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The 60 Lap, $7,500-to-win Feature is the first of two stops at the Malta, NY facility in 2025
Mike Warren
April 14, 2025
A celebration of six decades highlights the next stop for the Super DIRTcar Series as it prepares for its first of two visits to Albany-Saratoga Speedway in 2025.
The Friday, April 18, event will be a special 60th Anniversary Celebration, highlighted by a 60-lap Feature paying $7,500-to-win. It’ll be the second race of the championship season and the Series’ first stop in New York this year.
The speedway’s DIRTcar Sportsman and DIRTcar Pro Stock divisions will join the Super DIRTcar Series for the track’s highly anticipated opener.
If you can’t make it to the track, watch all the action live on DIRTVision, either online or with the DIRTVision app.
Here are the key storylines to watch at Albany-Saratoga:
Racing to the Top: With Stewart Friesen competing with the NASCAR Craftsman Trucks Series on Friday, the Super DIRTcar Series will have a new points leader when it leaves Albany-Saratoga.
Leading the charge of full-time drivers is defending Series champion Mat Williamson, who has the chance to make history this weekend. The St. Catharines, ON driver has won back-to-back Series events at the “Great Race Place,” a feat only matched by Friesen, Mike Mahaney and Kenny Brightbill. Entering the weekend eight points behind Friesen, a win in the 60th Anniversary Celebration would make him the first driver to earn three consecutive Series victories at the track.
Chasing “Money Mat” is Anthony Perrego (14 points behind), who has past success at the track. The Montgomery, NY driver won the 2021 Albany-Saratoga track championship and scored his first Series victory during OktoberFAST in 2020. In 11 Super DIRTcar Series starts at the track, the “Ant-Man” has a win, four top fives, and five top 10s.
Erick Rudolph (17 points behind) is also in striking distance after finishing seventh at New Egypt. In eight starts at Albany-Saratoga, his best finish is 10th twice in 2017 and 2019. The Ransomville, NY driver is searching for his 12th Series triumph.
While not officially a full-time member, Alex Yankowski can also take over the points lead on Friday night. The Federated Auto Parts DIRTcar Nationals champion is currently second in points, five points behind Friesen. He’s made two Series starts at the Malta, NY oval, finishing 13th in 2023 and third last June.
Home Field Advantage: In 2025, six Super DIRTcar Series drivers will call Albany-Saratoga home on Friday nights, led by two-time defending track champion Peter Britten. The “Batman” has 18 victories at the 4/10-mile track but hasn’t won in Super DIRTcar Series competition. Britten’s best Series finish is fourth in 2014 and June of 2023. He’s also added two fifth-place finishes in the last two September stops.
Joining the Aussie is 2020 track champion Mike Mahaney, who’s scored two Series wins at Albany-Saratoga. The Elizabethtown, NY driver won back-to-back Series events in 2021 and 2022 and has 10 Feature wins at the track overall.
Jack Lehner is aiming to break through this weekend with his first Series win. Lehner, from Saratoga Springs, NY, had his best season at Albany-Saratoga in 2024, earning three Feature wins and finishing third in the final points standings. His best Series finish at the track is ninth in last year’s Malta Massive Weekend finale.
Felix Roy will join the Albany-Saratoga field in 2025 as a track regular for the first time. The Napierville, QC driver earned a second-place finish during Malta Massive Weekend in 2023. He comes into the weekend with momentum after winning the Leon Gonyo Memorial at Airborne Park Speedway in his DIRTcar 358 Modified.
The two Vermont drivers on tour, C.G. Morey and Justin Stone, will also call Albany-Saratoga Speedway home on Fridays. Morey’s best Series finish at the track is 27th, while Stone’s is 19th in 2023.
Beware of the Malta Boys: Along with the Series drivers, a stout group of regional drivers aims to beat the Super DIRTcar Series stars to Victory Lane.
Demetrios Drellos will strap into his Big Block Modified for the first time in 2025 on Friday night, looking for his second Super DIRTcar Series triumph. The Queensbury, NY driver dominated the Malta Massive Weekend 100 in 2019 and was in striking distance last September, leading 58 laps before finishing sixth. Drellos is a 10-time winner at the track and the 2023 track champion.
Another former champion aiming for glory on Friday is two-time track champion Marc Johnson. The Guilderland, NY driver finished second to Mahaney in 2022 and has three top fives and eight top 10s in 15 Series starts at the track. Johnson is ninth on Albany-Saratoga’s all-time wins list with 27 Feature wins.
Matt Delorenzo is another former champion with recent success in Super DIRTcar Series events, finishing second to Chris Hile at Albany-Saratoga in June 2023. The Cropseyville, NY driver has 21 career Feature wins and won the track championship in 2022.
A Chance to Rebound: Ten-time Series champion Matt Sheppard had an uncharacteristic start to his chase for an 11th title, finishing 13th at New Egypt Speedway last month.
Despite success at Albany-Saratoga, with nine top fives and 15 top 10s in 18 Series starts, only one of the Waterloo, NY driver’s 98 Series victories have come at the track. He scored that triumph during Malta Massive Weekend in 2022.
“Super Matt” is looking for his second Series win of 2025 after opening the season with a win at Volusia Speedway Park.
The Rookie Battle: Todd Root officially signed on as a full-time Super DIRTcar Series driver, meaning the battle for MD3 Rookie of the Year begins on Friday at Albany-Saratoga.
READ MORE: Todd Root Joins Super DIRTcar Series as Rookie of the Year Contender
Root will take on Matt Stangle for the season-long crown as both drivers aim to gain an advantage in the 60th Anniversary Celebration. Neither driver has made a Series start at Albany-Saratoga Speedway. However, Stangle made one start at the track in 2018 during the track’s Stampede at ‘Toga event.
