JOHNSON DOMINATES FONDA SPEEDWAY MODIFIED FEATURE
The 2003 season has been a nightmare so far for the winningest driver in Fonda Speedway history. Last night after a rain delay and with a full moon in the sky, Johnson won the 30-lap feature event, the 141st of his career at Fonda, and dedicated the win to his good friend Don Rose on AAA Northway Night.
"I want to dedicate this win to my good friend Don Rose," Johnson said in victory lane. "The race track was like back in the days of old tonight and you could flat foot it all the way around the speedway."
Pat Rose, Don's son was on hand to get the checkered flag from the modified feature winner last night to put on his fathers gravesite. How fitting it was that Johnson won the event as he was Don's friend and favorite driver.
Bob Sitterly and Ryan Odasz started the modified feature in row one with the two making contact at the start. Sitterly kept it straight enough to take the lead going into turn one. The yellow was out at the completion of lap one with Odasz in the lead. On the restart, Sitterly took the lead back but that didn't last any longer than three turns. On lap two in turn three, Johnson got by both Odasz and Sitterly to take over the lead.
Johnson turned a 19.3 sec. lap as he continued to stretch out his lead with Bobby Varin now second at the lap seven point. Back in the pack teammates Mike Romano and Dave Lape were battling for the fifth position on lap ten as Johnson held a straightaway advantage.
Jeff Trombley was forced to bring out his own No. 21J in the feature, using his guaranteed starting status for being in the top five in points to get into the feature as he had problems with the Spraker owned No. 1J in his heat race. Trombley split Ronnie Johnson and Mike Romano for the sixth position on lap eleven after starting way back in the twenty-sixth spot. Three laps later Trombley slowed on the frontstretch and went into the pit area. He came back out several laps down.
As Johnson continued to lead through restart after restart, Pat Ward and Lape had a see saw battle going for the fourth position as the two continually raced side by side. Ward held the spot until lap traffic came into play at the end of the event. With five laps to go lap cars came into play as Varin tried to close in on Johnson. But the lap cars really caused a problem for Ward who was trapped behind a lap car on the final lap allowing Lape to get by for third.
Johnson was able to negotiate the lap traffic and Varin never really got close as Johnson went on to another win at the "Track of Champions". "The experience that I have here definitely pays off," Johnson said. "With Dave (Lape) doing so well this year and now with my win I'd like to think that us old timers can still get the job done in good equipment which we both now have."
Varin ended up second followed by Lape, Ward, and Jack's son Ronnie Johnson.
The 20-lap sportsman feature began with Jeff Holt in the lead from his pole position start with Jeremiah Munson second on lap two after starting sixth. In turn three on lap three, Munson took over the lead with a yellow coming out one lap later for point leader John McAuliffe who came to a stop on the backstretch. McAuliffe was done for the evening.
Josh Pieniazek took over the second position on lap six but that didn't last too long as Tim Dwyer took over the position on lap seven after starting tenth. Dwyer caught the leader and at the halfway point Munson and Dwyer were racing side by side for the lead which Dwyer took over on the outside groove in turn three.
Tim Clemons started the event in the eleventh position and made a three wide move to get by Bobby Hackel and Pieniazek for third on lap eleven. Munson's great run came to an end on lap twelve as he slowed in turn three and pulled into the infield while running second. Dwyer held a straightaway lead with four laps to go with a caution coming out on lap seventeen to close up the field one final time.
Nobody had anything for Dwyer on this night as he went on to the win followed by Clemons, Hackel, Pieniazek, and Billy Osta. Dwyer's last win at Fonda came in the modified division back on 7/26/97 while his last win in the sportsman division at Fonda came on 10/15/94.
Pro Stock rookie Chucky Dumblewski was the early leader at the drop of the green flag in the 20-lap feature event. Luke Klob and Kenny Gates were running side by side for the third spot on lap four with Gates eventually getting the spot. Gates then got by Karl Klob for second one lap later and set his sights on the leader.
Gates caught Dumblewski on lap eight and began pressuring him for the lead which he took on lap eleven after a one lap side by side battle. From that point on the race was for second as Gates pulled away from the field. Steve Welch made his usual late race charge towards the front taking the fifth spot from Chris Morris with eight laps to go. Nobody had anything for Gates on this night as he went on to his first win of 2003 followed by Dumblewski, Karl Klob, Welch, and Morris.
Joe Williams started the IMCA feature in the third position but quickly took the lead as the green flag flew to start the event. Steve Vrooman challenged Jeff Davis for second early in the race but Davis was strong to the challenge and held the position. Further back in the field, Kevin Buff, Steve Bidwell, and George Catanzano were coming up through the field together with Catanzano breaking through first for the fourth position on lap nine.
Catanzano moved past Davis for the third position on lap eleven and one lap later got by Vrooman for second when Vrooman got stuck behind a lap car. Williams held a half straightaway lead at this point but Catanzano quickly closed the gap on the leader. On lap sixteen, Catanzano took over the lead and went on to his first win of 2003 by a half straightaway over Williams, Vrooman, Steve Bidwell, and Danny Ballard.
Mike Walters led lap one of the street stock "A" feature before Mike Tholin took over the point on the second lap using the outside groove in turn one. Carol Parker moved into the second position on lap five but not even a yellow flag with two laps to go would stop Tholin from getting his first career street stock win at Fonda. Parker was second followed by John Bradt, Ricky Quick, and Rocky Warner.
