PALMER MODIFIED VICTOR AT FONDA STONE WINS CAREER FIRST IN PRO STOCKS
Alton Palmer won a very close Modified feature event at Fonda Speedway last Saturday evening, taking the lead from a veteran of the Track of Champions and looking like a veteran himself at the end of the feature event. Im exhausted, Palmer said in victory lane. The track came in good, the outside was awesome. I watched David run the outside while he was in the lead but I went outside one more groove than that and it worked.
Back in the year 2000, Nick Stone was the winner of the Bev Caputo Memorial event for Pro Stocks and since then has been trying to win a regular Saturday night Pro Stock event. Saturday was his night at Fonda as he won his first ever Pro Stock feature in convincing fashion.
Other winners on Leader Herald Night at the Fonda Speedway were Jim Davis (Sportsman), Kenny Barth, Shawn Simmons, and Jeff Davis (Street Stock), Steve Hough (IMCA), and Laurie Fallis (Ladies Racing League).
After some hard luck with motor problems the last few weeks, Dave Lape started on the outside pole and took the advantage at the start of the thirty lap Modified feature. An early yellow slowed the field before lap one was completed as Aaron Jacobs and Paul Cirincione came together in turn four. On the restart, Lape again led with Alton Palmer now second.
Bobby Varin and Jack Johnson started fourteenth and sixteenth respectively and were coming up through the field together, sitting in the top ten at the lap three point. Bob Sitterly and Ron Proctor came together in turn three on lap five bringing out another caution.
On this restart, Palmer took over the lead from Lape in turn four with Ronnie Holmes third and Varin now fourth. Palmer held a half straightaway advantage on lap ten with lap cars coming into play three laps later. Would the lap cars affect the outcome of the event? They almost did.
Lape closed in on the leader at the halfway point with Holmes also closing in on him. Holmes took over second on lap twenty as Lape was held up by the lap car of Chris Kokosa, with Trombley getting by Varin and Kokosa for fourth. Palmer held a half straightaway lead again with seven laps remaining as Holmes and Lape tried to close in when the leader got into heavy lap traffic.
Palmer was using the outside groove to his liking but Holmes closed in on the leader on lap twenty-six as did Lape. Coming out of turn four with the white flag waving, Holmes briefly took over the lead on the inside but Palmer stuck with the groove that he had been using all night long and regained the lead on the backstretch on the final lap.
Palmer went on for the win followed by Holmes, Lape, Trombley, and Varin.
What started out as a Sportsman feature with not too much excitement ended up being one of the most exciting of the season as Bobby Hackel led as the green flag flew to start the event. John McAuliffe worked his way up to fifth by the third lap as Hackel stretched out his lead to a half track.
Jim Davis worked his way up to fifth on lap seven after starting sixteenth and continued his march to the front in the next few laps, getting by Elmo Reckner for second on lap ten. At that point Hackel was leading by a straightaway margin but lap traffic was definitely slowing him down.
Davis closed in on the leader with four laps remaining and on the final lap things got real interesting. As Hackel and Davis came out of turn four side by side for the checkered flag, Hackel made it three wide as he tried to get by both Davis and a lap car. Hackel ended up going over the wheel of a lap car and spun on the front stretch as Davis went on for the win. Jason Otty made heavy contact with Hackel as he sat on the front stretch but luckily nobody else was involved and both drivers were okay.
Hackel spun across the finish line backwards for second followed by McAuliffe, Robert Perry, and Reckner.
Mark Lighthall was the early leader in the Pro Stock main event with Nick Stone in second. On lap three, Joe Mottoshiski got out of shape on the backstretch and ended up spinning in turn three bringing out the caution flag.
On the restart, Lighthall continued to lead with Jerry Pepper now second but only briefly as Stone regained the second position on lap four. Steve Vrooman took over the third position on lap five getting by Pepper for the position. Hondo Carpenter brought out the next yellow on lap five after crashing hard into the turn four wall. Carpenter was not injured but was done for the night.
On this restart, Stone powered his way by Lighthall for the lead in turn four on the outside. Stone was running very strong on the outside and maintained the number one position despite constant pressure from Lighthall on the inside. Vrooman got by Lighthall for second on lap eleven only to slide up high in the backstretch and lose two positions to Lighthall and Kenny Gates.
