Malta, NY ― When many appeared to be having trouble finding the right way through the stellar field of Modifieds to the front of the field on Friday night at Albany Saratoga Speedway ― Brett Hearn wasn’t one of them.

Ray Hoard was fast right from the start of the ’emerald silk’ flag being thrown in the 35-lap finale for the Modifieds.  And Hoard made Hearn, the winningest driver at the Malta oval, spend quite a bit of time looking at his back bumper before Hearn eventually went on to take the lead (lap 22) and the win.

“He was real quick,” said Hearn, whose win was his 105th at Albany Saratoga Speedway.  “I didn’t really know what I was going to do but finally I put a good lap together and he slipped a little bit and that was the only thing I needed.”

Matt Depew had an outstanding run as he followed Hearn across the finish line.  Jeff Trombley came from outside the sixth row to finish third, with past feature winner Marc Johnson and Ray Hoard rounding out the top five.

Albany Saratoga Speedway’s 2012 Modified Rookie of the Year, Bodie Bellinger, settled for sixth place after an impressive night running with the front of the field for the entire event.

Scott Duell was fast right from the start of the 25 lap Sportsman feature event but Jeremy Pitts had other plans.  Pitts, who was involved in some great racing action throughout the event with Duell, Dave Baranowski, and Mike Tholin ― went on to score his second trip to victory lane for 2013.

“I actually lost the rear brakes when I had contact with another car, all I had was front brakes,” said Pitt’s during post race ceremonies.  “That was fun.”

Not the win he was looking for ― but another impressive 2013 stat for Duell who finished in second place.  Mike Tholin, Brett Wright and Dave Baranowski rounded out the top five.

The night didn’t start out as good as it ended for Novice Sportsman driver Matt Pappa.  He spun during his qualifying event but rejoined the field and scored a qualifying spot for the 15-lap finale.  Pappa started the event from seventh and was the race leader on the 13th time around the 4/10th mile oval, taking his first win in the new division and on the same night as his mentor Brett Hearn.

“It feels good to win the same night as Brett Hearn,” said Pappa in victory lane with his 20jr automobile. Jesse Edwards, Pete Jeske,  John Linblade,  and Timothy Davis added valuable lap time as they rounded out the top five.

Walt Brownell owned the 25 lap Pro Stock feature event.  Brownell took the lead from the drop of the green but after showing some smoke on the 14th time around, he gave the lead up to Dan Older.  Unfortunately Older had Kenny Martin breathing down his back.  Martin got a taste for victory a few weeks back, taking his first career win, and he was looking for another.  And on the 19th lap the $800 to win event belonged to Martin.

“They say the first one is the hardest to get but let me tell you that was a long dragged out one to get,” said Martin.  “This car is beautiful ― I love running this one.”

What a run between the top three in the later stages of the 30-lap Street Stock feature event.  Eventual race winner, Justin Smith, Josh Coonradt and Bill Duprey didn’t disappoint. You could throw a blanket over the three of them at several points during the event and there was some beating and banging all the way across the finish line.

“I got a tooth pulled out yesterday and I felt like hell all day long and every time I turned around it was yellow ― yellow ― yellow,” said Smith of his first win.  “In the first turn I lost a piece of my exhaust out there but it ran good and I’m happy to be here finally.”

Jay Resch easily won the 15 lap 4 Cylinder feature event but was disqualified later in the evening.  Past winner at Albany Saratoga, Todd Goldstein, was awarded win honors.

Another great gesture by the folks at Sowle Trailer Repair who put up some extra cash for the Modified, Sportsman and ProStock feature events.  The Modifieds raced for $2,500, the Sportsman $1,500 and the Pro Stocks for $800…  an appearance by Lebanon Valley Speedway racers  Rob Pitcher (Modified), Mike King (Modified) and Ricky Duzlak (Pro Stock)…   Australian Peter Britten made himself known in the second modified qualifying event.  On the third time around Britten did an impressive high-side move to pick off several cars and land himself the race lead and QE win… Connor Cleveland was forced to advance from the Novice Sportsman division to the Sportsman class since he secured three feature wins… Cleveland easily qualified in his first Sportsman QE … Fellow Novice Sportsman racer Jack Bublak was missing from action due to attending an event in Englishtown, NJ… … NYSSCA paid bonus money to members of the organization that finished in select spots…  Modified hot laps showed Brett Hearn as the fastest car prior to the feature event…  the Modified feature event winner receivee a guaranteed starting spot in the Eastern States Weekend event…  Ken Tremont Sr. was celebrating his 75th birthday…  ‘Happy Birthday Big Ken’…  Andy Durie was shown the way to the pits after some ‘under caution’ contact with Derrick McGrew…  Cody Bleau started last in the Sportsman show and finished sixth…

