BRETT HEARN DOMINATES BIG BLOCK/SMALL BLOCK CHALLENGE AT FONDA

Brett Hearn started on the outside pole, took the lead at the start, and led every lap for the $3000 first prize in the Big Block/Small Block Challenge event at the Fonda Speedway Thursday evening. “I have a good setup for Fonda, this was a lot of fun,” Hearn said in victory lane. “With three race teams breaking up my 105 race schedule it allows me to concentrate more on driving.”

Other winners on the night were Kenny Gates (Pro Stock), Jo Jo Donato and Jeff Davis (Street Stock).

With Hearn taking the lead at the start and immediately stretching it out, A.J. Romano and Steve Paine were battling side by side for the number two position. Paine was using the cushion to get around the speedway on the outside and took over the second spot with Jack Johnson bringing out an early caution. Johnson would pit and return.

On the restart, A.J. and Paine battled again with Mike Romano also joining in on the action. Hearn held a straightaway advantage on lap ten when A.J. got around Paine for second. Mike Romano and Tony Pepicelli also got by Paine for third and fourth as Paine continued to fall back.

As the top two cars motored away from the rest of the field, Pepicelli and Mike Romano raced side by side for third on lap fourteen with Mike getting the position only to fall out of the event shortly afterwards with mechanical problems. When Hearn got into lap traffic, A.J. would close in and at one point closed the gap to only a couple of car lengths.

As soon as that happened however Hearn’s spotter must have told him to turn up the wick as he then stretched out his advantage to a half a track. From then on the race was pretty much for second. Alan Johnson started fourteenth but drove through the field as if the other cars were standing still and battled with Bobby Varin for many laps for the fifth spot.

Pepicelli was running a great race with a small block under the hood, holding off the challenges of both Varin and Johnson for many laps. That was the best race on the track for the remainder of the event as with only a couple of laps remaining, Varin got by Pepicelli as did Johnson putting Pepicelli back to fifth.

Hearn went on for the win followed by A.J. Romano, Varin, Pepicelli, and Jeff Trombley.

Pepicelli was the first small block across the finish line, getting a $500 bonus plus a guaranteed starting spot in the small block race this October in Syracuse. “This was a great run for us after the way things have been going the past couple of weeks. We’ve had to rebuild my car twice in that period of time and I’d like to thank my crew and all of the people that have helped us do that,” he said as his car also sat in victory lane for being the highest finishing small block. “I wish that I had a big block tonight but I am happy with the finish despite loosing a couple of positions in the last couple of laps of the event.”

The Pro Stock feature got off to a shaky start and that pretty much lasted for the entire twenty laps as caution flags dominated the event just like Hearn dominated the Modified feature.

Jerry Pepper was a little twitchy at the start of the feature but straightened the car out long enough to lead the first three laps. Butchie Irwin ran side by side with Steve Vrooman for second on lap three with Irwin getting the spot on the next lap just before the yellow came out for Jeff Patrick who crashed into the turn three wall.

On the restart coming out of turn four, Irwin tried to make it three wide, came in contact with and spun the leader with Jim Normoyle taking over the lead at that point. Irwin pitted under the caution for a flat right front tire and restarted the event in the rear as did early leader Pepper.

On lap five the lead changed hands twice in one lap as first Vrooman took his turn on top and next Kenny Gates took his turn as the leader. Another yellow came out on lap six for Normoyle and Vrooman who were racing in close quarters for second on lap five with Normoyle getting into the back of Vrooman causing Normoyle to spin in turn four collecting Vrooman and a couple of other cars. Normoyle and Vrooman pitted and continued.

Gates held the lead at the halfway point as the yellow slowed the field again with Mark Lighthall now second. Lighthall would pressure Gates for the lead over the final five laps of the event but Gates held on for the win followed by Lighthall, Chris Morris, Nick Stone, and Normoyle.

In the Street Stock “A” feature, Jim Colson led the first seven laps until Jo Jo Donato took over the lead on lap eight and went on to his first win of the season followed by Colson, Kenny Barth, Randy Moore, and Dave Horning, Jr.

The Street Stock “B” feature began with many caution flags slowing the field before lap one was completed. Bob VanAernam took the early lead as Jeff Davis was up to second by lap three followed by Shawn Simmons as Davis and Simmons put on quite a race for the second position before Davis was able to secure the spot and take a run at the leader.

Davis did just that on lap six, taking over the lead on the outside in turn four. Davis led the remaining four laps to take his fifth win of the season followed by Simmons, VanAernam, John Babcock, and John Johnson.

This Saturday at Fonda Speedway Freighofer’s will present a regular show in all divisions along with the Bev Caputo Pro Stock Dash for Cash with racing beginning at 6:00 p.m.

MODIFIED QUALIFYING – 34 total cars – 4 qualify

HEAT 1 – Steve Paine, Jeff Trombley, Jack Johnson, Chris Kokosa

HEAT 2 – Mike Romano, Pat Ward, Tony Pepicelli, Dave Lape

HEAT 3 – Brett Hearn, Ronnie Holmes, Tim Fuller, Alan Johnson

HEAT 4 – A.J. Romano, Bobby Varin, Danny Johnson, Alton Palmer

CONSOLATION 1 – 5 qualify – Chris Schultz, Jerry Pennock, Jr., Jeremy Matthies, Todd Morey, John Marsh

CONSOLATION 2 – Joe Geniti, Kenny Hanson, Pat Ward, Bobby Vedder, Don Mattison

MODIFIED FEATURE – 50 LAPS – BRETT HEARN, A.J. Romano, Bobby Varin, Alan Johnson, Tony Pepicelli, Jeff Trombley, Tim Fuller, Steve Paine, Pat Ward, Chris Schultz, Jack Johnson, Ronnie Holmes, Alton Palmer, Jerry Pennock, Jr., Bobby Vedder, Kenny Hanson, Jeremy Matthies, John Marsh, Todd Morey, Danny Johnson, Joe Geniti, Chris Kokosa, Don Mattison, Tim Clemons, Mike Romano, Dave Lape

PRO STOCK QUALIFYING – 19 TOTAL CARS – 6 QUALIFY

HEAT 1 – Jim Normoyle, Steve Vrooman, Joe Mottoshiski, Kenny Gates, Butchie Irwin

HEAT 2 – Mark Lighthall, Jerry Pepper, Jay Resch, Nick Stone, Chris Morris

PRO STOCK FEATURE – 20 LAPS – KENNY GATES, Mark Lighthall, Chris Morris, Nick Stone, Jim Normoyle, Joe Mottoshiski, Scott Govertsen, Butchie Irwin, Mark Sullivan, Rob Noviczski, Jerry Pepper, Steve Burega, Dan Rickard, Hondo Carpenter, Buddy Hencke, Steve Vrooman, Rob VanAernam, Jay Resch, Jeff Patrick

STREET STOCK “A” FEATURE – 10 LAPS – Jo Jo Donato, Jim Colson, Kenny Barth, Randy Moore, Dave Horning, Jr., Mike Budka, Jr., Dennis Wilson, Donnie Oldick, Don Warner, Carol Parker, Rocky Warner, Ron Tollner, Howard Smith, Jeff Crosier, No. 25C, Ed Bradt, Jason Samrov

STREET STOCK “B” FEATURE – JEFF DAVIS, Shawn Simmons, Bob VanAernam, John Babcock, John Johnson, Shawn Laport, Mike Tholin, Pete Sisler, Neil Cosselman, Chris McMurray, Joe Smith, Rod Slater, Buck Gasner, Ricky Quick, Dave Horning, Sr., Justin Labombard, Jamie Tesiero