By: Ron Szczerba

Fonda, NY – This Saturday, July 8 at the “Track of Champions” Fonda Speedway a special night honoring the late Bill Anagnostopoulos will take place as the current top five in Amsterdam Truck Center Modified points will compete in the “Bill Ag Modified Elimination Races” with a lot of money on the line from various sponsors going to the drivers competing in the event. Dirt Track Digest will sponsor the evenings racing program.

This event is held in honor of the late Bill Anagnostopulos who was the owner of the Winners Circle, which is a restaurant in Fonda, NY that is located just around the corner from the Fonda Speedway. Bill was a great friend to racing and sponsored many drivers at the speedway through the years and sponsored events at the track as well. On a typical Saturday evening, he would get away from the restaurant to attend the races at Fonda where he had many friends in both the pit area and the grandstands.

All other regular divisions will also be in action on Saturday, July 8 including the Swagger Factory Apparel Crate 602 Sportsman, the Below Zero Ice Cream Pro Stocks, the Montgomery County Office for Aging Inc. Limited Sportsman, and the Fonda Fair Four Cylinders. A spectacular Fireworks display will take place at dusk and the Fonda Speedway Kids Club will also be holding “Bike Night.”

The 8^th Annual “Bill Ag Modified Elimination Race” will feature the top five in Amsterdam Truck Center Modified points as of 7/1/2023 including Matt DeLorenzo, Rocky Warner, Demetrios Drellos, Alex Yankowski, and Jessica Friesen. Drivers in point positions 6-10 Ronnie Johnson, Jack Lehner, Cody Clark, Bobby Hackel IV, and Chris Curtis will run a two lap hot lap session with the driver with the fastest time added to the prestigious event as well.

This will be the 8^th Annual “Bill Ag Memorial Elimination Match Races” event run at Fonda with past winners including Bobby Varin in 2014, no event in 2015, Ronnie Johnson in 2016 & 2017, Tim Fuller in 2018, Stewart Friesen in 2019, no event in 2020, Ronnie Johnson again in 2021, and Demetrios Drellos last year in 2022.

Some quotes from the previous winners of the event:

“It feels great to be back here in victory lane at Fonda for the 2022 Bill Ag event,” Demetrios Drellos said in victory lane after the win over Craig Hanson. “Hopefully, we can get another one later on in the regular feature, but it was cool to win $1,000 it was a fun race. After being pushed to victory lane for the ceremonies for the Bill Ag event, Drellos said “I gotta figure out what’s wrong with the car, I think I broke the driveshaft, but I rather it happened now than during the regular feature.”

“What an honor to win this race in Bill’s honor,” Ronnie Johnson said after the 2021 event. “Bill was a great guy, and it shows what he meant to everyone as this event is still being held in his honor and supported by so many people. I found a spot in turn two where I could get a good launch and I knew that if I beat everyone to turn three that I would be okay.”

“This is a very special event honoring Bill from the Winners Circle,” Stewart Friesen said in victory lane after his win in 2019. “This is a cool mid-summer special race that has become a big event so thanks to all the sponsors and the organizers for their efforts.”

“When Josh (Hohenforst) got lane choice for the last race I thought that I was in trouble,” Tim Fuller said after his win in 2018. “I was real concerned because he is fast here at Fonda on a heavy track. This event is a little different, it has a lot of pizzazz, and racing needs more of that.”

2023 Bill Ag Modified Elimination Race Night

Saturday July 8th at Fonda Speedway

Round 1 – $600

$250 Rick and Tom Kietlinski

$200 Chrissy Anagnostopulos

$100 Holly Anagnostopulos & Sammy Tomell

$50 In Memory of Wayne Hazzard

Round 2 – $700

$250 Melissa Rava

$200 Chris and Erin Abele

$100 Holly Anagnostopulos & Sammy Tomell

$100 Louise and Tom Carville

$50 Alan Hosbach

Round 3 – $700

$350 Happy Harry and Shelly Shaffer

$250 Auspelmyer Excavating & Paving

$100 Holly Anagnostopulos & Sammy Tomell

Round 4 – $751

$301 Mike and Alex Jackson

$250 Pro-Tech Scale Service

$150 Holly Anagnostopulos & Sammy Tomell

$50 In Memory of Amsterdam Fire Department Battalion Chief J. Michael Mancini

Round 5 – $1K Dirt Track Digest TV (GT Smith, George Smith, Mike Mallet)

