MALTA - Imagine running downstairs on Christmas morning, opening the biggest present under the tree and then finding out you don’t have the batteries to operate it. That’s how Dave Camara felt Friday night at Albany-Saratoga Speedway. After weeks of preparation, Camara finally brought out his new Teo Pro car, but the new Kevin Enders small block blew a head gasket during warmups.
But rather than get frustrated, Camara brought his old car out of the hauler, and went on to post his first victory on the season in the 35-lap modified feature. Camara, the defending track champion, became the 11th different winner in the modified division at Albany-Saratoga Speedway this season. Camara admitted after the race that he had been so excited about bringing out the new car that he couldn’t sleep the night before. But the way the old car performed Friday, he probably slept like a baby.
The first seven laps of the feature belonged to the Proctor family, as John came off the pole and led the first four laps before Ron put the Ron White small block into the lead. The first caution came out on lap eight, when Jack Cottrell, who was looking for his second straight win, Mike Ronca, Frank Hoard Sr. and Todd Ryan tangled in the third turn, with Cottrell ducking in the pits for a new right front tire.
Vermont driver Don Mattison, who had started sixth, used the restart to close up on Proctor, and then put his Green Machine into the lead following a restart on lap 11. Deeper in the pack, Camara was following Ken Tremont Jr. through traffic, and they finally cleared the pack on lap 13, when Tremont took the number two spot away from Ron Proctor.
Tremont, working the bottom, started to gain ground on Mattison and got the lead on lap 19, when Mattison drifted too high in the fourth turn. The next time around, when Mattison again went high, Camara hugged the inside barrier and came out with second place. It was obvious that Camara had the quicker car, and just two laps later, he again used the inside lane to make his move, charging past Tremont to get the lead for good.
Tremont used the entire race track in the final 10 laps in an attempt to regain the lead, but the inside was the place to be, and that’s where Camara stayed, picking up his sixth career win at Malta. Tremont was second, with Mattison third, his best finish ever at Albany-Saratoga, Don Ackner fourth and Cottrell up for fifth. Completing the top 10 were Tim Laduc, Andy Bachetti, Ron Proctor, Mike Perrotte and Jason Becker.
Jimmy Becker drove to his second career victory in the 20-lap sportsman feature, winning a spirited battle with the No. 26 car, which everyone at the track thought was being driven by Elmo Reckner. Becker grabbed the lead on the fifth lap, but the No. 26 started to build momentum on the high side, and even though the car began smoking on lap 14, the No. 26 stormed into the lead. The advantage was short-lived, however, as Becker got the lead back the next time around, and held on for the win.
The No. 26 finished second, but was later disqualified when officials discovered that car owner Dave Sargent had been behind the wheel. Sargent had missed the first two months of the season because of an injury and had put Reckner behind the wheel, but Sargent didn’t inform officials he was driving Friday, forcing the disqualification. That moved John Harrison into second, with Frank Hoard Jr. third, Mike Ballestero fourth and Ryan Odasz fifth.
Dan Madigan notched his first win of the season in the 20-lap pro-street stock feature, which had a 20-minute delay when the lights at the speedway went out because of an overheated generator. Madigan, who had started sixth, got the lead midway through the event and easily pulled away from Carl Vladyka to get the victory.
Glen Evans was also a first-time winner, taking the checkered flag in the hobby stock feature, while Jason Duncan (four-cylinder) and Dave Kennedy (six-cylinder) continued to dominate the cruiser division.
Albany-Saratoga Speedway will be back in action Friday night, with the double point Midseason Championships. Racing will begin at 7 p.m.
MODIFIEDS: DAVE CAMARA, Ken Tremont Jr., Don Mattison, Don Ackner, Jack Cottrell, Tim Laduc, Andy Bachetti, Ron Proctor, Mike Perrotte, Jason Becker, Vince Quenneville Jr., Mike Ronca, Matt DeLorenzo, Ron Dwyer, Brian McKenzie, Jim Ryan, Chuck Higley, John Proctor, Brian Gerrain, Wayne Jelley, Bob Ogren, Frank Hoard Sr., Todd Ryan, Gene Munger.
SPORTSMAN: JIMMY BECKER, John Harrison, Frank Hoard Jr., Mike Ballestero, Ryan Odasz, Jason Herrington, Sput Shaw, Gerry Conroy, Brent Bouplon, Mike Boomhower, Jack Gentile, Keith Nichols, Tom Proctor, Bob Matthews, Tim Hartman, Randy Salisbury, Gary Gates, Rich Ronca, Derrick McGrew, Stan Lemiesz, Tony Ballestero, Paul Cirincione, John Bellinger. DQ: Dave Sargent.
PRO-STREET STOCKS: DAN MADIGAN, Carl Vladyka, Bob Schmidt, Joe Santoro, Mike Paquin, Steve Burega, Adam Tranka, Charlie Koenig, Rich French, Jeff Sukup, Randy Brownell, Dave Uline, Ed Pieinazek, D.J. Mabb, Dean Charbonneau, Tigger Driscoll, Chris Maxon.
HOBBY STOCKS: GLEN EVANS, Curt Condon, Adam Stoddard, Lori Cary, Gary Michaud, Chris Reckner, Mike Ostrander, Roy Fifield, Ron Tollner, John Filarecki, Fred Harris, Grant Rice, Mike Tholin, Dave Daniels, Brad Breel, Bob Smith, Vince Santoro, Jim Monroe.
SIX-CYLINDER CRUISERS: DAVE KENNEDY, Chris Busta, Foster Ribseman, Ron Earfrato, W. Jon Smith, Luke MacIsaac, No. 10, Tim Pelech, Mike Carnavale, Jeff Monroe.
FOUR-CYLINDER CRUISERS: JASON DUNCAN, Chuck Gauthier, John Richter, Kevin Van Chance, Mitch Gries, Jon Atwell, Bill Lehman, Mike Minick, Mike Burdo, Trent Shaver, Jim Monroe Jr., Elmer Montville.