WHEN AND WHERE
Albany-Saratoga Speedway (4/10-Mile) in Malta, NY on Friday, April 18.
ONLINE
Albany-Saratoga Speedway: Albany-Saratogaspeedway.com
TRACK RECORD
Albany-Saratoga Speedway: Jimmy Phelps 15.277 set on September 24, 2022
Previous Albany-Saratoga Speedway Super DIRTcar Series Winners:
1977- Win Slavin on Aug. 26
1978- Tommy Corellis on Sept. 8
1979- Kenny Brightbill on Aug. 28
1980- Kenny Brightbill on July 15
1981- Jack Johnson on Aug. 17
1984- Jimmy Horton on July 2
2005- Billy Decker on June 28
2012- Bobby Varin on July, 10
2013- Brett Hearn on July 9
2014- Danny Johnson on July 30
2015- Jimmy Phelps on Aug. 12
2016- Stewart Friesen on July 6
2017- Tim McCreadie on June 27
2018- Stewart Friesen on June 26
2019- Stewart Friesen on June 25
2020- Anthony Perrego on Oct. 6
2021- Mike Mahaney on Sept. 25
2022- Mike Mahaney on June 24
2022- Matt Sheppard on Sept. 24
2023- Chris Hile on June 13
2023- Stewart Friesen on Sept. 23
2024- Mat Williamson on June 25
2024- Mat Williamson on Sept. 21
2025 Series Statistics
FEATURE WINNERS: (5 Drivers)
Rank- Driver- Hometown-Wins
- Matt Sheppard, Waterloo, NY-1
Alex Yankowski, Covington Township, PA-1
Peter Britten, Brisbane, QLD-1
Erick Rudolph, Ransomville, NY-1
Stewart Friesen, Niagara-on-the-Lake, ON-1
HEAT RACE WINNERS (13 Drivers)
Rank- Driver- Hometown-Wins
- Mat Williamson, St. Catharines, ON-3
- Peter Britten, Brisbane, QLD-2
Alex Yankowski, Covington Township, PA-2
Justin Haers, Phelps, NY-2
Jimmy Phelps, Baldwinsville, NY-2
Stewart Friesen, Niagara-on-the-Lake, ON-2 - Billy Pauch Jr., Frenchtown, NJ-1
Alex Payne, Hopewell, NY-1
Erick Rudolph, Ransomville, NY-1
Matt Sheppard, Waterloo, NY-1
Larry Wight, Phoenix, NY-1
Tanner Van Doren, Schnecksville, PA-1
Mike Mahaney, Elizabethtown, NY-1
LAST CHANCE SHOWDOWN WINNERS (6 Drivers)
Rank- Driver- Hometown-Wins
- Chris Curtis, East Canaan, CT-3
- Danny Creeden, Wurtsboro, NY-2
- Larry Wight, Phoenix, NY-1
Zach Payne, Stanley, NY-1
Anthony Perrego, Montgomery, NY-1
Jimmy Phelps, Baldwinsville, NY-1
PODIUM FINISHES (9 Drivers)
Rank – Driver, Hometown – Podiums
- Erick Rudolph, Ransomville, NY-3
Alex Yankowski, Covington Township, PA-3 - Matt Sheppard, Waterloo, NY-2
Mat Williamson, St. Catharines, ON-2 - Justin Haers, Phelps, NY-1
Peter Britten, Brisbane, QLD-1
Alex Payne, Hopewell, NY-1
Stewart Friesen, Niagara-on-the-Lake, ON-1
Logan Watt, Boyertown, PA-1
HARD CHARGER (5 Drivers)
Rank – Driver, Hometown – H.C.
- Anthony Perrego, Montgomery, NY-1
H.J. Bunting, Milford, DE-1
Amy Holland, Fulton, NY-1
Alex Payne, Hopewell, NY-1
Louden Reimert, Oley, PA-1
BILLY WHITAKER CARS AND TRUX QUICK TIMES (4 Drivers)
Rank – Driver, Hometown – QTs
- Mat Williamson, St. Catharines, ON-2
- Billy Pauch Jr., Frenchtown, NJ-1
Alex Payne, Hopewell, NY-1
Stewart Friesen, Niagara-On-The-Lake, ON-1
JAM Performance Fastest Hot Lap Award (4 Drivers)
Rank – Driver, Hometown – QTs
- Justin Haers, Phelps, NY-2
Erick Rudolph, Ransomville, NY-1
Justin Stone, Middlebury, VT-1
Danny Creeden, Wurtsboro, NY-1
Super DIRTcar Series Lap Leaders (8 Drivers)
Rank – Driver, Hometown – Laps Led
- Stewart Friesen, Niagara-on-the-Lake, ON-52
- Matt Sheppard, Waterloo, NY-30
Alex Yankowski, Covington Township, PA-30 - Peter Britten, Brisbane, QLD-28
- Erick Rudolph, Ransomville, NY-26
- Mat Williamson, St. Catharines, ON-23
- Larry Wight, Phoenix, NY-24
- Alex Payne, Hopewell, NY-2
2025 Super DIRTcar Series Schedule and Winners
- Wednesday, Feb. 12/Volusia Speedway Park/Barberville, FL/Matt Sheppard*
- Thursday, Feb. 13/Volusia Speedway Park/Barberville, FL/Alex Yankowski
- Friday, Feb. 14/Volusia Speedway Park/Barberville, FL/Peter Britten*
- Saturday, Feb. 15/Volusia Speedway Park/Barberville, FL/Erick Rudolph*
- Saturday, March 29/New Egypt Speedway/New Egypt, NJ/Stewart Friesen
*: Denotes Non-Points Paying Victory
