A celebration 60 years in the making is up next for the Super DIRTcar Series as it visits Albany-Saratoga Speedway for the 60th Anniversary Celebration on Friday, April 18.
Series Announcer Mike Warren, who used to announce weekly at the “Great Race Place,” shared what people can expect and why they should go.
Why should someone go to Albany-Saratoga Speedway?
Warren: The best drivers in the Northeast will meet a stout group of Albany-Saratoga regulars for a battle that will likely take all 60 laps to decide. There is no place in the Capital Region where you’ll see better racing, and it’s normal to see a driver win from outside the top 10 every week.
How long have you been going to the speedway and what’s your first memory of going there?
Warren: I’ve been going to the track since I was five (1996). My first memory of the place is getting to see Kenny Tremont and Brett Hearn battle every Friday night against Jack Johnson and C.D. Coville. It was a battle every Friday, which has continued until now.
What are your favorite moments you’ve experienced there?
Warren: A couple of moments that come to mind are the Thursday-Friday opening night that kicked off the Lyle DeVore era at the track. You had Stewart Friesen and Tim McCreadie in on back-to-back nights. Another would have to be when Marc Johnson beat Hearn for his first championship in 2016 by a half-car length. Johnson is a guy who cut his teeth at the racetrack, and to see all the hard work pay off and be there in Victory Lane was awesome.
With this being its 60th Anniversary year, what are some of the most special moments in the track’s history?
Warren: There are a lot of memorable moments in the track’s history. It’s pretty cool to look back and see that Richard Petty has two NASCAR Cup Series wins at the “Great Race Place.”
Watching Malta Massive Weekend grow each season has been fun to see as well, especially since I was part of the three-night event that kicked it off in 2019.
Perhaps the most special moment I’ve been a part of is the 115-lap Kenny Tremont tribute in 2023. I grew up essentially in the same hometown as he did, and getting to be on the microphone for that event is something I will always cherish.
What should fans expect from the racing at the track?
Warren: They call it the “Great Race Place” for a reason. It’s normal to see three-wide battles all over the track and positions changing lap-by-lap. One of my favorite things to watch is the cat-and-mouse game through lap traffic in every division on the track.
Are there any places around the area you would recommend people visit?
Warren: There’s a really good restaurant called the Ripe Tomato right down the road from the track that has great Italian food, and right next to it is The Publik House, a really good bar with good pub food. Saratoga Racecourse is also an option once the summer months hit, but they still have the casino open at the harness track, which is also a few miles away.
Anything else people should know about the event?
Warren: Like every event at Albany-Saratoga Speedway, Lyle DeVore and his team are putting their heart and soul into this event. And from what I’ve heard, this is only the kickoff to a lot of great moments that’ll be created at the track this season to celebrate its Diamond Anniversary.
The Beasts of the Northeast will invade Albany-Saratoga Speedway during the 60th Anniversary Celebrationon Friday, April 18.
If you can’t make it to the track, you can watch all the action live on DIRTVision.
