144TH CAREER WIN FOR JOHNSON AT FONDA
After having engine problems in his heat race a week ago at Fonda, Jack Johnson never made the feature but came back stronger than ever this week to beat his son Ronnie to the finish line for his second win of the season and 144th of his illustrious career at the Track of Champions.
“The motor was running warm towards the end of the race and honestly I thought that I was going to finish second to Ronnie,” Jack said in victory lane. “Ronnie has been doing a great job this season and I think that he has been teaching me a few things this year.”
Other winners on Saturday were Justin House (sportsman), Lori Cary (pro stock), Steve Vrooman (IMCA), Dave Horning Sr. and Dave Horning Jr. (street stock). Sportsman rookie Dave Constantino was the winner of the special six lap Jack Lockhart Memorial Dash for Cash which was held for non-winners in the sportsman division at Fonda.
Budweiser was the sponsor of the exciting racing program that was completed at 10:00 p.m.
Jerry Pennock Jr. was the leader at the drop of the green flag in the modified feature with Elmo Reckner in tow. Jack Johnson started fifth and by the completion of lap one was already up to the third position. Running the low groove on the speedway to perfection, Johnson got by Reckner for the second spot on lap three and caught up to the leader by the lap five point of the event.
Using the low line on the backstretch, Johnson got by Pennock for the lead on lap 11 with Matt DeLorenzo now second after starting third. Point leader Bobby Varin started deep in the field but made his way up to the third spot on lap 17 with the top two cars of Johnson and DeLorenzo now a straightaway ahead. DeLorenzo began pressuring Johnson for the number one spot on lap 19 with Ryan Odasz now fourth behind Varin.
Odasz’s great run came to an end on lap 23 when he suffered a flat right rear tire bringing out the caution and closing up the field. At that point the top five consisted of Jack Johnson, DeLorenzo, Varin, Ronnie Johnson, and defending track champion Dave Lape. On the restart, Ronnie Johnson was the quickest car on the track as he got by both Varin and DeLorenzo for the second spot just before the final yellow of the event came out on lap 25.
Under the yellow Ronnie drove alongside his father to let him know that he was there but when the green flag flew Jack got away slightly as Ronnie was now struggling to get the car to work in the low groove. Ronnie made one last ditch effort with two laps to go, moved to the high groove on the track, and started to reel his father in as the white flag flew. Jack Johnson held on for the win by just over one second over Ronnie Johnson, Varin, Jim Davis, and DeLorenzo.
“Frank Witz is the best car owner that I have ever driven for,” Johnson said in victory lane. “Special thanks to him, Artie, Jack, and my entire crew. They are all at the garage working on the car every night.”
Drew Fallis was the leader at the start of the sportsman feature from his outside pole starting position with John Scarborough second on lap two after starting fourth. When Jason Greco spun in turn three to bring out the caution on lap three, it closed up the field and on the restart Scarborough was the new leader. Justin House started the feature in the sixth position and started his march to the front towards the halfway point, taking over the second position from Fallis on lap nine.
John McAuliffe also got by Fallis for the fourth spot at that point with Mark Mortensen now fifth after starting 20th. The race took a turn for the worse for the leader on lap 11 when Gordy LaPlante spun in turn two. Coming out of turn one, Scarborough couldn’t slow down quick enough and made contact with LaPlante. Scarborough was able to continue after pitting but was all the way back to the 14th position at that point.
House was handed the lead at that point with John McAuliffe, Fallis, Mortensen, and Robert Perry in the top five. Fallis and Mortensen both got by McAuliffe towards the end of the race as House took the checkered flag with a comfortable lead over Fallis, Mortensen, McAuliffe, and Michael Ballestero. For House it was his second win of the 2005 season and third of his career in the sportsman division at Fonda. A very emotional House dedicated the win to his brother Chris who he almost lost this past week after Chris had complications from surgery.
