TROMBLEY USES SYRACUSE POWER TO WIN FEATURE AT FONDA
Fonda, NY - Music, racing, and rain were all a part of the racing program at Fonda Speedway on Saturday September 27 as BUG Country Radio presented an afternoon of music with Dixie Road and North 40 both performing in the Entertainment Building on the Montgomery County Fairgrounds.
After the concert plenty of racing was on the card for the day but unfortunately rain played havoc with the schedule. The Fonda Speedway track crew just kept trying as they got the speedway back in shape after three rain delays so that some racing could be run. One final downpour put an end to the racing program with only the 50-lap Big Block/Small Block Modified and sportsman features left to be run.
Yellow flags and rain played a role in the outcome of the modified feature which was ran delayed from September 13. But that was not to take away from the very fast racecar that Jeff Trombley had which took him to victory lane with a Syracuse power plant under the hood.
Since we arent going to Syracuse this year we decided to put the Syracuse motor in the car for last nights race at Albany Saratoga and the race today at Fonda, Trombley said after the rain shortened win. The weather played right in our hands as the track was heavy here at Fonda today.
The feature began with Jack Johnson and Dave Lape on the front row with Lape taking the initial lead. Trombley started fifth but moved forward quickly, getting by A.J. Romano for the fourth spot at the completion of lap two.
On the next lap the first of a total of seven cautions in the feature event came out for Alton Palmer who hit the wall in turn four. This restart was one of the turning points in the event as Trombley blasted by both Mike Romano and Johnson for the second spot when the green flag flew to restart the event.
Green flag laps and restarts were coming every other lap from that point on as Lape kept the lead on each of the restarts. A caution for debris on the track on lap seven was the second turning point in the event as it was on this restart that Trombley got by Lape for the lead. A hard crash for Ron Proctor on lap eleven slowed the field again but fortunately Proctor was not injured.
From this point on Trombley pulled away from Lape easily after each restart as the #1J crew had the big Syracuse motor tuned to perfection. Mike Romano had a great run come to an end on lap twenty-one as he drove his car into the pit area while running third.
Two laps later the rain started to fall and after a few laps under caution the race was declared official after twenty-three laps with Trombley the winner followed by Lape, Jack Johnson, Ryan Odasz, and Mike Fusco.
The rain delayed sportsman feature from September 13 began with a nine car pileup on the frontstretch. On the start, pole position starter John Constantino was tapped in the rear forcing him to get sideways. Constantino cut down a tire and tried to straighten the car up but with the cut tire it was to no avail as nine cars piled into each other. Fortunately there were no injuries but there were many badly damaged race cars.
Jim Burton who has suffered through numerous engine problems this season took the lead at the drop of the green flag to restart the event, led flag to flag through three caution flags, and went on to his second win of the season followed by Drew Fallis, Jeremiah Munson, Mike Ketchum, and Michael Ballestero.
When the rain began to fall back on September 13 during the IMCA feature Joe Williams was the leader which is where he restarted the event last night with George Catanzano in second. Catanzano blasted by Williams for the lead on the inside of the backstretch on lap six with Steve Bidwell also getting by Williams for second.
From that point on it was another classic battle between Catanzano and Bidwell like it has been for years at Fonda. Bidwell got alongside Catanzano coming out of turn four on lap eight but Catanzano shut the door as the two made contact with Catanzano holding the advantage. Bidwell kept the pressure on for the remainder of the event but Catanzano went on for his fifth win of the season followed by Bidwell, Danny Ballard, Williams, and Kurt Olsen.
The regularly scheduled IMCA feature was part of the Empire State IMCA Series and began with Williams again in the lead with invading driver Sean Lias in second. Bidwell started to become a factor early in the event as he moved up to the third position on lap nine of the twenty-five lap feature.
Williams was in heavy lap traffic with ten laps to go as was Lias who was passed by Bidwell with only six laps to go. Bidwell caught the leader and pressured him heavily on lap twenty-two taking over the lead on the outside in turn two. When Williams came back to try to retake the lead with two laps to go he tried a slide job on Bidwell coming out of turn four with the two making contact and spinning going into turn one. Lias was right there to take the lead and the win followed by Dale Caswell, Ballard, Larry Beesmer, and Kevin Buff.
Catanzano finished the event in the eighth spot and took home the 2003 Fonda Speedway IMCA Championship.
The street stocks began their first feature with Chris McMurray in the early lead which only lasted two laps before Brian Cosselman took over the point. Cosselman led the remaining laps for his first career street stock win.
Paul Hughes was the early leader of the street stock B feature with heavy pressure coming from Dave Horning Sr. and Roger Keeny with two laps to go. Horning Sr. took over the lead on the inside of the backstretch at that point but Keeny wasnt going to give up easily. On the inside of turn two with one lap to go Keeny took over the lead and went on to his second win of the season.
Jeff Crosier led every lap of the street stock C feature as Bob VanAernam and Dave Horning Jr. were going for the 2003 street stock championship. At one point during the event Horning Jr. was many positions ahead of VanAernam and looked to be going on to the title only to be involved in a wreck with another car with one lap to go. Crosier went on for the win while VanAernam was crowned as the 2003 street stock champion.
