Dave Camara Wins At Albany-Saratoga Speedway

MALTA - The boys from Vermont showed the New York race fans that they know a

thing or two about fireworks Friday night at Albany-Saratoga Speedway. Dave

Camara of Poultney, Vt. came from the rear of the field to record his second

victory of the season in the 35-lap modified feature, after a stirring

battle with two other Green Mountain Boys, Hector Stratton of Bennington and

Vince Quenneville Jr. of Fair Haven, to kick off the 4th of July weekend.

Camara had started 14th in the original field of 22 cars, but had to go

to the pits on lap five for a new tire after tangling with Jim Ryan. That

put Camara at the rear of the field, with a lot of ground to make up in the

Camara Slate-sponsored Teo-Pro car. Stratton, who has had nothing but bad

luck at Albany-Saratoga Speedway this season, stalked leader Dave Manny for

the first eight laps of the race, and then got the lead on lap nine, one of

the rare occasions this season when he’s been at the head of the field.

But Quenneville, who had started ninth, and Camara soon found that the

fastest way around the race track was with the right rear tire stuck against

the cushion, and while Stratton hugged the inside, both Quenneville and

Camara started to make up ground. Also closing in on the leader was Mike

Ronca, who had started 18th, but had avoided any early incidents and worked

his way through traffic. Ronca moved into the number two slot, behind

Stratton, on the 14th lap and began to close the gap when Stratton got into

lapped traffic.

After running 20 straight green flag laps, the caution came out for the

final time on lap 28, when Brian Whittemore spun in the second turn after

making contact with another car. That was the break Camara needed. After the

green came back out, he pulled up to challenge for the lead. Coming out of

the fourth turn to complete lap 28, he saw an opening and threaded the

needle between Quenneville and Stratton to get the lead for good.

Camara pulled away for the win, with Quenneville following him around

the top to finish second. Ken Tremont Jr., who had been mired in heavy

traffic in the middle stages of the race, finally broke loose and got up for

third, while Stratton faded to fourth and Ronca finished fifth. Completing

the top 10 were Tim LaDuc, Bob Savoie, Ronnie Johnson, Jack Cottrell and

Todd Ryan.

Jimmy Davis dominated the special 50-lap sportsman feature, coming away

with his first win of the season after a number of top five finishes. Davis

started on the front row, got the lead on lap two and was never seriously

challenged the rest of the way, as many of the divisions’ top drivers fell

victim to flat tires. Following Davis across the finish line were Floyd

Billington, Jack Gentile, Gary Gates and David Peek.

Mike Paquin picked up his second straight win, and third of the season,

in the pro-street stock feature, Mike Carmen and W. John Smith won the

cruiser division features and Mike Marsche ended a run of bad luck by

winning won the hobby stock main event.

Albany-Saratoga Speedway will be dark Friday night as track officials

prepare for the USNA-sponsored New York 200 on Saturday. Gates will open at

noon Saturday, with time trials scheduled to begin at 2:15 p.m.

MODIFIEDS: DAVE CAMARA, Vince Quenneville Jr., Ken Tremont Jr., Hector

Stratton, Mike Ronca, Tim LaDuc, Bob Savoie, Ronnie Johnson, Jack Cottrell,

Todd Ryan, Don Ackner, Scott Noel, Gene Munger, Dave Manny, Brian McKenzie,

Ron Proctor, Chuck Higley, Brian Whittemore, Jeff Betit, Jiim Ryan, Lance

Harting, Mike Perrotte.

SPORTSMAN: JIM DAVIS, Floyd Billington, Jack Gentile, Gary Gates, David

Peek, Jimmy Becker, Don Mattison, Jason Harrington, Tony Ballestero, Mike

Ballestero, Rick Davis, Ray Martindale, Ken McGuire, Rich Ronca, Randy

Salisbury, Sput Shaw, Dan Ryan, Tom Proctor, Bill Bushey, Tim Hartman, Lucas

Baker, Gerald Conroy.

PRO-STREET STOCKS: MIKE PAQUIN, Fred Little, Adam Tranka, Joe Santoro, Matt

Rich, Dean Charbonneau, Bob Gile, D.J. Mabb, Jason Miller, Dave Uline, Dave

Cook, Jeff Donnelly, Randy Brownell, Rick French, Ernie Grenier, Charlie

Koenig, Bernie Companion, Matt Anatriello.

HOBBY STOCK A: MIKE MARSCHE, Don Daniels, Curt Condon, Jason Armer, Mike

Ostrander, Daniel Lee, Jeff Davis, Rob Muscanell, Todd Dunston, Ray Michaud,

Jeff Monroe, No. 1, Brian Ashline, Ken Town, Gary Michaud, Steve Vrooman,

Bill McDonald, Eric Lacasse.

SIX CYLINDER CRUISERS: W. JOHN SMITH, Ron Earfrato, Chris Busta, Roy

Fifield, No. 40, Randy Manhey, Rick Mrzyglod, Jeff Monroe, Tony Condon, Dan

Uber, Jon Atwell.

FOUR CYLINDER CRUISERS: MIKE CARMEN, Bill Marshall, Pete Knapp, Jim Monroe

Jr., Dave Kennedy, Gene Brownell, Mitch Gaies, Dave Campbell, Randy Rathbun.