Hearn dominates 

MALTA - The only word to describe Brett Hearn's performance Friday night at Albany-Saratoga Speedway is awesome.

After arriving late at the speedway because he was stuck in a traffic jam on the New York State Thruway, Hearn blew away the field in his heat race, and then did the same thing in the feature, posting his fifth win of the season in the 35-lap Bobcat of Saratoga 358 modified main event.

And what a night to be dominant. Hearn went into the night fourth in points, but the top three drivers – Ken Tremont Jr., Ronnie Johnson and Jack Johnson – all failed to qualify through their heat races. Jack Johnson, in fact, didn't even start the feature because of steering problems in the Witz 12A. Tremont battled back to finish in the top 10, but Hearn is now right back in the point chase.

Hearn, who started seventh in the 25-car field, made short work of the feature. Sticking to the quicker low groove, Hearn was up to second by lap eight, and then ducked under leader Jack Cottrell coming out of the second turn on lap 12 to get the lead.

“I was awesome in turns one and two when I needed to be,” said Hearn in victory lane. “It took me about three laps to get smooth, but then I started reeling (Cottrell) in.”

The only caution of the feature came out on lap 14, when Matt Delorenzo slammed into the wall in turn four. When green-flag racing resumed, Hearn just put the Vinny Salerno-owned small block on cruise control, snaked his way through traffic and came away with his 66th career win.

“Let me tell you, it's all preparation,” said Hearn.

Yeah, and a talented driver.

Cottrell had his best run of he season, coming across the finish line second. Cottrell, who has five career wins at Albany-Saratoga, finished second for the 17th time in his career; five of those seconds were behind Hearn.

Don Ackner also turned in a strong performance and finished third, his best finish of the season. A.J. Romano, who put on a great show as he tried to reel Ackner in during the closing laps, was fourth, with Jimmy Davis fifth in the Ralph Wade 99.

Tremont got back up for sixth after starting 24th. His crew had to work feverishly in the hazy and hot conditions to get Tremont in the feature after the rear end gears broke during his heat race.

Completing the top 10 were Don Ronca, Mike Perrotte, Don Scarborough and Bob Savoie, who was driving the Erik Mack 78 after blowing the engine in the Sampson Motorsports car earlier in the week.

Joe Budka put the Schenectady Unit Parts 64 into victory lane for the second time this season in the 25-lap sportsman feature. That race was a fiasco early, with five cautions in the first four laps. But once promoter Bruce Richards put everyone single-file, things got straightened out.

Budka, who started 12th, used the early restarts to work his way to the front, and was up to fifth by lap 10. Jimmy Cottrell, who set the early pace, gave up the lead to Jack Gentile on lap12, but at that point, Budka was really rolling. On lap 15, Budka swung around both Dustin Delaney and Cottrell to move into second, and the next time around, rocketed past Gentile for the lead.

Budka finished with a 2.495 second advantage over Gentile, with Derrick McGrew third, Delaney fourth and Tim Hartman fifth. McGrew was behind the wheel of the Parillo 17 for the first time.

Hollywood Joe Santoro overpowered the pro-street stock field, recording his sixth win of the year. Santoro started high, went low, and then swung back high, taking the lead in just six laps. He breezed to the win over Robert Langevin, with Santoro's Lazzaro Motorsports teammate, Scott Duell, getting up for third. Defending track champion Butch Irwin crossed the stripe fourth, and Dean Charbonneau was fifth.

Jeff Monroe outran Jim Monroe to win the Rentway Limited feature, and Jeremy Brownell (six-cylinder) and Kevin Connors (four-cylinder) were victorious in the Pro-Built mini-stock mains.

Albany-Saratoga will be holding its Rock N' Racing Night on Friday, July 22. The features-only format will conclude with a free concert by the Burners UK, one of the most popular bands in the Capital Region. Racing will start at 7 p.m.

MODIFIEDS: BRETT HEARN, Jack Cottrell, Don Ackner, A.J. Romano, Jimmy Davis, Ken Tremont Jr., Don Ronca, Mike Perrotte, Don Scarborough, Bob Savoie, Ronnie Johnson, Frank Hoard Sr., Keith Flach, Bobby Varin, Tim Clemons, Todd Ryan, Paul Cirincione, Marc Johnson, Gene Munger, Tony Kawalchuk, Craig Hanson, John Proctor, Ron Proctor, Matt Delorenzo, Mike Ronca. DNS: Jack Johnson, Ray Hoard.

SPORTSMEN: JOE BUDKA, Jack Gentile, Derrick McGrew, Dustin Delaney, Tim Hartman, David Peek, Rich Ronca, Neal Erickson, Mike Tholin, Dick Bisson, Chris Busta, Mike Ballestero, Rick Davis, Ed Pieniazek, Tony Ballestero, Matt Depew, Paul Dunham Jr., Ray Martindale, Dan Carlton, Jimmy Cottrell, Ken Anatriello, Bill Cody, Chris Johnson, Randy Salisbury, Skip Shippee.

PRO-STREET STOCKS: JOE SANTORO, Robert Langevin, Scott Duell, Butch Irwin, Dean Charbonneau, Lori Cary, Don Piper, Steve Burega, Jimmy Eaton, Cale Kneer, Chris Maxon, Matt Anatriello, Mark Drescher, William Smith IV, Vince Santoro, Dan Madigan, David Peck Jr., Tom O'Connor, Brian Ashline.

RENTWAY LIMITEDS: JEFF MONROE, Jim Monroe, Kevin VanChance, Bob Smith, Richard Burke, John Filarecki, Tom Conroy, Mike Scorzelli, Paul Mulrain, Mike Minick, Mike Pfau, David Emigh, Andy Durie, Byron Wescott, Jim Monroe Jr., Richard Holmes, Dan Petronis, Mike Wilber, Mark Burch, Charlie Koenig, Brian Haas.

PRO-BUILT MINI-STOCKS (SIX CYLINDER): JEREMY BROWNELL, Tom Jeffalone, Lewis Kusalonis ... rest of official finish to come....

PRO-BUILT MINI-STOCKS (FOUR CYLINDER): KEVIN CONNORS, John Baldwin, Mike Cranston ... rest of official finish to come....