News Director 
Story By: MANDEE PAUCH / STRATTON RACING – BENNINGTON, VT – Big strides are being made in the Stratton camp after Neil Stratton produced his most efficient outing of the season last Friday night at his home track.
The Bennington, V.T. driver nearly posted a top-five result Friday evening at Albany-Saratoga Speedway.
The night opened with Neil running away with the heat race win after his fourth-place starting spot.
“The car was good,” added Neil. “The track was a little slick which played into my advantage. Once we got into the lead we kind of just road and won it.”
Neil’s heat race win lined him up on the inside of the fourth row for the main event.
“We went forward, then went backwards, then forward again,” he said. “The car was good, we just ran out of time. I was pulling sliders on Elmo Reckner, he just barely beat me at the line by a nose for fifth. We definitely had a top five car.”
Neil finally feels like they’re finally on the right path.
“That’s where we should be,” he said. “We’re running with the guys up front. We just had to get ourselves turned around. We’re finally getting into a rhythm again.”
Teammate and father, Hector Stratton, is still trying to figure his new Troyer out.
“The car felt loose,” Hector added. “We don’t quite have it yet but we’re gaining.”
Hector started second and finished third in his heat race.
Hector’s third-place finish lined him up on the outside pole for the main event.
“I went backwards,” he said. “I’ve never had a Troyer before so we’re still learning the setup on it. We just need to get the setup a little better, plus running a small block against the big blocks hurts us up there but we aren’t giving up. We found a few things in Neil’s car and he ran pretty good. So, we aren’t giving up.”
Hector crossed the line in 18th.
The Stratton Racing team are proving week after week that determination is key in order to succeed.
The Stratton racing team will once again be back in action this Friday, July 6 at Albany-Saratoga Speedway.
