MALTA – After enduring a week that couldn’t have been much worse, Demetrios Drellos bounced back with one that couldn’t have much better.

Drellos parlayed a good starting position into his second victory of the season in the 35-lap NAPA Modifieds feature on Next Generation Roofing Night at Albany-Saratoga Speedway. on Friday night

Through additional sponsorship from Next Generation Roofing, the modified feature paid $2,500 to win. Heat race winners received a $230 bonus, and Drellos picked up one of those checks. The Four States Enterprises Modified Dash for Cash paid $200, and Drellos also won that. That brought his total payday to $2,930.

That’s much better that a week ago, when he didn’t even start the modified feature. After experiencing fuel pump issues on the parade lap before the feature, he was unceremoniously pushed back into the pits, loaded up and went home.

“That’s what racing is, ultimate highs and ultimate lows,” said Drellos in victory lane, with fireworks highlighting the 4th of July Weekend exploding overhead.

“I had a good race car last week, and I never got a chance to show it,” added Drellos. “Because of our terrible night last week, I got a better starting spot tonight. I didn’t have to start next to the pizza stand, and that helped.”

Actually, Drellos started eighth. He was up to third by lap seven and on a restart on lap eight, stayed as low as he could and got by both pole sitter Neil Stratton and Justin Stone, who had started fourth, for the lead.

Drellos’ biggest challenge came from Peter Britten, who had started 12th, but it wasn’t really a big challenge. Britten took the No. 2 spot away from Stone on lap 12, but by that time, Drellos had nearly a full straightaway lead.

Two cautions, one of lap 16 and another on lap 19, put Britten right next to Drellos, but Drellos remained in control. He picked the outside on the first restart, and then moved down to the inside for the second restart, and each time, left Britten looking at his rear bumper.

“I didn’t want to let Peter be consistent,” said Drellos. “There are only so many spots on the track here where you can get four or five feet ahead. I took the bottom of the second one and really took off and was able to get back to the top before he did.”

Both Drellos and Britten had to battle with lapped traffic in the closing laps of the race, but again, Britten wasn’t able to make a charge.

“He was quicker than I was,” Britten said. “I felt like I had a shot at him, but then (Jack) Speshock went off the back and came back on and I had to anchor it up, and that was it for me.”

Adam Pierson, who was looking for his second straight win, charged from his 13th starting position to finish third, while Mike Mahaney, who was celebrating his 34th birthday, was fourth and Matt DeLorenzo, who started 14th, completed the top five.

The sportsman division took part in the Mark Hughes Memorial, with Next Generation Roofing paying $1,023 to each winner in honor of Hughes’ No. 23. And it was only fitting that Derrick McGrew Jr. picked up the win in the first 20-lapper.

McGrew Jr. is sponsored by Next Generation Roofing and his father, Derrick Sr., was instrumental in starting the Mark Hughes Memorial events.

McGrew Jr. came from his 10th starting position to take the lead away from Jim Osgood on lap 11 and then had to survive two late restarts to get the victory.

“The car was phenomenal. It was hammer down all night,” said McGrew Jr. in victory lane. “It’s awesome to get a win on my sponsor’s night. Mark was like another dad to me and I’m super proud to pull it off for him.”

In the second 20-lap sportsman feature, defending champion Tim Hartman Jr. got the monkey off his back and picked up his first win of the season at Albany-Saratoga. But more importantly, the win was the 36th of his career and moved him back into sole possession of first place on the all-time sportsman win list, one win ahead of Michael Ballestero.

After starting 12th, Hartman Jr. had moved up to fifth after 10 laps, but by that time, the top five were strung out and advancing was going to be a problem.

Hartman Jr. picked up two more spots, taking the No. 3 spot away from Nick Lussier on lap 18, but time was running out.

Chris Jakubiak brought out a caution on lap 19 and after the restart, Hartman Jr. rocketed by Floyd Billington for second.

Then, with one lap to go, Craig Wholey and Brady Cordova got together coming out of the fourth turn, which resulted in both spinning as they entered the first turn. On the final restart, Hartman Jr. got a big run going down the backstretch, swung high in the fourth turn and passed Taylor Wason, who had led the first 19 laps, to get the victory.

“We were lucky the cautions happened at the right time,” said Hartman Jr. in victory lane. “I got into (turn) one good and stayed ahead of him (Wason) and then drove as hard as I could into three and just hoped he didn’t slide up into me.”

