Cropseyville, New York driver took over the spot on lap 25.
With five laps to go Johnson again entered a gaggle of slower traffic. Delorenzo took a look to the inside of Mahaney for second and the duo battled for the runner up position while closing on Johnson. With two laps to go the top five were under a blanket, battling for the win.
Johnson would hold on for the win over Mahaney, Delorenzo, Lehner and Calabrese. The heats races were won by Jack Lehner, Matt Delorenzo and Mike Mahaney. The Four States Enterprises Dash was won by Lehner. A total of 23 drivers entered the event.
Mike Mahaney won the 25-lap season opener for the DIRTcar 358 Modified division. Neil Stratton and Mahaney led the field to the green with Vermont’s Stratton pacing the field early on. Mahaney held down the second spot with Chris Curtis third. Within a couple of laps Curtis would be all over Mahaney for the runner up position however he could not find a way by.
Stratton, using the top side of the oval left the bottom groove open for Mahaney who took full advantage on lap seven and took over the lead. Curtis and defending DIRTcar 358 Modified Track Champion Felix Roy closed in on Stratton and by lap ten had moved past. Roy wasted no time and took over second from Curtis at the same time.
As the race closed in on halfway, Mahaney was mired deep in slower traffic. This allowed Roy to close in and the remainder of the top five to put on a show for the fans.
The caution flag waved for the first time on lap 15 when Ryan Health was the unfortunate meat in the sandwich between Stratton and Curtis. Heath would find himself over the turn one banking.
The restart would see Mahaney and Roy come to the green side by side with Mahaney holding the lead, followed by a new battle between Roy and Marc Johnson. Johnson took over the position on lap 16 and set his sights on Mahaney.
In the end Johnson could not catch the Adirondack Auto number 35 of Mahaney. Johnson had to settle for second with Roy third, Stratton fourth and Curtis fifth.
Chris Crane Jr. won the 25-lap DIRTcar Sportsman feature event. Brandon Emigh won the 25-lap DIRTcar Pro Stock feature event.
