Hollywood Takes The Flyin’ Farmer 31: Felix Roy Wins 358-Mod Special At Albany-Saratoga
Story By: TOM BOGGIE / ALBANY-SARATOGA SPEEDWAY – MALTA, NY – Until Friday, Felix Roy had probably never even heard of Jason Herrington, but now, his name will forever be linked with that of “The Flying Farmer.”
Roy led flag-to-flag Friday night to win the DiCarlo Auto Body 358 Series “Flying Farmer 31,” a memorial race for Herrington, to highlight the racing card at Albany-Saratoga Speedway.
Herrington, who raced small block modifieds at both Albany-Saratoga and Lebanon Valley Speedway throughout his career, passed away suddenly in March at the age of 52. His car was known as “The Big Red 1” and Roy was presented with a special “Big Red 1” trophy in victory lane by members of the Herrington family.
Roy, who will be running a full Friday night schedule at Malta in a big block modified this season, also won the first heat race, started on the pole by virtue of the heads-up start and led every lap after Herrington’s daughter, Alexa, threw the green flag to begin the race.
Roy, a native of Napierville, Quebec, dominated the 31-lap feature, collecting all the bonus money and lap money along the way. When he got into traffic on lap 15, Tanner Siemons brought out the second caution of the feature, which put Roy back into clean air.
Roy picked up a $251 bonus from Meltz Lumber by leading at the halfway point of the race and Roy’s only scare of the race came on lap 29, when the lapped car of Jeffrey Reis, who was trying to get into the infield, made hard contact with Roy coming out of the fourth turn. But that incident didn’t prevent Roy from coming away with his first career victory at Albany-Saratoga Speedway.
“Starting on the pole made it easier for me,” said Roy in victory lane. “I knew I had a good car. I got a scare from the lapped car. I thought he was going to put me in the infield.”
Chris Curtis, who started ninth, and Mike Coffey Jr. were locked in a battle for second when Coffey Jr. got too high in turn two on lap 22, allowing Curtis to grab the No. 2 spot and that’s where he finished.
Coffey Jr., who moved up from the sportsman ranks into a 358 modified, ran a very good third, with Tim Sears Jr. fourth and Marc Johnson, who started 15th, fifth.
The 358 heat race winners each received bonuses of $101, through sponsorship from Herrington Farms, Peckham Motorsports and Albany-Saratoga handicapper John Casterella. Those bonuses went to Roy, Coffey Jr., Robert Bublak Jr. and Andrew Buff.
The Four States Enterprises Dash for Cash, also for the 358 modifieds, was won by Sears Jr., who beat Buff by a half-a-car length.
DICARLO AUTO BODY 358 SERIES “FLYING FARMER 31”: FELIX ROY, Chris Curtis, Mike Coffey Jr., Tim Sears Jr., Marc Johnson, Bobby Hackel IV, Matt DeLorenzo, Mike Mahaney, Neil Stratton, Robert Bublak Jr., Walter J. Hammond, Ronnie Johnson, Andrew Buff, David Schilling, Garrett Poland, Brian Calabrese, James Fadden, John Kendall, Chase Zimmer, Jeffrey Reis, Walter Hammond Jr., Dale Gray, Angelo DiCarlo, Bill August, Joe Pravia, Ryan Heath, Peter Britten, Tanner Siemons, Tony Farone, Brandon Gibbons, Brandon Daley, Brian Whittemore.
