~ By Tom Boggie

Today is Unsung Hero Day here at the 4th Turn.

Instead of focusing on the usual suspects (namely, modified drivers), this week the focus is going to be on two dirt track racing veterans, Dan Madigan and Jeff Washburn.

Madigan recorded his first street stock win of the season at Albany-Saratoga Speedway last Friday, ending a 15-year winless drought, while Washburn made his way to victory lane for the first time ever in the sportsman division.

Both Madigan and Washburn are familiar names at Albany-Saratoga. Madigan has nine pro stock victories under his belt, with the first one coming in 1998. Washburn was also a top contender in the pro stock ranks for years, picking up four victories before moving up.

Ironically, Madigan’s last pro stock victory at Albany-Saratoga came on May 5, 2007, and two weeks later, Washburn came away with his first pro stock win.

More recently, Madigan and Washburn both raced pro stocks for three seasons (2015-2017) before their paths diverged. So, it’s pretty ironic (I know, I used that word already) that they both won last Friday.

Madigan went flag-to-flag in the 20-lap street stock feature to chalk up his first win since that pro stock victory in 2007.

“This is outstanding,” he said in victory lane. “After all these years … My brother brought home some steel and we put this car together. We were going to try pro stocks with it, but they (Albany-Saratoga officials) were kind enough to let us run with the street stocks.”

Washburn had to work a little harder for his win. He didn’t get the lead in the 25-lap sportsman feature until lap 19, but he easily held off Darryl Nutting and Zach Buff.

“The car was awesome,” said Washburn. “I didn’t think we’d be able to race tonight because we didn’t have the parts. I had to borrow a wheel from Chris Bisson.”

Two guys who love to race, former rivals, both in victory lane on the same night.

As a side note, Washburn became the 11th different sportsman winner in 13 features this season, and is the sixth different driver who was a first-time winner.

MORE DISAPPOINTMENT

Jack Lehner is getting frustrated, and you can’t blame him.
After bringing out a new DKM chassis and finishing fourth on June 17, Lehner thought he had turned the corner in his racing season.

But since then, he can’t catch a break.

Last Friday, it looked like he was finally going to get his first modified win of the season. After starting seventh, Lehner was up to third after 14 laps in the 35-lap feature, moved into second when Keith Flach went too high in the second turn on lap 18, and then took the lead away from Rich Ronca on lap 23.

But on the next lap, a lapped car driven by Brandon Daley came off the bottom in the fourth turn, right into Lehner’s path. Lehner hit the right rear of Daley’s car, resulting in a flat left front tire.

Lehner tried to hang on, but finally gave up the lead to Demetrios Drellos with two laps to go, and had to settle for second.

“I come here to win,” said a disappointed Lehner after the race. “Tonight was the first time I felt we had the best car here.”

Lehner, who is only 23, is in his sixth season racing modifieds, but only has two wins in 252 career starts. Both wins came last year, the first at Fonda Speedway behind the wheel of the Nelson Racing modified, and the second at Albany-Saratoga on June 18.

He’s also been following the Super DIRT Series since 2018, racing all over the Northeast, as well as going to Charlotte and the DIRTcar Nationals in Florida. So he’s proven that he can run with the best.

“We started off good this year (on the Super DIRT Series) and were fourth in points at one time,” said Lehner. “So I’d say we’re doing OK. We’ve slipped a little bit recently (he’s now ninth in points), but we’ll get back up there.”

Lehner’s best finish in seven SDS starts this year was an eighth at Lebanon Valley, but since then, he’s finished 27th at Albany-Saratoga, 18th at Canandaigua and 13th at Big Diamond.

He knows the wins will come, but he’s starting to get a little frustrated.

“Tonight should have been one of them,” he said.

