MALTA, NY – At most dirt tracks, the limited sportsman division receives little attention. Fans who show interest are usually family members and friends of the drivers, and the fields are lucky to get 10 cars.

But the management of Albany-Saratoga Speedway, as well as one of its loyal corporate partners, sees the limited sportsman as a steppingstone to the future, and in 2019, the division will take a jump in class.

Haun Welding Supply has signed on as the title sponsor for the division in 2019, and Albany-Saratoga Speedway promoter Lyle DeVore has announced that the division will be fully handicapped and run for track points.

In addition to sponsoring the division, Haun Welding Supply will also be providing product support during the season, according to DeVore.

“We’re excited to have Haun Welding Supply step up and become the sponsor of the division,” said DeVore. “We’ve got some of the best young talent in the Capital District running at our track on Friday night and our partnership with Haun Welding will make the 2019 season more rewarding for drivers in that division. Erich Haun and I have already talked about some incentives we want to create for the drivers, and we’ll iron out those details during the offseason.”

Haun Welding Supply was established in 1958. Headquartered in Syracuse, the family business has 17 locations throughout the Northeast, including a store in Latham, NY, which is managed by Erich Haun.

Haun Welding Supply distributes a wide range of industrial, medical and specialty gases, as well as welding equipment, tools and supplies.

One of the hottest young drivers in the Northeast competed in the limited sportsman division at Albany-Saratoga last season. Derrick McGrew Jr., a second-generation driver, made history on July 27, when he won his first limited sportsman feature at the age of 11. A two-time winner last season, he won’t be able to take part in Haun Welding Supply’s incentive program in 2019, as he’s moving up to the sportsman division.

There were 11 different winners in the division last season, with John Stowell leading the way with three victories. Under the new rules of the division, any driver who wins three or more features will be required to move up to the regular sportsman division in the subsequent season.

The limited sportsman division at Albany-Saratoga Speedway drew over 20 cars on a weekly basis, and the field was loaded with young talent. In addition to McGrew and Stowell, drivers like Michael Wagner-Fitzgerald, Paolo Pasquerella, Stephen Kneer and Justin Buff proved they could handle the tricky 4/10ths mile layout at the historic Malta track.

Although the nature of the division calls for yearly turnover, the Haun Welding Supply limited sportsman division will again be a showcase for many young drivers in 2019.