$100 1st Driver Eliminated – Mark Siegenthaler

$100 2nd Driver Eliminated – Gary and Cindy Eckerson

$100 3rd Driver Eliminated – Fonda Speedway 50/50 Ladies (Heather Marr, Julie Compani, Rose McLoughlin)

$100 4th Driver Eliminated – Melissa Mimi Lazzaro

$100 5th Driver Eliminated – Mohawk Valley Vintage Dirt Modifieds/Laurie Fallis

Drivers 6-10 In Points Hot Lap Session to Qualify for The Bill Ag $100 Fastest Time – Dirt Modified Nostalgia Tour/Thomas Coughlin

$50 2^nd – In Memory of Timmy Coughlin Love Mom and Dad

$100 3^rd – Ed Lamberton/Wheel People

$50 4^th – Meliss Rava

$50 5^th – Melissa Rava

$100 Fastest Elimination Race Lap – Larry Wrobel

$100 First Choice (1st driver picked by a competitor) – CLC Concrete and Excavation/Chad Edwards

$100 Last Man Standing (Last Driver Picked for The Final Round) – Zach Dufel and Alysha Chamberlain

Oversized Bill Ag Modified Elimination Race Winner’s Check Donated by JK Signworks/Jeff Karabin

🏁🏁Modified Hot Lap, Heat and Feature Bonuses🏁🏁

$100 1st Modified Driver on The Hook – Holmes & Kugler Towing

$100 Hot Lap Hero (Fastest Modified in Hot Laps) – Tom LaFountain

$100 1st Heat Race Winner – Macek’s Garage/Ryan Macek

$100 2nd Heat Race Winner – Macek’s Garage/Ryan Macek

$100 3rd Heat Race Winner – Al Abele

$100 Halfway Modified Feature Leader – Out of the fast lane podcast/Brady Houser

$100 Leader Lap 1 – One Zee Tees/Jessica Friesen

$100 17th Place on Lap 2 – Out of the fast lane podcast/Brady Houser

$100 3rd Place on Lap 3 – 33 Race Products LLC

$111 Leader Lap 11 In Memory of Steve Bidwell – Holly Anagnostopulos & Sammy Tomell

$111 11th Place on Lap 11 In Memory of Steve Bidwell – Holly Anagnostopulos & Sammy Tomell

$100 4th Place Modified Feature in Memory of Bill Ag – Holly Anagnostopulos & Sammy Tomell

$100 5th Place Modified Feature in Memory of Bill Ag – Holly Anagnostopulos & Sammy Tomell

$100 6th Place Modified Feature – In Memory of Ed Keyser – Carole and Alton Palmer

$100 7th Place Modified Feature in Memory of Bill Ag – Christine Anagnostopulos

$100 8th Place Modified Feature in Memory of Bill Ag – Holly Anagnostopulos & Sammy Tomell

$100 9th Place Modified Feature – The Furnare Family

$100 10th Place Modified Feature – Romano Family

$111 11th Place Modified Feature in Memory of Steve Bidwell – Holly Anagnostopulos & Sammy Tomell

$100 12th Place Modified Feature in Memory of Wayne Hazzard

$100 13th Place Modified Feature – Driven Design & Embroidery

$100 14th Place Modified Feature in Memory of Bill Ag – Holly Anagnostopulos & Sammy Tomell

$100 15th Place Modified Feature in Memory of Bill Ag – Holly Anagnostopulos & Sammy Tomell

$100 16th Place Modified Feature in Memory of Bill Ag – Christine Anagnostopulos

$100 17th Place Modified Feature- In Memory of Bill Ag – Holly Anagnostopulos & Sammy Tomell

