By Marty Czekala
It’s the most extended trip of the year for the A-Verdi Storage Containers CRSA Sprints, but it’s worth the wait.
For the first time in two years, CRSA heads to Lyle DeVore’s Albany-Saratoga Speedway in Malta Friday for round four of the I-90 Pit Stop Challenge.
This is the 14th time since 2007 that the series has visited “The Great Race Place.” CRSA last visited Malta in 2023, with Dalton Herrick visiting Victory Lane.
In addition, many partners have stepped up to enhance the program. Upstate Acoustical Corporation, owned by sprint car driver Fred Proctor, will sponsor the night. In addition, Ferris Coin & Jewelry will sponsor the heat races, paying $200 to each heat winner.
Here’s a look at the top news and notes for Friday.
Tune In Friday: Action can be seen live on Dirt Track Digest TV with Marty Czekala on the call. For $5.99 a month, you can expand your race night experience at the track or online through the MyRacePass app or at www.myracepass.com, which features live timing, entry lists, fantasy and results.
Last Time Out: CRSA held its first doubleheader of the year at Outlaw Speedway and Woodhull Raceway for a pair of Dandy Miniseries races.
Friday, Jordan Hutton started fourth and wasted no time taking the lead after a lap. Hutton led all 25 laps to score his first tour win of 2025.
The summer so far has been tough for Hutton. After starting the season off with three top fives in the first four races, Hutton didn’t get back in the top 10 for five races until July 19 at Thunder Mountain, where he has put together three top fives. Getting adapted to the new Hoosier Med1 tire has been an issue, but his No. 66 team has figured things out.
“The new right rear tire threw us the biggest curveball in sprint car racing,” said Hutton. “We made a few adjustments, made a few phone calls and finally got it going at Weedsport [in an Empire Super Sprints feature]. We definitely got a hot rod again.”
Billy VanInwegen finished second while Dillon Paddock was third.
The following night, CRSA headed to Woodhull to crown a Dandy Miniseries champion. In the feature, May feature winner and points leader Dillon Paddock started on pole and led the opening 15 laps before a three-car accident that brought out the red flag.
Behind him on the restart? His championship rival Zach Sobotka. On the restart, Sobotka had the advantage around the outside to take the lead. Billy VanInwegen closed in for the lead but couldn’t find his way past, allowing Sobotka to hold on for his series-leading third win of the season.
“As you’re coming to the frontstretch, it’s like the outside car has an advantage and it’s hard when you’re the bottom car,” said Sobotka. “We got slowed down so much on the bottom and the car loads up and stumbles there coming out of the corner.”
Just like Friday, VanInwegen was second and Paddock was third.
Jordan Hutton finished fourth and clinched the miniseries championship by
Mano y Mano: With Paddock’s pair of thirds and Sobotka’s fifth and win, Dillon Paddock came out of the weekend as the points leader with a slim one-point margin on Zach Sobotka.
Entering Albany-Saratoga, neither has run a sprint car race at the state capital, so they come in with neutral experience.
With four races before the full points for the overall championship transition into show-up points only, both drivers are in a tight championship race where it could come down to the wire when the final points payout comes at Weedsport, Sept. 6.
Rest of Standings: With Jordan Hutton’s win Friday night, the No. 66 has propelled to a comfortable gap over others for third. Hutton is 24 points ahead of fourth-place Dalton Herrick.
Despite driving with a battered left hand, Herrick scored his first top five of the season Friday night. The No. 29 is also 24 points ahead of Timmy Lotz.
Lotz is in a battle for fifth in points alongside Scott Landers, the former up by 10. Last weekend, Lotz beat Landers in both races.
Alysha Bay and Spencer Burley continue to battle for a spot in points and look to rebound after tough weekends. Bay is up seven on Burley, but now add Alysha’s father, Darryl Ruggles, into the thick of things, who is 10 behind Burley.
The rest of the top 12 have Vince Chicklets in 10th, 353 points behind Paddock, Bailey Boyd in 11th, 390 points behind the leader and Steve Glover in 12th, 457 points behind.
The Trends: As we start to approach the homestretch of the season, drivers are starting to trend at the right time.
In the last six races, Dillon Paddock has finished on the podium. In those six races, “The Showstopper” has picked up a win and five thirds. In addition, he has finished in the top 10 in all races except for the season opener at Outlaw.
In 12 of 13 races, Sobotka continues to finish in the top five. The No. 38 is three top fives away from tying Scott Goodrich’s record of 15 top fives set in 2015. His worst finish of the year is a ninth at Thunder Mountain last month.
Jordan Hutton has scored three straight top fives after starting the year with four straight top 10s.
Finally, in six features, Billy VanInwegen has scored six top fives. In addition, VanInwegen has finished second in the last three races.
Loyalty Giveaways: Our third giveaway of the season is Friday. Drivers that entered the race at Utica-Rome last June and enter Friday will be eligible to win an FK Shock and Smith 305 legal front and rear brake package. The package has an estimated value of $4600.
It is one of five giveaways we are awarding this season. The drawing will be done immediately after the feature.
Spencer Burley won the first giveaway, a Sweet Manufacturing steering package. Darryl Ruggles won the second giveaway, a Saldana fuel package. They will be ineligible to win giveaways the rest of the year.
By the Numbers: 10 different drivers have won a CRSA feature at “The Great Race Place,” led by Danny Varin with three and Josh Pieniazek with two. Jeff Trombley and Dalton Herrick are active drivers who have won at Albany-Saratoga.
From the Frontman: “We missed coming to ‘The Great Race Place’ last year, but we’re glad we were able to work something out with Lyle DeVore and his team to book a date this season. We bring an exciting championship chase to Albany-Saratoga, you won’t want to miss it!”
Up Next: CRSA returns to Brewerton Speedway Aug. 22 for another edition of the I-90 Pit Stop Challenge.
Standings
1. 8 Dillon Paddock, 1947 pts
2. 38 Zach Sobotka -1
3. 66 Jordan Hutton -119
4. 29 Dalton Herrick -143
5. 18 Timmy Lotz -167
6. 33 Scott Landers -177
7. 48A Alysha Bay -221
8. 121X Spencer Burley -228
9. 48JR Darryl Ruggles -238
10. 10VC Vince Chicklets -353
11. 3 Bailey Boyd -390
12. 121 Steve Glover -457