TROMBLEY DOMINATES MODIFIED FEATURE AT FONDA
Fonda, NY - For the Jake Spraker racing team, Saturday night at Fonda Speedway was a night to remember. Jeff Trombley drove the #1J modified to victory in convincing fashion while Tim Clemons did the same in the sportsman main event, again in a Spraker owned #1J car.
For Trombley the victory was never in doubt until the very end after the caution came out with four laps to go. On the restart, Trombley wasn’t able to pull away as he had done on all of the previous restarts giving Mike Romano one last chance to pull off a victory. Romano stayed close to the leader and made it a close finish for the fans to watch but Trombley was just too strong and went on to his second win of the season on Amsterdam Chrysler Dodge Night.
“The car was good tonight but the key was that I was able to get to the front quickly,” Trombley said. “After I got the lead I stayed up high on the track to keep up my momentum. A few times I actually went a little bit too high.”
Small Block Modified rookie Brian Borst started on the pole position in the Modified feature, taking the point as the green flag flew to start the event. Trombley started fifth and made a quick move between Steve Akers and Ronnie Johnson for the fourth position as lap one was completed.
On a lap two restart, Trombley took over second after getting by both Ronnie Johnson and Ray Zemken. With a very fast race car it didn’t take Trombley too long to reel in the leader and using the outside groove in turn two on lap two, Trombley was the new leader. As Trombley pulled away from the field, teammates Romano and Dave Lape were passing cars at will just inside of the top ten.
Lape got by both Jack Johnson and Romano on lap four but Romano came right back getting by Lape, Bobby Varin, and Ray Zemken for the eighth position on lap seven. Lape followed Romano through for the position before slowing in turn two with a mechanical problem. Lape pitted and came back out one lap down to the field but was never quite up to speed after that.
Romano got by both Steve Akers and Borst for second on a lap eleven restart, one of seven restarts in the feature. Trombley’s car was on rails however and he pulled away from Romano after every restart until a caution would bunch up the field again. Through each restart, Trombley and Romano would also pull away from the rest of the field.
A new challenger took over the third spot on lap twenty-one, none other than Jack Johnson but he had a long way to go to catch the top two. Trombley was using the extreme outside of the speedway to keep up his momentum but Romano just wouldn’t go away. On the final lap, Romano made it a close finish but Trombley held on for his 27th career win at the “Track of Champions.”
“It seems like there are always a lot more cautions when I’m leading,” Trombley said. “I knew that Mike was close but we made a lot of changes to this car after hot laps and it was good after that.”
In a very competitive 2003 season at Fonda so far, Trombley is only the second repeat winner in the modified division.
Romano was second followed by Johnson, Craig Criscone, and A.J. Romano.
The sportsman feature was lengthened to thirty laps on Saturday because it was a Sunoco Race Fuels Sportsman Super DIRT Series event. After setting fast time earlier in the evening with a lap of 20.451 and also winning her heat race, Jessica Zemken started the feature on the pole but it was invader Lance Willix who took the lead at the start from his outside pole starting position.
Fonda regulars Tim Clemons and John McAuliffe were racing side by side for third on lap one with Clemons taking the position on lap two. Two laps later Clemons was all over Zemken for the second position, getting alongside of her and taking the position after a brief side by side battle.
Clemons quickly caught the leading car of Willix and began to challenge him for the lead on lap seven. Clemons got alongside Willix for the lead but coming out of turn four Willix took Clemons all the way up to the wall forcing Clemons to back off allowing Willix to hang on to the lead. Two laps later Clemons used the same move on the outside in turn four to take the lead.
From that point on the race was for second as Clemons pulled away from the field. With ten laps to go, Clemons held a straightaway lead as Willix and John McAuliffe were racing side by side for second. A yellow flag with five laps to go slowed the field but there was no question who had the fastest car as Clemons went on to the win, his third of the season.
McAuliffe got by Willix for second on the final lap with Michael Ballestero and Tim Dwyer completing the top five.
Dan Rickard and Erik Nelson started the pro stock feature on the front row with Nelson taking the early lead in the event. An early yellow on lap two slowed the field after Rickard spun in turn four in front of the entire field while running second. The field scrambled to get by the spun car, some using the infield to get through. Many cars were damaged in the wreck but most were able to continue.
On the restart, Joey Duncan was the new leader with Steve Welch now closing in on the top two after starting tenth. On lap three, Welch used the outside groove in turn three to take over the lead and immediately stretched out his advantage. Kenny Gates moved into the second position late in the event but couldn’t catch the leader as Welch went on to his second win of the season followed by Gates, Duncan, Rob Noviczski, and Nelson.
