By: Ron Szczerba

Fonda, NY – The “Track of Champions” Fonda Speedway management will welcome a new sponsor to the Montgomery County Fairgrounds track this Saturday, August 6 when Carver Companies presents the Lucas Oil Empire Super Sprints (ESS) for their second visit of the season at Fonda.

Al regular divisions will also be in action on Saturday including the Sunoco Modifieds, the Swagger Factory Apparel Crate 602 Sportsman, the Algonkin Motel Pro Stocks, the Montgomery County Office for Aging Inc. Limited Sportsman, and the Fonda Fair Four Cylinders. Gates will open at 4:00 p.m. with hot laps at 6:00 p.m. and racing at 7:00 p.m.

A LOOK BACK AT THE LAST ESS RACE AT FONDA ON 5/14/2022

The Empire Super Sprint (ESS) Series made an appearance at Fonda back on 5/14/2022 for the first time since 2018, with a four wide salute to the fans starting things off before the green flag was thrown. At the start of the 25-lap event, it was Steve Glover who grabbed the lead after three tries were needed to get the first lap completed.

Jason Barney was next to lead with Chuck Hebing second on lap six while Danny Varin moved up to the seventh position after having to pit to repair the top wing on his car during one of the early caution periods and restart at the rear of the field. Paulie Colagiovanni moved into the second position on lap 13 and two laps later was the new race leader with Varin now all the way up to the second position.

Varin took the lead on lap 18 with a pass on the inside at the line to complete the lap and led the remaining laps for what was his third consecutive win in the ESS Series in 2022 at the time (Fulton, Utica Rome, Fonda). It was also the fifth consecutive win of his career in the ESS Series at Fonda in the St. Lawrence Radiology/Supply Wagon Rentals #01 car on Supply Wagon Rentals Night at the “Track of Champions” a business owned by the Varin family. Jordan Poirier, Colagiovanni, Josh Pieniazek, and Barney competed the top five in the event back on 5/14/2022.

“I pulled into the pits and said man I don’t feel that good,” Varin told ESS Series announcer Adam Buchanon in victory lane almost three months ago. “They told me well we have too much else to fix so just man it up and run it. This thing was on rails I just needed a little bit of speed and clean air and once I got that it was rolling. This fifth consecutive ESS Series win at Fonda means everything, we struggled there for a couple of years, but this was three straight for this X1 chassis I can tell you that. We put this car together with basically no sponsors, then right at the end people jumped on board to help us out.”

All total in 2022 in the ESS Series alone, Varin has four wins after winning at Evans Mills on asphalt back on 6/18/2022 coming into the event at Fonda this Saturday.

ESS HISTORY AT FONDA

A total of 23 ESS Sprint Car events have been held at Fonda from 1987 through 2022 with 13 different drivers winning those events. Justin Barger and Danny Varin lead the way with five victories apiece while Lance Yonge and Steve Poirier both have two wins apiece. John Brutcher, Bobby Parrow, Tom Taber, Craig Lane, Doug Emery, Jessica Friesen, Jeff Cook, Chuck Hebing, and Stewart Friesen all have one win apiece. One of the wins for Varin was the prestigious Kramer Williamson Memorial event back on 8/12/2017.

With only two events left in the 2022 regular season at Fonda the point races will come down to the wire as they usually do with Matt DeLorenzo (Sunoco Modified), Chad Edwards (Swagger Factory Apparel Crate 602 Sportsman), Nick Stone (Algonkin Motel Pro Stock), Zach Dufel (Montgomery County Office for Aging Inc. Limited Sportsman), Ken Hollenback (SOHC Fonda Fair Four Cylinder), and Kerrie Hollenback (DOHC Four Cylinder) the current point leaders in their respective divisions.

FONDA SPEEDWAY KIDS CLUB PRESENTS BACKPACK NIGHT

Also, on Saturday the Fonda Speedway Kids Club will present backpack night featuring backpacks donated from different race teams and fans. With the school year coming up quick this will come in handy to many local families. If you would like to register your child to win one of the backpacks, please sign up with Ashley Abeling under the grandstand at gate two.

If you would like to donate a backpack, please let the Fonda Speedway Kids Club know that you are interested in doing it by going to their Facebook page. There goal is to give away 50 backpacks!

If you are a race fan that gets to the track early, be sure to check out the Fonda Speedway Museum & Hall of Fame which is located on the Fonda Fairgrounds at the rear of the parking area going down towards turn four. The museum is open from 3:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. on race days and admission is free!

Since 1953, the “Track of Champions” Fonda Speedway has hosted the best in stock car racing. Under the management of BD Motorsports Media LLC, the speedway will operate weekly on Saturday nights from April through August plus several special events. Fonda Speedway is located on the Montgomery County Fairgrounds off New York State Thruway Exit No. 28 at 21 S. Bridge Street Fonda, NY 12068.

Fonda Speedway is on the web at www.thefondaspeedway.com. To learn more, call the office at 518.915.4395, like Fonda Speedway on Facebook www.facebook.com/thefondaspeedwy or follow the speedway on Twitter: @thefondaspdwy.

It’s 𝙍𝘼𝘾𝙀 𝙒𝙀𝙀𝙆 at Fonda Speedway. The Lucas Oil Empire Super Sprints (ESS) make their final 2022 appearance at the Track of Champions presented by Carver Companies THIS SATURDAY, AUGUST 6.

Lucas Oil Empire Super Sprints (ESS) 360 Sprint Cars

Sunoco Modifieds

Swagger Factory Apparel Crate 602 Sportsman

Algonkin Motel Pro Stocks

Montgomery County Office for Aging Limited Sportsman

Fonda Fair Four Cylinders

Gates: 4 p.m. – Hot Laps: 6 p.m. – Racing: 7 p.m.

Adult Admission: $18 – Seniors (ages 65 and over): $16 – Kids 11 and under FREE

Drive-In: $85 (up to four passes). Link: http://fonda-speedway.ticketleap.com/360-empire-super…/

Pit Admission: $35 (non-member) – $30 (Fonda/ESS member) – $10 Kids (ages 6-12) – $2 Children 5 and under

By: Ron Szczerba

Fonda, NY – After a fourth-place finish in the Camping World Truck Series at IRP on Friday evening to start the playoffs in the truck series, Stewart Friesen was back home at the “Track of Champions” Fonda Speedway on Saturday evening for Parks Companies Night. When the checkered flag flew to complete the 30-lap Sunoco Modified feature event, Friesen was the winner after a spirited battle with Bobby Hackel IV, Rocky Warner, and lap traffic.

“Racing with Rocky and Hackel there was tough,” Friesen told Mimi Lazzaro in victory lane. “Everybody was trying to race to the front and the track definitely had some character tonight, it was really fast. I found a line up on the cushion in one and was able to hold a lot of speed. Had a great car tonight, a great engine, and thanks to everyone at Fonda for sticking it out tonight it’s been a late one.”

Other winners at Fonda on Parks Companies Night included Clayton DuMond (first career win in the Swagger Factory Apparel Crate 602 Sportsman), Ivan Joslin (Algonkin Motel Pro Stock), Wesley Sutliff (first career win in the Montgomery County Office for Aging Inc. Limited Sportsman), Ken Hollenback (SOHC) and Kerrie Hollenback (DOHC) in the Fonda Fair Four Cylinder division, and Jordan Hutton (CRSA Sprints).

