VARIN STARTS THE 2003 POINTS SEASON OFF AT FONDA WITH A WIN
By: Ron Szczerba
The regular season opener was held on Saturday April 19 at the Fonda Speedway with Farrell Oil/Kendall Oil sponsoring the night’s activities. With his win in the Modified feature Bobby Varin is now one up on all other drivers as he goes for the 2003 Track Championship at the Track of Champions.
What a difference three weeks makes as three weeks ago Varin was involved in a horrendous crash in the Eckerd 100 at the Dirt Track at Lowes Motor Speedway in Charlotte, NC. The car that Bobby was in was totally destroyed but luckily the driver was not seriously injured. In fact the car that was crashed has been donated to its builder (Troyer) for research to be done on the safety of the Modifieds.
“That crash was definitely a spill,” Varin said. “I feel very lucky to be alive and to be here in victory lane at Fonda.”
Tim Fuller who invaded the Fonda Speedway because his home track (Fulton) hasn’t opened yet started on the pole after winning the first heat race of the evening and led at the start of the 30-lap Modified feature with Dave Lape second. Lap traffic came into play five laps into the event and unfortunately caused the first crash of the evening.
On lap seven, a lap car crossed in front of the leader and caused Fuller to back off of the throttle on the outside of the speedway. Lape who came up fast on the slowed car of Fuller, was unable to slow down quick enough, and made contact with the rear end of Fuller’s car causing Lape to spin out and hit the turn one wall. Lape was done for the evening.
On the restart, Varin went from fourth to second and set his sights on the leader. The red flag was out on lap nine when Ray Zemken spun in turn one with Craig Criscone, Mike Dillenbeck, and Craig Hanson piling in at the end. Nobody was injured in the accident.
On this restart, Varin got by Fuller for the lead as the green flag dropped in turn three and immediately stretched out his advantage. “I knew that the restart was my only chance to get the lead with the outside lane where Timmy was running being faster,” Bobby said. “I hit the throttle but had to let off again because Timmy wasn’t ready to go. Then I hit the gas again and got by down low for the lead.”
Fuller closed in on Varin with ten laps to go but when Bobby got by the lap car of John Marsh and Timmy wasn’t able to get by as quickly that pretty much sealed the win for the Mohawk Northeast #18V. “Once I got the lead I just kept the car up on the cushion,” Varin said. “We made a lot of changes to the car before the feature so I have to credit my guys for this win.”
Fuller was second followed by Mike Romano, Pat Ward, and Jeff Trombley. Ward was also on hand because his home track (Can-Am) wasn’t opened yet.
Bobby Hackel was the early leader in the 20-lap Sportsman feature event with an early yellow out at the completion of lap one for Jessica Zemken who came to a stop on the frontstretch.
On the restart, Tim Clemons got by Hackel for the lead and immediately began to stretch out his advantage. Jeremiah Munson got by David Towns for the third position on lap four as Clemons maintained a comfortable lead.
Hackel found the outside groove to his liking and closed in on Clemons at the halfway point of the event. As in the Modified feature lap cars came into play but were not a deciding factor in the outcome of the event.
Hackel tried several times to use the lap cars as “picks” during the final five laps of the feature but Clemons fought off all challenges and went on to the win followed by Hackel, Munson, Towns, and Michael Ballestero.
The most exciting feature of the evening was definitely the Pro Stock feature with the outcome of the event not decided until the final turn of the final lap. Rob Noviczski took the early lead in the 20-lap event followed by Chris Morris and Jim Normoyle.
Normoyle was alongside Morris for the second position as the first yellow flag came out on lap nine for Dave Bayes and Dave Viall who were involved in a crash in turn three.
On the restart, Morris got by Noviczski for the lead as Butchie Irwin also got by Normoyle for the third position. Morris held a straightaway advantage with five laps to go but the race was far from over. Normoyle’s good run came to an end on lap seventeen as he retired to the pit area. He was running a strong fifth at the time.
Noviczski closed in on Morris’ rear bumper with two laps remaining as Irwin was also a very close third. Coming out of turn four down to the checkered flag, Noviczski had a run on the outside of the leader as the two came together when Morris moved up the track coming out of the turn.
Both cars ended up hitting the wall with Irwin making a last ditch effort to the finish line on the inside as the other two cars came together. Morris recovered enough to just edge out Irwin for the win while Noviczski, Steve Welch, and Bobby Gile completed the top five.
Morris and Noviczski continued straight into the turn one wall after not being able to make the turn but neither driver was injured. Morris was in victory lane without his car that was badly damaged in the crash and had to be towed into the pit area. Noviczski was able to drive away after the crash.
The Street Stock “A” feature was twelve laps in distance with all laps being led by one driver. Mike Frasier moved from the Sportsman division to the Street Stock division this season and took the lead as the green flag was dropped. Jeff Crosier got alongside of the leader on the final lap but Frasier was able to hold on for the win followed by Crosier, Guy Klob, Bob VanAernam, and Carol Parker.
