MALTA, N.Y. — It was a huge night of racing at the Albany-Saratoga Speedway Friday night. It was the final points night, the SCONE Sprint Car Series was in town and the DIRTcar Pro Stock division ran the biggest race in the country for the division.
Jack Lehner picked up the DIRTcar Modified feature event win while Shane Henderson was victorious in the $10,000 to win Autism Awareness Pro Stock Event.
Rich Ronca and Brenda Darrah brough the field of DIRTcar Modifieds to the green with Ronca taking the early lead over Neil Stratton and Matt Depew. Stratton took the lead on lap three and quickly opened up a five-car length advantage over Ronca and Darrah.
On lap six Marc Johnson took a nasty ride in between turns one and two, rolling several times.
When racing resumed Stratton held the top spot with Jack Lehner taking over second, Darrah third, Ronca fourth and Ronnie Johnson fifth. Lehner quickly closed on Stratton and on lap 11 took over the race lead. Johnson moved to second at the same time.
Lehner and Stratton battled side by side for the top spot, exchanging the race lead as Johnson moved into third past Darrah. Lehner cleared Stratton on lap 15 but the second-generation driver from Vermont came right back.
As Lehner slowly opened the gap between himself and Stratton, Matt Sheppard had moved into the fourth position. With ten laps to go Sheppard had closed in on Johnson for third and used the inside line to take over the final podium position. Sheppard was not done and on lap 31 moved past Stratton for second and set his sights on Lehner.
Sheppard, who started 14th, would run out of time and had to settle for second. Lehner picked up the win over Sheppard, Johnson, Stratton and Matt DeLorenzo.
With his fifth-place finish DeLorenzo was crowned the 2026 DIRTcar Modified Track Champion.
Kim Duell and Jay Fitzgerald led the 32-car starting field to the green with Duell taking the early lead in the 64-lap event over Fitzgerald and Kyle Strickler. The caution flag waved on lap one when Chris Crane, Jr., Andy Graves and Jon Miller tangled in turn two.
With caution laps counting, racing resumed on lap four with Duell continuing to lead with Strickler following. On lap five multiple cars came together in turn two, with Jordan Modiano getting upside down.
After a caution for Scott Duell, racing resumed on lap ten Duell and Strickler again ran one-two with Rob Yetman, Fitzgerald and Shane Playford rounding out the top five. Playford took the fourth position on lap 12 and brought Shane Henderson with him. Henderson was not done and took over fourth from Playford.
Yetman’s good run took a turn for the worse as he spun in turn one on lap 14.
Racing resumed on lap 18 with Duell and Strickler battling for the lead. Duell would retain the lead with Henderson challenging Strickler for second on lap 19. Beau Ballard ran fourth and Bastien Caron fifth.
Chris Wemple spun on the front stretch on lap 21, forcing another caution period.
The field came back to green on lap 24 with Strickler taking the lead over Duell, Henderson, Ballard and Caron. The caution waved on lap 29 when J.J. Courcy came to a stop in turn one.
Strickler and Duell brought the field back to the green on lap 31 Strickler, Duell and Beau Ballard occupied the podium positions. On lap 33 Duell pulled alongside Strickler and the duo battled for the lead as Ballard closed in from third.
Tom Dean came to a stop on lap 35 forcing the event to go back under the caution flag.
When racing resumed on lap 38 Duell held the lead with Ballard battling Strickler for second. Five laps later Duell had a sizeable advantage over Ballard and Strickler who were still battling for the runner up position.
The caution waved again on lap 45 for Shane Playford who was involved in an incident in turn four.
The green flag waved again on lap 45 with Duell out front. Henderson moved to second with Ballard in third. Strickler and Kyle Hoard came together in turn four on lap 47, bringing out the yellow flag.
Duell and Henderson brought the field back to green with Henderson taking the lead over Duell and last year’s race winner Pete Stefanski. Ballard spun on the backstretch, entering turn three on lap 50.
On the restart Henderson held the lead as Duell battled Stefanski for second. In the end no one could catch Henderson, who picked up the biggest win of his career. Stefanski finished second with Duell third, Kyle Hoard fourth Chuck Dumblewski fifth.
Joey Scarborough won the DIRTcar Sportsman feature event. Bobby Hackel, IV won the 25-lap SCONE A-Main.
