MALTA, N.Y. — Adam Pierson marched from 14th to a late-race lead, then scooted away from racelong leader Neil Stratton to claim the non-stop DIRTcar modified feature Wednesday night at Albany-Saratoga Speedway.
The special program, consisting of the features from a mid-evening rainout two weeks ago, began with a tribute to racing journalist Don Davies, an Albany-Saratoga stalwart who passed away Sunday after a battle with cancer.
The program included twin features for both the sportsman and limited sportsman classes, allowing everyone to run a feature.
For the second week in a row, Neil Stratton started from the pole and appeared to be headed to victory lane through most of the event. Front-row companion Derek Bornt chased him in the 35-lapper’s first half before young Ryan McCartney finally got by Bornt and started driving under the rim riding Stratton in the turns.
He got the lead twice, on laps 29 and 30, only to have Stratton blast off the top and take it back.
But unknown to the leaders, Pierson was mowing the field down in his favorite bottom groove, showing a distant fifth at halfway and third by lap 30. Two laps later he drove under both McCartney and Stratton and disappeared, leaving the duo to battle for second.
Stratton prevailed, with McCartney, Rich Ronca and Demetrious Drellos rounding out the top five.
“We haven’t changed anything on this car in two months,” offered an elated Pearson. “It’s a good car with no problems to worry about. Ronca uses a lot of track and I had trouble getting by him but once I did, I got going. Running all that way under green really helped, because it kept my tires warm so I could keep running the bottom. The low groove has been good to us all year. The top is fun but the bottom wins races.”
“That’s why I hate starting on the pole,” declared Stratton, who has lost two features in as many weeks in the waning laps. “You never know which lane is better and then somebody moves around, gets a run and catches you. Adam was really fast on the bottom and I should have gone down there.”
As for young McCartney, he was happy to be third, his best finish ever, saying, “I leaned on the right rear too hard using the bottom to try and get by Neil. This was my best in a big block. This is only my second year and we only ran part of last season so we’re happy.”
In support class action, David Frame won the mini stock feature with Brandon Emigh beat Rich Crane to claim the $250 back-to-back bonus for winning consecutive pro stock features.
Scott Duell bested Mike Coffey Jr. and Andrew Buff in the sportsman opener while 12-year-old Connor Crane and Nick Auspelmeyer shared limited sportsman honors.