Opening ceremonies included a prayer by Pastor Greg Nitz followed by the National Anthem which was sung by Fonda Speedway starter Joe Kriss. Congratulations to Chris from Delancey who was the 50/50 winner of $2,864! As always great job by all of the Fonda Speedway 50/50 girls for all of their hard work.

The Sunoco Modified feature began with Tucker O’Connor leading at the drop of Joe Kriss’ green flag from his pole position start with outside pole starter Craig Hanson in tow. Hanson got by O’Connor for the lead on the outside at the finish line to complete lap four with Bobby Hackel IV also getting by O’Connor for the second spot.

The yellow flag was out on lap five for Chris Curtis who clipped the inside wall in turn two and shot to the outside of the track with Brian Gleason making hard contact with the rear of Curtis who was done for the evening with significant damage to his car but thankfully he was okay. Gleason was able to go to the hot pit and continue on at the rear of the field.

Hackel led on the restart with tenth place starter Rocky Warner, 12^th place starter Stewart Friesen, and 11^th place starter Jessica Friesen also getting by Hanson for positions second through fourth. The top three of Hackel, Warner, and Stewart Friesen were nose to tail on lap 12 for the lead with lap traffic coming into play.

At the halfway point in the event Hackel continued to lead followed in the top five by Stewart Friesen, Warner, Jessica Friesen, and Bobby Varin. On the outside of turn two with 10 laps to go, Stewart Friesen took over the lead with Warner also getting by Hackel for the second position. Heavy lap traffic came into play at this point with Stewart Friesen trying for several laps to get by the lap car of Ryan Odasz who was racing hard for positions of his own with the cars in front of him.

When Stewart Friesen cleared the lap cars of Odasz and Darwin Greene, it gave him a little breathing room as Warner was still stuck behind them. When George Foley slowed on the front stretch on lap 28, it brought out the caution and cleared the lap cars from the front of the field with Stewart Friesen pulling away on the single file restart.

Stewart Friesen led the remaining laps for his fifth win of the season and the 84^th time of his career at Fonda in the Halmar #44 Bicknell car followed in the top five by Warner, Hackel, Varin and 24^th place starter David Schilling. For Warner it was his fourth consecutive second place finish in the last four feature events in the Parks Companies #1.

“Hackel has been doing a real good job coming over here from the Valley, he figured out the line up on the cushion, so I figured well it’s pretty slick on the bottom, so I’ll just follow him” Friesen added. “Then we got a caution there and got some clean air for the last couple of laps.”

Jason Reome led early on in the 25-lap Swagger Factory Apparel Crate 602 Sportsman feature until Clayton DuMond took the top spot away by the time lap one was completed. Seventh place starter Cody Clark was the new third place car behind Reome on lap six with lap traffic coming into play for DuMond three laps later.

The yellow flag was out on lap 12 taking away the straightaway lead that DuMond had built up with Reome and Brett Mortensen the top three on the restart. Mortensen and Clark swapped the third position a couple of times before Clark took the spot back on the next restart after an unnecessary caution was brought out by Tony Farone who stopped on the track to bring out the caution then when the yellow was thrown, he drove to the pit area.

Tanner Warner brought out one final caution on lap 21 when he came to a stop on track until the yellow came out then drove to the pit area. DuMond continued to lead on the single file restart and led the remaining laps for his first career win in the division in the Sampson Motor Car #314 DKM car followed by Clark, 12^th place starter Chad Edwards, 29^th place starter Payton Talbot, and Reome.

“This feels amazing,” DuMond said in F.X. Caprara Car Companies Victory Lane. “I didn’t think that we were gonna get here this year, so this is amazing. Every caution I kept hearing them getting closer and closer behind me but thought I can’t mess up, don’t mess up or they are gonna get around me, but I was able to hit my lines perfect and was able to hold them off.”

Randy Cosselman led the first two laps of the 20-lap Algonkin Motel Pro Stock feature until fourth place starter Ivan Joslin took the lead away on the inside of turn two on lap three. Tenth place starter Nick Stone was the new third place car on a lap three restart after Caden Dumblewski made contact with the wall in between turns one and two.

Joslin was a half straightaway ahead at the halfway point with Cosselman, Stone, 17^th place starter Luke Horning, and sixth place starter Jason Morrison in the top five. Cosselman and Stone were putting on a great side by side battle for the second position while Joslin pulled away to a straightaway advantage with a few laps remaining. Cosselman’s great run came to an end on lap 17 when he slowed in turn two to bring out the caution, erasing the big lead that Joslin had built up.

Joslin pulled away on the single file restart while Stone and Horning battled side by side for the second position allowing Joslin to pull away even further. Joslin led the remaining laps for his first win of the 2022 season in the One Zee Tees sponsored #49, the 11^th win of his career in the division at Fonda, and his first win since 5/11/2019. Stone held on for second followed by Horning, seventh place starter Kenny Gates, and 11^th place starter Beau Ballard.

“It’s been a little rough for us with motor problems and last week my car looked like a can opener on lap one so I’m just glad to be here,” Joslin said in victory lane. “We worked so hard with everything going on with this coil and leaf thing, but we can still get it done. That restart came with three laps to go, and I was just like not again, so with Nick (Stone) right behind me I knew that I had to make this thing as wide as possible.”

Wesley Sutliff started the 15-lap Montgomery County Office of the Aging Inc. Limited Sportsman feature and drove the bottom of the track for the entire event through a couple of cautions to lead every lap on his way to his first career win in the division in the CWS Construction #2004 car. Eighth place starter Kyle Dingman finished second followed by 18^th place starter Zach Dufel, 24^th place starter Josh Kane, and fifth place starter Michael Kalkbrenner.

“I was pumped,” Sutliff said in victory lane. “This is our first win of the season at Fonda, I thought I had the car beat, then the caution came out and I saw the #1D (Kyle Dingman) beside me and thought that it was over, but we had the car tonight. I really want to thank my wife; she is the biggest supporter I have. I love you babe, this one’s for you.”

Ken (SOHC) and Kerrie Hollenback (DOHC) were the winners in the Fonda Fair Four Cylinder division after finishing first and second overall followed in the top five by Wayne Russell Jr., TJ Marlitt, and David Peek-Britten.

Kyle Pierce led at the start of the 20-lap CRSA Sprint Car feature event from the outside pole with John Cunningham close behind in second. Cunningham slowed in turn four on lap two to bring out the first of a total of three caution flags in the event with fourth place starter Jordan Hutton taking the lead away on the restart.

At the halfway point in the event Hutton was the race leader followed by Dalton Herrick, Thomas Radivoy, Ronnie Greek, and Jeff Trombley. That is the way they would finish the event as well at the checkered flag with Hutton going on to his second career win in the division at Fonda.

“The car was so amazing,” said Hutton who is the current CRSA Sprint point leader. “I can’t thank everyone enough, it’s amazing to be the point leader. That was our goal, but Herrick was second tonight, so we’ll see what it comes down too.”

“Honestly, we just needed five more laps,” Herrick said in victory lane. “He (Hutton) was better early, and I was better late. He started getting a little loose and I just kept on getting better and better. I needed to be a little freer early on, and it would have been real exciting at the end.”

“I needed less laps,” Radivoy said at the conclusion of the feature event. “The car was over heating; on the last lap it was 280 degrees, so it was hot. We put this car together Monday because we wrecked our other car earlier this year.”

Next Saturday, August 6 Carver Companies will present the Lucas Oil Empire Super Sprints (ESS) 360 Sprint Cars along with all other divisions in action with gates opening at 4:00 p.m. followed by hot laps at 6:00 p.m. and racing at 7:00 p.m.

