A return to New York’s Capital Region kicks off the final three-race stretch of 2026 for the DIRTcar 358 Modified Series.
Drivers will visit Albany-Saratoga Speedway on Friday, Sept. 25, as part of the track’s annual Malta Massive Weekend. A $5,000 prize is on the line in a 50-lap Feature, accompanied by the DIRTcar Sportsman Championship Series and the track’s Street Stocks and 4-Cylinder divisions.
Friday’s portion of Malta Massive Weekend kicks off a Super DIRT Week 54 preview, as it’s the only place you can find all four DIRTcar Northeast Series in action on the same weekend before they get to Oswego Speedway.
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Cruising Toward a Third Title: Entering Friday’s race at Albany-Saratoga, Mat Williamson leads Mike Mahaney by 88 points with three races remaining in 2026. And while Albany-Saratoga is one of Mahaney’s home tracks, Williamson has beaten him in two of the three Series events at the track.
“Money Mat” has never finished off the podium in a 358 during Malta Massive Weekend, including a Series win in 2023 and a non-Series 358 Modified win in 2021. The St. Catharines, ON driver is aiming for his fifth Series win of 2026 and 25th overall.
While Mahaney has a lot of ground to make up in three races, he does have momentum heading into his home track after a runner-up finish last Friday at Mohawk International Raceway. He also enters Friday as a two-time Malta Massive Weekend winner: once with the DIRTcar 358 Modified Series in 2024 and another with the Super DIRTcar Series in 2021.
This season at the “Great Race Place,” the Elizabethtown, NY driver has two wins, three top fives and five top 10s in the five starts. If “Smooth Shoe” adds another on Friday, it’ll be his fourth career Series victory.
Small Block Regulars: Along with Mahaney, three other drivers who’ve run the entire DIRTcar 358 Modified Series call Albany-Saratoga their Friday night home.
Leading those three is Peter Britten, who reached Victory Lane on three occasions in 2026. However, all three were in a Big Block. The Brisbane, QLD, driver made four 358 Modified starts there this season, earning a top 10.
Joining the “Batman” in a quest to defend home turf are Brendan Gibbons and C.G. Morey. Gibbons, from Amsterdam, NY, had a top five and two top 10s in five starts. He also added his first career Series top 10 at Airborne Park Speedway earlier this year.
Morey, the veteran driver out of Rutland, VT, didn’t run the 358 Modified regularly, but did race his Big Block on Friday nights. He earned one top-10 finish, crossing the line ninth in June.
Beware of the Dark Knight: While Williamson and Mahaney split the first two DIRTcar 358 Modified Series races at Albany-Saratoga, Marc Johnson bested the field during last year’s event. The Guilderland, NY driver stormed past Williamson in the second half of the race to score his first career Series victory.
This season, the “Dark Knight” won the 358 Modified track championship at Albany-Saratoga, grabbing a win, four top fives and five top 10s.
He’s made 21 Series starts in his career, earning six top fives and 12 top 10s. Johnson has never finished outside the top five in a 358 Series event at Albany-Saratoga.
2026 DIRTcar 358 Modified Series Schedule
Saturday, April 18/Lebanon Valley Speedway/West Lebanon, NY- Andy Bachetti
Saturday, April 25/Devil’s Bowl Speedway/West Haven, VT- Mat Williamson
Thursday, June 11/Airborne Park Speedway/Plattsburgh, NY- Mike Mahaney
Tuesday, June 30/Weedsport Speedway/Weedsport, NY- Jimmy Phelps
Wednesday, July 15/Utica-Rome Speedway/Vernon, NY- Mat Williamson
Tuesday, Aug. 25/Ransomville Speedway/Ransomville, NY-Gary Lindberg
Thursday, Sept. 10/Can-Am Speedway/LaFargeville, NY- Mat Williamson
Friday, Sept. 11/Can-Am Speedway/LaFargeville, NY- Mat Williamson
Friday, Sept. 18/Mohawk International Raceway/Akwesasne, NY- Billy Dunn
Friday, Sept. 25/Albany-Saratoga Speedway/Malta, NY
Friday, Oct. 9/Oswego Speedway/Oswego, NY
Saturday, Oct. 17/Brockville Ontario Speedway/Brockville, ON
DIRTcar 358 Modified Series Points Standings
- Mat Williamson 2276
- Mike Mahaney -88
- Lance Willix II -127
- Chris Raabe -144
- Peter Britten -222
- Brad Rouse -291
- Brendan Gibbons -378
- Jack Butler -398
- C.G. Morey -432
- Steve Lewis -456
This article was republished with permission from DIRTcar Northeast. The original article can be found here: https://dirtcar.com/dirtcar-ne/358-modifieds/dirtcar-358-modified-series/what-to-watch-for-albany-saratoga-regulars-take-on-dirtcar-358-modified-series-stars-at-malta-massive-weekend/
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