~ By Tom Boggie

Just when you thought “The 4th Turn” had quietly drifted off into the sunset, it surfaces out of nowhere. I’ve got more shelf life than a Twinkie.

Ta da. Welcome to 2024.

Thanks to a beautiful summer-like day and Albany-Saratoga Speedway’s rescheduled inspection and practice on Tuesday, I decided to spend some time at the track and get acclimated to racing again.

One of the drivers I wanted to see was 2023 modified champion Demetrios Drellos. The last time I had seen “Double D” was during Malta Massive Weekend, and because the speedway no longer holds an offseason banquet, I hadn’t really gotten a chance to put the finishing touches on his championship season.

Last season, Drellos was one of the few modified drivers who didn’t have any trouble coming through traffic. A lot of that has to do with his driving style, which some critics say is overly aggressive. I don’t agree. When I watch Drellos race, I can’t help thinking about C.D Coville during his days at Albany-Saratoga. If Coville thought he saw an opening, he just went for it, regardless of the consequences. Drellos has the same mindset. He’s not at the track to make friends. He’s there to win races.

“I don’t know what it is,” he said Tuesday of his ability to come from the back of the pack, as he leaned on the rear panel of his late model. “Last year, one of the biggest complaints here was that there was no passing, but I could pass anywhere I wanted. The conditions of the track last year seemed to suit my driving style. You’re going have to pull sliders and do some things that might be a little risky, and maybe some other drivers don’t want to make those moves.”

Because he was starting deep in the pack every week, Drellos only made it to victory lane twice in 2023, but had 11 top-five finishes in 16 points-season starts. He missed qualifying for the modified feature once in late June when a fuel pump issue sent him home early, and his only finish out of the top 10 during the points season was an 11th on Sept. 1, when he suffered a flat tire with five laps to go in the feature.

“I know we worked really hard last year, and I feel really good about what we accomplished,” said the 27-year-old. “Our goal this year isn’t really to win another championship here, but we’re going to do everything we can to defend the one we have.”

That’s probably a good approach to take. Last season, Drellos became the seventh different modified champion at Albany-Saratoga in as many years. The last driver to win back-to-back championships was Brett Hearn in 2013-2014.

Besides making his Friday night home at Albany-Saratoga, Drellos is looking forward to running his late model on the RUSH Series this season. Glen Ridge Motorsports Park has added the RUSH late models to their weekly program, and Albany-Saratoga will be hosting two appearances by the touring series.

“I learn a lot of stuff by running the late model, and I like to learn,” Drellos said. “We can learn a lot of different techniques by racing this car.”

I had to address the inevitable question. How does he feel when he gets booed in victory lane?

“You know, I really don’t care,” he said. “Everyone has an opinion. But I really think the tides are starting to turn. Before, it was like 90-10 against me. Now, I think it’s getting closer to 50-50. Just judging from shirt sales, I think more people are on my side.”

Drellos is young, he’s articulate, he’s aggressive and he’s hard-working. What’s not to like?

MORE WET WEATHER

The unusually wet winter has wreaked havoc at Albany-Saratoga Speedway, and it doesn’t look like it’s going to stop this weekend.

Promoter Lyle DeVore is hoping to open the 59th season of racing at Malta Friday with a modified feature that will pay $5,900 to win, but the forecast for Thursday and Friday is for a lot more rain, which could also wipe out Sunday’s scheduled rain date.

“You want to know what I was doing Monday while everyone else was looking at the eclipse?” DeVore barked Tuesday as he raced back and forth from the pits to the track in a golf cart. “I was pulling up the clay in turns one and two because it was so soft. I was here until 9 o’clock last night.”

Two days of rain will probably force DeVore to postpone the opener until April 19, but it will be a good bet to click into the Albany-Saratoga Facebook page from time to time over the next couple of days for updates.

WINNER WINNER, CHICKEN DINNER

Mike Mahaney had a good reason to be smiling as he pulled into the pits on Tuesday. Last Saturday, he won the 50-lap Bruce Rogers Memorial at Grandview Speedway, taking home the top prize of $7,500 for car owner George Huttig. Mahaney was the last driver to take part in the redraw, and the only starting position left was the pole. Fifty laps later, Mahaney had outrun Stewart Friesen to get the win.

There are a few other Albany-Saratoga regulars who have been to victory lane during the offseason. In February, Brian Calabrese won the Northeast Sportsman feature at Lake View Speedway in South Carolina and in March, Rich Crane won the pro stock feature at Port Royal. Also in late March, Derrick McGrew Jr. won the 602 crate sportsman feature at Lake View.

A battery problem may have cost Drellos a win during the Super DIRTcar Series race on Feb. 14 at Volusia County, Fla. Drellos drew the No. 3 starting position, and went right into the lead, but on lap nine, his battery went dead and he was done for the night. Matt Sheppard went on to record his 500th career win.