Malta ― June 14, 2013 ― Call it a race track promoter’s dream — you have your 12 time point champion leading your track’s winningest driver and the caution comes out, closing down the distance between the two in the late stages of the Modified feature event.  And when it was all said and done, Kenny Tremont was putting his S&S Asphalt sponsored automobile in victory lane for the 37-lap ‘Mike Ronca Memorial’ race.

Tremont, who had one win in 2013 at the Malta speedway, started fifth on the field.  After partaking in some good racing with Rich Scagliotta and Keith Flach, Tremont would acquire the race lead on the 15th circuit.  He appeared to have it covered.

But Brett Hearn, who started the event from the same side, but 10 spots back, had some different ideas, and was working his way up through the field.  Around the same time Tremont took the lead from Flach, Hearn was pouncing on Scagliotta and Brian Gleason.  Soon afterwards Hearn was all over Tremont.

The feature was extended by two laps due to the night’s theme and the two put on a fantastic battle to the very end with Tremont coming across the finish line just feet a head of Hearn’s Madsen Motorsports automobile.

“I see him stick his nose in there,” said Tremont regarding Hearn’s presence.  “I was having a little bit of trouble with that hole up in three — how to hit that exactly because every time you hit it, it kind of threw the car for a little bit of a loop —  but thankfully we got through it and got it done.”
Hearn, Scagliotta, Ronnie Johnson  (from 16th) and Pete Britten rounded out the top five.

From the drop of the green flag Joey Scarborough set the pace for the 25 lap Sportsman feature event.  Scarborough was holding off some serious moves by Fred Proctor, as the event was caution plagued for a brief period in the early stages.

As the front two played, and dealt with the caution laps it was Jack Gentile, Mike Jeske and Nick Lussier swapping top five positions.  But Cody Bleau, who started 13th, was coming up through the field with great speed.  By the 9th circuit Bleu had the Greg Davis owned mount in fourth place.  Coming down for the white flag Scarborough, Bleau and Proctor were three-wide.  And with one lap remaining on the Adirondack Tire counter Bleau took the race lead and the $700 win.

“I thought Proctor was going to get me on that last lap,” said Bleau.  “He got the high line to work — they are class acts and it was awesome to race down to the wire with them. Gentile and Jeske followed the three across the finish line.

Matt Pappa is well on his way to be asked to vacate the Novice Sportsman ranks (3 wins and you have to advance to the Sportsman class).  Pappa secured the race lead on lap 9 of the 12 lap event and went on to his second consecutive victory.

“I started sixth and there were two cars in front of me — side by side — it was hard to get around them so I went up high and thought I could find a groove up there,” said Pappa.  “I didn’t want to go back up there again after I got up front but I protected the bottom pretty well.  It was a good run between me and the #18 (Zach Daurio). Colin Bokus, Timothy Davis and Chris Murray rounded out the top five.

The 25 lap Pro Stock feature event wouldn’t disappoint.  On the start it was all Dean Charbonneau with racing action so fierce at some points you couldn’t even tell who was leading.  On lap 7 the lead changed and it was Ed Thompson in the front spot.  Despite challenges from Byron Wescott and Ken Martin, Thompson took his second career win. “The car was great tonight,” said Thompson.
Martin, a two-time winner already this year, continued his streak and held on for second place. Wescott, Rob Yetman (another two-time winner) and Dean Charbonneau rounded out the top five.

David Shippee dropped from his outside pole starting position to the race lead at the start of the 20 lap Street Stock feature event. Matt Mosher had a brief view from the front row as well before Josh Coonradt took over control of the event on lap 11.  Coonradt, who frequented victory lane several times last season, took his first win of the season. “It handled really good — glad we finally made it here,” said Coonradt. Shippee, Ken Conroy, Scott Lawrence and Dave Stickles rounded out the top five.  Matt Mosher originally crossed the line in third place but was disqualified later in the evening.

