~ By Tom Boggie

Today’s lesson, boys and girls, is about goats.

Not those cute little critters that you see in petting zoos or on the menu at trendy restaurants. No, I’m talking about G.O.A.T. – the greatest of all time.

Based on overall numbers, I’ve always put Brett Hearn at the top of the list. Not anymore. I’ve jumped on the Stewart Friesen bandwagon. And I know I’ve got company, because Hall of Fame car owner Tommy Spencer is also on board.

“I always thought Jack (Johnson) was the best, but that kid does things with a race car I’ve never seen before,” said Spencer.

I have to agree. I’ve watched Friesen for years, and just when I think I’ve seen everything in his bag of tricks, he pulls out something else.

The snapshots of Friesen’s jaw-dropping moves began last year, when he passed Hearn on the final lap of “The Big Show 11” at Albany-Saratoga Speedway, snatching $11,000 out of Hearn’s pocket.

Earlier this year, he had to go to the rear after blowing a tire during a Wednesday night special at Fonda Speedway, but rocketed to the front on a track that was heavy and chewed up. He was banging through the ruts in the fourth turn so hard that there were times when three wheels were off the ground, but he made it look like a Sunday drive and came away with the win.

He did it again last Friday at Albany-Saratoga in the 32-lap “Stan Da Man Night” modified feature. Defending champion Marc Johnson looked like he was on his way to his first win of the season, but a late caution gave Friesen the opening he needed and he pulled off a wild slide job going through turns three and four on the last lap to get past Johnson and get the win.

Granted, on most nights, there is a good cushion on the north end of the speedway, but not last Friday. Any other driver who attempted that slide job on the last lap probably would have sailed off into the trees off the short chute between three and four, but Friesen made it stick.

After the race, he joked that he had to rush it a little bit when he looked up and saw there were only two laps to go because of the shortened distance.

Since switching to a Bicknell chassis late in the 2019 season, Friesen has been nearly unbeatable. He debutted the new chassis on Sept. 14 at Fonda, and won the first night out. He picked up three more dirt track wins, including the Eastern States 200 at Middletown, before the end of the 2019 campaign, and has 20 victories so far this year, despite a schedule shortened by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Look at these numbers. Friesen has made five starts at Albany-Saratoga this season; he’s got three wins, a second and a third.

He remained undefeated at Fonda with his seventh victory of the year on Wednesday. Seven-for-seven is unheard of, and also rekindles the debate about the track record for consecutive modified wins. Steve Danish won seven in a row in 1964, and Jack Johnson matched that in 1985. Friesen has seven wins in seven starts (he was competing in the NASCAR Truck series on the night Jeff Heotzler won). In my mind, that gives him a share of the track record.

Sorry, Brett. I’ve got to take you off the top of the G.O.A.T. list. Like Spencer said, this kid does things with a race car that I’ve never seen before.

BICKNELLS BOOMING
In addition to Friesen, Marc Johnson has also made a successful switch to a Bicknell chassis.

Three weeks ago, Johnson dropped a big block into his Troyer chassis, after struggling to get his small block cranked up at Albany-Saratoga.

Two weeks ago, he stunned everyone at the track when he came out with a new Bicknell, with a radical black-and-red paint scheme. He was fast right out of the box, and was running in the top five when he pulled into the infield with mechanical problems midway through the race.

Then, he was snookered by Friesen on the last lap last Friday, but was still happy to come away with a second.

“Hey, he’s the best around,” said Johnson after the race. “I’m happy with the changes, so far. You really never know when you make changes like we did, but so far, so good.”

Johnson explained that he had a transmission bearing blow out on the debut night of the new chassis. “We spun in up to 9,400 (rpms), but nothing really happened to the motor,” he said.

Anthony Perrego has also made the switch, parking his TEO Pro-Car for a Bicknell last week. Perrego’s Friday nights at Albany-Saratoga have been a disappointment, but he came home fourth in the Bicknell last Friday, his best finish of the year.

Friesen won’t be at Albany-Saratoga this weekend because the NASCAR Truck Series is running in Michigan, giving Mike Mahaney the opportunity to extend his point lead. The modifieds will be running for $3,000 to win (and a hefty $2,000 for second) in the annual John Grady Memorial. There will also be $1,000 paydays for both the sportsman and pro stock winners. The Mohawk Valley Vintage Dirt Modifieds are also on the card.

AROUND THE TRACKS
Demetrios Drellos picked up his first career sportsman/modified victory at Devil’s Bowl on Sunday night. Jack Speshock was battling with Drellos for the lead when a lapped car suddenly lost power right in front of him. Speshock didn’t have time to avoid the disabled car and made hard contact. The victory also moved Drellos into the point lead, ahead of Adam Pierson and Bobby Hackel IV.

Hackel IV continues to have engine problems. After encountering motor problems with his primary Malta car early on Friday night, he was forced to bring out his Lebanon Valley car, but only came away with a 12th-place finish. The continuing engine problems forced him to skip Saturday night’s racing at the Valley.

Andy Bachetti notched his third big block win of the season at Lebanon Valley, roaring by Kolby Schroder on the last lap. The win put Bachetti back on top of the point standings, with a six-point lead over Ken Tremont Jr.

It was good to see Mark Flach Jr. back behind the wheel of a race car Saturday at Lebanon Valley. That was Flach’s first time in competition since breaking his neck in a violent wreck at Canandaigua in 2013. The car that Flach is driving is owned by Madsen Motorsports and was formerly driven by Hearn.

Speaking of Madsen Motorsports, Dylan Madsen, car owner Dan Madsen’s son, recorded the first top-five finish of his limited sportsman career Friday, crossing the finish line fifth.

Speshock’s victory in Friday night’s sportsman feature at Albany-Saratoga was his first win at Malta since July 15, 2016. Speshock and Travis Bruno put on a good show, with Speshock getting the lead for good coming out of the second turn on the last lap. “I’ve been on the wrong end of these things (close finishes) a million times,” Speshock said in victory lane after the win. Speshock’s margin of victory was .079 seconds. Ironically, both of Spesock’s wins have come on nights when Friesen won the modified feature.

Cody Ochs became the eighth different crate modified winner at Glen Ridge Motorsports Park last Sunday. That was also his first career win at the track.

Elmo Reckner was back at Albany-Saratoga for the first time last weekend. “This is last year’s tin and last year’s motor,” said Reckner. “I’m just trying to have a little fun.”

Matt Depew only finished 17th in last Friday’s modified feature at Albany-Saratoga. But he still had a good night financially, getting a $320 bonus for winning his heat and another $200 for winning the Service Truck Tire Center Dash for Cash.

All the big guns will be at Devil’s Bowl Speedway Sunday for the Big Block/Small Block Challenge, which will pay $7,500 to win. Matt Sheppard is the defending champion.