If you are a race fan that gets to the track early, be sure to check out the Fonda Speedway Museum & Hall of Fame which is located on the Fonda Fairgrounds at the rear of the parking area going down towards turn four. The museum is open from 3:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. on race days and admission is free!

Since 1953, the “Track of Champions” Fonda Speedway has hosted the best in stock car racing. Under the management of BD Motorsports Media LLC, the speedway will operate weekly on Saturday nights from April through August plus several special events. Fonda Speedway is located on the Montgomery County Fairgrounds off New York State Thruway Exit No. 28 at 21 S. Bridge Street Fonda, NY 12068.

Fonda Speedway is on the web at www.thefondaspeedway.com. To learn more, call the office at 518.915.4395, like Fonda Speedway on Facebook www.facebook.com/thefondaspeedwy or follow the speedway on Twitter: @thefondaspdwy.

DATE – 7/30/2022 PARKS COMPANIES NIGHT

SUNOCO MODIFIED FEATURE – 30-laps – STEWART FRIESEN, Rocky Warner, Bobby Hackel IV, Bobby Varin, David Schilling, Matt DeLorenzo, Jessica Friesen, Demetrious Drellos, Craig Hanson, Nick Heywood, Ronnie Johnson, JaMike Sowle, Pep Corradi, Brian Gleason, Ryan Odasz, Tucket O’Connor, Rich Christman, Darwin Greene, Dylan Scribner, George Foley, Jim Introne Jr., Alissa Cody, Chris Curtis, Bill August, Dave Constantino

5^th win of 2022 and the 84^th of his career in the division at Fonda

LAP LEADERS – 1-3 O’Connor, 4-5 Hanson, 6-19 Hackel, 20-30 Friesen

HEAT RACE WINNERS – Curtis, O’Connor, Hackel

SWAGGER FACTORY APPAREL CRATE 602 SPORTSMAN FEATURE – 25-laps – CLAYTON DUMOND, Cody Clark, Chad Edwards, Payton Talbot, Jason Reome, Brett Mortensen, Troy Palmer, Troy Zilles, Mark Mortensen, Jeremy Tyrrell, Chip Constantino, Dylan Eldred, Carter Gibbons, Jeremy Slosek, Brendan Gibbons, Griffen Mansmith, Dan Santabarbara, Tim Dwyer, Anthony Cardamone, Kathy Bellen, Tanner Warner, Tony Farone, Sam Hoxie, Cory White, Matt Perry, Nicholas Plumstead, Stephen Gray (DNS), Harry Shaffer (DNS), Greg Havlichek (DNS)

1^st career win in the division at Fonda for DuMond

LAP LEADERS – 1-25 DuMond

HEAT RACE WINNERS – Clark, DuMond, Reome

GRECO’S NAPA HARD CHARGER AWARD – Talbot +25 spots from 29^th to 4^th

ALGONKIN MOTEL PRO STOCK FEATURE – 20-laps – IVAN JOSLIN, Nick Stone, Luke Horning, Kenny Gates, Beau Ballard, Josh Coonradt, Jason Morrison, Dean Charbonneau, Gary Silkey, Chuck Dumblewski, AJ Walters, Jim Normoyle, Don Collins, Randy Cosselman, Buck Gasner, Caden Dumblewski, John Holmes, Dillon Vanston (DNS)

1^st win of 2022 and the 11^th of his career in the division at Fonda for Joslin

LAP LEADERS – 1-2 Cosselman, 3-20 Joslin

HEAT RACE WINNERS – Stone, Gates

MONTGOMERY COUNTY OFFICE FOR AGING INC. LIMITED SPORTSMAN FEATURE – 15-laps – WESLEY SUTLIFF, Kyle Dingman, Zach Dufel, Josh Kane, Michael Kalkbrenner, Tim Wilmot, Jonathan Feagles, Phil Arnold, Bobby Rhinehardt, Bob Rowback, Nate Bedell, Ryan Sweet, Harold Robitaille, Corky Warner, Jeff Lutes, Steve Wagoner, Walter Cook, Lance Hill, Connor Prokop, Gus Kamburelis, Cian DiMezza, Collin Williams, Mark Lighthall, John Anderson (DNS)

1^st career win in the division at Fonda for Sutliff

LAP LEADERS – 1-15 Sutliff

HEAT RACE WINNERS – Sutliff, Dingman, Kalkbrenner

FONDA FAIR FOUR CYLINDER FEATURE – 12-laps – KEN HOLLENBACK (SOHC), KERRIE HOLLENBACK (DOHC), Wayne Russell Jr., TJ Marlitt, David Peek-Britten, John Napoli, Len St. Andrews

14^th win of 2022 and the 82^nd of his career in the division for Ken Hollenback

11^th win of 2022 and the 31^st of his career in the division for Kerrie Hollenback

LAP LEADERS – 1-3 Napoli, 4 Kerrie Hollenback, 5-12 Ken Hollenback

CRSA SPRINT CAR FEATURE – 20-laps – JORDAN HUTTON, Dalton Herrick, Thomas Radivoy, Ronnie Greek, Jeff Trombley, Darryl Ruggles, Trevor Years, Cory Sparks, Tyler Chartrand, Johnny Kolosek, Tomy Moreau, Mark Taylor, Mike VanPelt, Dana Wagner, Calvin Wheelock, Jeremiah Munson, Steve Glover, Kyle Pierce, John Cunningham, Aaron Shelton (DNS), Brett Jaycox (DNS)

2^nd career CRSA Sprint win at Fonda for Hutton

LAP LEADERS – 1 Pierce, 3-20 Hutton

HEAT RACE WINNERS – Greek, Sparks, Trombley

By: Ron Szczerba

Fonda, NY – This Saturday, July 30 at the “Track of Champions” Fonda Speedway, Parks Companies presents a regular racing program in all regular divisions including the Sunoco Modifieds, the Swagger Factory Apparel Crate 602 Sportsman, the Algonkin Motel Pro Stocks, the Montgomery County Office for Aging Inc. Limited Sportsman, and the Fonda Fair Four Cylinders.

Also competing on Saturday at Fonda will be the CRSA Sprint cars for the second time in 2022. The CRSA Sprint Car organization started racing at the Fonda Speedway back in 2009 and through their last event, which was held on 6/4/2022, they have run a total of 25 events at Fonda with 13 different drivers winning those events.

Danny Varin and Mike Kiser lead the way with four CRSA Sprint car wins apiece at Fonda followed by Josh Pieniazek and Cory Sparks who both have three career wins at the “Track of Champions.” Kyle Smith and Jeff Trombley are both two-time CRSA Sprint winners at Fonda with single event wins going to Dylan Swiernik, John Matrafailo, Tyler Rice, Jordan Thomas, Brett Jaycox, Josh Flint, and Jordan Hutton.

A little over a month ago back on 6/4, Jeff Trombley started the 20-lap CRSA Sprint feature in the fifth position and moved into the second position on lap four, chasing the leader Jordan Hutton until moving in on the rear bumper on lap twelve of the twenty lap event.

Trombley made a move on the inside of the backstretch with seven laps remaining to take the lead and he survived one final restart to take the win over Hutton, Thomas Radivoy, Dalton Herrick, and twenty-first place starter Jeremiah Munson who made his way up to the fifth spot at the finish in his self-owned #51 car.

