LAPE TAKES LAST LAP VICTORY AT FONDA
2003 Fonda Speedway Modified Track Champion Dave Lape proved that you only have to lead one lap in order to go to victory lane last Saturday night at Fonda. Lape got by Bobby Varin for the lead in turn two of the final lap to take the win at the Track of Champions on Albany Medical Center Children’s Hospital Night. For Lape it was the 98th win of his illustrious career at Fonda.
“Marsh ran a great race but I think that he was losing his tires near the end,” Lape said in victory lane. “I had a great car but I was lucky that we got that restart with ten laps to go.”
Local television station WTEN Channel 10 sportscaster Dan Murphy was on hand to help raise funds for the Albany Medical Center Children’s Hospital, which is his favorite charity. Murphy signed t-shirts that were sold to benefit the hospital, took a ride in the pace car, and also waved the green flag to start one of the feature events.
Fonda Speedway drivers from all divisions volunteered to be WGY Change Bandits, teamed up with kids from the Fonda Futures Kid’s Club, and went up into the grandstand during intermission to collect money for the Albany Medical Center Children’s Hospital.
Drivers that took part included Dave Lape, Jeff Trombley, Tony Pepicelli, Jeremiah Munson, Alton Palmer, Bobby Varin, A.J. Romano, Mike Fusco, Ronnie Johnson, Harry Shaffer, Steve Akers, Keith Shoemaker, Mark Mortensen, Rob Noviczski, Kenny Gates, Danny Ballard, Butchie Irwin, and Chip Smith.
Steve Akers started the 30-lap modified feature from the outside of the front row and immediately raced out to the early lead followed by John Marsh, Sr. Marsh took over the lead on lap three of the main event after getting by Akers on the outside on the frontstretch.
After missing the last two weeks due to motor problems, Mike Fusco started the feature in the twelfth position and moved up quickly to take over the third spot by lap four with Bobby Varin fifth after starting ninth. Fusco, Varin, and Jack Johnson all got by Akers as he started to slow with smoke showing from his car early in the event.
Varin was first to get a shot at the leader when he got by Fusco for second and set out to catch Marsh. Marsh was running the race of his life as he had to fend off Varin just about every lap in turn two as Varin’s car was getting a good bite in the inside of the turn. But Marsh was up to the challenge each time as his car was strong on the outside of the speedway and he maintained the lead coming out of the turn.
Jeff Trombley and Lape started towards the rear of the field and made their way up to the front together as they both got by Fusco who was fading out of the top five at the halfway point. Also in the mix was A.J. Romano who was now in the fifth spot. A caution on lap twenty closed up the field and allowed some of the strong cars out of the top five to now have a shot at getting to the front. A couple of the drivers were in fact getting by pairs of cars at a time when the race was restarted.
Romano moved past both Jack Johnson and Trombley for third as the lap counter clicked on lap twenty-two. Then it was the driver of car #22’s turn to make a move as Lape got by both Trombley and Johnson for fourth as these four drivers were swapping positions in every turn. Varin continued his assault on Marsh for the lead and took it in turn two with only two laps to go. But the race was far from over as both Romano and Lape began to reel in the top two.
Lape continued his march to the front as he got by Romano first, Marsh next, which then left him only Varin to get by for the victory. And he did. Lape used an inside move in turn two to get by Varin for the lead and went on to his second win of the 2004 season. Varin, Marsh, Trombley, and Romano completed the top five.
When asked about winning another modified track championship in 2004 Lape said: “we are just taking it one week at a time.” Lape will also be inducted into the DIRT Motorsports Hall of Fame later this month in ceremonies to be held at the Hall of Fame & Classic Car Museum in Weedsport, NY on Memorial Day weekend.
Sportsman division rookie Joe Williams started the sportsman feature on the outside pole and took the early lead as the green flag was dropped to start the event followed by Robert Perry. Bobby Hackel moved to the front quickly from his third row starting spot sitting in the third position as the lap counter clicked on lap two. Last week’s winner Jeremiah Munson started the event in the twelfth spot but was passing cars at will as he took over the sixth spot on lap three. Williams moved out to a straightaway lead at that point until the one and only caution of the event slowed the race on lap seven.
On the restart, Hackel and Munson both got by Perry for second and third and then made their own great race for the second position. After a two lap battle, side by side at times, Munson got by Hackel for second and went out after the leader. Munson was able to close in on Williams in lap traffic with Munson’s car good down low on the speedway while Williams was good up high. Williams was able to hang on for the win, the first sportsman win in his career in his first year of competition in the division. Munson, Hackel, David Towns, and John McAuliffe completed the top five.
