5/6/11: MALTA – If you want to be the best, you’ve got to beat the best, and that’s what Joe Williams of Schenectady did Friday night at Albany-Saratoga Speedway.

Williams made a great out-and-in move to get around Hunter Bates of Middlebury, Vt., on lap 29 and went on to record his first win of the season in the 35-lap NASCAR Modified feature at the historic Malta track.

The victory was redemption for Williams, who admitted that a mental mistake cost him a win on opening night. But there were no mistakes this week as he notched the second victory of his career at Albany-Saratoga.

Bates, the 2010 Champlain Valley Racing Association Driver of the Year, started on the pole Friday night and was setting a torrid pace, but Williams, who started fifth, was hooked up from the start and moved into second on lap eight.

Bates got into lapped traffic early and got a little cushion over Williams, but when the only caution of the race came out on lap 20, Bates started to feel some pressure from Williams, who had turned the fastest lap of the feature just before the caution came out.

Bates was running the bottom, leaving the top open for Williams, and on lap 29, he made his move. Williams went to the top in turn three, then dove to the bottom coming out of four and had the lead for good going into the first turn.

Bates could only watch as Williams pulled away and was over a full second ahead at the finish. Bates had to settle for second, with Fred Proctor, who ran a solid race, coming across the stripe third.

Jacob Zakrzewski, who had posted his first career victory on opening night, finished fourth, with Ron Proctor fifth.

Darryl Carl was back in victory lane after the 30-lap pro late model feature, on Friday night, but this time, he didn’t need any help.

Carl had been awarded the victory on opening night after apparent winner Jacob McGrath was disqualified for having too much left-side weight percentage.

Carl started in the last row Friday night, and quickly worked his way to the front, where Jim Monroe was setting the pace.

Carl took over second on lap 10 and quickly locked into a crowd-pleasing battle with Monroe. But Carl worked his way around the top to get the lead on lap 19, and then had to hold off a strong challenge from Dan Petronis, who made a late charge to finish second.

Brandon Emigh, Monroe and Sheldon Martin completed the top five.

Teenager Matt Pappa drove to his second straight win in the Legends feature, and Dan Older Jr. took the checkered flag in the Bomber Warriors feature.

Paul Mulrain was first under the checkered flag in the Renegade feature, but was later disqualified, giving the win to Rowdy Burch.

Albany-Saratoga also held its first enduro of the season, with Jim Wood getting the win, finishing ahead of Reed Thompson and Arnie Naparty.

All divisions will be in action when racing resumes on May 13 on Freaky Friday. Special prizes will be awarded to the fans wearing the freakiest outfits. Racing begins at 7 p.m.

NASCAR MODIFIEDS: JOE WILLIAMS, Hunter Bates, Fred Proctor, Jacob Zakrzewski, Ron Proctor, Bobby Hackel IV, Luke Klob, Cody Sargen, Dave Manny, Paul Braymer, John Proctor, Paul Dunham Jr., Jason Reome, Alex Bell, Justin Haas.

PRO LATE MODELS: DARRYL CARL, Dan Petronis, Brandon Emigh, Jim Monroe, Sheldon Martin, Dave Emigh, Mike Scorzelli, Carl Guilefuss, Jim Monroe Jr., Randy Miller.