The good race for the second position was just what Stone wanted to see as he was able to pull away from them slightly. Gates got by Lighthall for second on lap fifteen but Stone held a good advantage and went on to his first career win followed by Gates, Chris Morris, Butchie Irwin, and Lighthall.
The green and yellow flags came out almost simultaneously at the start of the IMCA feature event as Jim Rajczi spun and hit the wall in the frontstretch while Darcy Volans came to a stop on the backstretch. On the original restart, Dennis Vroman was the early leader as the yellow came out again for Joe Williams who crashed on the backstretch. Williams pitted and continued.
On this restart, Kevin Buff led with Danny Ballard second and Steve Hough third. On lap three, Hough was your new leader after getting by Buff on the backstretch. Steve Bidwell got by Ballard for second on lap four and immediately put pressure on Hough for the number one position.
As the laps clicked off on the lap counter, Hough stretched out his advantage to a half straightaway at the halfway point. A yellow closed up the field for one final time on lap eleven but Hough pulled away on the restart and made it a race for second from then on between Bidwell and Ballard.
Hough went on to his third win of 2002 followed by Bidwell, Ballard, Buff, and Willy Reed.
The Street Stock A feature began with Jamie Tesiero taking the lead at the drop of the green only to have Jim Colson take over the position before lap one was completed. Colson was only able to hold onto the lead for one lap as Kenny Barth took over the lead on a lap two restart. Barth went on for his second win of 2002 followed by Dave Horning, Sr., Carol Parker, Buck Gasner, and John Johnson.
Jo Jo Donato led at the start of the Street Stock B event and led until lap three when Randy Moore took over the number one position. Moore would hold the number one position until lap eight when Shawn Simmons got by him on the inside in turn three. Simmons went on for the win, his third of the season followed by Moore, Donato, John Babcock, and Don Warner.
Rocky Warner was the leader of the first lap in the Street Stock C feature before Bob VanAernam took over the number one position on a lap two restart. Jeff Davis got the lead on the inside of turn four on lap three and went on to his fourth win of the season followed by Dave Horning, Jr., Jeff Crosier, Warner, and Ron Tollner.
Laurie Fallis was the winner of the Ladies Racing League event.
This Thursday the River Shack Restaurant presents Ladies Night at Fonda Speedway with the Big Block/Small Block Modified Challenge along with Pro Stocks and Street Stocks in competition. Warm-ups will begin at 6:00 p.m. and all ladies will be admitted for free.
MODIFIED QUALIFYING 33 total cars 5 qualify
HEAT 1 Jeff Trombley, Dave Lape, Alton Palmer, Kenny Hanson, John Marsh, Jr.; HEAT 2 Bobby Vedder, Ronnie Holmes, Mike Romano, Erik Gall, Craig Criscone.; HEAT 3 A.J. Romano, Jack Johnson, Bob Sitterly, Chic Chandler, Craig Hanson.; HEAT 4 Bobby Varin, Ron Proctor, Randy Snyder, Jerry Pennock, Jr., Todd Morey.; CONSOLATION 6 qualify Chris Kokosa, Tim Clemons, Paul Cirincione, Tony Pepicelli, John Marsh, John Marsh, Jr.
MODIFIED FEATURE 30 LAPS ALTON PALMER, Ronnie Holmes, Dave Lape, Jeff Trombley, Bobby Varin, A.J. Romano, Jack Johnson, Mike Romano, Tony Pepicelli, Jerry Pennock, Jr., Craig Criscone, Bobby Vedder, John Marsh, Jr., Bob Sitterly, Chris Kokosa, Randy Snyder, Craig Hanson, Erik Gall, Kenny Hanson, Todd Morey, Chic Chandler, John Marsh, Tim Clemons, Ron Proctor, Aaron Jacobs, Paul Cirincione.
