JUMPIN JACK TOPS FONDA FIELD FOR 135TH TIME
August 15, 1998- Fonda, NY- Fonda's most victorious driver, Jumpin Jack Johnson, pick up career win number 135 at Fonda on Saturday. This was the Duanesburg, NY driver's first win of the season at the track. Johnson has gone from ride to ride this season before ending up back in the Bobar #12B. The 12B crew and Johnson have been steadily improving the past three weeks and this week they wound up in a victory lane celebration. In victory lane, Johnson commented on the condition of the track contributing to his win. Johnson's win and consistent finishes the past few weeks has put him in contention for his 12th track title at Fonda.
With the final night of points next week and the Gable Motorsports sponsored event being a night of features, the points battle is set up with four drivers to be in contention for the 1998 track title at Fonda. Mike Romano sits on top of the points with 664, Dave Camara is second with 660, Jeff Trombley is third with 656 and Jack Johnson is now fourth with 608. The Sportsman point battle looks like it will be between Palmer, McAuliffe and Borst. Byran Peters who has sat in the number one position all season and Steve Welch who now sits second are the two most likely candidates for the Street Stock championship.
The Sportsman feature winner for the second time this season was Dave Rosa of Delhi, NY. The Street Stock feature win went to Phlan Hart of Mayfield, NY. The Hobby Stocks "A" winner was Rob VanAernam of Johnstown, NY and the Hobby "B" win went to, first time winner, Jay Ingersoll of Hagaman, NY. The ELS Sprint 20 lap feature was won by Rich Wood of Enfield, Conn.
Doug Mosall and Fred Bagley brought the field to the green flag and before a lap was complete Bagley bobbled in turn two causing a melee involving Dave Lape, Ronnie Johnson, Jerry Pennock, Jr., Jack Cottrell, John Gibson and Don VanValkenburgh. Pennock was the only car needing the help of a tow truck to get to the pits. On the restart, Mosall took the lead and by lap 3, Dave Camara shot by him in turn two and put the Camara Slate car in the lead. Mosall continued in second, being chased by Todd Ryan and Ray Zemken who were in a battle for third spot. Current by point leader, Mike Romano moved into third on lap eight and brought the Jack Johnson #12B with him for fourth. Carmara stretch his lead to half a track. The suspense started to build on lap eleven when the yellow flew for the #811 of Bagley. The restart brought Johnson alongside Camara and he shot by for the lead before the two got to the front stretch. Camara now sat second with point leader, Mike Romano a close third. Johnson pulled away and at the checker, Camara maintained his second place spot, followed by Mike Romano, third, A. J. Romano, fourth and Billy Gray who rounded out the top five.
Modified heat wins went to Dave Camara, Jack Johnson, and Jeff Trombley. The consi winner was Tony Pepicelli.
The 20 lap Sportsman feature ran the first two laps with the #56 of Mike Fraiser in the top spot and the #19 of Brian Gathan second. The caution came out on lap two for the #07 of Constantino, who stopped on the backstretch with a flat tire. Fraiser maintained the lead on the restart and eventual winner, Dave Rosa jumped by Gathan for second. Fraiser and Rosa ran away from Gathan, Ballestero and Fallis who were running side by side and three wide for the third position. Lap five, Rosa was on the rear bumper of Fraiser and on the next lap Rosa took the lead. Rosa led the rest of the event, with strong challenges for Mike Ballestero. Gathan and Fallis stayed in the hunt for the top five until lap eleven when the top three point men of Borst, McAuliffe and Palmer each were able to maneuver their way around them to sit in third, fourth and fifth, respectively. With three laps to go, Jeff Holt spun his #32 in turn one and ended up in the wall, bring out the caution flag for the final time. On the restart, Brian Borst and Mike Ballestero, swapped places for the second position all the way around the 1/2 mile oval. Borst came away with the spot, but was unable to catch Rosa. Rosa took the checker with Borst, Ballestero, McAuliffe, and Palmer for the top five.
Sportsman qualifying events were won by Drew Fallis, Mike Ballestero, Brian Borst and Mike Fusco was the consi winner.
Nick Stone led the field of 24 Street Stocks for the first two circuits and the yellow flew when the #42P of Tom LaPlante got out of shape as he hit the inside berm and collected the #54L of Langenback and the 28V of Volans. Then it was restart and immediate caution for the 121D of Brate that sat against the front stretch wall with a flat. On lap four the #12 of Dan Streeter spun on the front stretch. Ken Gates tried to stop his #35 but was unable to avoid the spinning Streeter and the two cars hit together and into the concrete wall on the front stretch. Both cars were towed to the pits. Phlan Hart was in the lead on lap five and remained there until the checker flew. The next four spots were up for grabs until the final lap. Bryan Peters, Mark Sullivan and Steve Welch ran three wide through the turns and down the straight-aways for the final few laps with Welch taking the second spot by a bumper at the line over Sullivan . Bryan Peters was fourth and Jim Normoyle took fifth.
