Sports - McGrew wins Budget Feature at Speedway

After two weeks off, one because of rain and last week the track hosted the Northeast Karting Nationals, the Malta track reopened for a 35-lap Budget Sportsman main event. Eighteen cars took the Green Flag on a table top smooth surface with Jared McMahon taking the early lead.

Two regular Sportsman competitors, Mike Tholin and Derrick McGrew, were moving forward quickly from their second and third row starting spots. McGrew took over second place on Lap 4 and by Lap 9 was running side-by-side with McMahon. McGrew then made the race-winning pass coming out of the second turn on Lap 10. Tholin passed McMahon two laps later and tried reeling in McGrew. On a Lap 19 restart, Tholin made a run on the inside of the race leader but McGrew quickly closed the door. Tholin continued to dog McGrew for the remaining 15 laps.

McGrew pulled his #26 into Albany Saratoga’s victory lane for the first time since the 2005 racing season. Tholin, making his first appearance in this division at the track, finished second with D.J. Brundige third, Jack Swinton fourth and Frank Hoard II finishing fifth.

Only four Pro-Stocks showed up for their 20-lap race, possibly because of the volatile weather in the area. Luke Horning won the race after early leader Jeremy Pitts cut down a right rear tire. Johnny Rivers was second, followed by Randy Miller and Pitts.

The Limited division put on an exciting show with plenty of side-by-side racing. Front row starters Cody Bleau and Mark Lester were just bout even each time they crossed the line for the first three laps with Bleau finally gaining an advantage on Lap 4. Coming through the pack fast was Ballston driver Byron Wescott. Wescott hasn’t raced for the past couple years but was piloting brother-in-law Darrell Older’s #98 and looked as racy as when he was a regular winner in the class. Wescott drove round the outside of Bleau on Lap 9 and held of a late-race charge by Dan Petronis to score his first win in three years. Following Wescott and Petronis were Dan Older, Bleau and Lester.

Jamison Tromans, in his 6-cylinder, won the 4 and 6-cylinder Mini-Stock race. Don Curley was the first 4-cylinder across the line.

Race #2 of the Fall schedule takes place this Friday night, October 3rd, with what is being billed as “Bad to the Bone 50,” a 50-Lap Budget Sportsman race, as well as racing in the Pro-Stock, Limited and Mini-Stocks. Race time is 6:45 p.m.

Also this weekend, on Saturday, October 4th, is the 23rd Annual “Schneider Brothers 200,” long-known as the “Victoria 200.” Many of the Capital District Modified drivers will be competing for the $25,000 top prize at Fulton Speedway in Fulton, NY.