MALTA, N.Y. — Marc Johnson, rode his trusty steed to his third DIRTcar big block modified win of the season Friday night in the Albany-Saratoga Speedway’s “Stan Da Man 32.”
The $3,200 to win event honored the late Stan Devore, father of longtime Albany-Saratoga promoter Lyle Devore and a big fan of ’32 Ford hot rods, hence the “32” theme for the evening. In turn, Lyle Devore, who passed away in the off-season, will be honored next Friday with a memorial event.
Jeremy Pitts earned a hard fought second with Justin Stone, Peter Britten and Matt DeLorenzo rounding out the top five. Jack Speshock, Jack Lehner, Ronnie Johnson, William Racine and Andrew Buff trailed.
Josh Masterson outgunned front row companion Rich Ronca on the initial start and led through a lap 11 yellow with Ronca in hot pursuit. Behind them, Marc Johnson had been running right on the edge of the infield and picking off cars one to show fifth for the restart. He then jumped to third on the restart and drew a bead on the leaders.
Ronca finally got the lead just before halfway with Speshock in tow but their time out front was short. Johnson snared second on lap 19, got even with Ronca the next time around and took command a lap later. He’d already built a solid lead when a handful of cars went around on the frontstretch with seven to go in the 35-lapper but lost it when the yellow flew.
With order restored, Johnson drove away on the restart only to have his progress halted by two more cautions. But he scooted away on each restart and won comfortably.
“We changed our baseline earlier and on the first lap I had a huge push,” tipped the winner. “But after we got some heat in the right rear we were OK. I found that little bit of moisture on the extreme inside that let me blast off the turns and get to the front. I was so good down there that I knew nobody could get around me.”
Pitts, on the other hand, was happy just getting to the checkers.
“The motor started to vibrate with two to go but we made it. I had to try the outside on Marc, because you’re not going to pass him if you’re in his tracks, but tonight that wasn’t the fast way around.”
“We tried something and I think we went in the right direction but it was still hard to pass,” added Stone. “You have to be perfect but the track keeps changing so it’s hard to hit it just right.”
In Sportsman action, Tim Hartman Jr. bested Joey Scarborough, Taylor Wasson and Derrick McGrew Jr. while Scott Duell won a tight Pro Stock feature over Kyle Hoard and his father, Kim Duell.