The Duncan family dominated the two four cylinder feature events as Jim and Jason took home victories in the two twenty lap events.
With the 50-lap Big Block/Small Block Challenge feature and the second sportsman feature being rained out this sets up an extra night of racing on Friday October 17 as part of the River Rage 2003 weekend.
On Friday the racing card will consist of the modified challenge event with a champion to be crowned in that series along with a 50-lap sportsman feature. The rain delayed pro stock feature from September 13 will also be run along with a four cylinder feature and an IMCA dash.
Racing on the 17th will start at 6:30 p.m. It will be Fan Appreciation Day with $5.00 adult admission to the front gate that day and a $10.00 pit gate admission.
MODIFIED QUALIFYING 38 total cars 5 qualify
HEAT 1 Ryan Odasz, Mike Fusco, Ray Zemken, Chic Chandler, Floyd Billington
HEAT 2 Jack Johnson, Tony Pepicelli, Brian Borst, A.J. Romano, Josh Pieniazek
HEAT 3 Jeff Trombley, Robert King, Steve Akers, Jeff Isabel, Jerry Pennock Jr.
HEAT 4 Ronnie Johnson, Tim Fuller, Ted Lamb, Willy Decker, Dave Lape
MODIFIED CONSOLATIONS 4 qualify
CONSI 1 Frank Jashembowski, Mike Dillenbeck, Jeff Isabel, Kenny Hanson
CONSI 2 John Marsh, Vinnie Vitale, Joe Geniti, Todd Morey
RAIN DELAYED MODIFIED FEATURE FROM 9/13 23 LAPS (RAIN SHORTENED) JEFF TROMBLEY, Dave Lape, Jack Johnson, Ryan Odasz, Mike Fusco, Ronnie Johnson, Robert King, Dustin Purdy, Tony Pepicelli, Chic Chandler, John Marsh, Steve Akers, Kenny Hanson, Bobby Vedder, Mike Romano, Ron George Jr., Derrick McGrew, Joe Geniti, A.J. Romano, Ron Proctor, Bob Sitterly, Ray Zemken, Alton Palmer, Jim Davis, Keith Shoemaker
SPORTSMAN QUALIFYING 29 total cars 5 qualify
HEAT 1 Mark Mortensen, Drew Fallis, Joe Budka, Joe Bennett, Neil Erickson
HEAT 2 John McAuliffe, Bobby Hackel, Ryan Larkin, Jim Burton, Derrick McGrew
HEAT 3 Frank Harper, Tm Hartman, Pat OHanlon, Randy Salisbury, Randy Meka
RAIN DELAYED SPORTSMAN FEATURE FROM 9/13 20 LAPS JIM BURTON, Drew Fallis, Jeremiah Munson, Mike Ketchum, Michael Ballestero, Bob Rees, Robert Perry, John Constantino, Tom LaPlante, Mark Mortensen, John Johnson, Randy Meka, John McAuliffe, Pat OHanlon, Bobby Hackel, Ricky Quick, Pete Sisler, Keith Nichols, Jason Memrick, Mark Majewski
IMCA QUALIFYING 20 total cars 4 qualify
HEAT 1 Danny Ballard, Joe Williams, Aaron Jacobs, Kurt Olen,
HEAT 2 Steve Bidwell, Sean Lias, Bob Banks Jr., Kevin Buff
HEAT 3 Dale Caswell, Larry Beesmer, Kevin Priest, Dennis Vroman
RAIN DELAYED IMCA FEATURE FROM 9/13 20 LAPS GEORGE CATANZANO, Steve Bidwell, Danny Ballard, Joe Williams, Kurt Olsen, George Proctor, JoJo Donato, Eric Stumpf, Tom Funk, Aaron Jacobs, Kevin Priest, Danny Ody, Steve Vrooman, Jeff Davis, Shawn Simmons, Justin Labombard, Billy Ward
IMCA FEATURE 25 LAPS SEAN LIAS, Dale Caswell, Danny Ballard, Larry Beesmer, Kevin Buff, Bob Banks Jr., Steve Bidwell, George Catanzano, Ken Klinkowsky, Darcy Volans, Shawn Simmons, Aaron Jacobs, George Proctor, Justin Labombard, Kevin Cook, Joe Williams, Tom Funk, Kevin Priest, Kurt Olsen, Dennis Vroman
STREET STOCK A 10 LAPS BRIAN COSSELMAN, Rob VanAernam, Dan Clemens, Jay Delea, Car No. 4, Chris McMurray, Garnet Prescott, Joe Smith, Car No. 24, Chris Stelker, Howard Smith, T.J. Marlitt
STREE STOCK B 10 LAPS ROGER KEENY, Paul Hughes, Dave Horning Sr., Denver Wilson, Mike Budka Jr., Neil Cosselman, Robert Miller, Jay Casey, Howie Clark, Car No. 15, James Horning
STREET STOCK C JEFF CROSIER, Rocky Warner, Rod Slater, Carol Parker, Bob VanAernam, Steve Cosselman, Don Warner, Car No. 24, Frank Guiffre, Ron Tollner, Dave Horning Jr., Mike Frasier, John Babcock