L.J.’S DAY: L.J. Lombardo Opens Albany-Saratoga’s 60th Season With Super DIRTcar Series Win
On a night celebrating Albany-Saratoga Speedway’s diamond anniversary, L.J. Lombardo created his own memorable moment.
After losing the lead on the opening lap, the Danbury, CT driver thundered past Alex Yankowski on Lap 32 and held on to win Friday’s 60th Anniversary Celebration—his second Super DIRTcar Series victory.
Lombardo, the SRI Performance and Stock Car Steel Pole Award winner, led the field to the green in the 60-lap Feature. However, that was short-lived. Before he could complete Lap 1, Federated Auto Parts DIRTcar Nationals champion Alex Yankowski powered around Lombardo on the outside to take the lead.
As Yankowski pulled away, it wasn’t long before Lombardo was in a battle with Tim Sears Jr. and Mike Mahaney. The three drivers traded positions throughout the first 15 laps until Yankowski caught the tail of the field. That’s when Lombardo closed a full-straightaway lead to three car lengths, looking for the right moment to pass “Kid Rocket.”
But as Lombardo tried going around Neil Stratton, a lap car, the two made contact in Turns 3 and 4, sending Stratton around to bring out the race’s only yellow flag. That Lap 30 caution was also the opportunity Lombardo needed to win the race.
When the Feature resumed, Yankowski chose the inside line, giving Lombardo the top. Lombardo fell back by three car lengths on the restart and was three-wide with Mahaney and Sears as they raced into Turn 1. But that’s when he found momentum, powering past both drivers to re-take second.
Then, Lombardo set his sights on Yankowski again, pulling even with him through Turns 3 and 4 on Lap 31. Yankowski barely led the lap by a bumper, and by the time they exited Turn 2 on Lap 32, Lombardo’s momentum carried his No. 35 past Yankowski and into the lead.
“When he got that large lead, I thought our race was done,” Lombardo said. “When I caught him before the caution, I started to reel him in, and I was like, maybe I have a shot at this. When he chose the bottom, I knew I had one shot at beating the top down because I knew if he saw my nose, he would’ve slid up going into three and blocked me.”
From there, Lombardo stayed consistent on the outside lane through the final 28 laps, holding off Yankowski to score his first Big Block Modified Feature win at “The Great Race Place,” a victory worth $7,500.
It’s his first Series win since 2022, a triumph he credited to how well his car stayed together.
“I have such a great group of guys that build these cars,” Lombardo said. “It goes to show the amount of effort we put into the car. I beat the shit out of this thing on the top, and for it not to break goes to show a lot. I blew the mud cover off, I dented the whole door in. Easiest way to put it is I beat the death out of it.”
Yankowski crossed the line behind Lombardo, earning his second consecutive runner-up finish. He also takes over the Series points lead after two points-paying events, holding an 11-point lead over defending Series champion Mat Williamson.
Once the caution came out on lap 30, Yankowski said one of the factors that kept him out of Victory Lane was not knowing which lane to pick.
“I feel like in the first 30 laps, we were really good, and in the last 30 laps, we were not so good,” Yankowski said. “It was pretty slippery through the middle, and I just goofed up. I let him get some energy on the top there, but it was hard to do anything after that. We weren’t really better. When you get a guy that rips the top like that and knows the place well, it’s tough.”
Tim Sears Jr. crossed the line third, earning his second consecutive podium finish at Albany-Saratoga. The Hastings, NY driver battled Mahaney and Williamson for most of the race before passing Mahaney for the final podium spot on the Lap 30 restart.
“I restarted fourth, and I was fortunate enough to be in the right lane at the right time,” Sears said. “We were definitely there. I’ve always been good on the smaller and shorter tracks, so these are kind of in my wheelhouse.”
Mahaney crossed the line fourth, and Erick Rudolph beat Williamson to the checkered flag by a bumper to finish fifth.
UP NEXT: The Super DIRTcar Series returns to Georgetown Speedway in Georgetown, DE, for the Delaware Diamond 75 on Tuesday, May 13. It’s the first stop at the Delaware facility since 2008.
If you can’t make it to the track, you can watch all of the Super DIRTcar Series action on DIRTVision, either online or with the DIRTVision app.
60th Anniversary Celebration (60 Laps): 1. 35L-LJ Lombardo[1]; 2. 66-Alex Yankowski[2]; 3. 83X-Tim Sears Jr[3]; 4. 35-Mike Mahaney[5]; 5. 25-Erick Rudolph[12]; 6. 88-Mat Williamson[4]; 7. 9S-Matt Sheppard[10]; 8. 3D-Matt Delorenzo[9]; 9. 4-Anthony Perrego[20]; 10. 15X-Justin Stone[11]; 11. 3J-Marc Johnson[6]; 12. 19-Tim Fuller[13]; 13. 91-Felix Roy[16]; 14. 98H-Jimmy Phelps[15]; 15. 2-Jack Lehner[14]; 16. 70A-Alex Payne[17]; 17. 28-Michael Trautschold[25]; 18. 2RJ-Ronnie Johnson[19]; 19. 12-Darren Smith[22]; 20. 08-Jack Speshock[24]; 21. 21M-Bob Mcgannon[8]; 22. 99L-Larry Wight[26]; 23. (DNF) 215-Adam Pierson[7]; 24. (DNF) 87-Neil Stratton[23]; 25. (DNF) 91D-Billy Decker[21]; 26. (DNF) 14-CG Morey[28]; 27. (DNF) 27JR-Daniel Johnson[27]; 28. (DNF) 21A-Peter Britten[18]
Post-Race Tech: Checked MSD Boxes, wiring, and for traction control.
Contingency Awards:
JAM Performance Fastest Hot Lap Award: Mike Mahaney ($100)
Billy Whittaker Cars Quick Time Award: Tim Sears Jr. ($100)
VP Racing Fuels Award: Matt Delorenzo ($50)
ARP Bolts Award: Mike Mahaney ($50)
ASI Racewear Award: Marc Johnson ($50)
Behrent’s Performance Warehouse Award: L.J. Lombardo ($50)
Cometic Gasket Award: Felix Roy ($50)
Comp Cams Award: Justin Stone ($50)
DIG Racing Products: Anthony Perrego ($50)
Fox Factory Award: Tim Sears Jr. ($50)
MSD Award: Erick Rudolph ($50)
Swift Springs Award: Erick Rudolph ($50)
Weld Racing Wheels Award: Alex Yankowski ($50)
SRI Performance/Stock Car Steel Pole Award: L.J. Lombardo ($100)
Hoosier Tire Award: Marc Johnson (Free Tire)