The pro stock feature began with Chip Smith in the lead followed by Lori Cary. The first of only two cautions in the event came out on lap five when Roy Fifield and Kenny Martin were involved in a wreck coming out of turn four. Coming out of the turn side by side, Martin’s car shot to the outside suddenly forcing Fifield in the frontstretch wall with hard contact. Fifield was not injured but was done for the night while Martin was uncompetitive from that point on with heavy damage to the rear of his car.
Cary got by Smith for the lead on lap six using the inside groove on the backstretch to take over the position with Butchie Irwin now second. The final yellow was out on lap eight and that set up one of the best races of the season between Cary and Irwin for the win. Over the last 12 laps, Irwin would dive underneath Cary in the turns only to have Cary drive away in the straight-aways on every lap.
The two drivers raced clean and hard to the checkered flag with Cary holding off Irwin for her first career pro stock win at Fonda. Irwin, Kenny Gates, Smith, and Nick Stone completed the top five. “I don’t really know what to say,” Cary said in victory lane. “This is the toughest track that I have ever raced at and I am just speechless.” With the win Cary joined Darcy Volans and Gerry Newman as the only women to ever win a pro stock feature at Fonda.
Bob Banks Jr. was the leader of the IMCA feature at the drop of the green flag with Steve Vrooman second on lap three after starting fifth. Using the inside groove in turn two, Vrooman took the lead from Banks with Danny Ballard second on lap six after getting by George Catanzano and Banks for the position.
Catanzano came back to take over the second spot from Ballard on lap 11 with Vrooman now a half straightaway ahead of him. Catanzano closed the gap and was on Vrooman’s rear bumper on the final lap but with a clear track ahead of him Vrooman was able to hold on for the win followed by Catanzano, Ballard, Aaron Jacobs, and JoJo Donato. It was Vrooman’s second win of 2005 and third of his career in the IMCA division at Fonda.
At the drop of the green flag in the street stock “a” feature, Pete Broderson was the leader from his outside pole starting position. Dave Horning Sr. started the event in the fifth spot and took over the second spot by lap three. Four laps later, Horning was side by side with Broderson for the lead which he took over on lap seven. From that point on it was Horning’s race as he went on to the victory over Broderson, Dan Hartgraves, John Bradt, and Phil Pearson. For Horning Sr. it was his second win of 2005 and fourth of his career in the street stock division at Fonda.
Sam Surnear led the first two laps of the street stock “b” feature before Cassidy Wilson took over the point on lap three. Dave Horning Jr. started the event in the eighth spot and was second at that point but two laps later he was the leader after getting by Wilson for the lead. Don Warner wasn’t going to let Horning get the win easily as he took the lead for two laps before Horning retook the position on lap eight.
Dwight Oldorf was second at this point and he and Horning beat and banged on each other right to the checkered flag. Horning was sideways when he crossed the finish line to take the win after he and Oldorf made contact coming out of turn four. Oldorf, Warner, Jeff Crosier, and Wilson completed the top five. For Horning Jr. it was his third win of 2005 and 45th of his street stock career at Fonda. It was a special moment in victory lane as both of the Horning’s celebrated their victories together.
In the Fourth Annual Jack Lockhart Memorial Dash for Cash, sportsman rookie Dave Constantino took the lead at the drop of the green flag from his outside pole starting position and never looked back as he went on to the win followed by Neal Erickson, John Scarborough, Luke Monroe, Pete Sisler, Vinny Sanganetti, Keith Nichols, and Ricky Quick. Constantino’s win came in his father John’s car after Dave suffered motor problems earlier in the night. In victory lane a very proud and tearful mother (Georgie) and father (John) celebrated the win with their son.
Next week at Fonda a regular show in all divisions is on the racing card along with the 4-cylinders starting at 6:00 p.m.
