By Mark Kane
For Capital Region Independent Media
Capital Region race fans were once again treated to some great weather and even better racing at Albany Saratoga on Friday and Fonda Speedway on Saturday.
I would like to send “Get Well” wishes to Craig Hanson after taking a hard ride into the turn one wall during the first heat on the very first lap of qualifying. After being removed from the car by the Fonda Speedway Safety Team, headed by 40-year veteran and Fonda Hall of Fame member Terri Mohrman, Craig was transported to Albany Medical Center and is now on a long road to recovery.
After hitting the outside wall the car flipped high in the air, coming down hard on the track’s racing surface. The second-generation driver, the son of “Hacksaw” Ken Hanson, Craig is a popular consistent weekly Modified driver with eight feature wins to his credit at the “Track of Champions,” as well as preparing the track weekly.
The driver of the #20 Modified is going to be missed in the weekly NASCAR Modified wars by competitors and fans alike. Get well soon, Craig.
After last week’s perfect weather, a standing-room-only record-breaking crowd, the pit area overflowing into the parking lot, and the last lap pass for the NAPA Modified feature win by Peter Britten, I was looking forward to night No. 2 at the “Great Race Place,” Albany Saratoga Speedway.
There were still race cars parked in the parking lot and a good crowd in the grandstands, but what puts those bodies in the seats is the weekly on track competition. Once again, the racing surface was in mid-season shape, smooth and fast with multi grooves to race on and they used the entire surface and then some.
The 34-car NAPA Modified field was brought to the green by Jack Lehner and defending champion Matt DeLorenzo, with Lehner grabbing the lead into turn one on the low side. Using the high side, DeLorenzo pulled even in turn 3, grabbing the early lead coming out of turn 4 to be the leader of lap one with Lehner, Anthony Perrago in the 4-Star ride, Matt DePew, and Demetrios Drellos, who was on the move early.
The caution flew for the Ed Kitchell X car that had spun in turn two. The restart had Drellos and Mahaney working their way past DePew as DeLorenzo remained the leader as Lehner and Perrago battled for second. The racing was just as tight behind the top 5 and on lap 7 too tight with a multi-car tangle that had the night ending for R.J. Ronnie Johnson with heavy front-end damage.
Back to green and it was Drellos continuing to work his way through the top 5, moving to third. The yellow was back out for the 87 in turn 4. Back to green and again it was DeLorenzo leading the angry pack of NAPA Modifieds into turn one as Drellos 111 tried to slide job the 2 of Lehner for second in turn two and slid high as Lehner drove to the bottom to hold his position.
Once things settled in DeLorenzo started to open a lead with some great racing inside the top 5. Last week’s winner, Peter Britten, was steadily working his way to just outside the top 5 as Jeremy Pitts 27 was having another strong performance. The great racing slowed with the X car once again, this time in turn 4.
The restart with 10 down and 25 to go had DeLorenzo back out front, but it was Drellos who would work his way to second with Lehner in third and Mahaney moving to fourth around Perrago, who held down the top 5.
Again the caution flew, this time it was the 91 of Canadian Felix Roy in turn 2. Back to racing and the top 5 remained the same, but it was Pitts making noise as he was battling Perrago. Out front with some green flag laps DeLorenzo and Drellos started to put distance between them and the field, but also started to catch lap traffic.
Behind the leaders a great race developed between Mahaney and Lehner, with Mahaney getting third. Up front the battle was heating up as now Drellos was all over DeLorenzo in lap traffic as he made his move, powering to the bottom of turn one. Once out front Drellos started to open up a lead as DeLorenzo, Mahaney, and a great battle that found Lehner, Pitts and Perrago running under a blanket.
The field tightened up as the 87 of Neil Stratton slowed on the front stretch to bring out the caution. Back to green, it was Mahaney showing speed on the top side taking over second and setting his sights on Drellos. Once again the caution was out, this time for former track champion Marc Johnson, who came to a stop in turn 3, which changed the whole complexion of the race.
On the restart, going into one with Drellos on the top side, Mahaney was able to slide up the track and became the new leader down the back stretch.