The 20-lap IMCA feature event began with Skip Pabis in the early lead. Joe Williams started sixth but on a lap two restart he was already up to second. Two laps later Williams was the new leader using the outside lane in turn three to take over the position.
Danny Ballard was also moving up quickly after starting seventh, sitting in the third position on lap three. George Catanzano started the event in the seventeenth spot but he wasn’t back there too long as he sat in the fifth position on lap five. Last weeks winner Steve Bidwell was also fast, getting by both Catanzano and George Proctor for the third spot at the halfway point.
As Williams was well out front in cruise control, the battle was for the second position between Ballard, Bidwell, and Catanzano. Ballard and Bidwell were side by side the last three laps for the second position but there was no doubt who the winner was going to be. Williams went on to his third win of the season followed by Bidwell, Ballard, Catanzano, and Proctor.
Chris McMurray led at the start of the street stock “A” feature with an early caution slowing the field on lap two when McMurray and Bob VanAernam made contact and spun coming out of turn four. Both were able to continue with Mike Frasier the new leader. On lap four Carol Parker was the new leader but Frasier and VanAernam weren’t going to let her get the victory easily. On the final lap coming out of turn four, Parker was in the middle as Frasier and VanAernam tried to get by on both sides of her. Contact was made between Parker and Frasier with Frasier ending up in the frontstretch wall while Parker held off VanAernam for a very popular win, her second of the season.
The street stock “B” feature began with Robert Miller in the lead early before Roger Keeny took over the point before lap one was completed. The yellow flag was out at the completion of lap one for John Bradt who smacked the inside front stretch wall very hard. Bradt was not injured in the wreck. When the race resumed Shawn Laport was the new leader with Guy Klob also in the hunt for the win. When Laport and another car made contact on the backstretch on lap three, Klob took over the lead and went on for the win, his third of the season.
Street stock “C” was perhaps the most exciting of the entire evening with two drivers swapping the lead over the final five laps to the checkered flag. Howard Smith was the leader at the drop of the green but it was Steve Cosselman who led as lap one was completed. Luke Horning took over the lead on lap three with Rod Slater now second. Slater was the new leader as lap six was completed but the race was far from over. Slater and Horning thrilled the fans with their lead swapping show which saw the lead change hands between the two on very lap. Slater got by Horning to lead the most important lap, the final one and took the checkered flag for the second time this season.
On Tuesday July 29 Fonda Speedway will be back in action with “Wings & Things” featuring a 410 sprint open along with Modifieds with wings. Race time is 7:00 p.m.
MODIFIED QUALIFYING – 34 total cars – 5 qualify
HEAT 1 – Ronnie Johnson, Dave Lape, Bobby Varin, Bob Sitterly, Pat Ward
HEAT 2 – Craig Criscone, A.J. Romano, Ray Zemken, Todd Morey, Tony Pepicelli
HEAT 3 – Mike Romano, Jeff Trombley, Ken Aanonsen, John Marsh, Jerry Pennock Jr.
HEAT 4 – Jack Johnson, Steve Akers, Brian Borst, Bobby Vedder, Alton Palmer
CONSOLATION – 6 qualify – Ryan Odasz, Robert King, Mike Fusco, Jim Davis, Keith Shoemaker, Jeremy Matthies
