PALMER COLLECTS FOURTH CAREER MODIFIED WIN AT FONDA
It was a night to remember at the Fonda Speedway on Saturday, May 17 for many reasons. Former pace car driver Don Rose recently lost his life and Fonda Speedway remembered and honored him on Saturday as they retired the pace car that he drove and replaced it with a new one courtesy of Brown’s Ford. Rose’s favorite driver Jack Johnson took one final lap in honor of Don in the old pace car as Don’s son Pat drove the new pace car. It was a fitting tribute to a great person, Don Rose.
It was also a night of first career wins for a couple of drivers as Jeremiah Munson and Brandon Lehr won the sportsman and street stock features respectively for their first ever trips to victory lane.
After finishes of 21st, 7th, 27th, and 16th in the first four modified features of the 2003 season at Fonda, Alton Palmer was looking for some good luck and a better finish. He didn’t have to look any farther than Saturday night as he finished number one in an absolutely thrilling modified feature.
Dave Lape was going for three in a row at Fonda but Palmer had other plans as he took home his fourth career modified feature win at the Track of Champions. “Earlier in the evening I got some good luck when I went over to David, took off his hat, and rubbed his bald head,” Palmer said in victory lane. “The good luck came in handy as I felt my motor tighten up on the white flag lap. The motor is now junk but it’s only a motor.” Palmer’s last modified victory at Fonda came last year on June 8.
Keith Shoemaker who is the son of legendary Fonda Speedway champion Kenny Shoemaker led the first lap before Ron Proctor took over the point on lap two. But young hot shoe Mike Fusco came up from his sixth starting position to blast by Proctor for the lead on lap four.
Fusco was cruising along on the lead; at times leading by over a straightaway while behind him some wild racing was taking place as the frontrunners made their way through the field. Lape and A.J. Romano were making their way to the front as was Palmer who moved his way into the fourth position by the lap ten point in the event.
A.J. Romano got by both Ronnie Johnson and Ray Zemken for the fourth position on lap nineteen as Lape followed him through for the fifth spot. It was definitely a heartbreaking night for Fusco who held a big lead through most of the event but on lap twenty-one the complexion of the race changed totally.
As Fusco was coming out of turn four to complete lap twenty-one the right rear tire exploded and he ended up hitting the wall as his night was now done. Proctor retook the lead at that point as he was running a strong race in the second position at the time of Fusco’s misfortune.
Palmer was now in the second position as the race was restarted and when the green was thrown Palmer was the new leader taking the lead on the outside in turn four. Two more cautions would slow the field before the end of the race but Palmer was not going to be denied on this night.
Lape got by Proctor on lap twenty-three and with five laps to go pressured Palmer for the lead. With two laps to go Lape ducked down low in turn three trying to get by Palmer but it was to no avail as Palmer held his line on the outside. Smoke started showing off of the #76 as the white flag was thrown but Palmer hung on for a very exciting win.
“As long as I slowed down enough to get into the turns good and solid I knew that it would be tough to get by me,” Palmer said. “I have to thank my crew and sponsors because this is all about having fun and tonight was definitely fun.”
Elmo Reckner and sportsman division rookie Mark Mortensen started the sportsman feature on the front row but it ended up being a short night for Reckner as he ended up in the turn one wall when the green flag flew to start the event. Bobby Hackel and Robert Perry were also involved.
An original restart ensued as Mortensen took the lead immediately when the green flag was dropped. John McAuliffe, Tim Dwyer, and Tim Clemons were all moving towards the front sitting in the fifth, sixth, and seventh positions by lap six. Jeremiah Munson started the event in the seventh position and by lap eight he was already up to second after getting by Billy Osta.
Munson made quick work of Mortensen getting by him for the lead on the outside of turn four on lap nine. From that point on Munson was on cruise control as he drove a steady race on his way to his first career sportsman win at Fonda. McAuliffe, Clemons, and Dwyer made a late race charge up to the second, third, and fourth positions but Munson held a big lead by then and won by a comfortable margin.
Erik Nelson was the early leader in the pro stock feature holding the top spot for the first two laps until Luke Klob took over on the outside of turn two. Jerry Pepper was the new second place car while Kenny Gates and Chris Morris made their way towards the front sitting in the second and third positions at the lap seven point.
Pepper was now pressuring Klob for the lead and took over the top spot on lap eight on the inside of turn three. Morris was the new second place car as the yellow came out on lap eleven and on the restart he was the new leader with Gates also getting by Pepper for the second spot. Morris went on to an easy win, the second in a row for the #619.
The IMCA feature began with Billy Ward the early leader followed by George Catanzano. An early yellow slowed the field on lap four and on the restart a ten car pileup ensued on the frontstretch after contact was made by a couple of cars and everyone scattered to try and avoid them. Steve Bidwell flipped his #111 but wasn’t injured. It was a night to forget for Bidwell who also flipped his other car in his heat race.
Steve Vrooman led on the restart but Kevin Buff was making his way up towards the front. After swapping the second position with Catanzano on lap twelve, Buff made the pass stick on lap fifteen and set his sights on Vrooman. Buff caught the leader with three laps to go and got alongside him in turn four. Vrooman lost the handle on his #90 and spun allowing Buff to go on to the win.
Ed Bradt led the early stages of the street stock “A” feature event until Luke Horning took over the top spot before lap one was completed. Dave Horning, Jr. started the event in the tenth position, took over the lead on lap seven, and went on to his first win of 2003.
