Hearn holds off Camara for win

MALTA, NY - The only thing missing at Albany-Saratoga Speedway Friday night was C.D. Coville slinging clods of clay into the first-turn bleachers.

After a heavy rain shower caused a short delay and created a heavy, driver-friendly racing surface, Brett Hearn picked up his second straight win of the 2009 season, holding off Dave Camara to win the 35-lap 358 modified feature.

The last time Hearn began the season with back-to-back wins at Albany-Saratoga Speedway was 2003.

With the starting lineup again set through time trials and heats, Camara started on the pole, with Hearn sitting third, and when the fast cars are up front, there are going to be some fireworks.

Camara and Don Ronca, who started on the outside of the front row, didn't waste any time showing the fans the kind of action they were going to be seeing for 35 laps. Camara and Ronca swapped the lead five times in the first 10 laps, before a red flag flew for a five-car crash in turn one that began when Ronnie Johnson got out of shape.

Camara regained the lead on lap 13, and Hearn finally got around Ronca for second three laps later. With Camara hugging the bottom and Hearn running the top, there were never more than a couple of car lengths separating the two veterans, and Hearn finally made the pass for the lead on lap 30.

Camara, who was looking for his first win since 2003, stayed right by Hearn's side and made one final run coming out of the fourth turn on the final lap, but Hearn hit the finish line with a car length to spare.

“Dave was really good on the bottom, so I stayed on the outside and tried to not go over the bank, because I was driving the car into the turns so hard,” said Hearn.

“I needed a little bit more,” said Camara. “So close, but yet so far.”

While Hearn and Camara provided the excitement, the best run of the night belonged to defending track champion Ken Tremont Jr., who got up for third. Tremont had motor problems during time trials and had to start 17th, but covered the most ground in the feature.

Jack Johnson crossed the finish line fourth, with defending Devil's Bowl champion Todd Stone fifth.

Ron Langevin picked up his first win of the year in the 25-lap sportsman feature. After starting fifth, Langevin took the lead away from Dave Manny on lap 11 and pulled away from Kory Sandstedt and Mark Kislowski.

Jack Gentile returned to victory lane for the first time since 2002 with a win in the budget sportsman feature. Despite starting 11^th, Gentile used a handful of early cautions to get through traffic and beat Fred Proctor and Seth Howe to the finish line. The last time Gentile was in victory lane at Albany-Saratoga was June 28, 2002, when he won his only sportsman feature.

Ed Thompson recorded his first career win in the 20-lap pro-street stock feature. Thompson, a regular at Devil's Bowl who became a frequent competitor at Albany-Saratoga last season, started on the pole and led flag-to-flag, beating Cale Kneer to the stripe by 0.783 seconds. Defending track champion Kim Duell was third.

Another first-time winner emerged in the limited class, as Dave Billings held off Dan Petronis to make his way to victory lane for the first time. Billings also led wire-to-wire, but Petronis was right on his rear bumper in the closing laps.

The Patriot sprints will highlight the racing card on Friday, May 8, which will also include an invitation-only Modified Clash, as well as the sportsman, budget sportsman, pro-street stock and limited divisions. Racing will begin at 6:45 p.m.

Albany-Saratoga Speedway is also gearing up for its first Saturday night program of the season, to be held on May 23. That card will include the CRSA sprints, Empire Lightning Sprints, DIRTcar sportsman, mini-sprints and an enduro. Additional schedule information can be obtained by going to www.cvra.com.

MODIFIEDS: BRETT HEARN, Dave Camara, Ken Tremont Jr., Jack Johnson, Todd Stone, Vince Quenneville Jr., Don Ronca, Keith Flach, Ronnie Johnson, Matt DeLorenzo, Elmo Reckner, Jimmy Ryan, Jimmy Cottrell, Todd Ryan, Ron Proctor, Tony Kawalchuk, Cory Gilligan, Jeff Trombley, Mike Perrotte, Marc Johnson, Ray Hoard, Alex Bell, Joe Williams, Don Ackner.

SPORTSMAN: ROB LANGEVIN, Kory Sandstedt, Mark Kislowski, Mike Ketchum, Dave Manny, Matt Depew, Ken Anatriello, Chris Johnson, Rich Ronca, Pep Corradi, Dave Constantino, Chris Busta, Mike Tholin, Pat O'Hanlon, Frank Corradi, Tyler Curtis, Dave DePaulo, Dave Baranowski, Cass Bennett.

BUDGET SPORTSMAN: JACK GENTILE, Fred Proctor, Seth Howe, Tim Hartman Jr., Chuck Dickinson, Derrick McGrew, D.J. Brundige, Anthony Marro, Bryan Davis, Pete Carlotto, Scot Straight, Marc Hughes, Chris Rheome, Mike Burdo, Paul Dunham, Jack Swinton, Ron Ayotte, Josh Joseph, Jon Bates, Hunter Bates, Frank Hoard III, Jeremy Bishop, Cullen Howe, Dan Peckham, Ralph Denison, Andrew Durie.

PRO-STREET STOCKS: ED THOMPSON, Cale Kneer, Kim Duell, Bobby Schmidt, Darryl Carl, Chad Jessio, Jeremy Pitts, Walt Brownell Jr., Rob Yetman, Bill Smith IV, Gregg McGill, Carl Vladyka, Jim Monroe, Chuck Towslee, Jimmy Monroe, Lori Langevin, Dave Cook, Kevin Van Chance.

LIMITEDS: DAVE BILLINGS, Dan Petronis, Ben Durie, Dan Carlton, Mark Lester, Ken Conroy, Mike Ostrander, Brian Ashline, Jon Miller, Dan Older, Brian O'Reilly, Yule Cook, Dustin Holmes, Mitch Sequin, Nathan Dahoda, Paul Braymer, David Emigh, Frank Monroe, Justin Demers, Marc Burch, Jason Wood.