8/19/11: MALTA – The best season of Ron Proctor’s long racing career continues to get even better.

Proctor took advantage of a late restart to come away with his fourth win of the season in the 35-lap NASCAR Modified feature Friday night at Albany-Saratoga Speedway.

One week after moving into the lead in the modified points chase, Proctor used the victory to put a little distance between himself and Joe Williams with just three point races – including the double-points Championship Weekend on Sept. 9 – remaining on the schedule.

For a while Friday night, it looked like Paul Dunham Jr. might come away with his first career modified victory. Dunham had looked strong during his heat race and went right to the front after starting in the front row of the feature.

Dunham jumped out to a big lead, but after 10 laps, Jessey Mueller started slowly reeling him in. Proctor, who had started eighth, was also on the charge, and by lap 20, was solidly in third place.

The top three cars were running nose to tail, and on lap 25, Proctor and Mueller got inside Dunham in the first turn, putting Mueller in the lead and dropping Dunham to third.
The next time around, the yellow came out when Williams and Hunter Bates came together. Bates was able to continue, but Williams went to the pits and was done for the night, finishing 11th.

Following the restart, it only took Proctor three laps to figure out a way to pass Mueller and get the lead for good. Mueller hung right on Proctor’s rear bumper the rest of the way, but had to settle for his third straight runner-up finish.

Dunham came across the finish line third, matching his best performance of the season, and Cody Sargen and Dave Manny completed the top five.

Darryl Carl recorded his fourth win of the season in the 30-lap pro late model feature, and kept his championship hopes alive. Carl took the lead on lap 22 and easily pulled away from points leader Dan Petronis. David Emigh finished third.

Josh Coonradt won the Renegades feature, his fifth victory of the campaign. Frank Monroe and Rowdy Burch went into the night tied for the points lead, and Monroe came out on top of that battle, as he finished second, and Burch was fifth.

John Demarmels came away with his first win of the year in the INEX Legends feature, and John McCarron took his second checkered flag of the season in the Bomber Warriors feature.

Albany-Saratoga Speedway will return to action on Friday, Aug. 26, with all divisions in action. The Atlantic Coast Old Times and STAR Antique Racers will both be bringing their cars to the speedway that night, and it will also be “$20 per carload” night.

NASCAR MODIFIEDS: RON PROCTOR, Jessey Mueller, Paul Dunham Jr., Cody Sargen, Dave Manny, Jamie Proctor, Hunter Bates, Jon Miller, Fred Proctor, John Proctor, Joe Williams.

PRO LATE MODELS: DARRYL CARL, Dan Petronis, David Emigh, Chad White, Carl Guilefuss, Brandon Emigh.

RENEGADES: JOSH COONRADT, Frank Monroe, Jeremy Jones, Andy Smith, Rowdy Burch.

BOMBER WARRIORS: JOHN MCCARRON, Dan Collins, Mark Lindblade, Dan Older Jr., Blake Schwarting, Harold LaVair Jr.