TROMBLEY SCORES TWO FOR TWO AT FONDA

Palmer Awarded Second Feature, After Fusco DQ'd

May 16, 1998- Fonda, NY- Jeff Trombley of Altamont, N. Y. put his Bicknell chassis #21J in

victory lane twice on Carver Construction night at the New Fonda Speedway. History repeated

itself on Saturday as Trombley won two features in one night. Trombley recorded double

features in 1996 after a rainy spell brought about two mod features in on night. "I said the

last time I did this, that I'd like to have double features every night and it still remains

the same," said Trombley after his second checker of the night.

The sportsman division finally made their way to the track for the 1998 season and things

started the way they left off in the 1997 season. Alton Palmer of Howes Cave sat in victory

lane at the end of the first 20 lap event of the evening. Palmer thanked his crew in victory

lane and said "I want to thank Dave Lape for making me a great race car." Palmer was also

awarded the win in the second sportsman feature after first time winner, Mike Fusco was

disqualified for a weight infraction.

Street Stock winner of the night was "Mr. Nice Guy" Phlan Hart of Mayfield, NY. This was

Hart's 23rd win at the "Track of Champions."

Following some paint swapping and a spectacular crash with the #64 of Mike Budka, Jr. at the

checkered flag, the winner of the rescheduled Hobby event was, Dick Nichols of Johnstown.

The night's Hobby "A" Main produced a first time winner with John Belfance of Fonda sitting

before the hometown crowd with checker in hand. "This feels like the Daytona 500 to me" said

Belfance as he exited the car in victory lane. The Hobby "B" main was rescheduled for next

week due to lateness and the running of the Demo Derby, won by Kerry Hollenbeck of

Sloansville, N. Y.

As the rescheduled mod feature came to the line, the 10% of John Kollar and the #13 of Frank

Hoard were on the front row. Bob Savoie quickly made his move around the two front runners

and grabbed the lead at the green. The yellow soon flew on lap two as the #97 of Mike

Romano, spun in turn four ending up in the infield, with the #12 of Denny Young headed

straight for Romano. Young was able to stop just before the nose of his #12 met the nose of

Romano's #97. As the green flew for the restart, Dave Lape moved to the high side in turn

four and put his #22 in the lead position. Lape enjoyed the front end position and stretched

out his lead, leaving Savoie and the rest of the field in his dust. Lape had to let off when

he encountered lap traffic on lap 22. He skillfully moved around, first the #21E of Gary

Edwards and then the #122 of his brother-in-law, Billy Gray. As Lape encountered more and

more lap cars, he was forced to give up more and more of his lead. Soon Jeff Trombley and

Dave Camara were sitting on the bumper of the Burrow's Trucking #22. On the final circuit,

Lape, Trombley and Camara motored through turn one. The trio encountered the lap cars of

Brian Purdy and Frank Hoard in turn two. With all three trying to maneuver their way

through, the #26 of Camara got in the loose stuff and spun, bringing out the caution.

Trombley had quickly moved by Lape's #22 as he slowed behind one of the lap cars in the

altercation. This put Trombley in the lead for the restart. He motored away from Lape on

the final circuit to take the checker.

Only one caution slowed the rescheduled sportsman event. Alton Palmer grabbed the lead away

from pole sitter John McAuliffe, on the start and Palmer never looked back. His Champ Car

#76 was flawless. McAuliffe stayed in second and was only able to close in on Palmer when

Palmer encountered the lap car of Bob Sawyer on lap 18 of the 20 lap event.

The second 30 lap modified main event of the night was exciting and action packed. John

Kollar and Bob Savoie sat on the front row for the start. Savoie put his #28 GHETTO racer

into the top spot at the green. Kollar slid into second and the race was on. Kollar

remained in the second position with Mike Ciaravino quickly passing the #20 of Hanson and the

#82 of Brian Purdy for the third. Randy Snyder made a quick assault from his tenth place

starting position. Snyder and Ciaravino battled for the third position the next few laps.

Snyder went to the pits on lap 11 when something broke on his #15. At the halfway mark

Savoie and Kollar were still sitting in first and second with Ciaravino third. A fast

moving, Jeff Trombley was now fourth. Brian Purdy was having one of his best runs,

maintaining the fifth position until a mishap involving the FX1 of Jack Johnson in turn four

on lap 26. The caution came out for a second incident involving the #11X of Chris Jones.

Jones wound up in the wall in turn one. The caution came back out immediately when Ron

Holmes and Lou Lazzaro tangled in turn two. This put Jack Johnson, Mike Romano, and Billy

Gray in the top ten. On the restart, Jeff Trombley grabbed the lead from Savoie. The caution

came out for the final time on lap 29, when the #57 of Seth Gano stopped on the back stretch.

This set up a green, checker situation from starter Bobby Watson. As the negotiating began

for a top ten position, much pushing and shoving occurred among the top Fonda chauffeurs on

the final circuit. The top five sorted out with Trombley as the leader followed by Savoie,

Dwyer, Kollar and Billy Gray.

The second sportsman feature started with Ward Martin and Mike Fusco on the front row. Fusco

quickly took the lead with his #33F. The first caution of the night came when the #17L of

John LeClair stopped against the wall in turn four. A melee ensued on the restart when Alton

Palmer spun his #76 in turn one. In the aftermath of the incident, Ward Martin was left

sitting against the back stretch wall. Late comer to the melee, Brian Borst tried to maneuver

his way around the out of control cars, and piled his #69 into the stopped car of Martin. It

took three restarts to finally get the race underway without incident. Fusco pulled to a

half a straight away lead over now second place runner Alton Palmer. Fusco continued on and

took his first ever win. The Fusco crew celebrated in victory lane but the car was later

disqualified for being light.

