MALTA - They say it takes years to master all the idiosyncrasies necessary to be a winner at Albany-Saratoga speedway. If that’s the case, Andy Bachetti is a fast learner. Making his Friday night home at the historic Malta track for the first time in 2001, the young Sheffield, Mass. driver went to the head of the class Friday night, notching his first career victory in the 35-lap modified feature.

Using a good starting position, Bachetti went right to the front and held off Frank Hoard Sr. by a margin of 1,17 seconds to add his name to the list of winners at Albany-Saratoga Speedway. For all intents and purposes, Bachetti should have picked up his first victory a week earlier, when he had a comfortable lead, only to have a tire blow late in the feature.

But on Friday night, Bachetti kept all his tires under him and followed in the footsteps of Brett Hearn and Jeff Heotzler, two other Orange County Speedway drivers who made the trek North to find their share of success at Albany-Saratoga Speedway. Bachetti was fast all night, as he also ran away with his heat race. But competition was fierce from the drop of the green flag, judging from a loaded modified consy that included past track champions Dave Camara and Jack Johnson, as well as Jeff Trombley, who cut his racing teeth in the old mini-stock division at Malta.

J.R. Heffner battled with Hoard for the No. 2 position in the latter stages of the modified feature, finishing third by less than a second. Bob Savoie was fourth, and Don Scarborough was fifth.

Bachetti, Scarborough and Kenny Aanonsen won the heat races, with Mike Ronca taking the consy.

While Bachetti was getting his first career win in the modified division, history was being set in the hobby stock main, where Lori Carey won the 15-lap feature, becoming the first female to win a feature race at Albany-Saratoga Speedway. She finished with a big 1.603-second margin of victory over Curtis Condon, with Don Daniels third.

Sput Shaw became the fourth different winner in as many races in the highly competitive sportsman division, and John Harrison and Frank Hoard Jr. once again proved they’re going to be solid contenders in that class. Both Harrison and Hoard came from deep in the pack to battle for the lead, but Shaw just had too much power, and picked up the win, with Harrison, coming off a win last week, second, and Hoard third. Jack Gentile finished fourth and Jason Herrington was fifth.

Hollywood Joe Santoro became the first two-time winner in the pro-street stock division, edging Rick French at the finish line by .063 seconds, about the width of a front bumper.

Chuck Gauthier won the four-cylinder cruiser feature, W.Jon Smith took the checkered flag in the six-cylinder cruiser division and David Joslin was victorious in the 50-lap enduro.

Albany-Saratoga Speedway will be back in action Friday night with its special Kids’ Night activities, which will include the popular kiddie rides around the racing surface, and the IMCA modifieds will be back at the speedway for the second time this season. Racing Friday night will begin at 7 p.m.

MODIFIED FINISH: ANDY BACHETTI, Frank Hoard Jr., J.R. Heffner, Bob Savoie, Don Scarborough, Scott Noel, Ken Tremont Jr., Gene Munger, Jack Johnson, Ron Proctor, Vince Quenneville Jr., Don Mattison, Sput Shaw, Tim Laduc, Brett Hearn, Jeff Trombley, Mike Ronca, Andy Romano, Todd Ryan, Mike Perrotte, Jack Cottrell, Matt DeLorenzo, Ron Dwyer, Dave Camara, Brian McKenzie, Kenny Aanonsen.

SPORTSMAN: SPUT SHAW, John Harrison, Frank Hoard Jr., Jack Gentile Jason Herrington, Tom Proctor, Gary Gates, David Peek, Mike Boomhower, Stan Lemiesz, Ricky Davis, Rich Ronca, Brent Bouplon, Jim Becker, Tony Ballestero, Tim Hartman, Derrick McGrew, Keith Nichols, Paul Cirincione, Tigger Matthews, Elmo Reckner, Mike Ballestero.

PRO-STREET STOCKS: JOE SANTORO, Rick French, Bob Schmidt, Chris Maxon, Ed Pieniazek, Carl Vladyka, Adam Tranka, Matt Anatriello, Kelly Williamson, Randy Brownell, Steve Burega, Charlie Koenig, Mike Paquin, Jason Brownell, Tigger Driscoll, Cecil Reynolds, Jeff Sukup.

HOBBY STOCKS: LORI CAREY, Curtis Condon, Don Daniels, Ken Town, Mike Tholin, Jim Monroe, Glen Evans, Vince Santoro, Dan Daniels, Mike Ostrander Dave Cook, Dave Daniels, Chris Reckner, John Morris Jr., Cliff Brooks, Roy Fifield, Mike Traylor, Dave Perretta.

SIX-CYLINDER CRUISERS: W. JON SMITH, Jeff Monroe, Dave Kennedy, Chris Busta, Tim Pelech, Ron Earfrato, Foster Ribseman, Luke MacIsaac, Ron Gregory.

FOUR-CYLINDER CRUISERS: CHUCK GAUTHIER, Mitch Gaies, John Richter, Jon Atwell, Dan Uber, Elmer Montville, Mike Burdo, Charlie Stoddard, Stan Durie, Jim Monroe.