“Experience here at the track definitely helped,” Trombley said in victory lane. “He (Hutton) was fast and got out front but on that one restart I knew he was gonna cover the bottom and I got a run on him for the lead. The car was awesome, the track was good. I had a lot of fun, and it was good to see all the fans here. I love this place and anytime you can get a win here it’s a plus.”

Two drivers mentioned above that know the Fonda Speedway very well with success in the past in other divisions than the sprint cars are Trombley and Munson. Along with his two CRSA Sprint car victories at Fonda (the first one coming on 6/30/2018 and the last on 6/4/2022), Trombley also has one 358-Modified win back on 10/13/2001 along with 35 wins in a Big Block Modified in 20 winning seasons, the first one coming on 4/30/1988 and his last on 9/19/2014. Trombley also has two Track Championships in the Big Block Modified division back-to-back in 2001 and 2002.

Munson has also had his share of success at the Montgomery County Fairgrounds track with seven wins in the Open Sportsman division, the first one coming on 5/17/2003 and the last on 8/20/2005. He also has 12 career wins in the Crate 602 Sportsman division, the first one coming on 9/13/2008 and his last on 7/25/2009 to go along with a Crate 602 Track Championship in 2009.

If you are a race fan that gets to the track early, be sure to check out the Fonda Speedway Museum & Hall of Fame which is located on the Fonda Fairgrounds at the rear of the parking area going down towards turn four. The museum is open from 3:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. on race days and admission is free!

Since 1953, the “Track of Champions” Fonda Speedway has hosted the best in stock car racing. Under the management of BD Motorsports Media LLC, the speedway will operate weekly on Saturday nights from April through August plus several special events. Fonda Speedway is located on the Montgomery County Fairgrounds off New York State Thruway Exit No. 28 at 21 S. Bridge Street Fonda, NY 12068.

Fonda Speedway is on the web at www.thefondaspeedway.com. To learn more, call the office at 518.915.4395, like Fonda Speedway on Facebook www.facebook.com/thefondaspeedwy or follow the speedway on Twitter: @thefondaspdwy.

It’s RACE WEEK at Fonda Speedway. Parks Companies presents the return of the CRSA Sprints THIS SATURDAY, JULY 30.

CRSA Sprint Cars Pit Stop I-90 Challenge Series – $1,000 to win!

Sunoco Modifieds

Swagger Factory Apparel Crate 602 Sportsman

Algonkin Motel Pro Stocks

Montgomery County Office for Aging Limited Sportsman

Fonda Fair Four Cylinders

Gates: 4 p.m. – Hot Laps: 6 p.m. – Racing: 7 p.m.

Adult Admission: $13 – Seniors (ages 65 and over): $11 – Kids 11 and under FREE

Drive-In: $75 (up to four passes). Link: https://fonda-speedway.ticketleap.com/parks-companies-night/

Pit Admission: $35 (non-member) – $30 (Fonda/CRSA member) – $10 Kids (ages 6-12) – $2 Children 5 and under

By: Ron Szczerba

Fonda, NY – Saturday evening at the “Track of Champions” Fonda Speedway, the Recovery Sports Grill presented “Fan Favorite Night” featuring Twin 20 lap events for the Sunoco Modifieds.

When the final checkered flag flew to complete the two feature events there were two first time winners celebrating in the F.X. Caprara Car Companies victory lane, Nick Heywood in the Moody Mile Motorsports #24H owned by the legendary Wes Moody and David Schilling in the BDR Speed #20 which had a Wegner spec motor in the car carrying him to victory lane.

“It’s been a rookie year for us that’s for sure,” Heywood told Mimi Lazzaro in victory lane. “But we’ve been persevering and pushing every week busting our butts. Wes (car owner Wes Moody) keeps saying we just gotta keep rubbing it and we’re gonna get it and tonight was our night.”

“This is amazing,” Schilling said after the second twin 20 event. “A lot of people stuck behind me when they probably shouldn’t have and I really appreciate all those people, Brett Deyo, my dad, all of the people on this car. I didn’t know if this day was ever gonna come, I ran so many races here, but we were never good enough to win. I don’t know if I would have won if it was 30-laps, but we’ll certainly take that.”

With the wins, Heywood and Schilling became the 139^th and 140^th different drivers to win a Modified feature event at Fonda in a total of 1413 events!

Other winners on Recovery Sports Grill “Fan Favorite Night” at Fonda were Payton Talbot (Swagger Factory Apparel Crate 602 Sportsman), Connor Prokop (Montgomery County Office for Aging Inc. Limited Sportsman), Josh Coonradt (Algonkin Motel Pro Stocks), Ken Hollenback (SOHC) and Kerrie Hollenback (DOHC) in the Fonda Fair Four Cylinders.

Pastor Greg Nitz said the prayer to start opening ceremonies while Abbileigh Coon of Cortland, NY sang the National Anthem. The 50/50 on a very hot night was $2092 and was won by Craig from Hunter, NY.

The starting lineup for the first twin 20 event was determined by normal handicapping procedures with Darwin Greene and Nick Heywood making up the front row, running the entire first lap side by side before Heywood cleared Greene coming out of turn four to complete the lap. Heywood was in lap traffic by lap eight with Greene, Pep Corradi, David Schilling, and Brian Gleason completing the top five at the halfway point in the event.

Greene was held up by the lap cars of Rich Christman and Brian Pessolano just after the halfway point in the event allowing Heywood to pull away while ninth place starter Rocky Warner made his way by Schilling and Corradi for the third position on lap 17. Heywood was out to a half track lead with only two laps to go and went on for the win over Warner who took the second position on the final lap, Greene, Schilling, and Gleason.

“We travel two and a half hours from Plattsburg, NY so it’s a haul,” Heywood added. “We are on the road from Friday night to Sunday mornings and we’ve been pushing for it. Wes has been trying to win here at Fonda for 60 years, so he finally got it. What a great feeling.”

“It’s been a long time,” Wes Moody said to Mimi Lazzaro in victory lane. “I’ve been here over 60 years, and this is my first feature win, I won a lot of heat races myself but to have somebody like Nick behind wheel of my car I am really proud of him and his whole family.”

The starting lineup for twin 20 number two was inverted by six placing Corradi and Gleason on the front row at the start. When Joe Kriss threw the green flag to start the event, Gleason was the race leader with an early caution out on lap two. On the restart, Schilling went by both Warner and Corradi for the second position with Danny Varin now fourth behind Warner.

Corradi brought out the caution on lap three for what was thought to be a flat tire, but the issues must have been even more serious as he fell out of the event after bringing out the caution again three laps later. On the restart, Schilling took the lead from Gleason with Warner also getting by Gleason for the second position.

Another yellow was out on lap eight for Gleason who suffered a flat right rear tire with Schilling choosing the inside for the restart. At the halfway point the top five consisted of Schilling, Warner, Varin, Ryan Odasz, and Ronnie Johnson. One final yellow flag was out on lap ten with Schilling pulling away on the restart to a comfortable lead. Schilling went on to his first career win at Fonda followed in the top five by Warner, Varin, Johnson, and Odasz.

“Casey Wegner put the spec motor in this thing, and it ran great right around the top,” Schilling said. “There was some bite leaving on the bottom right there (pointing towards turn four) so that is why I restarted each time on the inside. If you restarted on the top, you couldn’t grab anything and that’s how I got by Brian (Gleason). I was trying to stay conservative; I wasn’t very consistent, so I guess that was just nerves.”

