HONDO FINALLY TAKES THE WIN
Fonda, NY ... Saturday, May 19, proved to be a night of Hot racing at Fonda Speedway, even though all we had planned was a regular show. The action started early with a close Street Stock A Feature and didn’t end until the final checkered was dropped on in the Sportsman Feature. The speedway fans even got to watch as the Truckers from the Truck Show that was going on across the river came to the track and raced their rigs. Giving the fans quite a show as they, themselves got the racing fever as they pushed the pedal a little harder and started to pass on the outside lane. It seemed as though they didn’t fear the fact that they had thousands of dollars in custom chrome work, the lights.
In the Street Stock feature the action heated up between father and son teams in both races. In A you had the Hornings and in B the VanAernams. Even though neither team took the checkered they were steady front runners and gave the winners all they had.
Street Stock A - This feature heated up early as the gentlemen in the back of the quickly raced to the front and started to battle out for the front running position. John Johnson started in the 11th position with the Hornings in the 10th and 12th. When the final lap was counted John Johnson crossed the finish line for his second time this year. He was followed closely by Jim Olsen, but Dave Horning Jr. and for most of the race Dave Horning Sr. was right in the mix. When the race got down to those final laps no one was sure who was going to make that final turn through the fourth turn and come out the winner.
Street Stock B - The #13 J driven by Joe Hollenbeck started in the 9th position for this 2nd Street Stock Feature. It only took him one lap to maneuver through the track to secure his lead position. After that first lap there was a caution on track due to a mishap in coming out of the 4th turn involving the Dan Rickard, Joe Smith, Joe Donato, and Ken Towne. Ken Town lost his hood, and #69 driven by Donato lost most of his sheet metal on the left side of the car. After that one and only caution in this feature race, Joe Hollenbeck regained his lead and held steady a few car lengths ahead of the pack. In second the #332 driven by Ken Barth and #71 driven by Rob Van Aernam were battling it out for second as Bob Van Aernam held closely behind in fourth.
IMCA - This division always proves to the fans that they are growing and growing. Not only in popularity, but also in racing action. Last Saturday night was no different. Lap after lap these boys battled it out for position and when Gentlemen Jim Rajczi took the checkered, no one was to surprised. Jim managed to take over the lead in the 1st lap and he held more than steady the rest of the race in that first place spot. It almost seemed that the rest of the race was for second. Right behind him in that second place spot you found Steve Hough, Kevin Priest, and Cory Fachini passing each other, and fighting lap after lap for that spot. Kevin Priest held the second spot until the 12th lap when Steve Hough snuck by him in the fourth and took over his earned 2nd place. Fachini did some great racing, starting back in the tenth place position he made his way through track traffic, and finished in fourth.
Heat Race Finishes - Heat 1-Aaron Jacobs, Heat 2- Kevin Priest
Don’t forget there will be no IMCA race next week due to the fact that we are having the Sprint Cars take over the Fonda Speedway for our Memorial Day Celebration. They will return though on June 2.
Pro Stock Feature - The Pro Stocks set the track on fire, when they took the track and when it was all said and done, Hondo Carpenter finally made his way to the checkered board square for the first time. Hondo and the fans at Fonda couldn’t have been happier when the Bobco Video car won by a half a car length over Bubba Tanner. Chris Morris put his sharp-looking no. 619 right into the lead when polesitter Kerry Jordan bounced off the fourth turn wall on the first lap. But Hondo was on a mission, and pulled into the No. 2 position on the seventh lap. A caution came out on the 12th lap when Nicky Stone, who had been running fifth, pulled into the pits and by that time, Kenny Gates was the man to watch, as he had made his way up from his 11th starting position to challenge the leaders. Gates moved to the top, which looked like the only place to pass, and got around Hondo into the No. 2 position on lap 14, and Gates then began to put pressure on Morris for the lead, twice banging into his rear bumper going into the third turn. But on lap 15, Gates went wide in the third turn, giving Hondo an opening that he jumped through, and the next time around, Carpenter elbowed his way into the lead. Gates was then sent to the rear, which ended his good run, and Hondo went on to hold off Tanner, who came out of nowhere to make a late run for the victory. At the finish, Hondo had Bubba by a half a car length, with Jay Resch an impressive third, Luke Klob a strong fourth and Charging Chuck McSpirit fifth.
