ROMANO DOESN'T "PROLONG" QUEST FOR CHECKER AT FONDA

Tuesday, July 29
Fonda, NY- Local fan favorite, Mike Romano of Johnstown, NY picked up the
win and the qualifying spot in the 75 lap Prolong Super Lubricants
358-Modified Syracuse qualifier at the New Fonda Speedway on Tuesday.
The fourth leg of the PROLONG 358 Mod Tour came to Fonda on Tuesday,
July 29th and Fonda's own Mike Romano did not "prolong" his quest for the
checker.
By the luck of the draw, Romano started his #42, Bicknell house car
on the pole for the 75 lap event and at the green was car lenghts ahead
of the Carquest #19 of Tim Fuller and the Dutchess Overhead Door #87 of
Jack Johnson.
The first caution on lap 14 gave second and third place runners,
Johnson and Fuller the chance to gain some ground on the high flying
Romano but the #42 was strong and Romano was able to pull away on the
restart.
By lap 25 the series regulars, Tremont, Heotzler, Hearn, Camara,
Danny and Alan Johnson had joined the front runners and were jockying for
position. On lap 39 a caution came out when the #21 of Kenny Tremont was
collected in a incident when the #37 of Jacobs and the #47w of Wilkinson
came together against the first turn wall. The trio was quickly passed
by the lead cars putting, the fifth place running Tremont, a lap down.
With no cautions for the remainder of the event, Romano easily
cruised to his first victory of the season at Fonda, followed by Jack
Johnson, Jeff Heotzler, Brett Hearn, and Alan Johnson.
358 Mod qualifying event wins went to A.Johnson, A. J. Romano, B. Hearn,
J.Johnson with the consi wins picked up by T. McCreadie and T. Clemons.
In the 25 lap SavOn Mr. DIRT Street Stock portion of the show,
Fonda's street stock kingpin, "Krazy" Kenny Martin picked up the win.
Martin was the series point leader going into the nights event and the
win gave Martin added insurance toward the series title.
A large wreck involving several cars occured on the frontstretch
early in the event forcing many car to limp or be towed to the pits with
severe damagae, after the mishap.
Once Martin got the lead he was followed closely by Jim Langenbeck,
who had defeated Martin earlier in the month when the street stocks made
their first ever visit to the New York State Fairgrounds.
Martin and runner up Langenbeck were followed across the line by
Fonda regulars, Ken Gates, Steve Welch and Jim Burton, .
Street Stock heat wins went to P. Hart, S. Welch, M. Lighthall, K.
Martin. Consi wins to J. Holmes and R. Noviczski.
With Fonda's new Pure Stock class added to the show the division's
only winner thus far, Steve Burega of Latham had the chance to increase
his wins to four on the season. Burega started deep in the pack and had
only ten laps to work his way to a spot to challenge leader Rob VanAernam
in the #91. On the last lap, VanAernam was caught in lap traffic, and
Burega and the front running cars were able to get past him for the top
spots.
358 Modified finish (75 laps) MIKE ROMANO, Jack Johnson, Jeff Heotzler,
Brett Hearn, Alan Johnson, Tim Fuller, Dave Camara, Danny Johnson, Jeff
Trombley, Billy Decker, Danny O'Brien, Tim McCreadie, Kenny Tremont,
Jerry Higbie, Steve Paine, Todd Burley, Todd Ryan, Mike Perrotte, Frank
Hoard, Jeff Sykes, Ray Zemken, A. J. Romano, Kyle Jacobs, Todd Wilkenson,
Tim Clemons, Todd Martin, Andy Bachetti, Hector Stratton, Tim Dwyer,
Martin Polhill, Kevin Fetterly. DNS Mike Ciaravino, Bill Smith, Bill
Cook, Vic Coffey, Lancing Petzoldt, Martin Roy, Brian Jones, Randy
Hotaling, Pierre Dagenais, Billy Gray, Dana Wagoner, Jim McMillen, Ryan
Baker, Steve Roberts.
Street Stock Finish (25 laps) KENNY MARTIN, Jim Langenbeck, Ken Gates,
Steve Welch, Jim Burton, Les White, Tom Cannizzaro, Dick Warner, Scott
Goverston, Phlan Hart, Steve Brownell, Frank Twing, John Green, Ron
Lawson, Jr. David VanArsdle, David Bargabos, Ted Teal, Mark Sullivan, Jim
McGuigan, Dean Demallie, Rob Noviczski, Mark Lighthall, Ram Kowalczyk,
Dave Horning, Jr., Geoff Manning, Jeff Patrick. DQ Jerry Holmes DNS Dan
Streeter, Greg Overholt, Kerry Jordan, Dave Viall, George Proctor, Jay
Resch, Rick Breed, Todd Barlow, Jim Normoyle, Steve Skinner, Steve
Frances, Tom Myers, Tom LaPlante, Wayne Oliver.
Pure Stock Finish (10 laps) STEVE BUREGA, John Bradt, Rob VanAernam, Bill
Martish, Wayne Gaige, Bob VanAernam, Cory Dutcher, Skip Pabis, Ted Frye,
Dick Nichols, Joe Sweet, Rocky Warner, Steve Cosselman.

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