MALTA – It’s the end of an era.

When Albany-Saratoga Speedway kicks off its 2012 racing season, it will mark the first time since 1977 that the Richards family hasn’t been involved in the day-to-day operation of the historic Malta track.

C.J. Richards, founder of the Champlain Valley Racing Association, has agreed to lease the facility to Howard Commander, owner of Lebanon Valley Speedway. Financial terms of the two-year lease agreement weren’t disclosed.

In addition, the Richards family also is working on the sale of Devil’s Bowl Speedway in Fair Haven, Vt., to racer Mike Bruno.

A crew from Lebanon Valley Speedway, led by track general manager Lyle DeVore, has already covered the asphalt surface at the Malta track with the clay that was taken off two years ago. DeVore, whose first job in racing was as a member of the Saturday clean-up crew at Albany-Saratoga, will handle the day-to-day operations of the track, as well as keeping his management duties at Lebanon Valley.

Albany-Saratoga Speedway was recently listed with a real estate broker, and is still on the market.

“We want to make sure that everyone knows the track is still for sale, and we’re actively seeking buyers,” said Bruce Richards, promoter of Albany-Saratoga.

“It’s been a pleasure working with C.J. Richards,” said Commander when the deal was announced. “He’s a true gentleman. I hope that he gets his five or six million for the facility, I really do. But our main concern right now is getting a top-notch dirt surface on a short track.”

According to Commander, Albany-Saratoga Speedway is expected to operate on Friday nights, as it has done in the past, and he and his management team will decide on which divisions to run in the near future.

“No concrete decisions have been made about anything yet,” said Commander.

DeVore, who was also involved with the management of Fulton and Utica-Rome speedways with the late Alex Friesen, already knows the ins and outs of preparing the racing surface at Albany-Saratoga, as helped Richards on track prep during his last stint at Albany-Saratoga, from 1998-99, before he took his present position at Lebanon Valley.

“I have some recollection of what I did before,” said DeVore. “That will definitely help. My intent is to control the dust and have as racy a surface as possible.”

Both Albany-Saratoga and Devil’s Bowl were hurt by the uncertain economy, a decline in both attendance and car counts and bad weather during the 2011 season. Devil’s Bowl, in particular, was devastated by the weather, running just nine events while suffering six rainouts, including losing the last four races on its schedule. Both tracks were then put up for sale at the conclusion of the season.

“We just all need a break,” said Bruce Richards, noting that his family celebrated its 51st season in racing last year.

C.J. Richards purchased Albany-Saratoga Speedway in 1977, and converted the track, which opened in 1964, from asphalt to clay, Known as one of the major innovators in racing, Richards soon established Albany-Saratoga Speedway as “The Great Race Place,” bringing the best dirt-track drivers from throughout the region to the Malta track every Friday night. It became a true battleground, pitting the best drivers from Lebanon Valley and Fonda speedways against each other, creating some of the best side-by-side racing in the Northeast.

The list of track champions in those days included the likes of Chuck Ely, Jack Johnson, C.D. Coville, Dave Leckonby and Dave Lape.

As the cost of racing escalated in the 1980s, Richards began to institute cost-cutting measures, and in 1985, made his boldest move ever, outlawing big blocks in the CVRA and replacing them with 358 modifieds. The 358s remained as the premier division at Albany-Saratoga until last year, when 602 crate motors replaced the 358s.

Both Albany-Saratoga and Devil’s Bowl were converted to asphalt tracks for the 2010 season, a decision that was met with mixed results. The two facilities ran under a NASCAR sanction in 2011, a move that the Richards family hoped would pump some new excitement into the two tracks and their fan bases. But the only one who really made out was veteran CVRA campaigner Ron Proctor, who won the NASCAR Modified point championship at both tracks, and will receive a bonus check in excess of $10,000 from NASCAR.

“This business has a niche group of people, and it’s obvious they love their dirt racing,” said Bruce Richards.

While C.J. Richards has remained active in the operation of the CVRA despite a number of health issues, Bruce Richards served as the promoter of both Albany-Saratoga and Devil’s Bowl for a number of years until his brother, Jerry, took over the operation of Devil’s Bowl. Their sister, Sharon, handled all the financial aspects of the CVRA.