When the green flag dropped on the 20-lap pro stock feature, Luke Klob led from his pole starting position with Chuck McSpirit in second. Steve Welch made quick work of both of those drivers as he took over the lead on lap five with a pass on the inside of turn three. A caution on lap twelve wiped away the half straightaway lead that Welch had as Klob and Lighthall were now second and third.
Hondo Carpenter got by both Lighthall and Klob for the second spot and close behind was last week’s winner Kenny Gates who followed Carpenter through for third. Gates got by Carpenter for the second spot on lap seventeen and closed in quickly on the leader. Coming out of turn four on the final lap, Gates got alongside of Welch as the two raced side by side to the checkered flag. In a photo finish Welch was declared the winner over Gates by 0.008 sec. Carpenter, Lighthall, and Klob completed the top five.
JoJo Donato was the early leader of the IMCA feature but his lead was short lived as a former IMCA champion was making shambles of the field. Steve Bidwell was passing cars at will from his ninth place starting position, using the outside groove to take the fifth position at the completion of lap one. As lap two was about to be completed, Bidwell got by Donato for the lead coming out of turn four.
Last years champion George Catanzano made his way past Steve Vrooman for the second position on lap five as Jeff Davis raced three wide for fourth with two other cars. The caution came out on lap six for Davis and one of the other cars that he was racing with three wide as they became entangled in turn four. Not even heavy lap traffic with two laps to go could slow Bidwell on this night as he went on for his first win of 2004 over Catanzano, Danny Ody, Vrooman, and Shawn Simmons.
Duke McSpirit led the street stock “A” feature at the start with Luke Horning taking over the top spot on lap two. Jeff Crosier started the event in the twelfth spot, took over the lead on lap six, and held off John Babcock for the win. Horning, John Bradt, and Dan Hartgraves completed the top five.
Ivan Joslin led lap one of the street stock “B” feature before Howard Smith took over the lead on a lap two restart. Last year’s champion Bob VanAernam took over the lead shortly afterwards with Ron Tollner now second. When something in the right front of VanAernam’s car broke on lap ten, Tollner took over the lead and went on for the win over Phil Pearson, Frank Guiffre, Dwight Oldorf, and Smith.
Doug Emery led the 20-lap 360-Sprint Open at the start with an early yellow slowing the field on lap two. Dan Kaszubinski moved past Russ Bennett for second on the restart with another yellow coming out on lap three just after Kaszubinski took over the lead in turn four. Kaszubinski was in lap traffic on lap five as Justin Barger moved into third on lap twelve after getting by Bennett for the spot. One more yellow slowed the field on lap sixteen but Kaszubinski wasn’t slowed at all as he went on for the win over Barger, Emery, Bennett, and Jeff VanDusen.
Next week at Fonda there will be a regular show in all divisions along with the Eye Rock 500. Starting time will be 6:00 p.m. The Eye Rock 500 is a race for blind drivers who will compete in an actual race with drivers from Fonda serving as co-drivers who will tell them when to turn or stop on the speedway. Radio station WPYX, PYX-106 is sponsoring the event which will also serve as a fund raiser for Camp Abilities, a camp for blind and deaf children.
MODIFIED QUALIFYING – 32 total cars – 5 qualify
HEAT 1 – John Marsh, Jr., Steve Akers, Matt DeLorenzo, Bobby Varin, Tim Clemons
HEAT 2 – Derrick McGrew, Dave Lape, Chic Chandler, Bobby Vedder, A.J. Romano
HEAT 3 – Alton Palmer, John Marsh, Sr., Mike Fusco, Jack Johnson, Ronnie Johnson
MODIFIED CONSOLATIONS – 5 qualify
CONSI 1 – Jeff Trombley, Ryan Odasz, Tony Pepicelli, Billy Osta, Jerry Pennock, Jr.
CONSI 2 – Ray Zemken, Ronnie Holmes, Erik Gall, Kenny Hanson, Don Mattison
ALBANY MEDICAL CENTER CHILDRENS HOSPITAL MODIFIED FEATURE – 30-LAPS – DAVE LAPE, Bobby Varin, John Marsh, Sr., Jeff Trombley, A.J. Romano, Matt DeLorenzo, Chic Chandler, Jack Johnson, Tony Pepicelli, Mike Fusco, Alton Palmer, Ronnie Johnson, Bobby Vedder, Tim Clemons, Kenny Hanson, Ray Zemken, Erik Gall, Steve Akers, Jerry Pennock, Jr., Derrick McGrew, Don Mattison, Josh Pieniazek, Ryan Odasz, Billy Osta, Ronnie Holmes, John Marsh, Jr.