TRIBUTE NIGHT

Friday night is “Stan Da’ Man” Night at Albany-Saratoga, the annual tribute to promoter Lyle DeVore’s father, who died in 2016. The modifieds will be running 32 laps, for $3,200 to win, and the modified heats will each carry a $320 bonus for the winner. The sportsman also have a 32-lap feature, “The Flying Trowel,” which will pay $1,320 to win, and Ron Mensing’s Native Pride program has upped the winner’s share of the pro stock purse to $1,320 to keep the 32 theme going. Stan, a master mason by trade, was one of the original members of the Norseman Street Rod Club and one of his favorite cars was a yellow 1932 Ford two-door sedan.

AROUND THE TRACKS

How many dirt track drivers do you know who have thrown out the first pitch at a baseball game? Stewart Friesen did it on Monday, at an Amsterdam Mohawks game in Shuttleworth Park. It also happened to be Friesen’s birthday. Now, we have to find a way to get the native of Canada to drop a ceremonial first puck at a hockey game.

Speaking of Friesen, I’d like to give him, Chris Larsen, Camping World CEO Marcus Lemonis and everyone associated with the Harmar Friesen Team a big shoutout for allowing Todd Bodine to make his 800th and final career NASCAR series start last weekend at Pocono in one of the Halmar trucks. I watched the pre-race ceremonies and Bodine was choking up in his truck as he talked to the broadcast team in the booth. Bodine had hoped to run the entire race and soak in the atmosphere at the end, but a run-in with Hailie Deegan at the end of the first stage put him in the wall and ended his day prematurely.

Kyle Armstrong won last Saturday night’s Rifenburgh Construction Night modified feature at Lebanon Valley, picking up $5,000.

Let’s see, eight days ago, 58-year-old Craig Von Dohren was inducted in the Northeast Dirt Modified Hall of Fame, and then last weekend went out and recorded back-to-back wins at Big Diamond and Grandview. That gives Von Dohren 11 wins this year, tied for third-best in the Northeast with Ryan Godown, behind Matt Sheppard (21) and Mat Williamson (17).

Last Sunday’s Super DIRTcar Series postponement at Weedsport has extended the upcoming SummerFAST to four days. It will start with the 100-lap, $10,000-to-win race at Weedsport on Monday, Aug. 15. and will be followed by 75-lap races, each paying $7,500 to win, at Brewerton on Aug. 16, Fulton on Aug. 17, and Land of Legends on Aug. 18.

Rich Crane drove his brother Chris’ No. 69 pro stock at Albany-Saratoga last Friday after tearing up his own No. 711 in a wreck the previous week. Crane led the majority of laps in the pro stock feature last Friday, before losing the lead to eventual winner Chucky Dumblewski on lap 22, and then getting nosed out of second place by Shane Henderson at the finish line.

Heat-race finishing positions are becoming crucial in the modified division at Albany-Saratoga. Last Friday, Matt DeLorenzo finished sixth in his heat, out of a qualifying position, and wound up 18th on the starting grid for the feature. He worked his tail off to get up to eighth after 35 laps and retain his points lead over Peter Britten.

The heat wave that smothered the Capital District last week obviously took its toll on the racing surface. “There’s no one on the planet who can get bite into a race track tonight,” said DeVore prior to the Empire Super Sprints heats.

It was announced this week that 74-year-old Hall of Famer Kenny Brightbill will run Larry Wight’s No. 99 Gypsum-sponsored modified in the Past Champions race during Super DIRT Week in Oswego in October. Brightbill won the Super DIRT Week race at Syracuse in 1988, in a car that he built himself.

Saturday night will be “Christmas in July” Night at Lebanon Valley. Fans who bring a new, unwrapped toy to donate to Toys for Tots will receive free admission.

Devil’s Bowl Speedway promoter Mike Bruno has announced plans for the C.J. Richards Classic “Battle at the Bowl” on Saturday. Aug. 7. The 67-lap race for big blocks and small blocks, an annual tribute to the founder of the Champlain Valley Racing Association, will pay $10,000 to win, and $1,000 to start, and drivers who don’t qualify for the feature will receive $200 in tow money.