All About Racing

Rob Yetman took home the $10,000 prize for winning the Autism Awareness race at Albany-Saratoga on Friday at Albany-Saratoga. Biittig photo

Rachael Modiano gave the command and waved the green flag to start the Race 4 Autism $10,000 to win event on Friday at Albany-Saratoga. Biittig photo

By Ed & Betty Biittig

Friday it was off to the Great Race Place for the much-anticipated Pro Stock Race 4 Autism event paying $10,000 to the winner.

There was a field of 43 Pro Stocks with some of the very best drivers on hand to support fellow competitor, Jordan Modiano, driver of the No. 4 Pro Stock and promoter of the event each year.

The event included several fund-raising events including a giant raffle.

Jordan Modiano’s daughter, Rachael, gave the command to start the race from the flag stand and threw the green flag for the start.

It was no surprise the Pro Stock race was the race of the night, an epic battle between two top all-time winners in the division, Rob Yetman and Kim Duell with Yetman taking the checker. The battle for second was between father and son, Kim and Scott Duell with Scott taking second and Kim third. Rob was thrilled with the win and second place finisher, Scott Duell said it was great racing with his dad, door to door.

The final event of the night was the Limited Sportsman race, and we enjoy watching the way the young drivers hone their driving skills each week. Many in the division have moved up from Karts or Slingshots and one is Jordan Hill, driver of the No. 51 who raced go-karts for 17 years before moving up. This season Jordan has led so many races but had something happen to spoil her chance of a win. Track announcer Dan Martin would say each time, “it’s not if she will win, it’s when”. And Friday night everything came together, and Jordan got her first win.

Other winners at Albany-Saratoga on Friday were Marc Johnson, Modifieds; Matt DeLorenzo, 358 Modifieds; Tim Hartman, Jr., Sportsman; Rob Yetman, Pro Stocks; Mark Burch, Street Stocks.

Sunday our plans were to go to Glen Ridge, but a message came before we left that they had cancelled. A steady drizzle at the track forced the decision on the final night of racing at The Ridge. Track championship information will be coming.

This weekend, Thursday-Saturday, September 14-16, the Fonda 200 Weekend will be the big end of season show for dirt racing.

Thursday is the ‘Ultimate Underdog 33’ for non-winning 2024 Modified drivers paying $2,000 to win plus Limited Sportsman $500 to win and Street Stocks $500 to win. The Street Stocks have been moved to Thursday from their originally scheduled Friday date.

On Friday the STSS Modified qualifiers. STSS Crate 602 Sportsman qualifiers, Pro Stocks and Four Cylinders are on the card

Saturday’s program is headlined by the Fonda 200 for the STSS North Region Modifieds plus a 40-lap, $2,500-to-win race for the STSS Crate 602 Sportsman of the North Region. B-Mains for both divisions will precede their main events.

Also coming this Friday, September 13, at Albany-Saratoga is the rescheduled, John Grady Memorial Nostalgia Night with Modifieds, Sportsman, Pro Stocks, Limited Sportsman plus the Mohawk Valley Vintage Dirt Modified Series. Grady photos and driver autograph session.

Until next week please send all news and/or comments to biittig@yahoo.com