Harry Shaffer and Griffen Mansmith started the 20-lap Swagger Factory Apparel Crate 602 Sportsman feature on the front row and ran lap one side by side until Mansmith cleared Shaffer at the line to complete the lap. Brett Mortensen started the event in the fourth position and took the second spot away from Shaffer on lap three but under a caution one lap later suffered a flat tire and headed to the hot pit. He would restart at the rear of the field.

On the restart, tenth place starter Cody Clark was the new third place car while 12^th place starter Payton Talbot was right behind in fourth. Another yellow flag slowed the field on lap 11 for a four-car wreck in turn four with point leader Chad Edwards going to the hot pit at that point. He would restart at the rear of the field. Clark was the new second place car on the restart with Talbot in the third spot with Clark pressuring Mansmith for the lead on lap 16 just before he suffered a right rear flat tire to bring out yet another caution. Clark also went to the hot pit for a tire change and rejoined the rear of the field.

Talbot got by Mansmith for the lead with a slide job pass in turn two on the restart and led the remining laps through two more caution flags for his third win of the season and the fourth of his career in the division at Fonda. Edwards came all the way through the field to finish second followed by Troy palmer, Tim Dwyer, and Chip Constantino who also suffered a flat tire and had to come through the field.

“This car was awesome,” Talbot said in victory lane. “I didn’t know where Chad (Edwards) was, I knew that he went into the pits but then I heard over the Raceceiver that he was second. I knew he would be on the bottom; I tried the bottom a few times and the car just wasn’t good enough on the bottom, so I had to stick with the top. Turn one and two was pretty good, three and four I was sliding a bit, I could enter real good but then I would slide up. I was trying to keep my momentum up and it paid off.”

The Algonkin Motel Pro Stock feature started with Josh Coonradt leading from the pole position. With no laps completed, the yellow flag was out for Luke Horning who was in the wall in turn two. Horning was not injured but was done for the evening at that point. As Coonradt continued to lead, Caden Dumblewski and his father Chuck were racing for the second position, swapping the spot twice before Caden took control of the position on lap four.

Coonradt held a straightaway lead by lap seven with Chuck Dumblewski getting by his son Caden on lap 11 with 12^th place starter Nick Stone now in the fourth position behind Caden Dumblewski. 11^th place starter Beau Ballard got by both Stone and Caden Dumblewski for the third position with three laps to go but it was Coonradt that won by a straightaway for his first win of the season and the seventh of his career in the division at Fonda over Chuck Dumblewski, Ballard, Stone, and Caden Dumblewski.

“This win is great for our team and my family,” Coonradt said. “We lost our grandfather this week and this one is for him. With the field of cars, you have here you don’t know who is behind you and starting up front you don’t know what lane they are running. There are so many good, fast, competitive cars here that you just don’t know where anybody is.”

Connor Prokop took the lead on a lap 13 restart after the top two of AJ Greco and Josh Kane came together after the green flag flew on the restart. For Prokop it was his third win of the 2022 season in the 15-lap Montgomery County Office for Aging Inc. Limited Sportsman division and he was followed in the top five by Greco, Kane, Brady Cordova, and Ryan Sweet in the top five.

Ken and Kerrie Hollenback put on a great race for the overall win in the 12-lap Fonda Fair Four Cylinder division with Ken nipping Kerrie at the line for the overall win with Dale VanAllen, Justin Ramsey, and Todd Morey completing the top five.

Next Saturday, July 30 Parks Companies will present a regular racing program in all divisions along with the CRSA Sprint Cars. Gates will open at 4:00 p.m. with hot laps at 6:00 p.m. and racing at 7:00 p.m.

If you are a race fan that gets to the track early, be sure to check out the Fonda Speedway Museum & Hall of Fame which is located on the Fonda Fairgrounds at the rear of the parking area going down towards turn four. The museum is open from 3:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. on race days and admission is free!

Since 1953, the “Track of Champions” Fonda Speedway has hosted the best in stock car racing. Under the management of BD Motorsports Media LLC, the speedway will operate weekly on Saturday nights from April through August plus several special events. Fonda Speedway is located on the Montgomery County Fairgrounds off New York State Thruway Exit No. 28 at 21 S. Bridge Street Fonda, NY 12068.

Fonda Speedway is on the web at www.thefondaspeedway.com. To learn more, call the office at 518.915.4395, like Fonda Speedway on Facebook www.facebook.com/thefondaspeedwy or follow the speedway on Twitter: @thefondaspdwy.

SUNOCO MODIFIED FEATURE TWIN 20 #1 – NICK HEYWOOD, Rocky Warner, Darwin Greene, David Schilling, Brian Gleason, Pep Corradi, Chris Curtis, Ronnie Johnson, Danny Varin, Bobby Hackel IV, Ryan Odasz, JaMike Sowle, Craig Hanson, Matt DeLorenzo, Dave Constantino, Bobby Varin, Rich Christman, Demetrious Drellos, Brian Pessolano, Don Bellen, Jim Introne Jr. (DNS), Tucker O’Connor (DNS)

1^st career win in the division at Fonda for Heywood

LAP LEADERS – 1-20 Heywood

SUNOCO MODIFIED FEATURE TWIN 20 #2 – DAVID SCHILLING, Rocky Warner, Danny Varin, Ronnie Johnson, Ryan Odasz, Dave Constantino, Matt DeLorenzo, Craig Hanson, Brian Gleason, Nick Heywood, Darwin Greene, Bobby Varin, Demetrious Drellos, Brian Pessolano, Don Bellen, JaMike Sowle Chris Curtis, Rich Christman, Pep Corradi, Bobby Hackel IV, Jim Introne Jr. (DNS), Tucker O’Connor (DNS)

1^st career win in the division at Fonda for Schilling

LAP LEADERS – 1-6 Gleason, 7-20 Schilling

HEAT RACE WINNERS – Heywood, Danny Varin, Warner

SWAGGER FACTORY APPAREL CRATE 602 SPORTSMAN FEATURE – 25-laps – PAYTON TALBOT, Chad Edwards, Troy Palmer, Tim Dwyer, Chip Constantino, Griffen Mansmith, Brendan Gibbons, Tanner Warner, Brett Mortensen, Carter Gibbons, Cody Clark, Greg Havlichek, Clayton DuMond, Troy Zilles, Jason Reome, Anthony Cardamone, Cory White, Tony Farone, Stephen Gray, Harry Shaffer, Kurtis Hohensheldt, Dylan Eldred, Mark Mortensen, Jason Greco, Matthew Perry (DNS)

3^rd win of 2022 and 4^th of his career in the division for Talbot

LAP LEADERS – 1-16 Mansmith, Talbot

HEAT RACE WINNERS – Shaffer, Mansmith, Zilles

GRECO’S NAPA HARD CHARGER AWARD – Talbot plus 11 from 12^th to 1^st

ALGONKIN MOTEL PRO STOCK FEATURE – 20-laps – JOSH COONRADT, Chucky Dumblewski, Beau Ballard, Nick Stone, Caden Dumblewski, Jason Morrison, Kenny Gates, Jim Normoyle, Andy Graves, Ivan Joslin, John Holmes, Don Collins, AJ Walters, Randy Cosselman, Buck Gasner, Gary Silkey, Luke Horning