Dan Hartgraves led lap one of the street stock “B” event with Ricky Quick taking over the point on lap two. Rocky Warner moved into the second position on lap three and took over the lead when lap six was completed. On the next lap Warner came to a stop in turn four handing the lead over to Rod Slater who went on to win the event.
Street stock “C” saw Steve Cosselman take the lead as the green flag flew with Guy Klob working his way up to second on lap five. After starting ninth on the field, Brandon Lehr worked his way up to second by lap seven and with one lap to go got by Cosselman for the lead. Lehr went on to his first career win followed by Cosselman, Tom Murphy, and Howard Smith. Murphy and Smith were disqualified after the race was completed, Murphy for having a four barrel carburetor and Smith for having an aluminum intake.
On Saturday May 24 the URC Sprints make their annual visit to the Track of Champions. Modifieds, sportsman, pro stocks, and street stocks will also be on the racing card sponsored by Brown’s Ford. Starting time is 6:00 p.m.
MODIFIED QUALIFYING – 33 total cars – 5 qualify
HEAT 1 – Mike Fusco, Alton Palmer, Jeff Trombley, Keith Shoemaker, Bob Sitterly
HEAT 2 – Robert King, Bobby Varin, Ronnie Johnson, Ryan Odasz, Johnny Marsh
HEAT 3 – Mike Romano, Jack Johnson, Ray Zemken, Ron Proctor, Craig Hanson
HEAT 4 – Dave Lape, Erik Gall, A.J. Romano, John Marsh, Jerry Pennock, Jr.
CONSI – 6 qualify – Pat Ward, Steve Akers, Craig Criscone, Brian Borst, Ken Hanson, Todd Morey
MODIFIED FEATURE – 30 laps – ALTON PALMER, Dave Lape, A.J. Romano, Mike Romano, Bobby Varin, Ronnie Johnson, Craig Criscone, Brian Borst, Jerry Pennock, Jr., Ryan Odasz, Johnny Marsh, Bob Sitterly, John Marsh, Erik Gall, Ray Zemken, Robert King, Ken Hanson, Steve Akers, Floyd Billington, Todd Morey, Chic Chandler, Keith Shoemaker, Ron Proctor, Craig Hanson, Mike Fusco, Jack Johnson, Pat Ward, Jeff Trombley
SPORTSMAN QUALIFYING – 16 total cars – 6 qualify
HEAT 1 – Elmo Reckner, John McAuliffe, Jeremiah Munson, Bobby Hackel, Allen Powell, Jr., Tony Farone
HEAT 2 – Tim Clemons, Josh Pieniazek, Tim Dwyer, Robert Perry, Billy Osta, Mark Mortensen
SPORTSMAN FEATURE – 20 laps – JEREMIAH MUNSON, John McAuliffe, Tim Clemons, Tim Dwyer, Billy Osta, Mark Mortensen, Josh Pieniazek, Jim Burton, Allen Powell, Jr., Tony Farone, John Johnson, John Constantino, Pete Sisler, Elmo Reckner, Robert Perry, Bobby Hackel
PRO STOCK QUALIFYING – 18 total cars – 6 qualify
HEAT 1 – Kenny Gates, Jerry Pepper, Hondo Carpenter, Steve Welch, Dan Rickard, Rob VanAernam
HEAT 2 – Rob Noviczski, Chris Morris, Luke Klob, Frank Twing, Erik Nelson, Karl Klob
PRO STOCK FEATURE – 20 laps – CHRIS MORRIS, Kenny Gates, Frank Twing, Jerry Pepper, Luke Klob, Hondo Carpenter, Bobby Gile, Erik Nelson, Rob VanAernam, Steve Welch, Randy Cannell, Karl Klob, Rob Noviczski, Jeff Crosier, Chucky Dumblewski, Tom LaPlante, Eric Yager, Dan Rickard
IMCA QUALIFYING – 21 total cars – 6 qualify
HEAT 1 – George Catanzano, George Proctor, JoJo Donato, Danny Ballard, Danny Ody, Curt Olsen
HEAT 2 – Steve Vrooman, Joe Williams, Kevin Buff, Billy Ward, Steve Bidwell, Skip Pabis
IMCA FEATURE – 20 laps – KEVIN BUFF, George Catanzano, Danny Ballard, Dennis Vroman, George Proctor, Billy Ward, Darcy Volans, Eric Stumpf, Shawn Simmons, Tom Funk, Aaron Jacobs, Steve Vrooman, Chris Reckner, Joe Williams, Curt Olsen, Danny Ody, JoJo Donato, Randy Moore, Skip Pabis, Steve Bidwell, Justin Labombard
STREET STOCK “A” – 10 laps – DAVE HORNING, JR., Luke Horning, Ed Bradt, Bob VanAernam, John Bradt, Paul Hughes, Mike Burdo, T.J. Marlitt, Roger Keeny, Ron Tollner, Carol Parker, Todd Dunston, Phil Pearson, Jamie Tesiero, Denver Wilson
STREET STOCK “B” – 10 laps – ROD SLATER, Ricky Quick, Jeff Crosier, Shawn Laport, Dan Hartgraves, Kathy Bellen, Chris McMurray, Rocky Warner, Mike Frasier, John Babcock, Jason Samrov, John Anderson
STREET STOCK “C” – 10 laps – BRANDON LEHR, Steve Cosselman, Dan Clemens, Guy Klob, Frank Guiffre, Don Warner, Chris Stelker, Neil Cosselman, Ron Cummings, Howie Clark, Norman Lamphear, Jr., Sandy Ferrara, Tom Murphy, Howard Smith