JIM DAVIS REPEATS AT FONDA
Last week Jim Davis went to victory lane for the first time in a big block modified at the Fonda Speedway, ending a frustrating couple of years after moving up to the modified division in 2003 from the sportsman division where he was a two time champion. As hard as it is to get one victory at Fonda it is certainly even harder to get two, especially two in a row. But Davis made it look easy last Saturday evening at Fonda as he took his second modified feature win in a row.
“This puts everyone’s thoughts to rest about my win last week being a fluke,” Davis said in victory lane. “My crew chief Dave wasn’t here last week to enjoy my win but this week he was here along with my wife and daughter, my family, and even my neighbors. I had the whole tribe here with me tonight including my engine builder Walt Markert.”
Other winners on Leader Herald Night at the Track of Champions were Elmo Reckner (sportsman); Hondo Carpenter and Luke Klob (pro stock); George Catanzano (IMCA); John Bradt, Guy Klob, and Phil Pearson with two wins (street stock). The racing program was completed by 9:45 p.m. even with all of the racing that was done on the track because of a pro stock and two street stock features that had to be run after being rained out on 5/21.
Mike Fusco started third in the modified feature but at the drop of the green he snuck under both Ancel Collins and Todd Ryan to take the lead going into turn one. The one and only caution flag in the event was out at the completion of lap one when something broke in the rear end of Jack Johnson’s No. 12A and he came to a stop in turn one. Going into the night Johnson was second in points so this definitely hurt his chase to the 2005 title.
Fusco maintained the lead on the restart but Craig Hanson was a close second and on lap two Hanson made his move in turn four to take over the lead from Fusco. At that point Davis was in the sixth spot after starting 11th. Davis moved steadily to the front, getting by the cars of Robert King, Ray Zemken, and Ryan for the third position on lap three.
On lap nine, Davis caught up to Fusco and one lap later Davis was in the second spot after getting by Fusco with Hanson now out to a straightaway lead. Hanson was running the race of his life, leading the event in his father’s No. 20 with the only downfall for Hanson being lap traffic. When Hanson was held up by lap traffic on lap thirteen, Davis was able to close in quickly on the leader. On lap 20, Davis swept around Hanson on the outside of the backstretch to take over a lead that he would never relinquish.
“When Craig had the big lead I was just trying to catch up to him a little bit at a time,” Davis said. “When he got into lap traffic I caught him pretty quick though. I don’t know if he was slipping around when he got to the lap cars or what. You really had to be careful trying to get around lap traffic.”
Hanson held the second position by a comfortable margin over Fusco who was in third place with Matt DeLorenzo now fourth after starting seventh. On lap 24, DeLorenzo was the new third place car with Bobby Varin and Dave Lape also getting by Fusco for the fourth and fifth positions. Davis went on win his second career modified feature win by a comfortable margin over Hanson, DeLorenzo, Varin, and Lape.
"This 2004 Teo car (formerly the Bobby Varin No. 18) is really hooked up and I have to thank my crew and my sponsors for all of their help,” Davis said. “The track crew has done an awesome job giving us two grooves to race on and the last two weeks my car has really been hooked up on the outside of the speedway. This is awesome.”
Sportsman rookie Dave Constantino was the leader at the start of the sportsman feature from his pole position start. Elmo Reckner started the event in the 11th position and was coming through the field quickly, taking over the third spot on lap two. But he wasn’t done yet as he got by Neil Erickson for the second spot on lap three. Reckner made the outside groove work for him as he got by Constantino for the lead on lap six, a lead that he would never relinquish.
Two other drivers who were making their way to the front were last weeks winner David Towns and defending track champion John McAuliffe. Towns started the event in the ninth spot while McAuliffe started 12th on the grid. When McAuliffe got by Drew Fallis on lap 16 for the third position, Towns followed him through for the fourth spot but they weren’t through just yet. With three laps to go in the 20-lap event, Towns swept around both McAuliffe and Constantino for the second spot in turns three and four with McAuliffe also getting by Constantino for the third spot on lap 19.
That is the way they would finish as Reckner won by a half track over Towns, McAuliffe, Constantino, and Fallis. For Reckner it was his second career win at Fonda. At the completion of the event, Reckner’s motor was protested by another competitor but after post race inspection he was found to be legal and the win stood. After running the race of his life, Constantino was disqualified for having two illegal compound tires on his car (a 44 and a 48 compound when he should have been running a 33 and a 38 compound) placing him last in the feature finish. That moved Fallis up to the fourth spot with Jeremiah Munson completing the top five.