Luke Horning led at the start of the street stock "B" feature from his outside pole starting spot with Mike Budka Jr. in tow. Paul Hughes moved by Budka Jr. for second on lap six and one lap later Hughes briefly took the lead on a restart. Horning retook the lead before lap seven was completed and led the rest of the way for his first career street stock win at Fonda followed by Hughes, Budka Jr., Roger Keeny, and Shawn Laport.
Frank Guiffre led from his pole position start as the green flag was thrown to start the street stock "C" event. When Guiffre went up in smoke before lap one was completed, Don Warner was the benefactor of Guiffre's problem and took over the lead. Guy Klob started seventh and took over the lead on lap two and led by a straightaway under the checkered flag over Dave Horning Jr., Rod Slater, John Babcock, and Don Warner.
Mike Brown was the winner of the Northeastern Vintage Dirt Modified feature.
This Thursday the Advance Auto Parts Modified Super DIRT Series comes to Fonda for a 100-lap event. Warm-ups will begin at 5:00 p.m. with time trials at 6:00 p.m. and racing at 7:00 p.m. The IMCA division will also be in action on Thursday.
MODIFIED QUALIFYING - 33 total cars - 5 qualify
HEAT 1 - Jeff Trombley, Pat Ward, Ken Hanson, Jerry Pennock Jr., Ray Zemken
HEAT 2 - Dave Lape, Erik Gall, Craig Criscone, Ronnie Johnson, A.J. Romano
HEAT 3 - Alton Palmer, Jack Johnson, Mike Romano, Robert King, Johnny Marsh Jr.
HEAT 4 - Bob Sitterly, Bobby Varin, Ryan Odasz, Tony Pepicelli, Brian Borst
MODIFIED CONSOLATION - 5 qualify - Chic Chandler, John Marsh, Keith Shoemaker, Jim Davis, Wayne Figler
MODIFIED FEATURE - 30 LAPS - JACK JOHNON, Bobby Varin, Dave Lape, Pat Ward, Ronnie Johnson, Mike Romano, Ryan Odasz, Robert King, Craig Criscone, Tony Pepicelli, Jim Davis, Brian Borst, John Marsh, Jerry Pennock Jr., Steve Akers, Ken Hanson, Ray Zemken, Keith Shoemaker, Erik Gall, Chic Chandler, A.J. Romano, Jeff Trombley, Wayne Figler, Bob Sitterly, Johnny Marsh Jr., Alton Palmer
SPORTSMAN QUALIFYING - 20 total cars - 4 qualify
HEAT 1 - John McAuliffe, Jeff Holt, Jeremiah Munson, Josh Pieniazek
HEAT 2 - Billy Osta, Bobby Hackel, Tim Dwyer, Elmo Reckner
SPORTSMAN FEATURE - 20 LAPS - TIM DWYER, Tim Clemons, Bobby Hackel, Josh Pieniazek, Billy Osta, Robert Perry, Jessica Zemken, Allen Powell Jr., Elmo Reckner, Michael Ballestero, Jim Burton, Jeff Holt, Pete Sisler, John Constantino, Bob Rees, Drew Fallis, Jeremiah Munson, Mark Mortensen, John McAuliffe, Gary Greco
PRO STOCK QUALIFYING - 17 total cars - 6 qualify
HEAT 1 - Kenny Gates, Steve Welch, Chris Morris, Luke Klob, Rob VanAernam, Karl Klob
HEAT 2 - Chucky Dumblewski, Bobby Gile, Kevin Ward, Rob Noviczski, Erik Yager, Nick Stone
PRO STOCK FEATURE - 20 LAPS - KENNY GATES, Chucky Dumblewski, Karl Klob, Steve Welch, Chris Morris, Rob Noviczski, Kevin Ward, Luke Klob, Rob VanAernam, Bobby Gile, Nick Stone, Erik Yager, Joey Duncan, Jerry Pepper, Mark Sullivan, Tom LaPlante, Dan Rickard
IMCA QUALIFYING - 19 total cars - 5 qualify
HEAT 1 - Joe Williams, George Catanzano, Danny Ballard, Jeff Davis, Steve Vrooman
HEAT 2 - Steve Bidwell, Darcy Volans, Kevin Buff, George Proctor, Kurt Olsen
IMCA FEATURE - 20 LAPS - GEORGE CATANZANO, Joe Williams, Steve Vrooman, Steve Bidwell, Danny Ballard, Jeff Davis, Kevin Buff, George Proctor, Dennis Vroman, Shawn Simmons, Skip Pabis, JoJo Donato, Darcy Volans, Aaron Jacobs, Tom Funk, Eric Taber, Kurt Olsen, Rich Contryman
STREET STOCK "A" - 10 LAPS - MIKE THOLIN, Carol Parker, John Bradt, Ricky Quick, Rocky Warner, Mike Walters, Steve Cosselman, Dan Clemens, Joe Smith, Mark Sullivan Jr., Justin Knight, Brian Cosselman, John Anderson
STREET STOCK "B" - 10 LAPS - LUKE HORNING, Paul Hughes, Mike Budka Jr., Roger Keeny, Shawn Laport, Howie Clark, Jay Sperry, Ray Ramos, Robert Miller, T.J. Marlitt, Chris McMurray, Neil Cosselman, Mike Burdo
STREET STOCK "C" - 10 LAPS - GUY KLOB, Dave Horning Jr., Rod Slater, John Babcock, Don Warner, Ron Tollner, Brandon Lehr, Jeff Crosier, Mike Frasier, Howard Smith, Bob VanAernam, Frank Guiffre