SPORTSMAN QUALIFYING – 31 total cars – 5 qualify
HEAT 1 – Robert Perry, Pat O’Hanlon, Drew Fallis, Michael Ballestero, Keith Flach
HEAT 2 – Bobby Hackel, Mark Mortensen, David Towns, John McAuliffe, Mark Kislowski
HEAT 3 – Jeremiah Munson, Joe Williams, Elmo Reckner, John Scarborough, John Johnson
SPORTSMAN CONSOLATIONS – 4 qualify
CONSI 1 – Jim Burton, Tim Mayne, Randy Meka, Pete Sisler
CONSI 2 – Tony Farone, T.J. Clemons, Erik Nelson, Dave Colwell
ALBANY MEDICAL CENTER CHILDRENS HOSPITAL SPORTSMAN FEATURE – 20-LAPS – JOE WILLIAMS, Jeremiah Munson, Bobby Hackel, David Towns, John McAuliffe, Tony Farone, Robert Perry, Elmo Reckner, Mark Mortensen, Michael Ballestero, Jim Burton, Mark Kislowski, Keith Flach, John Scarborough, Drew Fallis, Erik Nelson, T.J. Clemons, John Constantino, Dave Colwell, Rand Meka, Tim Mayne, Pete Sisler, Pat O’Hanlon, John Johnson
PRO STOCK QUALIFYING – 19 total cars – 6 qualify
HEAT 1 – Luke Klob, Steve Welch, Butchie Irwin, Rob Noviczski, Kevin Ward, Nick Stone
HEAT 2 – Kenny Gates, Joe Duncan, Hondo Carpenter, Chuck McSpirit, Mark Lighthall, Wayne Patrick
ALBANY MEDICAL CENTER CHILDRENS HOSPITAL PRO STOCK FEATURE – 20-LAPS – STEVE WELCH, Kenny Gates, Hondo Carpenter, Mark Lighthall, Luke Klob, Kevin Ward, Rob Noviczski, Nick Stone, Butchie Irwin, Roger Keeny, Jeff Patrick, Chuck McSpirit, Jerry Pepper, Chucky Dumblewski, Joe Duncan, Jason Brownell, Chip Smith, Wayne Patrick
IMCA QUALIFYING – 21 total cars – 5 qualify
HEAT 1 – Steve Vrooman, George Catanzano, Shawn Simmons, Tom Funk, Aaron Jacobs
HEAT 2 – JoJo Donato, Danny Ody, Steve Bidwell, Kurt Olsen, Jeff Davis
ALBANY MEDICAL CENTER CHILDRENS HOSPITAL IMCA FEATURE – 20-LAPS – STEVE BIDWELL, George Catanzano, Danny Ody, Steve Vrooman, Shawn Simmons, Dennis Vroman, Kurt Olsen, Danny Ballard, Aaron Jacobs, Carol Parker, Tom Funk, Rob VanAernam, JoJo Donato, Eric Stumpf, Darcy Volans, Eric Taber, Bob Wilkie, Chris Reckner, Nick Candelaria, Jeff Davis
360-SPRINT CAR QUALIFYING – 24 total cars – 4 qualify
HEAT 1 – Don Sharp, Russ Bennett, Brian Glasser, Brian Dumigan
HEAT 2 – Justin Barger, Blaise Regina, Doug Emery, Jeff VanDusen
HEAT 3 – Dan Kaszubinski, John Karklin, Riki Likowski, Mark Cole
ALBANY MEDICAL CENTER CHIDRENS HOSPITAL 360-SPRINT CAR OPEN FEATURE – 20-LAPS – DAN KASZUBINSKI, Justin Barger, Doug Emery, Russ Bennett, Jeff VanDusen, John Karklin Jr., Don Sharp, Jim Senzio, Blaise Regina, Carmen Fratto, Luke Erickson, Brian Glasser, Frank Senzio, Doug Norrie, Matt Norrie, Ron Zagata, Brian Dumigan, Riki Likowski, Anthony Cain, Curt Bradshaw, Rick Hart
ALBANY MEDICAL CENTER CHILDRENS HOSPITAL STREET STOCK “A” FEATURE – 12-LAPS – JEFF CROSIER, John Babcock, Luke Horning, John Bradt, Dan Hartgraves, Steve Cosselman, Neil Cosselman, Mike Budka, Jr., Duke McSpirit, Mike Burdo, Dan Pollock, Dan Clemens, Guy Klob, D.T. Pickard, Ulysses Taylor, Mike Lang
ALBANY MEDICAL CENTER CHILDRENS HOSPITAL STREET STOCK “B” FEATURE – 12-LAPS – RON TOLLNER, Phil Pearson, Frank Guiffre, Dwight Oldorf, Howard Smith, Brian Cosselman, John Quintana, Paul Hughes, Ed Bradt, Ron Cummings, Cassidy Wilson, Bob VanAernam, Mark Sullivan, Jr., Howie Clark, Ivan Joslin, Car #24, Tim Veeder