The limited sportsman ran a pair of 15-lap features, with 12-year-old Connor Crane getting the victory in the first and Scott Towslee, who moved up from the pro stocks ranks this season, getting his first career win in the second.

Crane’s win was his second in a row, which put the Doug Wholey’s Ideal Excavating Back-to-Back Bonus of $250 in his pocket.

Tanner Coon looked like he was on his way to a win in the second feature, but a late caution bunched the field and allowed Towslee to get the lead on lap 13.

Rich Crane picked up his first win of the season in the 25-lap pro stock feature. Crane walked off with $1,000 through sponsorship from fellow pro stock racer Luke Horning through his Big Hook Towing/Cousin Luke Buys Scrap Cars business. Crane started on the pole and led all 25 laps, but had to hold off a late charge from Kim Duell.

Pat Cram Jr. led flag-to-flag to win the 15-lap street stock feature. Dan Madigan, making his first appearance of the season at Malta, finished second after a good battle with Matt Mosher and Jeff Meltz Sr.

NAPA MODIFIEDS: DEMETRIOS DRELLOS, Peter Britten, Adam Pierson, Mike Mahaney, Matt DeLorenzo, Jack Lehner, Marc Johnson, Justin Stone, Ken Tremont Jr., Don Ronca, Vinnie Visconti, Jeremy Pitts, Robert Bublak Jr., CG Morey, Brian Berger, Brian Calabrese, Derek Bornt, Joe Krum, Josh Hohenforst, Keith Flach, James Meehan, Jack Speshock, Jackie Brown Jr., Neil Stratton, Rich Ronca, Ronnie Johnson, Brandon Daley, Matt Depew.

NORTHEAST PAVING AND SEALCOATING SPORTSMAN (Mark Hughes Memorial, first feature, 20 laps): DERRICK MCGREW JR., Chad Edwards, Elliot Lussier, Cody Ochs, Pat Jones, Jon Miller, Jim Osgood, David Boisclair, David Baranowski Jr., Travis Witbeck, Tommy D’Angelo, Tyler Rapp, Taylor LaPlante, Chris Crane Jr., Vince Quenneville Jr., Drew Cormie, Bryce Breault, Mike Coffey Jr., Justin Barber, Mike Jeske, Brandon Darrah, Tony Farone, Daryl Nutting.

NORTHEAST PAVING AND SEALCOATING SPORTSMAN (Mark Hughes Memorial, second feature, 20 laps): TIM HARTMAN JR., Taylor Wason, Andrew Buff, Floyd Billington, Nick Lussier, Zach Buff, Joey Scarborough, Ron Proctor, Mike Benson, Michael Wagner Fitzgerald, Marty Kelly III, Dylan Madsen, Craig Wholey, Chris Jakubiak, Scott Bennett, Brady Cordova, Scott Duell, Jeff Washburn, Travis Billington.

SARATOGA MASONRY SUPPLY PRO STOCKS: RICH CRANE, Kim Duell, Jordan Modiano, Jay Casey, Shane Henderson, Kyle Hoard, Brandon Emigh, Luke Horning, Pete Stefanski, Jason Casey, Chad Jeseo, Jay Corbin, Chucky Dumblewski, Jaxson Ryan, Slater Baker, Mike Baker, Phil Difiglio, Dom Denue, Pete Vila.

HAUN WELDING LIMITED SPORTSMAN (first feature, 15 laps): CONNOR CRANE, Nick Auspelmyer, Nick Arnold, Chase Zimmer, Kamden Duffy, Mike Engwer, Steve Burch, Brandon Tyler, Sara Arnold, Joe Venditti, Alex Palmer-Sawyer, Kyle Swart, Mike Parodi.

HAUN WELDING LIMITED SPORTSMAN (second feature, 15 laps); SCOTT TOWSLEE, Tanner Coon, Mike Arnold, Dylan Grogan, Dakota Green, Ron Delease Jr., James Galarneau, EJ Gallup, Damian Anderson, Chad Gregory, Dan Seguin, David Zelker, Walter Cook.

LAKE AUTO PARTS STREET STOCKS: PATRICK CRAM JR., Dan Madigan, Matt Mosher, Jeff Meltz Sr., Nick Napoli, Jason Meltz, Jimmy Duncan, Chris Stalker, Joey Wilson, Josh Hemming, Ray Pierre Jr., Mark Lester, Jason Barrett, Damien Ward, Josh Bussino, Dan Buell, Dana Van Veghten, Mike Bussino.