1^st win of 2022 and 7^th of his career in the division for Coonradt

LAP LEADERS – 1-20 Coonradt

HEAT RACE WINNERS – $50 bonus from RCK Motorsports – Coonradt, Joslin

MONTGOMERY COUNTY OFFICE FOR AGING INC. LIMITED SPORTSMAN FEATURE – 15-laps – CONNOR PROKOP, AJ Greco, Josh Kane, Brady Cordova, Ryan Sweet, Wesley Sutliff, Ashton DeWitt, Gus Kamburelis, Walter Cook, Michael Kalkbrenner, John Anderson, Mark Lighthall, Phil Arnold, Lance Hill, Bobby Rhinehardt, Bob Rowback, Jonathan Feagles, Zach Dufel, Corky Warner, Harold Robitaille, Kyle Dingman, Timmy Wilmot, Collin Williams

3^rd win of 2022 and the 3^rd of his career in the division for Prokop

LAP LEADERS – 1-5 Kamburelis, 6-12 Greco, 13-15 Prokop

HEAT RACE WINNERS – Hill, Kamburelis, Robitaille

FONDA FAIR FOUR CYLINDER FEATURE – 12-laps –KEN HOLLENBACK (SOHC), KERRIE HOLLENBACK (DOHC), Dale VanAllen, Justin Ramsey, Todd Morey, Wayne Russell Jr., John Napoli, Josh Ramsey, Zach McSpirit, TJ Marlitt, David Peek-Britten, Len St. Andrews

13^th win of 2022 and the 81^st of his career in the division for Ken Hollenback

10^th win of 2022 and the 30^th of his career in the division for Kerrie Hollenback

LAP LEADERS – 1 Napoli, 2-6 Ken Hollenback, 7-9 Kerrie Hollenback, 10-12 Ken Hollenback

By: Ron Szczerba

Fonda, NY – This Saturday, July 23 the Recovery Sports Grill will present Twin 20’s for the Sunoco Modifieds paying $1,500 to win each! Also, in competition on Saturday will be the Swagger Factory Apparel Crate 602 Sportsman, the Montgomery County Office for Aging Inc. Limited Sportsman, the Algonkin Motel Pro Stocks, and the Fonda Fair Four Cylinders. Gates will open at 4:00 p.m. with hot laps at 6:00 p.m. and racing at 7:00 p.m.

So far in 2022 there have been 14 events run in the Sunoco Modified division with six different drivers winning those races. Leading the way with five wins so far this season is Matt DeLorenzo followed by Stewart Friesen with four; Craig Hanson with two; Danny Varin, Dave Constantino, and Brian Gleason who all have one win apiece with Gleason’s win the first of his career in the division. DeLorenzo is the current point leader going into this week’s events.

There have also been 14 events held in the Swagger Factory Apparel Crate 602 Sportsman with current point leader and defending Track Champion Chad Edwards leading the way with six event wins. Following behind Edwards is Cody Clark with three wins; Payton Talbot with two wins; Brian Calabrese, Mark Mortensen, and Rocky Warner all with one win apiece. So far in 2022 there have been no first career winners in the division.

Current point leader Zach Dufel leads the way in the Montgomery County Office for Aging Inc. Limited Sportsman division with four victories followed by Kyle Dingman with three; Connor Prokop with two; Lance Hill, Josh Kane, Harold Robitaille, and Bob Rowback all with one win apiece. In summary there have been seven different winners in a total of 13 events.

The Algonkin Motel Pro Stock division has run a total of 13 events so far in 2022 with four different drivers winning those events. Leading the way in both feature wins and current points in Nick Stone with nine total wins followed by Beau Ballard with two victories, one being the prestigious Hondo Classic, Luke Horning and Jason Morrison with one win apiece with Morrison’s victory the first of his career in the division.

There have been no big surprises in the Fonda Fair Four Cylinder division as both Ken and Kerrie Hollenback have dominated the division again in 2022. Ken leads the SOHC class with 12 victories with the only other winner in the class being Todd Morey who scored his first career win back on July 2.

The Fonda Fair Four Cylinder DOHC class has seen a little more competition with Kerrie leading the way with nine feature wins while John Napoli has three wins and Dale VanAllen has one win which was the first of his career in the division. Ken is the current point leader in the SOHC class while Kerrie leads the way in the DOHC.

THE FONDA SPEEDWAY KID’S CLUB TO CELEBRATE “CHRISTMAS IN JULY”

The Fonda Speedway Kid’s Club will be celebrating “Christmas in July” this Saturday, July 23 so be sure to see Ashley Abeling and sign up your child for the prizes and giveaways so that they don’t miss out! There will be some special donated “stuffed” stockings thanks to the work of Debora Ward and Jann Ivancic-McGaffin! So be sure to get a jump start on Christmas and celebrate the holiday early as many people do with a special “Christmas in July”!

A SPECIAL MIDWEEK EVENT

Thursday July 28th!!!!! Fonda Speedway/NASCAR Night at Amsterdam Mohawks!!!!! The Mohawks are currently 33-4 and have won 13 straight games!!!! They also claimed their 9th straight PGCBL East Division Title!!!!!

1/2 Price Admission for Any Fan Wearing Their Favorite Racing Hat or Shirt

This will be an exciting night of baseball and a great opportunity to meet and greet some of your favorite Fonda Speedway drivers!!!!

Come see Fonda Speedway drivers Cousin Luke, Tanner Warner, Troy Zilles, The Matt DeLorenzo Fan Page, Harry Shaffer, Zach Dufel, Shaffer Racing Team, Stephen Gray, and Chad Edwards!!!! Troy Zilles, Cousin Luke, and the Shaffer Racing Team will have their race cars on display along with the Fonda Speedway Pace Truck!!!!

Special THANK YOU to the Amsterdam Mohawks for their continued partnership with Fonda Speedway!!!!!! AmsterdamMohawks.com

It’s 𝗥𝗔𝗖𝗘 𝗪𝗘𝗘𝗞 at Fonda Speedway. Recovery Sports Grill presents the action at the Track of Champions THIS SATURDAY, JULY 23.

Sunoco Modified Twin 20s – $1,500 to win each!

Swagger Factory Apparel Crate 602 Sportsman

Algonkin Motel Pro Stocks

Montgomery County Office for Aging Limited Sportsman

Fonda Fair Four Cylinders

Gates: 4 p.m. – Hot Laps: 6 p.m. – Racing: 7 p.m.

Adult Admission: $11 – Seniors (ages 65 and over): $9 – Kids 11 and under FREE

Drive-In: $60 (up to four passes). Link: http://fonda-speedway.ticketleap.com/recovery-sports…/

Pit Admission: $35 (non-member) – $30 (Fonda member) – $10 Kids (ages 6-12) – $2 Children 5 and under

If you are a race fan that gets to the track early, be sure to check out the Fonda Speedway Museum & Hall of Fame which is located on the Fonda Fairgrounds at the rear of the parking area going down towards turn four. The museum is open from 3:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. on race days and admission is free!

Since 1953, the “Track of Champions” Fonda Speedway has hosted the best in stock car racing. Under the management of BD Motorsports Media LLC, the speedway will operate weekly on Saturday nights from April through August plus several special events. Fonda Speedway is located on the Montgomery County Fairgrounds off New York State Thruway Exit No. 28 at 21 S. Bridge Street Fonda, NY 12068.

Fonda Speedway is on the web at www.thefondaspeedway.com. To learn more, call the office at 518.915.4395, like Fonda Speedway on Facebook www.facebook.com/thefondaspeedwy or follow the speedway on Twitter: @thefondaspdwy.

