LAPE USES A LITTLE BIT OF LUCK TO WIN AT FONDA

Dave Lape has had a season to remember in 2003 already taking two wins and looking for more. He didn’t have to look any farther than last night as he won his third of the season and the 94th of his racing career at the Track of Champions.

“This was Mike’s race to win tonight,” Lape said in victory lane. “Unfortunately he had a flat tire and we were right there in second. Sometimes you need a little bit of luck to win.”

Andy’s Service/Andy’s Speed Shop was the evenings sponsor. The evening’s activities were dedicated to the entire Romano family by Fonda Speedway promoter Ric Lucia and his wife Laura after A.J. Romano and his wife Debbie lost their child at birth this past week. The boy was named Alexander Joseph after his two grandfathers and A.J. drove his heart out on this night in honor of his little boy.

Two restarts were needed to get lap one of the modified feature completed as Robert King took over the top spot from Kenny Hanson on the original restart. Something broke on Bobby Varin’s car on lap two and as he tried to get out of the way to the outside of turn one he collected Jeff Trombley. Trombley was able to continue while Varin came back out fifteen laps down.

As King continued to lead, Mike Romano was on a mission after starting twelfth. Romano got by both Jack Johnson and Kenny Hanson for third on lap five and then on lap thirteen he moved into the second position. King hesitated once in lap traffic while Romano didn’t allowing Romano to get by for the lead on the back stretch.

Pat Ward and Lape were battling for the fifth position with Lape becoming the new fifth place car on lap fifteen. Last weeks winner Tony Pepicelli started the event in the nineteenth spot and got by both King and Jack Johnson for the fourth position on lap twenty as Romano now held a straightaway lead.

Pepicelli looked like he was shot out of a cannon on lap twenty-seven as he got by both Lape and King for second. The yellow was out again on lap thirty for third place runner King who had a flat left rear tire ending a great run by the young rookie. Romano continued to lead on the restart while his teammate Lape got by Pepicelli for second.

Luck wasn’t on the side of Romano on this night as on lap thirty-seven he got a flat tire on the backstretch and went directly into the pit area as Lape was now the new leader. Trombley fought his way back up to second at this point as Pepicelli was back to third followed by A.J. Romano.

Trombley stayed close to the leader and was really close after a yellow closed up the field with two laps remaining. Lape wasn’t to be beat on this night however as he went on to his third win of the season. Lape also took over the point lead with the win.

A.J. Romano finished second followed by Trombley, Pepicelli, and Jim Davis. Davis was the first small block across the finish line getting a $500 bonus and a guaranteed starting spot for the Victoria 200 at Fulton this October.

Jim Burton has also been looking for a little bit of luck this season and took the lead at the drop of the green with the yellow out before lap one was ever completed. On the original restart, Burton rocketed out to the lead again with Billy Osta quickly moving to the front after starting fifth. On lap nine, Osta took over the lead from Burton on the inside of turn four.

While Osta and Burton were battling for the lead some of the heavy hitters made their way to the front including Tim Dwyer and John McAuliffe. Dwyer took over the third position on lap nine with McAuliffe fourth at that point. Burton was running real strong on the outside and used that very groove to retake the lead on lap twelve.

Dwyer took over the second position on lap fourteen and stayed close to the leader over the remaining laps. Burton was just too strong on this night taking the win over Dwyer, McAuliffe, Osta, and Drew Fallis. Point leader Tim Clemons was involved in a crash on the first lap of the feature and finished twenty-fifth in the event.

Pro stock feature pole starter Karl Klob took the lead at the drop of the green flag in the twenty lap feature event. Chucky Dumblewski got loose in turn two and spun collecting many cars including Dave Viall and point leader Chris Morris. Both Viall and Morris were done for the night. On the restart, Klob continued to lead but Rob Noviczski was now on his rear bumper challenging for the lead. Noviczski took over the lead on lap six after finding the outside groove to his liking.

After starting the feature in the ninth position, Steve Welch got by Joey Duncan for second and immediately caught the leader and pressured him for the lead. Welch used the inside groove on the backstretch to take over the point on lap nine. As Noviczski and Kenny Gates battled for the second position, Welch pulled away for his first win at Fonda since July 12, 2000 and was followed by Noviczski, Gates, Duncan, and Klob.

IMCA rookie Jeff Davis led for three-quarters of lap one before Joe Williams blasted by for the lead on the inside of turn four. Bidwell also got by Davis for second on lap three with a yellow flag on lap five closing up the field. Bidwell and Williams were running side by side at the halfway point but Williams was strong to the challenge and kept the lead.