SPORTSMAN QUALIFYING 32 total cars 5 qualify
HEAT 1 Bobby Hackel, John McAuliffe, John LeClair, Robert Perry, Ray Zemken.; HEAT 2 Mike Frasier, Billy Osta, Josh Pieniazek, Kenny Martin, Jeff Jones.; HEAT 3 Elmo Reckner, Jessica Zemken, Jim Davis, Michael Ballestero, Doug Hutchison.; HEAT 4 Tim Clemons, Jeff Holt, Mike Ketchum, Ryan Odasz, Tony Farone.; CONSOLATION 6 qualify Jim Burton, Drew Fallis, Joe Geniti, Steve Akers, Jeremiah Munson, Jason Otty.
SPORTSMAN FEATURE 20 LAPS JIM DAVIS, Bobby Hackel, John McAuliffe, Robert Perry, Elmo Reckner, Tim Clemons, Mike Frasier, Ray Zemken, Ryan Odasz, Michael Ballestero, Kenny Martin, John LeClair, Josh Pieniazek, Jeff Holt, Jessica Zemken, Joe Geniti, Jeremiah Munson, Drew Fallis, Steve Akers, Jeff Jones, Jim Burton, Tony Farone, Billy Osta, Jason Otty, Alan Powell, Doug Hutchison, Mike Ketchum, Steve Jazeboski.
PRO STOCK QUALIFYING 23 total cars 6 qualify
HEAT 1 Mark Lighthall, Steve Vrooman, Hondo Carpenter, Butchie Irwin, Jay Resch, Phlan Hart.; HEAT 2 Nick Stone, Jim Normoyle, Rob Noviczski, Kenny Gates, Jerry Pepper, Joe Mottoshiski.
PRO STOCK FEATURE 20 LAPS NICK STONE, Kenny Gates, Chris Morris, Butchie Irwin, Mark Lighthall, Scott Govertsen, Jay Resch, Joe Mottoshiski, Jeff Patrick, Rob Noviczski, Jim Normoyle, Phlan Hart, Jerry Pepper, Mark Sullivan, Frank Early, Jr., Steve Vrooman, Rob VanAernam, Dan Rickard, Brent Hallenbeck, Hondo Carpenter, Tom LaPlante.
IMCA QUALIFYING 20 total cars 5 qualify
HEAT 1 Joe Williams, Kevin Buff, Steve Hough, Keith Ackerknecht, Fred Proctor.; HEAT 2 Dennis Vroman, Skip Pabis, Steve Bidwell, Darcy Volans, Danny Ballard.
IMCA FEATURE 20 LAPS STEVE HOUGH, Steve Bidwell, Danny Ballard, Kevin Buff, Willy Reed, Dennis Vroman, Curt Olsen, Fred Proctor, Skip Pabis, Jim Rajczi, Todd Goldstein, Pete Knapp, Jason Miller, Tom Costanza, Keith Ackerknecht, Joe Williams, Dan Krajewski, Danny Ody, Joe Hallenbeck, Darcy Volans.
STREET STOCK A 10 LAPS KENNY BARTH, Dave Horning, Sr., Carol Parker, Buck Gasner, John Johnson, Scott Wells, Jim Colson, Rod Slater, Jamie Tesiero, Mike Burton, Dave Daniels, Jason Samrov, Mike Walters.
STREET STOCK B SHAWN SIMMONS, Randy Moore, Jo Jo Donato, John Babcock, Don Warner, Shawn Laport, Dennis Wilson, Ricky Quick, Howard Smith, Pete Sisler, David Trombley, Jr., Chris McMurray, Rich Walters, Sandy Ferrara, Justin Labombard.
STREET STOCK C JEFF DAVIS, Dave Horning, Jr., Jeff Crosier, Rocky Warner, Ron Tollner, Bob VanAernam, Mike Budka, Jr., Donnie Oldick, Norman Lamphear, Jr., Joe Smith, Neil Cosselman, Steve Skinner, John Ketchum.
LADIES RACING LEAGUE LAURIE FALLIS, Billy Joe Skinner, Lynn Dunlavey, Angela Hoard, Kathy Bellen, Stacey Brookin, Gabby Brenenstuhl, Nancy Walker, Debbie Redner, Cindy Hunt, Christi Warner, Diane Marten, Sally VanNostrand, Earlene Varin, Jennifer Spraker.