Things…  Funny… as you took the drive from Albany to the speedway the sun was shining brightly and the sky was the prettiest shade of blue, but as I pulled into the speedway the sprinkles started to come down, one minute it was sunny and blue and the next minute it was cloudy and spitting lightly but it wouldn’t last more than a few minutes…  While the rains were hitting all the surrounding areas the Malta oval was dry… Tonight was the rescheduled ‘Mike Ronca Memorial’ which consisted of a lot of different things with the late Ronca’s familiar #7 theme to it…  A rare appearance by ‘newlywed’ Robbie Speed who joined the Pro Stock line up and finished eighth in the feature.  According to Speed he was trying out a new setup…   Brett Hearn suffered some heavy sheet metal damage on the initial lap of his qualifying event after contact with Justin Barber.  Hearn remained in the event…   Neil Stratton exited that same race with a flat tire…  With storms looming nearby management canceled the One-on-One Spectator race until another night…  Novice Sportsman driver Chris Murray was scolded a few times during his qualifying event…  Brett Hearn, who when we last raced picked up his 105th career win, was the fastest after pre-feature hot laps…   Keith Flach, who won on the asphalt surface a few years ago, had an impressive early race…  L.J. Lombardo visited since Accord Speedway feel victim to rain…   As part of the ‘Mike Ronca Memorial’ those leading on lap 7 in the feature events received $100…  Keith Flach (Modified), Joey Scarborough (Sportsman), Matt Pappa (Novice Sportsman), Ed Thompson (Pro Stock) and David Shippee (Street Stock)…   NYSSCA and many others donated and were part of the successful memorial event. ..  next week the Pro Stocks will run for appearance points due to the conflicting DIRTcar Pro Stock Series events across the border…

Mike Ronca Memorial Modified Feature Results (37 Laps) – 1) KENNY TREMONT, Jr, 2) Brett Hearn, 3) Rich Scagliotta, 4) Ronnie Johnson, 5) Peter Britten, 6) Brian Gleason, 7) Stewart Friesen, 8) Marc Johnson, 9) Keith Flach, 10) Matt Delorenzo, 11) Bodie Bellinger, 12) Jeremy Wilder, 13) Rich Ronca, 14) Jimmy Cottrell, 15) Neil Stratton, 16) Pep Corradi, 17) Chris Busta, 18) Mark Kislowski, 19) Jeff Trombley, 20) Jamike Sowle, 21) Justin Barber, 22) Ray Hoard, 23) C.G. Morey, 24) Rob Pitcher, 25) John Proctor, DNS) Floyd Billington, DNS) Justin Boehler, DNS) Matt Depew, DNS) Don Ronca

Sportsman Feature Results (25 Laps) – 1) CODY BLEAU, 2) Joey Scarborough, 3) Fred Proctor, 4) Jack Gentile, 5) Mike Jeske, 6) Derrick McGrew, 7) Nick Lussier, 8) Andy Durie, 9) Jeremy Pitts, 10) Mike Tholin, 11) Joe Orlando, 12) Paul Dunham, 13) Mike Ostrander, 14) Connor Cleveland, 15) Dave Baranowski Jr, 16) Scott Duell, 17) Frank Hoard III, 18) Fred Mullberger, 19) John Virgilio, 20) Justin Comes, 21) Nick Anatriello, 22) Brett Wright, 23) Mark Hughes,  24) Leo Sousie, 25) Stan Lemiesz, 26) Dan Santabarbara, 27) Jake Scarborough, 28) Jon Miller, 29) Jack Speshock, 30) Robert Bublak, DNQ) Tony Ballestero, DNQ) Dan Boni, DNQ) Mike Burdo, DNQ) Frank Hoard Jr, DNQ) Elliott Lussier, DNQ) Jim Osgood, DNQ) Skip Shippee, DNQ) Jack Swinton, DNQ) L.J. Lombardo

Novice Sportsman Feature Results (15 Laps) – 1) MATT PAPPA, 2) Zach Daurio, 3) Colin Bokus, 4) Timothy Davis, 5) Chris Murray, 6) Pete Jeske, 7) Brandon Pitcher, 8) Ron Casey, 9) Collin Clow, 10) John Linblade, 11) Wally Potter, 12) Ricky Davis, 13) Alissa Cody, 14) Anthony Alger, 15) Jesse Edwards

Pro Stock Feature Results (25 Laps) – 1) ED THOMPSON, 2) Ken Martin, 3) Byron Wescott, 4) Rob Yetman, 5) Dean Charbonneau, 6) Dan Older, 7) Kim Duell, 8) Robbie Speed, 9) Jeff Washburn, 10) Cale Kneer, 11) Dave Emigh, 12) Dave Depaulo, 13) Matt Freckleton, 14) Pat Cram, 15) Brandon Emigh, 16) Cole Lawton, 17) Walt Brownell

Street Stock Results (20 Laps) – 1) JOSH COONRADT, 2) David Shippee, 3) Ken Conroy, 4) Scott Lawrence, 5) Dave Stickles, 6) Damon Anderson, 7) Kenny Towne, 8) Justin Smith, 9) Chase Aussicker, 10) Jim Cutler, 11) Randy Miller, 12) Fred Harris, 13) Bill Duprey, 14) Jay Severson, 15) Rowdy Burch, 16) Jody Thew, 17) John Hayes, 18) Jason Barrett, 19) Paul Braymer, 20) Nathan Dahoda, 21) Yule Cook, DQ) Matt Mosher