Steve Cosselman led the first two laps of the Street Stock “B” event with Rod Slater taking over the lead on a lap three restart. Slater’s lead was short-lived as Dave Horning, Jr. took over the point before lap three was completed. John Babcock moved into the second position on lap seven and closed in on the leader with two laps to go. Coming out of turn four for the checkered flag, Babcock got by Horning, Jr. and went on for the win followed by Horning, Jr., Mike Tholin, Frank Guiffre, and Brandon Lehr.
The racing program was completed at 8:45 p.m.
Next Saturday the Track of Champions will be back in action with a regular show consisting of Modifieds, Sportsman, Pro Stocks, Street Stocks, and IMCA’s with a starting time of 6:00 p.m.
MODIFIED QUALIFYING – 38 total cars – 6 qualify
HEAT 1 – Tim Fuller, Jack Johnson, Pat Ward, Ron Proctor, Craig Hanson, Todd Stewart
HEAT 2 – Dave Lape, Bobby Varin, Jeff Trombley, Alton Palmer, Bobby Vedder, Jeremy Mathies
HEAT 3 – Mike Romano, Ryan Odasz, Don Mattison, Steve Hulsizer, Tony Pepicelli, Ancel Collins
MODIFIED CONSOLATIONS – 4 qualify
CONSI 1 – A.J. Romano, Brian Borst, Ray Zemken, Ronnie Johnson
CONSI 2 – Jerry Pennock, Jr., Craig Criscone, Ken Aanonsen, John Marsh
MODIFIED FEATURE – 30 LAPS – BOBBY VARIN, Tim Fuller, Mike Romano, Pat Ward, Jeff Trombley, A.J. Romano, Alton Palmer, Steve Hulsizer, Tony Pepicelli, Ronnie Johnson, Brian Borst, Bobby Vedder, John Marsh, Jerry Pennock, Jr., Don Mattison, Steve Akers, Jeremy Mathies, Ancel Collins, Jack Johnson, Ken Aanonsen, Todd Stewart, Ron Proctor, Ryan Odasz, Ray Zemken, Craig Hanson, Craig Criscone, Mike Dillenbeck, Dave Lape
SPORTSMAN QUALIFYING – 25 total cars – 6 qualify
HEAT 1 – Bobby Hackel, Lance Willix, Tim Dwyer, Tony Farone, Allen Powell, Jr., John Johnson
HEAT 2 – Tim Clemons, Jeremiah Munson, Jessica Zemken, Elmo Reckner, Billy Osta, Drew Fallis
HEAT 3 – David Towns, Michael Ballestero, John McAuliffe, Josh Pieniazek, Mike Ketchum, John Constantino
NO CONSOLATIONS RUN
SPORTSMAN FEATURE – 20 LAPS – TIM CLEMONS, Bobby Hackel, Jeremiah Munson, David Towns, Michael Ballestero, John McAuliffe, Billy Osta, Tim Dwyer, Lance Willix, Robert Perry, Drew Fallis, Elmo Reckner, Mike Ketchum, Tony Farone, Kenny Martin, John Johnson, Mark Mortensen, John Stephalla, Josh Pienaizek, Jessica Zemken, Pat McAuliffe, John Constantino, Joe Perrotti, Allen Powell, Jr.
PRO STOCK QUALIFYING – 22 total cars – 6 qualify
HEAT 1 – Rob Noviczski, Jim Normoyle, Butchie Irwin, Karl Klob, Dave Bayes, Erik Nelson
HEAT 2 – Chris Morris, Luke Klob, Steve Welch, Hondo Carpenter, Jerry Pepper, Kenny Gates
NO CONSOLATIONS RUN
PRO STOCK FEATURE – 20 LAPS – CHRIS MORRIS, Butchie Irwin, Rob Noviczski, Steve Welch, Bobby Gile, Luke Klob, Rob VanAernam, Kenny Gates, Hondo Carpenter, Jeff Patrick, Jerry Pepper, Erik Nelson, Karl Klob, Randy Cannell, Steve Burega, Buddy Henke, Dan Rickard, Erik Yager, Jim Normoyle, Dave Bayes, Dave Viall
STREET STOCK “A” FEATURE – 12 LAPS – MIKE FRASIER, Jeff Crosier, Guy Klob, Bob VanAernam, Carol Parker, Howard Smith, Rocky Warner, Jeff Monroe, Roger Keeny, Jim Monroe, John Bradt, Ed Bradt, Dan Clemens, Rich Walters, T.J. Ilram, Jimmy Monroe, Mike Budka, Jr., Luke Horning, Norman Lamphear, Jr.
STREET STOCK “B”- 12 LAPS – JOHN BABCOCK, Dave Horning, Jr., Mike Tholin, Frank Guiffre, Brandon Lehr, Rod Slater, Neil Cosselman, Phil Pearson, Don Warner, Mike Burdo, Dan Hartgraves, Mike Walters, Steve Cosselman, Paul Hughes, Joe Smith, John Ketchum, Ricky Quick