Street Stock heats were won by Ram Kowalczyk, Jeff Jones, and Phlan Hart. The consi winner was Jay Resch.
Ten laps of wild full fendered action was the description of the first Hobby event of the night. Rocky Warner led the first two laps behind the wheel of the #55A. On a lap four restart, Dan Clow put his #25 in the lead and looked to be on his was for his third win, until Hondo Carpenter came into the picture on lap six. Clow and Carpenter ran side by side down the front stretch and hit together before they got to the flagger. This sent the two cars scrambling and VanAernam shot by for the lead. Rob VanAernam held the lead for the final two laps of Hobby "A" event.
More full fender frenzy came to the track for the final event of the night. The Hobby "B" saw a three car tangle on the first lap with the 21M of Matt Sweet eventually ending up on his roof in turn two. Chris White led on the restart but the caution came back out on lap seven for a spinning Jerry Pepper in turn four. Ingersoll took the lead on the restart and held on until the final checker of the night.
The winged warriors of the ELS sprints ran a 20 lap feature and the 21H of Rick Hart led the field to the start. Hart was quickly overpowered on the back stretch by the #6 of eventual winner, Rich Wood. Wood pulled away from the field of 22 sprints and only felt the heat of the Hart #21 on two separate restarts. Hart lost the second position to Russ Bennett on lap 10. On the final few laps the #32 of Doug Emery made his way to third and Hart was relegated to fourth. They ran this way for the final lap with the #33 of Wayne Patterson coming across the line in the fifth spot.
Sprint heat winners were Rob Overton, Doug Emery and Wayne Patterson.
Modified finish (30 laps) JACK JOHNSON, Dave Camara, Mike Romano, A. J. Romano, Billy Gray, Jeff Trombley, Tim Dwyer, Lou Lazzaro, Ronnie Johnson, Ray Zemken, Ron Holmes, Tony Pepicelli, Dave Lape, Jack Cottrell, Randy Snyder, John Kollar, John Gibson, Frank Hoard, Sr., Seth Gano, Tony Cece, Doug Mosall, Fred Bagley, Todd Ryan, John Marsh, Jerry Pennock, Jr., Don VanValkenburgh.
Sportsman finish (20 laps) DAVE ROSA, Brian Borst, Mike Ballestero, John McAuliffe, Alton Palmer, Drew Fallis, Jim Senzio, John LeClair, George Audi, Jr., Mike Fusco, Jack Miller, Tony Farone, Brian Gathan, Frank Hoard, Jr., Steve Akers, Jim Davis, Mike Fraiser, Jeff Holt, Pete Campione, Ron Constantino, Bob Vedder, Joe Rando, Tim Clemons, Jason Otty.
Street Stock (20 laps) PHLAN HART, Steve Welch, Mark Sullivan, Byran Peters, Jim Normoyle, Jim Langenback, Dave Viall, Frank Guiffre, Steve Burega, Jim Burton, Jeff Patrick, Nick Stone, Jeff Jones, Ram Kowalczyk, Kerry Jordan, Jay Resch, Tom LaPlante, Chuck McSpirit, Geoff Manning, Jeff Brate, Bill Deerfield, Dan Streeter, Kenny Gates, Darcy Volans.
Hobby "A" (10 laps) ROB VANAERNAM, Dick Nichols, Hondo Carpenter, Dan Clow, Rocky Warner, Mike Noble, Alan Pabis, Skip Pabis, Todd Austin, Ken Hollenbeck, Mike Budka, Jr., Jason Sisler, Harry Flansburg, Jeff Carpenter.
Hobby "B" (10 laps) JAY INGERSOLL, Steve Richardson, Dave Hewitt, Jim Colson, Bob VanAernam, Cory LaPort, Bill Martish, Joe Proctor, Joe Sweet, Chris White, Scott Wells, Lester Moore, Jerry Pepper, John Bradt, Wayne Gaige, Matt Sweet.
ELS Sprints (20 laps) RICH WOOD, Russ Bennett, Doug Emery, Rick Hart, Wayne Patterson, R. C. Faigle, Rich Zagata, Kyle Jones, Warren Alexson, Jim McCaffrey, Blase Regina, Patrick Parker, Fred Dittmer, Rick Dumigan, Bill Vivian, Itchy Mead, Rob Overton, George Ely, John Bridge, Bill Bailey, Bob Wade, Gordy Button.