DeLorenzo wins CVRA vs. the World at Albany-Saratoga

MALTA – Matt DeLorenzo parlayed two good breaks into a huge win Wednesday night as he held off a late challenge from Dave Camara to win the 100-lap CVRA vs. The World feature at Albany-Saratoga Speedway.

The win, which was worth $5,000, was DeLorenzo's first of the season and marked the first time in his career that he won a 100-lap feature at the historic Malta track.

DeLorenzo's first break came on lap 52, when leader Ken Tremont Jr. got tangled up with the lapped car of Bobby Varin. DeLorenzo was a distant second at the time, but moved out in front.

“I didn't have anything for Kenny,” DeLorenzo admitted after the race. “He was really fast, high and low.”

DeLorenzo's next big break came on lap 79, after he and Camara had kept the crowd buzzing with some brilliant side-by-side racing, with DeLorenzo taking the high line around the speedway and Camara sticking to the bottom. Camara seemed to be getting a better run out of the fourth turn and inched in front on lap 67, but DeLorenzo regained the advantage the next time around.

Camara kept building momentum and finally made his move in the third turn on lap 79, ducking inside DeLorenzo going through the turn and then drifting high to break DeLorenzo's momentum.

The only problem was that the pass didn't count. Just before Camara took the lead, Todd Ryan had slowed on the front straightaway, bringing out the yellow. According to Champlain Valley Racing Association rules, when the yellow comes out, the race reverts back to the last completed lap, which put DeLorenzo back in front.

On the restart, DeLorenzo changed lanes and got some breathing room, and although Camara was really never too far behind, he was never close enough again to make a run at DeLorenzo.

“I think I overheated my right rear tire trying to get by him, and it must have sealed,” said Camara. “It took me 10 laps to get going again.”

Every time the yellow came out, DeLorenzo was smiling inside the BBL-sponsored small block.

“My car seemed to be better on the restarts,” he said. “After 15 laps or so, it would get loose, but the cautions seemed to help me. I was just trying not to spin the tires.

“On the last restart, I moved to the bottom to keep up my momentum, and it seemed to be better on the bottom.”

Because he has struggled at Albany-Saratoga Speedway this season, DeLorenzo also switched cars to try to change his luck.

“I don't normally run this car here,” he said. “This is my Fonda car, the one I wrecked with Jack (Johnson). We just got it done, and I never raced it here before tonight. But I guess I'll probably bring it back again.”

Wednesday night's win marked the second time that DeLorenzo has cashed in at Tremont's expense. In the opening race last season, a 50-lapper, Tremont had a big lead, but blew his motor on lap 48, giving the win to DeLorenzo.

While DeLorenzo and Camara were battling for the lead, an intriguing clash was going on for third between Brett Hearn and Tim McCreadie, who picked up a ride in the Vinny Salerno-owned Four Star Racing car after Hearn and Salerno split last week after a long and lucrative relationship..

McCreadie, who had never been in the Four Star car until arriving at the speedway Wednesday, set fast time, but had to start 11th because of an inverted start.

By lap 33, McCreadie was up to fourth and Hearn, driving the Wentworth-sponsored car, was following him around the speedway.

Their little war continued for the remainder of the feature, and there were times when the two cars were no more than inches apart. Although Hearn did most the chasing, he got some satisfaction when he passed McCreadie going down the backstretch on lap 88 to finish third.

McCreadie was right behind Hearn for fourth, and Pat Ward was fifth.

Completing the top 10 were Jeff Trombley, Jimmy Davis, Todd Stone, Ronnie Johnson and Mike Ricci. Stone came all the way from the rear after going to the pits on lap eight after blowing his left front tire.

Tremont, who had taken the lead on lap 10 and looked so dominant in the first half of the race, went to the pits for good on lap 69 with severe rear end damage and finished 25th in the 26-car field.

Dennis Pennock had a memorable night, leading flag-to-flag to come away with the first budget sportsman victory of his career. The 25-lap race was slowed by five cautions, but each time, Pennock got the jump on the restart and never gave up the lead. When D.J. Brundige and Tim Hartman Jr. got locked into a battle for second, Pennock built up a little cushion and was nearly a second ahead of Brundige when the checkered flag fell.

Hartman finished third, followed by Marc Hughes and Frank Hoard III.

Brandon Emigh got the lead on lap 10 and picked up his second straight win in the 20-lap limited feature. Emigh, who started eighth, easily notched his third win of the season, beating Dan Older to the finish line by nearly three seconds. Nathan Dahoda, Dan Petronis and Dave Emigh completed the top five.

CVRA VS. THE WORLD (100 LAPS): MATT DELORENZO, Dave Camara, Brett Hearn, Tim McCreadie, Pat Ward, Jeff Trombley, Jimmy Davis, Todd Stone, Ronnie Johnson, Mike Ricci, Keith Flach, Mike Ronca, Elmo Reckner, Bob Savoie, Bobby Varin, Ray Hoard, Danny Varin, Don Ackner, Dan Creeden, Craig Hanson, Jim Becker, Marc Johnson, Kory Sandstedt, Todd Ryan, Ken Tremont Jr., Mike Perrotte.

BUDGET SPORTSMAN: DENNIS PENNOCK, D.J. Brundige, Tim Hartman Jr., Marc Hughes, Frank Hoard III, Chuck Dickinson, Robert Bublak, Hunter Bates, Scot Straight, Jack Swinton, Dan Peckham, Jack Gentile, Fred Proctor Jr., Paul Dunham Jr., Dan Santabarbara, Mike Burdo, Jim Nagle, Derrick McCrew, Joe Santoro, Jim Duncan, Danny Ody, Chris Reckner, Willy Knight, Justin Comes, Mike Tholin, Anthony Marro, Bryan Davis.

LIMITEDS: BRANDON EMIGH, Dan Older, Nathan Dahoda, Dan Petronis, Dave Emigh, Joshua Coonradt, Brian O'Reilly, Mike Ostrander, Dave Shippee, Ben Durie, Justin Demers, Jason Wood, Jon Miller, Matt Mosher, Mark Burch, Dave Billings, Paul Braymer.