As Williams stretched out his lead the battle was for the second position between Bidwell and George Catanzano with Danny Ballard now third. Ballard’s #22M showed a puff of smoke on lap seventeen while he was running third putting him out of the event as Williams went on to the win followed by Bidwell, Catanzano, George Proctor, and Skip Pabis.

The street stock “A” feature began with Mike Walters in the early lead. His lead was short lived as Walters spun in turn four before lap one was completed allowing Jeff Crosier to take over the number one position. Crosier led the rest of the way to the checkered flag followed by John Babcock, Ricky Quick, Joe Smith, and Howard Smith.

Don Warner was the first to lead the street stock “B” feature until lap five when John Bradt got by on a restart. Bradt’s lead was also short lived as Warner regained the lead one lap later. Despite heavy pressure from Paul Hughes, Warner went on to his first career street stock win followed by Hughes, Bradt, Dan Clemens, and Todd Dunston.

Norman Lamphear Jr. led lap one of the street stock “C” feature before Rod Slater took over the point on lap two. Ron Tollner, Dave Horning Jr., and Rocky Warner joined in the race for the lead on lap five but it was Slater and Horning Jr. who fought it out side by side for the win. Horning Jr. went on to his third win of the season followed by Slater, Tollner, Bob VanAernam, Rocky Warner.

Next week at Fonda a regular show is on tap for all divisions with a starting time of 6:00 p.m.

MODIFIED FEATURE – 50 LAPS – DAVE LAPE, A.J. Romano, Jeff Trombley, Tony Pepicelli, Jim Davis, Jack Johnson, John Marsh, Steve Akers, Kenny Hanson, Craig Criscone, Jerry Pennock Jr., Bobby Vedder, Pat Ward, Erik Gall, Stan Lemiesz, Bobby Varin, Mike Romano, Ray Zemken, Robert King, Ryan Odasz, Craig Hanson, Ronnie Johnson, Bob Sitterly, Keith Shoemaker, Brian Borst, Alton Palmer, Ron Proctor, Johnny Marsh

SPORTSMAN FEATURE – 20 LAPS – JIM BURTON, Tim Dwyer, John McAuliffe, Billy Osta, Drew Fallis, Bobby Hackel, Tony Farone, Josh Pieniazek, Michael Ballestero, Tom Perrago, Jessica Zemken, Jamie Yannone, Allen Powell Jr., Mark Mortensen, Bob Rees, Joe Perrotti, Pete Sisler, Randy Meka, John Constantino, Robert Perry, Stan Jablonka, Elmo Reckner, John Johnson, Jeremiah Munson, Tim Clemons

PRO STOCK FEATURE – 20 LAPS – STEVE WELCH, Rob Noviczski, Kenny Gates, Joey Duncan, Karl Klob, Bobby Gile, Rob VanAernam, Nick Stone, Erik Yager, Steve Burega, Kevin Ward, Wayne Patrick, Tom LaPlante, Jerry Pepper, Dan Rickard, Erik Nelson, Chucky Dumblewski, Dave Viall, Chris Morris, Mark Lighthall

IMCA FEATURE – 20 LAPS – JOE WILLIAMS, Steve Bidwell, George Catanzano, George Proctor, Skip Pabis, Curt Olsen, Dennis Vroman, Shawn Simmons, JoJo Donato, Jeff Davis, Kevin Buff, Aaron Jacobs, Justin Labombard, Tom Funk, Eric Stumpf, Danny Ballard, Billy Ward, Steve Vrooman, Car #111X

STREET STOCK “A” – 10 LAPS – JEFF CROSIER, John Babcock, Ricky Quick, Joe Smith, Howard Smith, Neil Cosselman, T.J. Marlitt, Denver Wilson, Mike Walters, Roger Keeny, Mike Budka Jr., DQ Car #26

STREET STOCK “B” – 10 LAPS – DON WARNER, Paul Hughes, John Bradt, Dan Clemens, Todd Dunston, Chris McMurray, Car #9, Shawn Laport, Robert Miller, Mike Frasier, Brandon Lehr

STREET STOCK “C” – 10 LAPS – DAVE HORNING JR, Rod Slater, Ron Tollner, Bob VanAernam, Rocky Warner, Howie Clark, Brian Cosselman, Jay Sperry, Norman Lamphear Jr., Dan Hartgraves, Carol Parker