Heat Race Winners - Heat 1- Mike Fritz, Heat 2- Nick Stone
Modified Feature - The modified feature looked like someone had turned back the clock, as Jumpin Jack Johnson had the 12A humming, just like he did in the days when he dominated the modified division at the track. A caution on the fourth lap, created when Ron Proctor spun the 1NY around on the backstretch, forced things to get sloppy. On the first restart, cars got bottled up in the second turn, and both A.J. Romano and Bobby Varin were done for the night. The second time starter Claude Riley tried to get the field going again, there was a multi-car tangle in the fourth turn, with Matt DeLorenzo almost getting over on his roof. But the third time was the charm, and Johnson got a good jump and took the lead away from Kenny Hanson. Bobby Albert, who had started ninth, made a nice move on a restart on the ninth lap to snake his way into second and for the next seven laps, he chased Johnson, with Alton Palmer sitting in third. Mike Fusco brought out another caution on lap 15, bunching the field, but again, Albert couldn’t keep up with Jumpin Jack, who easily regained a comfortable lead. But lap traffic became a big factor late in the race. With four laps left, Johnson found himself in traffic, and Albert closed the gap. On lap 29, Johnson found his path in the first turn blocked by the lapped No. 29 of Paul Luskin, and Albert dove to the inside to get the lead, and then pulled back into he middle of the groove. Johnson got past Luskin and pulled even with Albert going down the backstretch, with Mike Romano, who had made a late move, was sitting on the rear bumper of the 12A. As the three leaders went into the third turn, Romano drove around the 12A to get into second as Riley had the white flag waving. But the 29 was still a factor, and as Romano and Johnson came down the front straightaway, they tried to occupy the same space in the middle of the track, and banged together. Both cars started to spin heading into the first turn. Romano corrected and got straightened out, but Johnson wound up slamming into the first turn wall, ending his night. Albert went on to get the second win of his career, while Palmer came across the line second, his best finish since April 29, 2000. Jeff Trombley was third, Tony Pepicelli was fourth and Romano got back to finish fifth. Johnson wound up 16th, which will put him back at the front of the field for next Saturday Nights feature.
Heat Race Winners - Heat 1- Jeff Trombley, Heat 2- Seth Gano, Heat 3- Mike Romano, Heat 4- AJ Romano, Consi Winner - Mike Dillenback
Sportsman Feature - Steve Akers didn’t waste a good starting position, as he picked up his second career victory in the 20-lap sportsman feature. The 20-lap event turned into a game of follow the leader, as Akers started on the pole and led all 20 laps, and Bob Perry, who had started fifth, chased Akers for the last 18 laps of the feature. Once again, John McAuliffe had his small block hooked up. After starting 15th in the field, he made his usual charge through the pack, but there was no way he was going to run down the leaders, and he had to settle for fourth, behind Ryan Odasz. Hurricane Bobby Hackel had another good night, and got another top-five finish, right behind McAuliffe. The fifth place finish will also allow Hackel to move into the top five in the point race.
Heat Race Winners - Heat 1- Jim Burton, Heat 2- Jim Davis, Heat 3- Mike Ballestero
Finishes -
Modifieds- Bobby Albert, Alton Palmer, Jeff Trombley, Tony Pepicelli, Mike Romano, Bob Savoie, Floyd Billington, Ron Holmes, John Kollar, Matt DeLorenzo, Craig Criscone, Bob Vedder, Ken Hanson, John Marsh Sr., Mike Dillenbeck, Jack Johnson, Paul Luskin, Ron Proctor, Dave Lape, Seth Gano, Mike Fusco, Jerry Pennock, AJ Romano, Bobby Varin, Bob Sitterly, Craig Hanson.
Sportsman- Steve Akers, Robert Perry, Ryan Odaz, John McAuliffe, Bobby Hackel, Drew Fallis, Mike Ballestero, Jim Davis, Pat O’Hanlon, Tim Clemons, Jessica Zemken, Jason Otty, Jim Burton, John Constantino, Ray Zemken, Frank Greco, Josh Pieniazek, Alton Palmer, Tony Farone, Doug Hutchinson, Tim Mayne, Steve Jazeboski, Craig Boehler, Billy Osta.
Pro Stocks- Hondo Carpenter, Bubba Tanner, Jay Resch, Luke Klob, Chuck McSpirit, Mark Lighthall, Mark Sullivan, Brian Jordan, Mike Firtz, Jim Normoyle, Kenny Gates, Jeff Patrick, Nick Stone, Chris Morris, Kerry Jordan, Phlan Hart, Rob Noviczski, Dave Bayes.
IMCA - Jim Rajczi, Steve Hough, Kevin Priest, Cory Fachini, Dan Ballard, Phil Balmer, Joe Williams, Joe Locorini, Travis Stevens, Willie Reed, Tim Clemons, Skip Pabis, Jim Duncan, K. Olson, Aaron Jacobs, KevinBuff, Steve Bidwell, Keith Ackernecht, Steve Healey.
Street Stock A - John Johnson, Jim Olsen, Dave Horning Jr., Erik Yager, Dave Horning Sr., Todd Dunston, Shawn Simmons, Rod Slater, John Babcock, Eric Harper, Don Warner, Chris White, Jerry Pepper, Steve Cosselman.
Street Stock B- Joe Hollenbeck, Ken Barth, Rob VanAernam, Bob VanAernam, Jeff Davis, Paul Chichester, Randy Moore, Ken Towne, Wayne Gaige, Joe Donato, Dan Rickard, Joe Smith, Dave Hewitt.