Ketchum closes season with a win


MALTA – Although Mike Ketchum lost the sportsman division track championship at Albany-Saratoga Speedway by one point, he picked up a nice consolation prize Friday night when he won the 35-lap sportsman feature that highlighted the “Fun Run” at the historic Malta track.

With the 358 modifieds having already concluded their season, the support divisions shared the spotlight on the final night of racing in the 2007 season at Albany-Saratoga, and the sportsmen showed they also know how to put on a show.

Mike Tholin and Joe Santoro shared the front row for the 35-lap feature, with Ketchum and the John Kollar-owned 10% sitting in the five hole. Tholin set the pace for the first four laps, but Santoro then used a restart on the fourth lap to take the point.

But the next time around, both Ketchum and Tholin blasted past Santoro, with Ketchum gaining the advantage. He stayed out front the rest of the way, with Tholin haunting him lap after lap, but at the finish line, Ketchum still had his comfortable advantage and his third win of the season.

Tholin, who had a very consistent season, but failed to get a win, finished second, his fourth runner-up performance of the season. Santoro crossed the stripe third, followed by Ken Anatriello and Matt Depew.

Carl Vladyka, a CVRA veteran who now does most of his racing at Devil's Bowl, led flag-to-flag to win the 25-lap pro-street stock feature. The win was his first of the season at Albany-Saratoga, to go with his two wins at Devil's Bowl. It was also Vladyka's first win at Albany-Saratoga Speedway since Sept. 26, 2003, and allowed him to move into a tie for second place on the track's all-time pro-street stock win list with 23 victories. Ernie Grenier retired with 23 wins, and Joe Santoro is the all-time leader with 26.

Pete Broderson was another car-length back in second, with Jim Monroe third, Kevin Van Chance fourth and Nick Stone fifth.

Fred Proctor got the victory in the 30-lap budget sportsman feature, while Nick Lussier picked up his second victory of the season in the 30-lap limited feature.

Lussier started 16th, but was on the charge early and was up to fourth after just five laps.

Invader Luke Horning, who had started fifth, got the lead on lap eight and stayed out front until he began developing mechanical problems with 10 laps left. Lussier moved out on the point on lap 23 and cruised to the victory. Bill Duprey, another Devil's Bowl regular, was second, followed by Andy Durie, Dan Petronis and John Filarecki.

The mini-stocks were also on the Fun Run card, with Jamie McCarthy getting the victory in the four-cylinder ride.

Although the gates of Albany-Saratoga Speedway are now closed for the season, with the exception of the October Halloween Havoc, track officials have announced that the 2008 campaign will start on Friday, April 18.

SPORTSMAN: MIKE KETCHUM, Mike Tholin, Joe Santoro, Ken Anatriello, Matt Depew, Pep Corradi, Mark Kislowski, Rich Ronca, John Heidrich, Dave DePaulo, Bill Bokus, Andy Boniewski, Brian Sanstedt, Kale Groff, Adam Tranka, Skip Shippee, Jeff Kelley, Randy Salisbury, Stan Lemiesz, Brian Holbritter, Dave Baranowski, Tyler Curtis, Kory Sandstedt, Chris Busta.

PRO-STREET STOCKS: CARL VLADYKA, Pete Broderson, Jim Monroe, Kevin Van Chance, Nick Stone, Bill Smith IV, Rocky Warner, Ivan Joslin, Randy Miller, Tom O'Connor, Mike Paquin, Mike Jeske, Walt Brownell, Bernie Companion.

BUDGET SPORTSMAN: FRED PROCTOR, Jared McMahon, Mike Visconti, Kris Bradbury, Matthew Hyde, Ralph Denison, Tom Lilly, Dennis Pennock, Steve Williams, Angelo DiCarlo, Chuck Allen.

LIMITEDS: NICK LUSSIER, Bill Duprey, Andy Durie, Dan Petronis, John Filarecki, Ken Conroy, Joey Trudeau, Ben Durie, Harry Coonradt, Tim Brunelle, Mike Pfau, Luke Horning, Charlie Koenig, Car No. 00, Anthony Marro, Dave Billings, Dave Bayes, Mark Burch, Jack Swinton, Mike Ostrander, Mark Lester, Tony Condon, Bill Burlingame, Chuck McSpirit, Curtis Condon.

MINI-STOCKS: JAMIE MCCARTHY, Jason Dickson, Shane Marks, Dan Older, Jameson Tromans, Ron Zagata, Erin Older, Chrus Hutchinson, Jason Rheome, Chris Mattison, Howard McEachron.