Noel Snaps Four-Year Drought

MALTA - Scott Noel made so many changes during the offseason that he could have qualified for a reality TV makeover show.

But the biggest switch was from a Teo chassis to a Bicknell, and on Friday night, that change allowed him to end four years of frustration at Albany-Saratoga Speedway. Dominating the field right from the drop of the green flag, Noel won Friday night’s 35-lap 358 modified feature, his first win at the Malta track since April 28, 2000.

Noel had suffered through a miserable 2003 season, never making it into the top five, so he changed just about everything, with the exception of the driver, during the offseason.

The changes didn’t take effect immediately, however. During the first month of the season, Noel didn’t even make the field for two of the first four features.

But Friday night, he got some coaching from veteran driver Mike Romano, who is a Bicknell distributor in the Northeast, and Noel turned the advice into his fourth career victory at Albany-Saratoga Speedway. “Mike told us to tighten the car up before the feature and be smooth in the top groove,” said Noel, who admitted that he’s struggled getting adjusted to the different chassis. “The top was fast, and the car never missed a beat.”

Noel was quick right from the drop of the green flag, and turned the fastest lap of the night on lap 12 of the feature. He was the only driver to break the 18-second barrier during the feature, clicking off a lap of 17.739 seconds. Paul Cirincione, who started third, got to the front and set the pace for the first seven laps, before Noel grabbed the lead for good.

Don Ronca, who had started fifth, moved up to second on lap nine and became a factor later in the race, when Noel got into lapped traffic. But Noel kept streaking along in the high groove, getting a lot of room from the lapped cars, and Ronca was never able to pull close enough to make a strong challenge. When the checkered flag dropped, Noel had a comfortable margin of 1.126 seconds.

“It’s been so long since I’ve been to victory lane, I was starting to forget where it was,” said Noel.

Jack Johnson, still behind the wheel of the Smith 72VT while the engine of his regular ride is worked on, came from his 16th starting position to finish third, one of the best performances of the night. Mike Perrotte ended his miserable start, cracking the top five for the first time this season with a fourth-place finish, and Tim Dwyer snatched the No. 5 position.

Completing the top 10 were Ronnie Johnson, who had his two-race winning streak snapped, Stewart Friesen, Don Scarborough, A.J. Romano and Brett Hearn. The 10th-place finish was Hearn’s worst performance of the season, as he hadn’t finished lower than sixth in the first four events.

Tim Clemons had a lucrative night in the 20-lap Line-X Modified feautre. By picking up his second straight win, Clemons also walked off with a $600 back-to-back bonus being offered by Saratoga Chrysler Jeep this season.
Clemons definitely didn’t have it easy. He started deep in the field, coming from14th to get the win. Rich Ronca looked strong during the early laps of the race, powering to the front on lap seven. But Clemons was already on a mission by that time, and took the lead on lap 10, when he also turned the quickest lap of the feature.

Ronca could only sit and watch as Clemons pulled away to a dominating victory. But the second-place finish had to sit good with Ronca, who matched his brother’s finish in the modified feature. Tim Hartman finished third, with Ricky Davis fourth and David Towns fifth.

After a one-week absence, defending track champion Butchie Irwin returned to victory lane in the 20-lap Amsoil pro-street stock feature, picking up his third win of the season. Robert Langevin, who started third, didn’t have enough to hold off Irwin, but finished second, his best performance of the season. Jimmy Eaton came across the finish line third, with Chris Maxon fourth and William Smith IV fifth.

Byron Wescott drove to his first victory of the season in the 15-lap Rentway Limiteds feature, holding off a strong challenge from Kevin Van Chance. Rick Mrzyglod (six-cylinder) and Jamie McCarthy (four-cylinder) won the Pro-Built mini-stock features. McCarthy’s win was his fourth in five events so far this season.

The Central New York Mini-Sprints were also on Friday night’s card, with Don Harvey Jr. coming away with the victory.

MODIFIEDS: SCOTT NOEL, Don Ronca, Jack Johnson, Mike Perrotte, Tim Dwyer, Ronnie Johnson, Stewart Friesen, Don Scarborough, A.J. Romano, Brett Hearn, Ken Tremont Jr., Matt DeLorenzo, Jack Cottrell, Gene Munger, Don Ackner, Todd Ryan, Paul Cirincione, Ron Proctor, Mike Ronca, Lucas Baker, Mike Ballestero, Frank Hoard Sr., Chuck Higley.

LINE-X MODIFIEDS: TIM CLEMONS, Rich Ronca, Tim Hartman, Ricky Davis, David Towns, Keith Flach, Mike Tholin, Erik Mack, Jeff Sukup, Jack Swinton, Neal Erickson, Stan Lemiesz, Ken Anatriello, Tony Ballestero, Ed Pieniazek Jr., Jimmy Cottrell, Derrick McGrew, Jim Proctor, Joe Budka, Fred Proctor Jr.
LINE-X MODIFIED B MAIN: MIKE THOLIN, Jack Swinton, Jim Proctor, Ed Pieniazek Jr., Fred Proctor, Paul Dunham Jr., Bill Cody, Dan Papa, Larry Billings, Jerry Pennock Jr., Colleen Salisbury, William Bokus, Mike Pinke, Cas Bennett, Dan Bublak.

AMSOIL PRO-STREET STOCKS: BUTCHIE IRWIN, Robert Langevin, Jimmy Eaton, Chris Maxon, William Smith IV, Brian Holbritter, Cale Kneer, Lori Cary, Joe Santoro, Bobby Santos III, Tom O’Connor, Ed Frank, Rob Muscanell, Walt Brownell Jr., Matt Anatriello, Adam Tranka, Steve Burega, Scott Duell, Vince Santoro, Bob Schmidt, Henry Tanner. DQ: Donald Piper.

RENTWAY LIMITEDS: BYRON WESTCOTT, Kevin Van Chance, John Ostrander, Jim Monroe, Brian Ashline, Bob Smith, John Filarecki, Ed Sears, Mike Minick, Thomas Conroy, Dave Emigh, Tim Ippoliti, Mike Pfau, Chris Busta, Jonathan Coon, John Laviolette, Curtis Condon, Richard Burke, Jim Monroe Jr.
RENTWAY LIMITIEDS B MAIN: JOHN MORRIS JR., John Laviolette, John Filarecki, Jonathan Coon, Brian Ashline, Tom Pierce, Luke MacIsaac, Bill Burlingame, Keith Guilder, Tracy Ash, William Brady.

PRO-BUILT SIX-CYLINDER HOBBY STOCKS: RICK MRZYGLOD, Elmer Montville, Matt Thomas, Amanda Clemens, Dan Petronis, Emerson Ostrander, Joe Naccarato, Bryan Myers Jr., Brett Osgood, Ray Galusha, Guy Swears, Randy Manhey, Jeremy Brownell, Harold Clothier, Thomas Brunell, Ron Singley, Chris Greene.

PRO-BUILT FOUR-CYLINDER MINI-STOCKS: JAMIE MCCARTHY, Kevin Connors, Chris Cary Jr., Mike Cranston, Joseph Baker, Lewis Kusalonski, Ken Burdick Jr., Heather Combs, Lynn Wesley, Matt Corbiel, Bill Ryan, Gene Unser Jr., John Baldwin, Ben Durie.