MALTA, N.Y. — Kenny Tremont Jr. had started to wonder if he would ever get back to victory lane, as he hadn’t won since last October, but he belayed those thoughts Friday night at the Albany-Saratoga Speedway with a win over hard-charging Marc Johnson and an equally quick Ronnie Johnson.
The duo had started just behind Tremont, who lined up 10th for the DIRTcar modified finale, but Tremont got a big start around the outside and had advanced to fourth by the first yellow at lap eight, leaving his pursuers to pick off cars one by one.
Polesitter Scott Huber led off the initial break but on lap three 14-year-old Derrick McGrew Jr. took command and led through the first yellow on lap eight. Rim-riding Bobby Hackel III got around McGrew shortly after the restart, with Tremont following to show second at lap 10.
Another yellow on lap 11 put the leaders side by side, with Tremont driving underneath Hackel on the green to get the lead only to have another yellow fly, negating the pass.
On the next try, Tremont had to run inside Hackel for two laps but finally got the lead on lap 13 and began building a lead. But Marc Johnson was leading the charge behind him and finally seized second from Hackel on lap 20.
Two laps later Tremont got to the backmarkers and Johnson began to close the gap, as did third running Ronnie Johnson. Tremont seemed to benefit when he got to traffic with five to go in the 35-lapper, as lapped cars racing each other took away Marc’s favored bottom line and gave Tremont breathing room.
Tremont, who was better than the others when forced to run high, led both Johnsons to the checkers with Jack Lehner and defending track champion Mike Mahaney rounding out the top five.
“I thought those lapped cars were going to hurt me but they were mostly good,” tipped Tremont. “A couple of them were racing each other, so Marc and I both had to run the top to get around them, though we would much rather have been on the bottom.
“You think you can still win at my age but you never know for sure until you actually do it. The track was 100 percent better this week and so was my car. I could have gone harder but I was worried about going off the end, so I waited to see a nose but it never came.”
“The lapped cars were right where I needed to be,” said Marc Johnson. “I was running him down but it’s easier in traffic when you’re running second. My car never felt really good all night, so all in all I’m happy with second.”
In supporting class action, Tim Hartman Jr. bested Chris Johnson, Connor Cleveland and David Boisclair to claim the $1,000 to win Sportsman feature.
Bryce Breault edged Dylan Madsen in the Limited Sportsman finale with Jimmy Duncan prevailing in the Street Stocks.