The last caution would find the great ride for another former champion, Anthony Perrago, who would find bad luck strike with a flat tire and slowed the progress of Jessey Mueller, who was on the move. Back to green it was all Mahaney as Mueller worked his way past Pitts for fourth.
Picking up the popular win was Mike Mahaney, the 2020 Modified points champion with Drellos, DeLorenzo, Lehner and Mueller rounding out the top 5, with Jeremy Pitts having a solid run in sixth.
In other action, due to the 55 Sportsman who made their way to the pits, two features needed to be run with Joey Scarborough and Zach Buff picking up the wins. In the Pro Stocks it was Chad Jeseo picking up the win with Dylan Grogan securing the Limited Sportsman win as Jeff Meltz Sr. won the Street Stocks and Adam Montville was the Four Cylinder winner.
FONDA SPEEDWAY
Then Saturday it was off to the historic Fonda Speedway for their 72nd season opener and the Jack Johnson Memorial. Every racetrack is special, but I guess the “Track of Champions” is just a little more so for me and those who know me know how I felt about Jack Johnson as both the man and a race driver.
It was great to see old friends, as well as see some great racing action on the ½-mile clay oval with the Mohawk River as backdrop and the old covered grandstands on the front stretch.
Once again, Fonda Speedway is under the NASCAR banner with the Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series. Due to the forecast, promoter Bret Deyo moved the starting time and it was a smart move as rain started to fall late in the show that sent cars back to the pits, only to return and finish the remainder of the night.
With everyone’s thoughts on Craig Hanson after his turn 1 crash, the racing action heated up with a fine field of cars in the pits. The Jack Johnson Memorial, 40-lap $12,000-to-win Modified feature came to the track 34 strong.
At the drop of the green it was David Schilling grabbing the early lead with former track champion Timmy Fuller, Josh Hohenforst, Ronnie Johnson and Demetrios Drellos holding down the top 5. It did not take Fuller long to remember the fast way around the track and what brought him his track championship as he rocketed to the front, using the high side of turn four on lap 2 as Drellos and Johnson battled with Drellos getting the spot.
Behind the leaders it was great racing with slicing and dicing on a track that was in mid-season form, producing two- and three-wide racing. On the move was Matt Sheppard as he battled hard with Danny Varin and Andy Bachetti. The caution was out for Rocky Warner, who backed into the tires in turn 3 in the 98 car after losing the motor in the Parks 1 ride in warm-ups.
Back to green it was R.J. Ronnie Johnson working past Schilling for second. Don’t look now but Sheppard’s 9S was coming and coming fast, working his way into the top 5 as Stewart Friesen was working his way from deep in the starting grid. Working his way into the top 10, Friesen would bring out the yellow with a left front tire and went to the hot pit and returned to the rear. Back to green it was Sheppard getting second as the yellow was right back out for the 10 of Dylan Scribner, putting Johnson back to second.
Racing resumed and Johnson slid high with Sheppard now in second. Danny Varin’s 93 would be the next to bring out the yellow and again Friesen headed to the pit and for adjustments. Back to green Friesen was on the gas and so was Fuller as he continued to lead with Sheppard all over his rear deck.
The leaders started to pull away as the action behind them was only heating up as Johnson, Hohenforst — who is returning after a year off — and Brian Gleason, who had made his way to fifth as teammate and 2022 champion Matt DeLorenzo battled hard inside the top 10.
Having one of his best Fonda runs, Andy Bachetti was having a great battle just outside the top 5 and looking for racing room. Out front, Fuller continued to hold off Sheppard, one of today’s best lap after lap as Bachetti and Mike Mahaney worked their way to the top 5.
As the laps clicked away Fuller was able to hold off a closing Sheppard to claim his first win since Sept. 22, 2018, as Ronnie Johnson, Andy Bachetti and Mike Mahaney rounded out the top 5.
In other action, Payton Talbot picked up where he left off with a dominating Sportsman win as Ivan Joslin picked up the popular Pro Stock win. Connor Prokop took home a limited Sportsman win after a great run from deep in the starting field.
So that’s it for this week, folks. Please support those that continue to bring great racing to the Northeast.