MODIFIED FEATURE – 30 LAPS – JEFF TROMBLEY, Mike Romano, Jack Johnson, Craig Criscone, A.J. Romano, Tony Pepicelli, Bob Sitterly, Steve Akers, John Marsh, Ronnie Johnson, Bobby Varin, Ray Zemken, Jim Davis, Jerry Pennock Jr., Todd Morey, Mike Fusco, Keith Shoemaker, Robert King, Johnny Marsh, Dave Lape, Ancel Collins, Bobby Vedder, Jeremy Matthies, Alton Palmer, Ryan Odasz, Pat Ward, Brian Borst, Ron Proctor
SPORTSMAN TIME TRIALS – 32 total cars (2 didn’t take time) – JESSICA ZEMKEN 20.451, Lance Willix 20.688, Tim Clemons 20.773, Tim Dwyer 20.828, Michael Ballestero 20.903, John McAuliffe 20.920, Jeremiah Munson 20.925, John Scarborough 21.058, Bobby Hackel 21.072, Tom Perrago 21.094, Allen Powell Jr. 21.200, Eldon Payne Jr. 21.218, Jason Memrick 21.401, Tony Farone 21.430, Rick Mill 21.463, Billy Osta 21.484, Mark Mortensen 21.495, Josh Pieniazek 21.593, Elmo Reckner 21.610, Loren Lincoln 21.629, Jason Potter 21.683, Jeff Holt 21.741, Chad Phelps 21.745, Floyd Billington 21.831, Drew Fallis 22.062, John Johnson 22.151, Dennis Pennock 22.176, Pete Sisler 22.226, John Cefala 22.259, Randy Meka 22.332
SPORTSMAN QUALIFYING – 6 qualify
HEAT 1 – Jessica Zemken, Tim Dwyer, Jeremiah Munson, Elmo Reckner, Tom Perrago, Jeff Holt
HEAT 2 – Lance Willix, Michael Ballestero, John Scarborough, Tony Farone, Allen Powell Jr., Loren Lincoln
HEAT 3 – John McAuliffe, Tim Clemons, Bobby Hackel, Eldon Payne Jr., Josh Pieniazek, Rick Mill
CONSOLATION – 10 qualify – Drew Fallis, Billy Osta, Chad Phelps, Mark Mortensen, John Cefala, Dennis Pennock, John Johnson, Floyd Billington, Randy Meka, Jason Potter
SPORTSMAN FEATURE – 30 LAPS – TIM CLEMONS, John McAuliffe, Lance Willix, Michael Ballestero, Tim Dwyer, Billy Osta, Jessica Zemken, Bobby Hackel, Drew Fallis, Rick Mill, Chad Phelps, Jeremiah Munson, Eldon Payne Jr., Elmo Reckner, Tony Farone, Jason Potter, Floyd Billington, Josh Pieniazek, John Cefala, John Scarborough, Mark Mortensen, Dennis Pennock, Pete Sisler, Randy Meka, Allen Powell Jr., John Johnson, Don Johnson, Jeff Holt, Loren Lincoln, Tom Perrago
PRO STOCK QUALIFYING – 22 total cars – 6 qualify
HEAT 1 – Steve Welch, Chucky Dumblewski, Joe Mottoshiski, Jay Resch, Rob VanAernam, Wayne Patrick
HEAT 2 – Dan Rickard, Chris Morris, Erik Nelson, Nick Stone, Joey Duncan, Kenny Gates
PRO STOCK FEATURE – 20 LAPS – STEVE WELCH, Kenny Gates, Joey Duncan, Rob Noviczski, Erik Nelson, Chris Morris, Nick Stone, Hondo Carpenter, Buddy Hencke, Rob VanAernam, Chucky Dumblewski, Jerry Pepper, Wayne Patrick, Tom LaPlante, Luke Klob, Mark Sullivan, Jay Resch, Dan Rickard, Joe Mottoshiski, Eric Ellis
IMCA QUALIFYING – 20 total cars – 5 qualify
HEAT 1 – Joe Williams, George Proctor, Shawn Simmons, JoJo Donato, Kevin Buff
HEAT 2 – Steve Bidwell, Danny Ballard, Jeff Davis, Skip Pabis, Kurt Olsen
IMCA FEATURE – 20 LAPS – JOE WILLIAMS, Steve Bidwell, Danny Ballard, George Catanzano, George Proctor, Jeff Davis, Skip Pabis, Kevin Buff, Bob Banks Jr., Aaron Jacobs, Tom Funk, Chris Reckner, Rich Contryman, Dennis Vroman, JoJo Donato, Steve Vrooman, Kurt Olsen, Eric Stumpf, Walter Cook, Shawn Simmons
STREET STOCK “A” – 10 LAPS – CAROL PARKER, Bob VanAernam, Joe Smith, Neil Cosselman, Ray Ramos, Don Warner, Jeff Crosier, Mike Frasier, Chris McMurray, Jim Colsen, Dan Clemens, Dan Hartgraves, Phil Pearson
STREET STOCK “B” – 10 LAPS – GUY KLOB, Dave Horning Jr., Ricky Quick, Shawn Laport, Brandon Lehr, Ed Bradt, Jay Sperry, Roger Keeny, Robert Miller, Howie Clark, T.J. Marlitt, Rocky Warner, John Bradt
STREET STOCK “C” – 10 LAPS – ROD SLATER, Luke Horning, Ron Tollner, John Babcock, Steve Cosselman, Paul Hughes, Mike Budka Jr., Howard Smith, Todd Dunston, Mike Burdo, Dave Horning Sr.