The rained out pro stock feature from 5/21 was the first race on the track for the night with Chip Smith the early leader with the caution out on lap one. On the restart, Jim Duncan was the new leader with Lori Cary second at the lap three point in the event. Cary got by Duncan on the outside in turn two on lap four to take over the lead with Hondo Carpenter making his way to the second spot after starting 12th. On lap 11, Cary and Carpenter were side by side for the lead with Carpenter the new leader on lap 12. One more yellow flag came out with two laps to go but Carpenter was able to hold on to the lead for his third career win at Fonda followed by Cary, Kenny Gates, Nick Stone, and Duncan.
The regular pro stock feature saw Luke Klob get out to the early lead at the drop of the green flag from his outside pole starting spot. Steve Welch got by Duncan for the second spot on lap four with Butchie Irwin and Nick Stone following him through for the third and fourth positions. When Klob was blocked by the lap car of Dan Rickard late in the event, Welch and Irwin were able to close in but Klob held on for his first career pro stock feature win at Fonda followed by Irwin, Stone, Welch, and Carpenter. Klob was propelled to the win by a brand new motor which he had in the car for the first time.
The IMCA feature began with Steve Vrooman the early leader. Aaron Jacobs moved into the second position on the first lap with Jeff Jones and George Catanzano racing side by side for the third spot by the halfway point in the event. Catanzano took over the third spot from Jones on lap 11 and with five laps to go both Jacobs and Catanzano were on the leader’s rear bumper. Catanzano took over the second spot from Jacobs on lap 17 and with two laps to go the lap car of Malcum Warner held up the leader allowing Catanzano to get by for the lead. Catanzano went on to his 30th career win at Fonda despite losing power in the engine compartment on the final lap. Vrooman, Jacobs, Jones, and Danny Ballard completed the top five.
The rained out street stock “a” feature from 5/21 saw Dan Clemens lead at the start with Phil Pearson on the move early from his 12th place starting spot. After a yellow flag on lap three slowed the field, Pearson was the new leader on the restart with Dan Hartgraves challenging for the top spot on lap 10 in a side by side battle. Pearson and Hartgraves swapped the lead on lap 11 but when the checkered flag flew on lap 12 it was Pearson taking the win over Hartgraves, Neil Cosselman, Clemens, and John Babcock.
The rained out street stock “b” feature from 5/21 was led by Luke Horning at the start with Don Warner taking over the point on lap four after starting third. Warner and Dwight Oldorf swapped the lead on lap eight with Warner taking over the spot on lap nine after making a three wide move stick on the frontstretch. John Bradt raced side by side with the leader over the final two laps of the event with Bradt taking his fourth career win over Warner, Oldorf, Dave Horning Jr., and Guy Klob.
Klob led the regular scheduled street stock “a” feature at the start with Jeff Crosier taking over the lead on lap seven. Klob wasn’t about to give up and retook the lead on lap ten with Cassidy Wilson now second. Klob and Wilson were side by side for the lead as the white flag flew in the event but Klob was able to hang on for his fifth career win at Fonda followed by Wilson, Babcock, Horning Jr., and Hartgraves.
The final street stock feature of the night was probably the wildest as Clemens led lap one before Dan Pollock took over the lead on lap two. On lap five, Oldorf was the new leader but the story of the race proved to be Pearson who made his way to the lead on lap seven after starting 11th. Bradt went outside of both Oldorf and Pearson to take the lead on lap ten but that was short lived as Pearson wasn’t done yet. On lap 11, Pearson went down the middle of Bradt and Oldorf in turn four to force his way into the lead and went on to the win followed by Oldorf, Bradt, Dave Horning Sr., and Clemens. It was Pearson’s fourth career win at Fonda.
Last week Jeff Trombley was injured in an accident in his heat race which compressed a vertebra in his back. Trombley was back at the track on Saturday with a brace around his neck and back to mobilize him and keep him from further injury. He was helping out in the Jumpin’ Jacks Speed Shop truck with many well wishers stopping by to visit and talk to him.
Next week at Fonda a regular show in all divisions is on the racing card which will be sponsored by Freihofer’s. The Bev Caputo Memorial Dash for non winners in the pro stock division is also on the racing card which will start at 6:00 p.m.
LEADER HERALD PRO STOCK FEATURE FROM 5/21 – 20-LAPS – HONDO CARPENTER, Lori Cary, Kenny Gates, Nick Stone, Jimmy Duncan, Roy Fifield, Chip Smith, Steve Welch, Chucky Dumblewski, Butchie Irwin, Justin Forsthoffer, Wayne Patrick, Jason Brownell, Dan Rickard, Randy Cannell, Luke Klob, Rick Langenbach
LEADER HERALD STREET STOCK “A” FEATURE FROM 5/21 – 12-LAPS – PHIL PEARSON, Dan Hartgraves, Neil Cosselman, Dan Clemens, John Babcock, Pete Broderson, Howard Smith, Dave Horning Sr., Cassidy Wilson, Sam Surnear, Reuben Kennedy, Rocky Warner, Dan Pollock, Howie Clark
LEADER HERALD STREET STOCK “B” FEATURE FROM 5/21 – 12-LAPS – JOHN BRADT, Don Warner, Dwight Oldorf, Dave Horning Jr., Guy Klob, Jeff Crosier, D.T. Pickard, Ivan Joslin, John Palmer, Warren Pollock, Luke Horning, Joe Smith
MODIFIED QUALIFYING – 31 Total cars – 6 qualify – 4 handicapped
HEAT 1 – Mike Fusco, Matt DeLorenzo, Jim Davis, Craig Hanson, Ryan Odasz, Steve Akers
HEAT 2 – Bobby Varin, Robert King, Ray Zemken, Dave Camara, Tony Pepicelli, Jerry Pennock Jr.
