News Director 
Story By: TOM BOGGIE / ALBANY-SARATOGA SPEEDWAY – MALTA, NY – Playing second-fiddle to the pro stock race on Friday’s card at Albany-Saratoga Speedway was a 35-lap non-points Modified feature which saw Marc Johnson record his second-straight win and fifth Big Block victory of the season at Malta.
Ryan McCartney, one of the most improved drivers at the track this season, took the lead away from pole-sitter Jeremy Pitts on lap nine, and set a torrid pace, while Johnson was working his way up from his eighth starting position.
Johnson normally sticks to the bottom, but on this night, chose the top. He took the No. 3 spot away from Matt DeLorenzo on lap following a restart on lap 16, then worked his way by Pitts for second on lap 22.
On lap 28, Pitts and DeLorenzo made contact going into the third turn, with Pitts spinning around, and on the subsequent restart, Johnson made a crossover move on McCartney in the second turn and moved out in front for good.
McCartney, who is only in his third year of driving big block modifieds, finished second for the second time in three weeks, while DeLorenzo was third.
Earlier in the night, DeLorenzo won the final leg of the DiCarlo Auto Body 358 Shootout Series, taking home a $2,400 payday. DeLorenzo started on the pole and led all 25 laps to get his second race of the series. Marc Johnson finished second to win the series championship.
Tim Hartman Jr. continued one of the best season of his career, chalking up win No. 6 in the 25-lap sportsman feature. Craig Wholey had the lead when a caution came out of lap 12, but on the restart, Hartman Jr., who had worked his way from seventh to second, crossed over in front of Wholey in the second turn to get the lead and all Wholey could do was follow Hartman Jr. the rest of the way. Dan Grignon completed the podium.
Mike Benson pocketed $200 for winning the Four States Enterprises Sportsman Dash for Cash.
Jordan Hill put her name into the Malta record books, picking up her first win career win in the 20-lap limited sportsman feature. Hill became the second female to win a limited sportsman race this season, following in the footsteps of Sloan Cherko.
Hill started from the pole and looked to be in for an easy night until a yellow flag came out on the last lap. On the final restart, Chase Zimmer, who was in the second position, got into Hill in the first turn, but it was Zimmer who spun out while Hill went on to get the win.
Nick Brundige, who finished 14th, won the limited sportsman championship.
Mark Burch drove to his first win of the season in the 20-lap street stock feature, outrunning Stalker and Matt Mosher. Stalker locked up the street stock title with his runner-up performance.
NAPA MODIFIEDS: MARC JOHNSON, Ryan McCartney, Matt DeLorenzo, David Schilling, Neil Stratton, Jack Speshock, James Meehan, Brian Calabrese, Don Ronca, Robert Bublak Jr., Jeremy Pitts, Tim Hartman Jr., Rich Ronca, Derek Bornt, Eric Mack, Tommy D’Angelo, Mike Engwar, Matt Depew, Demetrios Drellos, Josh Masterson, Brandon Daley.
DICARLO AUTO BODY 358 SHOOTOUT SERIES: MATT DELORENZO, Marc Johnson, David Schilling, Walter J. Hammond, Chris Curtis, Robert Bublak Jr., Brian Pessolano, Garrett Poland, James Fadden, Alan Hammond, Todd Morey, Bill August, Joey Coppola, Peter Carlotto, Walt Hammond Jr., Jim Introne, Andrew Buff.
DOUG WHOLEY’S IDEAL EXCAVATING SPORTSMAN: TIM HARTMAN JR., Craig Wholey, Dan Grignon, Chris Jakubiak, Mike Benson, Tyler Rapp, Derrick McGrew Jr., Dave Baranowski Jr., Zach Buff, Drew Cormie, Brendon Gibbons, Mike Ballestero, Chad Gregory, Taylor LaPlante, Elliot Lussier, Josh LeClaire, Daryl Nutting, Alex Palmer-Sawyer, Josh Coonradt, John Miller, Mark Mortensen, Fire Swamp, Scott Bennett, Nick Lussier, Pat Jones, Michael Wagner Fitzgerald, EJ Gallup, Jason Gray, Taylor Wason, John Dumond.
HAUN WELDING LIMITED SPORTSMAN: JORDAN HILL, Lucas Duncan, Dan Seguin, Tanner Coon, John Santolin, Blake Patrick, Walter Cook, Nick Arnold, Alex Smith, Steve Burch, Mike Block, Matthew Gebo, James Galarneau, Nick Brundige, Owen Lewis, Mike Baker, Craig Coons, Colton Emigh, Nick Auspelmyer, Dana Palumbo, Chase Zimmer, David Zelker, Cordell Younger, Russ Farr, Sloan Cherko, Adam Tranka, Dakota Green, Dan Odell.
CORNELL’S AUTO PARTS STREET STOCKS: MARK BURCH, Chris Stalker, Matt Mosher, Al Relyea, PJ Cram Jr., Jeff Meltz, Dan Madigan, John Filarecki, Josh Hemming, Tim McFarland, Justin Taylor, DJ Mabb, Derek Van Veghten, Dan Buell, Wayne Russell, Adam Osbourne, Zach Delaney, Jason Barrett.