By: Ron Szczerba

Fonda, NY – On Saturday evening at the “Track of Champions” Fonda Speedway, Stewart Friesen started the 30-lap Sunoco Modified feature in the fourth position by the luck of the draw as the event was part of the F.X. Caprara Thunder on the Thruway Series with a $4,000 pay day on the line. Shortly after lap one was completed, Friesen got up too high in turn one and scraped the wall with the right rear of his car which ended up spinning out in turn two to bring out the caution.

Friesen went to the hot pit for repairs and rejoined the race at the rear of the 27-car field, putting on a clinic to get back to the front. With the aid of a few caution flags and a switch to the bottom lane late in the event, it was no problem for Friesen to get to the front, take the lead from Rocky Warner on lap 25, and go on to his fourth win of the 2022 season and the 83^rd of his career at Fonda.

“It was faster up on top, so I stepped on it there and got behind Jess (wife Jessica Friesen) in the dirty air and it took off,” Friesen told Mimi Lazzaro in victory lane. “I wiped half of the right rear clip off the car at that point and got the rest of it down in three and four coming through traffic. Great race car, great race team, I don’t know what to say. Rocky was up top and then the top was going away, and I was able to get him on the bottom.”

The racing event at Fonda on Saturday was special for another reason as well as it was presented by One Zee Tees and AIM Autism to benefit the Crossroads Center for Children. The “Tailgate for a Cause” took place from 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. with a chicken barbeque, a dunk tank, raffles, and activities for the kids and all total according to Friesen in victory lane raised close to $30,000 for the Crossroads Center, which was attended by Stewart and Jessica’s son Parker in the past.

“I need to thank Halmar, the AIM Autism Group, the Fonda Fairgrounds, the Fonda Speedway crew, and everybody that came out for “Tailgate for a Cause” today,” Friesen said in victory lane. “I think the number that we raised for the Crossroads Center for Children was $30,000 so I am super proud of that. That’s why I love this community, that’s why I love this racetrack, whether they cheer or boo that’s why I love racing here, it’s the best.”

Other winners on One Zee Tees & AIM Autism present Autism Awareness Night at Fonda were Chad Edwards (Thunder on the Thruway Series Swagger Factory Apparel Crate 602 Sportsman), Beau Ballard (Thunder on the Thruway Series Algonkin Motel Pro Stock), Zach Dufel (Montgomery County Office for Aging Inc. Limited Sportsman), Ken Hollenback (Fonda Fair Four Cylinder SOHC), and Kerrie Hollenback (Fonda Fair Four Cylinder DOHC).

Also, on hand was Camping World Truck Series and FS1 racing commentator Todd Bodine who is Friesen’s teammate in the Camping World Truck Series. Bodine spent some time up in the announcer’s tower with Fonda Speedway announcer Chris Moore during the Sunoco Modified heat race evets.

“I didn’t grow up on dirt,” Bodine said to the crowd. “I grew up on asphalt but going to a couple of dirt races with Jess and Stewart I didn’t realize how much fun I was missing; it is very different and a lot of fun. I never raced on dirt with anything, but I would love to race a Modified.”

Next week at the Pocono Raceway, Bodine will make his 800^th career start in the Camping World Truck Series as a teammate to Friesen in the Halmar #62 truck so best of luck to both drivers from the Fonda Speedway!

Pastor Greg Nitz said the prayer during opening ceremonies with Amanda Aiello of Schyler, NY doing a great job singing the National Anthem. Leeanne from Gloversville, NY was the winner of the 50/50 worth $2,871! As always great job by the 50/50 ladies and congratulations to Leeanne.

The 30-lap F.X. Caprara Thunder on the Thruway Series Sunoco Modified feature began with Rocky Warner the early race leader from his outside pole starting positions thanks to the luck of the draw. Jessica Friesen followed along in second with the caution out shortly after lap one was completed for Stewart Friesen who came in contact with the wall in between turns one and two and ended up sideways in turn two. Friesen went to the hot pit for repairs and rejoined at the rear of the 27-car field.

Warner led on the restart followed by Jessica Friesen with fifth place starter Ronnie Johnson up to the third position followed by Demetrious Drellos. Johnson and Drellos swapped the third position many times before Drellos took control of the spot by the time another caution flag flew on lap ten.

Warner chose the bottom on the restart and led at the drop of the green flag while Drellos took the second position away from Jessica Friesen with Stewart Friesen now up to the tenth spot. At the halfway point Warner was the race leader followed by Drellos, Jessica Friesen, Johnson, and seventh place starter Alex Yankowski.

After a caution on lap 17, Warner continued to lead running the outside of the speedway while others switched to the bottom including Stewart Friesen who was now in the top five after getting by Yankowski. One by one afterwards, Stewart Friesen made his way by Johnson and Jessica Friesen, making both of those passes on the bottom.

One final yellow flew on lap 19 and on this restart, Stewart Friesen was the new second place car after getting by Drellos. With Warner running up high, Stewart Friesen stayed low and challenged Warner for the lead in every turn but coming out of the turn Warner would use his momentum on the outside to maintain his lead.

Going into turn one with five laps to go, Stewart Friesen got alongside of Warner down low and coming out of turn two took the lead away, leading the remaining laps for the $4,000 win in the Halmar #44 Bicknell car. Warner ended up second followed by Drellos, Jessica Friesen, and Johnson.

“On a couple of those restarts guys were getting bottled up and going where I wanted to go,” Stewart Friesen said in victory lane. “I also got jammed up, so I went to the bottom, and I was able to pick off some cars. We adjusted the car before the feature and tightened it up a little more than I thought that we needed to.”

The F.X. Caprara Car Companies Thunder on the Thruway Series Swagger Factory Apparel Crate 602 Sportsman feature began with Brett Mortensen leading at the drop of the green flag after starting third with the first of many caution flags in the event out with no laps completed for pole position starter Troy Palmer who pitted and rejoined the field at the rear.

Mortensen led on the original restart with 25^th place starter Cody Clark in the tenth position when lap five was completed. Tony Farone brought out an unnecessary caution on lap six when he came to a stop in turn three at the pit entrance, then after the caution was thrown, he drove to the hot pit. He would continue on at the rear of the field.

On the restart, Mortensen dropped back to third after Tanner Warner made a slide job pass for the lead coming out of turn two with fourth place starter Chad Edwards also getting by Mortensen for the second position. After Farone brought out another caution flag on lap ten, Edwards was the new race leader on the restart with 11^th place starter Payton Talbot now in the fourth position after getting by Mortensen.

At the halfway point in the event the top five consisted of Edwards, Warner, Talbot, Mortensen, and 17^th place starter Chip Constantino. When the caution came out on lap 18 for Palmer who had his front-end collapse in turn four, it took away the straightaway advantage that Edwards had built up.

On the restart a multi car pileup ensued in turn one after Talbot and Mortensen came together on the front stretch just before the flag stand, with Mortensen ending up sideways collecting four other cars in the process. All drivers were okay, but Mortensen’s night came to an unfortunate end at that point while Talbot was able to continue on in the third position after the “racing” incident.

Edwards led the remaining laps for his sixth victory of the season in the John Kollar owned #10% Bicknell car followed in the top five by Talbot, Warner, Clark, and Constantino.

“Like usual I draw like crap for the heat races but still made our way into the draw for the feature then drew good for that,” Edwards said. “The track was real racy for us going before off the Modifieds, so I was able to get to the front, the last few weeks the track has been great for the most part.”

The F.X. Caprara Thunder on the Thruway Series Algonkin Pro Stock feature was caution free with Chuck Dumblewski leading at the drop of Joe Kriss’ green flag from the pole followed by outside front row starter Beau Ballard. At the finish line to complete lap three, Ballard nosed past Dumblewski for the lead and from that point on the race was for the second position to the checkered flag.