Modified Feature Results (35 Laps) – 1) BRETT HEARN, 2) Matt Depew, 3) Jeff Trombley, 4) Marc Johnson, 5) Ray Hoard, 6) Bodie Bellinger, 7) Mark Kislowski, 8) Ronnie Johnson, 9) Matt DeLorenzo, 10) Justin Boehler, 11) Neil Stratton, 12) Ken Tremont Jr, 13) Stewart Friesen, 14) Brian Gleason, 15) Peter Britten, 16) Rich Ronca, 17) C.G. Morey, 18) Jeremy Wilder, 19) Don Ronca, 20) Tony Ballestero, 21) Floyd Billington, 22) Mike King, 23) Pep Corradi, 24) Rob Pitcher, 25) Jimmy Cottrell, 26) Jamike Sowle, 27) Bob McGannon, 28) Keith Flach, 29) Kyle Sheldon, DNS) John Proctor, DNS) Rich Scagliotta
Sportsman Feature Results (25 Laps) – 1) JEREMY PITTS, 2) Scott Duell, 3) Mike Tholin, 4) Brett Wright, 5) Dave Baranowski Jr, 6) Cody Bleau, 7) Frank Hoard III, 8) Connor Cleveland, 9) Nick Anatriello, 10) Jim Osgood, 11) D.J. Brundige, 12) Robert Bublak, 13) Derrick McGrew, 14) Paul Dunham, 15) Luke Klob, 16) Jake Scarborough, 17) Mike Ostrander, 18) Jack Speshock, 19) Joey Scarborough, 20) Joe Orlando, 21) Fred Proctor, 22) Stan Lemiesz, 23) Andy Durie, 24) Jon Miller, 25) Dan Santabarbara, 26) Nick Lussier, 27) Elliott Lussier,28) Mike Jeske, DNQ) Justin Comes, DNQ) Jack Gentile, DNQ) Leo Sousie, DNQ) Jack Swinton
Novice Sportsman Feature Results (15 Laps) – 1) MATT PAPPA, 2) Jesse Edwards, 3) Pete Jeske, 4) John Linblade, 5) Timothy Davis, 6) Brandon Pitcher, 7) Wally Potter, 8) Chris Murray,9) Ricky Davis, 10) Ron Casey, 11) Anthony Alger, 12) Zach Daurio, 13) Bob Schmidt, 14) Alissa Cody, 15) Colin Bokus
Pro Stock Feature Results (25 Laps) – 1) KEN MARTIN, 2) Dan Older, 3) Rob Yetman, 4) Kim Duell, 5) Cale Kneer, 6) Byron Wescott, 7) Dean Charbonneau, 8) Dave Emigh, 9) Jeff Washburn, 10) Brandon Emigh, 11) Ed Thompson, 12) Ricky Duzlak, 13) Cole Lawton, 14) Dave Depaulo, 15) Walt Brownell, 16) Matt Freckleton
Street Stock Feature Results (30 Laps) – 1) JUSTIN SMITH, 2) Josh Coonradt, 3) Bill Duprey, 4) Nathan Dahoda, 5) Scott Lawrence, 6) Paul Braymer, 7) Dave Stickles, 8) Jim Cutler, 9) Damon Anderson, 10) Yule Cook, 11) Randy Miller, 12) Ken Conroy, 13) Ben Newsome, 14) Jody Thew, 15) Matt Mosher, 16) Tyler Michel, 17) David Shippee, 18) Jason Barrett
4 Cylinder Combined Feature Results (15 Laps) – 1) TODD GOLDSTEIN, 2) Steve Ryan, 3) David Frame, 4) Dan Older, 5) Mark Lindblade, 6) Jake Currier, 7) Joe Tallman, 8) Lance Robertson, 9) Christian Mulrain, 10) Phil Defiglio, DNS) Jeff Donnelly Jr, DQ) Jay Resch
4 Cylinder Single Cam Results (15 Laps) – 1) DAN OLDER, 2) Mark Lindblade, 3) Joe Tallman, 4) Lance Robertson, 5) Christian Mulrain, DNS) Jeff Donnelly Jr
4 Cylinder Dual Cam Results (15 Laps) – 1) TODD GOLDSTEIN, 2) Steve Ryan, 3) David Frame, 4) Jake Currier, 5) Phil Defiglio, DQ) Jay Resch