McGrew in budget sportsman victory lane for East Coast Qualifier

MALTA, NY - Derrick McGrew picked a perfect time to return to Victory Lane at Albany-Saratoga Speedway.

McGrew locked up a guaranteed starting spot in the East Coast Budget Nationals, to be held at Albany-Saratoga on Sunday, Oct. 19, by outrunning Mike Tholin Saturday night in the 35-lap budget sportsman feature at the Malta track.

The last time McGrew sat in Victory Lane at Albany-Saratoga Speedway was on Aug. 5, 2005, when he was a regular in the sportsman division at the track.

McGrew finished over two seconds ahead of Tholin Saturday night, with D.J. Brundige a distant third in the 35-lap feature. Jack Swinton and Frank Hoard III, the Champlain Valley Racing Association overall budget sportsman champion, completed the top five.

Luke Horning breezed to victory in the pro-stock feature, Byron Westcott held off Dan Petronis to win the limited feature and Jameson Tromans picked up the win in the mini/duke stock feature.

Albany-Saratoga Speedway will return to action on Friday night, with the racing card highlighted by the Bad to The Bone 50-lap feature for budget sportsman, which will also be a qualifier for the East Coast Budget Nationals. Pro-stocks, limited and mini/duke stocks will also be on the racing card, which will begin at the normal starting time of 6:45 p.m.

BUDGET SPORTSMAN: DERRICK MCGREW, Mike Tholin, D.J. Brundige, Jack Swinton, Frank Hoard III, Mike Burdo, Anthony Marro, Rick LaMont, Dan Peckham, Jared McMahon, Chris Thorpe, Jeremy Dygert, Tim Anagnos, Ron Ayotte, Mike Pinke, Tom Lilly, No. 26N, Mike Grogan.