MODIFIED QUALIFYING – 26 total cars – 4 qualify
HEAT 1 – Alton Palmer, Jerry Pennock Jr., Ronnie Johnson, Tony Pepicelli
HEAT 2 – Jim Davis, Elmo Reckner, Dave Lape, Craig Hanson
HEAT 3 – Matt DeLorenzo, Jack Johnson, Bobby Varin, Ryan Odasz
BUDWEISER MODIFIED FEATURE – 30-LAPS – JACK JOHNSON, Ronnie Johnson, Bobby Varin, Jim Davis, Matt DeLorenzo, Dave Lape, Jerry Pennock Jr., Tony Pepicelli, Mike Fusco, Elmo Reckner, Steve Akers, Craig Hanson, Todd Morey, Tim Clemons, Bobby Vedder, Ray Zemken, Ryan Odasz, Dustin Purdy, Joe Duncan, Dan Humes, Mike Dillenbeck, Josh Pieniazek, Alton Palmer, Ken Aanonsen, John Marsh Sr.
SPORTSMAN QUALIFYING – 28 total cars – 6 qualify
HEAT 1 – Justin House, Josh Hohenforst, John Scarborough, Robert Perry, Randy Meka, Mark Kislowski
HEAT 2 – Drew Fallis, John McAuliffe, Jeremiah Munson, Michael Ballestero, Dave Constantino, Luke Monroe
HEAT 3 – Derrick McGrew, Erik Nelson, Tim Dwyer, Vinny Sanganetti, Dan Papa, Jason Greco
BUDWEISER SPORTSMAN FEATURE – 20-LAPS – JUSTIN HOUSE, Drew Fallis, Mark Mortensen, John McAuliffe, Michael Ballestero, Jeremiah Munson, Robert Perry, Josh Hohenforst, Neal Erickson, John Scarborough, Dave Constantino, Luke Monroe, Ricky Quick, Randy Meka, Jim Meka, Vinny Sanganetti, Mark Kislowski, Dan Papa, Keith Nichols, Erik Nelson, Derrick McGrew, Steve Hankle, Gordy LaPlante, Jason Greco, Tim Dwyer
PRO STOCK QUALIFYING – 17 total cars – 5 qualify
HEAT 1 – Robert Langevin, Nick Stone, Butchie Irwin, Luke Klob, Speed Felon
HEAT 2 – Chip Smith, Lori Cary, Kenny Martin, Kenny Gates, Roy Fifield
BUDWEISER PRO STOCK FEATURE – 20-LAPS – LORI CARY, Butchie Irwin, Kenny Gates, Chip Smith, Nick Stone, Bill Lobdell, Chucky Dumblewski, Dan Rickard, Jason Brownell, Speed Felon, Robert Langevin, Scott Liese, Wayne Patrick, Kenny Martin, Roy Fifield, Luke Klob, Jerry Pepper
IMCA QUALIFYING – 12 total cars – 4 qualify
HEAT 1 – George Catanzano, JoJo Donato, Jeremy Cramer, Carol Parker
HEAT 2 – Danny Ballard, Bob Banks Jr., Eric Stumpf, Mike Jacobs
BUDWEISER IMCA FEATURE – 20-LAPS – STEVE VROOMAN, George Catanzano, Danny Ballard, Aaron Jacobs, JoJo Donato, Eric Stumpf, Bob Banks Jr., Carol Parker, Mike Jacobs, Jeremy Cramer
BUDWEISER STREET STOCK “A” FEATURE – 12-LAPS – DAVE HORNING SR., Pete Broderson, Dan Hartgraves, John Bradt, Phil Pearson, Ron Tollner, Rocky Warner, Howard Smith, Ivan Joslin, Dan Pollock, Mike Ketchum, Dan Clemens
BUDWEISER STREET STOCK “B” FEATURE – 12-LAPS – DAVE HORNING JR., Dwight Oldorf, Don Warner, Jeff Crosier, Cassidy Wilson, Matt Humes, Jack Hamm, Norm Lamphear, Joe Smith, Sam Surnear, Chris Fifield, Car #7G
by Fonda Speedway