Fifth place starter Ivan Josin went around the outside of both Kenny Gates and Jason Morrison for the third position on lap six with ninth place starter Nick Stone also getting by the pair of drivers for the fourth spot. Ballard raced out to a straightaway lead at the halfway point with the top five at the time consisting of Dumblewski, Joskin, Stone, and eighth place starter Luke Horning.

Kenny Gates fell back out of the top five but after the halfway point he found the inside groove to his liking and got back into the top five at the checkered flag after getting by Joslin late in the event. Ballard went on to his second consecutive win of the season and the third of his career at Fonda followed in the top five by Dumblewski, Stone, Gates, and Joslin. Beau Ballard’s family was very excited in victory lane, greeting Ballard with cheers and hugs in victory lane.

“This poor kid right here (Parker) has been saying that he thinks that he is bad luck, Ballard said in victory lane. “He hasn’t been to victory lane with me since a tour race at Five Mile Point with my IMCA car when he was three years old. So, you don’t know how much this win means to me to have my two kids Parker and Weston with me here in victory lane. I was a little nervous how it was going to go with the rule change, but I’ve got no problem with it, we’re rolling.”

Zach Dufel took the lead on a lap nine restart and went on to win the 15-lap Montgomery County Office for Aging Inc. Limited Sportsman feature for his fourth win of the season and the fourth time in his career in the division over eighth place starter Kyle Dingman, 10^th place starter Connor Prokop, third place starter John Anderson, and seventh place starter Ryan Sweet.

The Hollenback brothers Ken and Kerrie continued their dominance of the Fonda Fair Four Cylinder division winning their 12^th and ninth features respectively with Kenny the overall winner (SOHC) and Kerrie finishing second overall for the win in the DOHC category. John Napoli, Dale VanAllen, and TJ Marlitt completing the top five overall.

Next Saturday, July 23 the Recovery Sports Grill will present “Fan Favorite” Modified Twin 20’s paying $1,500 to win each along with all other regular divisions in action and no increase in the admission price! Gates will open at 4:00 p.m. with hot laps at 6:00 p.m. and racing at 7:00 p.m.

If you are a race fan that gets to the track early, be sure to check out the Fonda Speedway Museum & Hall of Fame which is located on the Fonda Fairgrounds at the rear of the parking area going down towards turn four. The museum is open from 3:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. on race days and admission is free!

Since 1953, the “Track of Champions” Fonda Speedway has hosted the best in stock car racing. Under the management of BD Motorsports Media LLC, the speedway will operate weekly on Saturday nights from April through August plus several special events. Fonda Speedway is located on the Montgomery County Fairgrounds off New York State Thruway Exit No. 28 at 21 S. Bridge Street Fonda, NY 12068.

Fonda Speedway is on the web at www.thefondaspeedway.com. To learn more, call the office at 518.915.4395, like Fonda Speedway on Facebook www.facebook.com/thefondaspeedwy or follow the speedway on Twitter: @thefondaspdwy.

DATE – SATURDAY, JULY 16 – AIM AUTISM & ONE ZEE TEES PRESENTS AUTISM AWARENESS NIGHT

F.X. CAPRARA CAR COMPANIES THUNDER ON THE THRUWAY SERIES SUNOCO MODIFIED FEATURE – 30-laps – $4,000 to win – STEWART FRIESEN, Rocky Warner, Demetrious Drellos, Jessica Friesen, Ronnie Johnson, Alex Yankowski, Matt DeLorenzo, Brian Gleason, Bobby Varin, Chris Curtis, Tucker O’Connor, Nick Heywood, Rich Christman, Ryan Odasz, JaMike Sowle, Ray Zemken, Darwin Greene, Danny Varin, Dave Constantino, George Foley, Pep Corradi, Don Bellen, Jim Introne Jr., Bobby Hackel IV, David Schilling, Aaron Jacobs, Craig Hanson (DNS)

4^th win of 2022 and the 83^rd of his career in the division for Friesen

LAP LEADERS – 1-24 Warner, 25-30 Friesen

HEAT RACE WINNERS – Schilling, Warner, Stewart Friesen

F.X. CAPRARA CAR COMPANIES THUNDER ON THE THRUWAY SERIES SWAGGER FACTORY APPAREL CRATE 602 SPORTSMAN FEATURE – 25-laps – $1,500 to win – CHAD EDWARDS, Payton Talbot, Tanner Warner, Cody Clark, Chip Constantino, Troy Zilles, Brendan Gibbons, Kevin Chaffee, Tommy D’Angelo, Mark Mortensen, Greg Havlichek, Clayton DuMond, Carter Gibbons, Cory White, Jason Greco, Tim Dwyer, Anthony Cardamone, Brett Mortensen, Troy Palmer, Stephen Gray, Jeremy Tyrrell, Kaden Hohensheldt, Matthew Perry, Jason Reome, Tony Farone, Griffen Mansmith, Dan Santabarbara, Dylan Eldred (DNS), Harry Shaffer (DNS)

6^th win of 2022 and the 19^th of his career in the division for Edwards

LAP LEADERS – 1-6 Brett Mortensen, 7-10 Warner, 11-25 Edwards

HEAT RACE WINNERS – Chaffee, Palmer, Brendan Gibbons

GRECO’S NAPA HARD CHARGER AWARD – Clark 21 positions from 25^th to 4^th

F.X. CAPRARA CAR COMPANIES THUNDER ON THE THRUWAY SERIES ALGONKIN MOTEL PRO STOCK FEATURE – 20-Laps – $1,000 to win – BEAU BALLARD, Chucky Dumblewski, Nick Stone, Kenny Gates, Ivan Joslin, Luke Horning, Jason Morrison, Jim Normoyle, Josh Coonradt, Gary Silkey, AJ Walters, Caden Dumblewski, Randy Cosselman, John Holmes, Ken Griffen, Buck Gasner, Don Collins

2^nd win of 2022 and the 3^rd of his career in the division for Ballard

LAP LEADERS – 1-2 Chuck Dumblewski, 3-20 Ballard

HEAT RACE WINNERS – Stone, Morrison

MONTGOMERY COUNTY OFFICE FOR AGING INC. LIMITED SPORTSMAN FEATURE – 15-laps – ZACH DUFEL, Kyle Dingman, Connor Prokop, John Anderson, Ryan Sweet, Lance Hill, Horold Robitaille, Wesley Sutliff, Tim Deffer, AJ Greco, Walter Cook, EJ Gallup, Gus Kamburelis, Bob Rowback, Mark Lighthall, Michael Kalkbrenner, Josh Kane, Timmy Wilmot (DNS)

4^th win of 2022 and the 4^th of his career in the division for Dufel

LAP LEADERS – 1-8 Kamburelis, 9-15 Dufel

HEAT RACE WINNERS – Kamburelis, Cook

FONDA FAIR FOUR CYLINDER FEATURE – 12-laps – KEN HOLLENBECK (SOHC), KERRIE HOLLENBECK (DOHC), John Napoli, Dale VanAllen, TJ Marlitt, Todd Morey, Wayne Russell Jr., Len St. Andrews, Christopher Jennings Sr., David Peek-Britten

12^th win of 2022 and the 80^th of his career in the division for Ken Hollenbeck

9^th win of 2022 and the 29^th of his career in the division for Kerrie Hollenbeck

LAP LEADERS – 1-12 Ken Hollenbeck