HEAT 3 – Ancel Collins, Todd Ryan, Billy Osta, Dave Lape, Jack Johnson, John Marsh Sr.
MODIFIED CONSOLATION – 8 qualify – Ronnie Johnson, Bobby Vedder, Josh Pieniazek, Todd Morey, Alton Palmer, Dustin Purdy, Jeremy Matthies, Erik Mack
LEADER HERALD MODIFIED FEATURE – 30-LAPS – JIM DAVIS, Craig Hanson, Matt DeLorenzo, Bobby Varin, Dave Lape, Ronnie Johnson, Mike Fusco, Dave Camara, Robert King, Ryan Odasz, Todd Ryan, Ray Zemken, Tony Pepicelli, Billy Osta, Steve Akers, Ancel Collins, Josh Pieniazek, Bobby Vedder, Alton Palmer, Jerry Pennock Jr., Todd Morey, Jeremy Matthies, Dustin Purdy, Erik Mack, John Marsh Sr., Jack Johnson
SPORTSMAN QUALIFYING – 24 total cars – 4 qualify
HEAT 1 – Dave Constantino, Josh Hohenforst, Drew Fallis, Neil Erickson
HEAT 2 – David Towns, Elmo Reckner, John Constantino, Robert Perry
HEAT 3 – John McAuliffe, John Scarborough, Tony Farone, Mark Kislowski
LEADER HERALD SPORTSMAN FEATURE – 20-LAPS – ELMO RECKNER, David Towns, John McAuliffe, Drew Fallis, Jeremiah Munson, Tony Farone, Josh Hohenforst, Erik Nelson, John Scarborough, Neil Erickson, Mark Kislowski, Mark Mortensen, Justin House, Robert Perry, Luke Monroe, Chris Garrity, Ricky Quick, Jeff Davis, John Constantino, Vinny Sanganetti, Pete Sisler, Dan Papa, Dave Constantino
PRO STOCK QUALIFYING – 18 total cars – 5 qualify
HEAT 1 – Butchie Irwin, Kenny Gates, Hondo Carpenter, Steve Welch, Jim Duncan
HEAT 2 – Nick Stone, Luke Klob, Lori Cary, Rod Slater, Chris Morris
LEADER HERALD PRO STOCK FEATURE – 20-LAPS – LUKE KLOB, Butchie Irwin, Nick Stone, Steve Welch, Hondo Carpenter, Kenny Gates, Chip Smith, Rod Slater, Lori Cary, Jim Duncan, Chucky Dumblewski, Chris Morris, Wayne Patrick, Jeremy Pitts, Dan Rickard, Justin Forsthoffer, Randy Cannell, Roy Fifield
IMCA QUALIFYING – 15 total cars – 5 qualify
HEAT 1 – Danny Ballard, Steve Vrooman, Danny Ody, Ken VanWert, JoJo Donato
HEAT 2 – Aaron Jacobs, Jeff Jones, George Catanzano, Jim Roberts, Eric Stumpf
LEADER HERALD IMCA FEATURE – 20-LAPS – GEORGE CATANZANO, Steve Vrooman, Aaron Jacobs, Jeff Jones, Danny Ballard, Danny Ody, Jim Roberts, Tom Funk, Eric Stumpf, JoJo Donato, Carol Parker, Malcum Warner, Jeremy Cramer, George Proctor III, Ken VanWert
LEADER HERALD STREET STOCK “A” FEATURE – 12-LAPS – GUY KLOB, Cassidy Wilson, John Babcock, Dave Horning Jr., Dan Hartgraves, D.T. Pickard, Jeff Crosier, Howard Smith, John Palmer
LEADER HERALD STREET STOCK “B” FEATURE – 12-LAPS – PHIL PEARSON, Dwight Oldorf, John Bradt, Rocky Warner, Dan Clemens, Pete Broderson, Dan Pollock, Neil Cosselman, Sam Surnear, Reuben Kennedy, Howie Clark, Ivan Joslin, Joe Smith, Don Warner