Street Stock action saw the #26 of Phlan Hart of Mayfield take the win. The street stock

event started with the spectacular crash of Steve Burega's #B26, into the front stretch wall.

Burega, went to the outside of turn four on lap one and the loose dirt on the outside of the

track carried him into the wall. Jeff Jones who had led lap one, was the leader on the

restart. On the third lap, Jay Resch was in the lead at the flagstand. Another caution came

out for the #42P of Tom LaPlante and the #10D of Bill Deerfield. LaPlante sat on the infield

and Deerfield off the back stretch. Jim Burton took the lead on lap five. On lap seven the

hood of his car flew up, blocking the windshield and Burton's view. Jim drove in the lead

for the remainder of lap. No caution was thrown, and when he came down the frontstretch,

still unable to see, his #26A slowed and the cars behind him piled into him. Once the

disorder was cleared, Jeff Jones came out on top on lap nine. Steve Welch took the lead on

lap ten and held on until his comrade, Phlan Hart snatched the lead from him on lap fifteen.

Hart was pursued the next five laps by Welch and the #17V of Dave Viall. Hart went on to

record his 23rd win at Fonda.

Modified finish (rescheduled from 5/9/98): JEFF TROMBLEY, Dave Lape, Jack Cottrell, Ronnie

Johnson, Bobby Albert, Tim Dwyer, Mike Romano, Seth Gano, Ron Holmes, Doug Mosell, Floyd

Billington, Chris Jones, Frank Hoard, Sr., Brian Purdy, Dave Camara, Gary Edwards, Dana

Wagner, Denny Young, Fred Bagley, Billy Gray, Ray Zemken, Lou Lazzaro, Bob Savoie, Ken

Hanson, A. J. Romano, Randy Snyder, John Kollar, Jack Johnson, John Marsh DNS Pat DaBiere,

Mike Ciaravino, Don VanValkenburgh, John Gibson, Craig Boehler, John Lutes, Jr., Russ Flint,

Don Bellen, Andy Bachetti.

Modified finish (5/16/98) JEFF TROMBLEY, Bob Savoie, Tim Dwyer, John Kollar, Billy Gray, Mike

Ciaravino, Jack Johnson, Mike Romano, Floyd Billington, Dave Lape, Ken Hanson, Ronnie

Johnson, Ray Zemken, Jack Cottrell, Brian Purdy, Frank Hoard, Lou Lazzaro, Ron Holmes, Kevin

Montayne, Seth Gano, Bobby Albert, Chris Jones, Craig Boehler, Gary Edwards, Randy Snyder,

Dave Camara, A. J. Romano, John Marsh. DNS Denny Young, Don VanValkenburgh, Doug Mosell, Pat

DaBiere, Tony Cece, Tim Sanders, Dana Wagner, Fred Bagley, Russ Flint.

Sportsman finish (rescheduled from 5/9/98): ALTON PALMER, John McAuliffe, Jeff Holt, Ed

SanSoucie, George Audi, Jr., Jason Otty, Brian Borst, Pete Campione, Bob Vedder, Dave Rose,

Mike Fraiser, Ron Constantino, Drew Fallis, Steve Akers, Mike Ballestero, Tim Clemons, Bob

Sawyer, Jr., Frank Hoard, Jr., John Constantino, Frank Greco, Joe Rando, John LeClair, Jim

Senzio, Tony Farone. DNS Brian Gathan, John Scarborough, Gary Greco, Ward Martin, Scott

Flammer, Nick Nichols, Mike Fusco, Tim Bashwinger.

Sportsman finish (5/16/98) ALTON PALMER, John McAuliffe, Tony Farone, George Audi, Jr., Dave

Rosa, Drew Fallis, Bob Vedder, Mike Fraiser, Brian Borst, Tim Clemons, Frank Hoard, Jr.,

Grian Gathen, Jason Otty, Steve Akers, Bob Sawyer, Jr., Jim Senzio, John Constantino, Frank

Greco, Gary Greco, Ron Constantino, Ward Martin, John LeClair, Pete Campione, Mike

Ballestero. DNS Ed SanSoucie, Wayne Montayne, DQ Mike Fusco.

Street Stock finish: PHLAN HART, Steve Welch, Dave Viall, Bryan Peters, Frank Guiffre, Dave

Smith, Steve Skinner, Kerry Jordan, Frank Twing, Jay Resch, Chuck McSpirit, Kenny Gates, Jeff

Jones, Dan Streeter, Ram Kowalczyk, Mark Sullivan, Jim Normoyle, Jeff Burton, Don Ely, Jeff

Patrick, Bill Deerfield, Tom LaPlante, Steve Burega, Darcy Volans. DNS Nick Stone, George

Proctor, III, Kyle Wadsworth, Jim Langenback, Joe DeSeno, Tony Johnson, Noel Osborne.

Hobby Stock "B" Main finish (rescheduled from 5/9/98) DICK NICHOLS, Mike Budka,Jr., Rob

VanAernam, Skip Pabis, Henry Karaskiewicz, Scott Wells, Steve Richardson, Ken Hollenbeck,

Cory Dutcher, John Babcock, Steve Cosselman, Chris Coupas, Mike Gasner.