Hearn continues hot streak 

MALTA - Brett Hearn is going to hate to see July come to an end.

Hearn continued his hot streak, and swept all the 358 modified races held in July at Albany-Saratoga Speedway in the process, by driving to his seventh win of the season Friday night in the 35-lap Bobcat of Saratoga modified feature.

Unlike the previous week, when Hearn needed a last-lap pass to get the win, this one win was much easier. Passing cars in chunks on the bottom of the speedway, Hearn had the lead on lap 14, and then just left the field in his dust. When second-place finisher Ronnie Johnson crossed the finish line, he would have needed to call long distance to get in contact with Hearn.

“Sometimes, you work your butt off and get zero. Other times, you get on a roll and can't be stopped,” said Hearn after recording his 68th career win at the Malta track.

Hearn made this one look easy. Two early restarts helped him move from his 13th starting position to sixth, and the Delaney Construction-sponsored small block was really hooked up to the bottom.

On lap six, he sailed underneath both Todd Ryan and Ken Tremont Jr. going through the second turn, and three laps later, picked off both Bob Savoie and Ron Proctor to move into second, behind Jimmy Davis.

Hearn then used his favorite passing lane, the second turn, to drop Davis to second on lap 14.

From there, all the action was behind Hearn. A lot of the attention was focused on Jack Johnson, who had motor problems during his heat race and started 22nd in the field. Whatever problems Jumpin' Jack had in the heat obviously weren't there in the feature, because he was flying and came away with a hard-earned fourth place finish.

The running order behind Hearn at the finish was Ronnie Johnson, A.J. Romano, Jack Johnson and Davis. Completing the top 10 were Bobby Varin, Savoie, Tremont, Tim Clemons and Don Scarborough.

Derrick McGrew got his first win of the season, and his first ever for car owner Mike Parillo, in the 20-lap sportsman feature. Rookie Chris Busta had the hot setup and dominated the early portion of the race, but contact he made with Dan Bublak when taking the lead on lap five would come back to haunt him.

McGrew took the lead away from Busta at the midway point of the race, and when a caution came out the next time around, it was apparent that Busta's right rear tire was going down, and he had to go to the pits.

McGrew then held off a late charge from Dick Bisson to get his sixth career sportsman victory at Malta. Mike Tholin finished third, with Randy Hotaling fourth and Mike Ballestero fifth. Hotaling, who began the year in the modified division, has returned to sportsman and ironically, is driving one of McGrew's old cars.

Scott Duell dominated the 20-lap pro-street stock feature, winning by a half-track over teammate Joe Santoro. The win was Duell's fourth of the season.

Rich Holmes drove to his first career win in the 15-lap Rentway Limited feature. Mike Pfau started on the pole and led the first 10 laps, but then had to pull out with overheating problems, giving the lead to Holmes, who beat Tom Conroy and Kevin VanChance to the finish line.

The Pro-built Mini-stocks ran double features, with Pete Willis sweeping both four-cylinder events, and Jeremy Brownell and Randy Manhey picking up wins in the six-cylinder features.

The Central New York Mini Sprints were also on the racing card, with series point lead Mike Kiser getting the victory. He was followed by Daniel Lampron and Duby Woodruff. Don Harvey Jr., who had been in victory lane the last time the mini sprints were at Malta, rolled his car on the 13th lap and finished seventh.

Albany-Saratoga Speedway will return to action Friday night with the CVRA.com 100, the fourth race in the DIRT vs. CVRA Series.

BOBCAT OF SARATOGA MODIFIEDS: BRETT HEARN, Ronnie Johnson, A.J. Romano, Jack Johnson, Jimmy Davis, Bobby Varin, Bob Savoie, Ken Tremont Jr., Tim Clemons, Don Scarborough, Ron Proctor, Mike Ronca, Keith Flach, Don Ackner, Don Ronca, Matt DeLorenzo, Jack Cottrell, Todd Ryan, Tony Kawalchuk, Marc Johnson, Donnie Corellis, Mike Perrotte, John Proctor, Ken McGuire, Paul Cirincione.

SPORTSMEN: DERRICK MCGREW, Dick Bisson, Mike Tholin, Randy Hotaling, Mike Ballestero, Rich Ronca, Tim Hartman, Matt Depew, Neal Erickson, Joe Budka, Ken Anatriello, Stan Lemiesz, Dan Bublak, Tony Ballestero, Rich Davis, Jack Gentile, David Peek, Dustin Delaney, Bill Cody, Jimmy Cottrell, Ed Pieniazek Jr., Sean Gallivan, Adam Tranka, Brian Holbritter, Chris Busta.

PRO-STREET STOCKS: SCOTT DUELL, Joe Santoro, Jimmy Eaton, Butch Irwin, Vince Santoro, Bernie Companion, Cale Kneer, Lori Cary, Rob Langevin, Chris Maxon, Dean Charbonneau, Steve Burega, Mark Dresher, Tom O'Connor, Matt Anatriello, Bill Smith.

RENTWAY LIMITEDS: RICH HOLMES, Tom Conroy, Kevin VanChance, Richard Burke, Jim Monroe Jr., John Morris Jr., Mark Burch, Byron Wescott, Dave Emigh, Tracy Ash, Paul Mulrain, Adam Stoddard, Dan Petronis, John Filarecki, Charlie Koenig, Jeff Monroe, Tony Condon, Mike Minick, Joe Mulvaney, Mike Pfau, Bob Smith, Mike Ostrander, Jim Monroe, Amanda Clemens, Steve Holcomb.

PRO-BUILT MINI-STOCKS (SIX-CYLINDER, HELD OVER FROM JULY 22): JEREMY BROWNELL, Tom Jeffalone, Randy Manhey, Chris McCarthy, Kevin Lukasik, Lewis Kusalonski, Dan Uber, Mike Duclos, Ray Galusha, Amy Benequista.

PRO-BUILT MINI-STOCKS (SIX-CYLINDER): RANDY MANHEY, Lewis Kusalonis, Dan Uber, Mike Duclos, Chris McCarthy, Tom Jeffalone, Jeremy Brownell, Kevin Lukasik.

PRO-BUILT MINI STOCKS (FOUR CYLINDER, HELD OVER FROM JULY 22): PETE WILLIS, Kevin Connors, John Baldwin, Mike Muggan, Mike Cranston, Ryan Pechtel, Jason Dickson, Roger Newkirk, Matt Corbiel, Chris Greene, Ben Durie, Brett Osgood, Joe Baker, Mark Emigh, Tyler Peetz, Walt Zeh, Trevor Gavin.

PRO-BUILT MINI STOCKS (FOUR-CYLINDER): PETE WILLIS, Roger Newkirk, Ben Durie, Ryan Pechtel, John Baldwin, Tyler Peetz, Joe Baker, Kevin Connors, Mike Cranston, Travis Tromans, Matt Corbiel, Jason Dickson, Mark Emigh.