$100 18th Place Modified Feature in Memory of Bill Ag – Holly Anagnostopulos & Sammy Tomell

$100 19th Place Modified Feature in Memory of Bill Ag – Holly Anagnostopulos & Sammy Tomell

$100 20th Place Modified Feature – Eric and Sherry Gifford

$100 21st Place Modified Feature in Memory of Bill Ag – Holly Anagnostopulos & Sammy Tomell

$122 22nd Place Modified Feature in Memory of Dave Lape – Holly Anagnostopulos & Sammy Tomell

$100 23rd Place Modified Feature in Memory of Bill Ag – Holly Anagnostopulos & Sammy Tomell

$100 24th Place Modified Feature in Memory of Bill Ag – Holly Anagnostopulos & Sammy Tomell

$100 Last Driver on Lead Lap – Koozie Korner/Jeff Kollar

$100 1st Driver One Lap Down – One Zee Tees/Jessica Friesen

$100 Modified Feature Hard Charger – B&B Dumpster Rentals

$200 Modified Hard Luck Award – Zilles Racing

$200 Bill Ag Award – Christine and Megan Anagnostopulos

24 Bill Ag Modified Elimination Race Embroidered Hats – Driven Design & Embroidery

#billag2023

By: Ron Szczerba

Fonda, NY – Believe

“I’ve been horrible the last month and they stuck by me,” Max McLaughlin said in victory lane on Saturday at Fonda while pointing to his pit crew. “Just about everybody here believes in me except myself so this feels pretty damn good.”

McLaughlin scored the $4,000 Thunder on the Thruway Series/Amsterdam Truck Center Modified win at Fonda on Saturday evening in the Al Heinke owned F.X. Caprara Harley Davidson sponsored #8H. “Mad Max” as he is called in the racing world is now the 141^st different driver to win a feature at the Fonda Speedway in a total of 1425 events!

Other winners on Palmer’s Service Center Hall of Fame Night at Fonda were Payton Talbot (Thunder on the Thruway Series/Swagger Factory Apparel Crate 602 Sportsman), Beau Ballard (Thunder on the Thruway Series/Below Zero Ice Cream Pro Stocks), Tyler Bobar (Montgomery County Office for Aging Inc. Limited Sportsman), Ken Hollenback (SOHC) and Corey Valade (DOHC) in the Fonda Fair Four Cylinder division.

The Mohawk Valley Vintage Dirt Modified Series (MVVDMS) was also in action with the winners including Cliff Haslun (Antiques), Matt Mosher (Late Models), George Palmer (Mystiques), Randy Delaney (Modifieds), and Brian Gray (Sportsman).

Fonda Speedway Hall of Fame inductions were held earlier in the day at the Fonda Speedway Hall of Fame & Museum with the class of 2023 including Danny Ballard, Jack Miller, Jack Blackwood, Jeff Carter, and Billy Peek. Congratulations to all!

Greg Nitz said the prayer during opening ceremonies while Joe Kriss did a beautiful rendition of the National Anthem. Congratulations to Kevin from Knox who was the winner of the $2,237 50/50 prize! Great job by Rose, Julie, and Heather as always!

A redraw for starting position placed Jessica Friesen and Ronnie Johnson on the front row for the start of the 30-lap Amsterdam Truck Center Modified feature with a three wide battle going into turns one and two for the lead between Friesen, Johnson, and third place starter Matt DeLorenzo. Friesen led lap one, but DeLorenzo was the new race leader on lap two after getting under Friesen in turns one and two.

By lap four DeLorenzo was out to a straightaway advantage with seventh place starter Max McLaughlin the new second place car after getting by Friesen for the position. The first of three yellow flags in the event flew on lap five for Bobby Varin who slowed in turn two and retired from the event at that point. DeLorenzo held the lead on the restart from the inside row with McLaughlin not letting him stretch out his lead as much this time around.

Two consecutive yellow flags flew on lap six, the first for David Schilling who came to a stop in turn three with a left front flat and the second for Stewart Friesen who got into the tire wall between turns three and four. Schilling was out for the night at that point with more damage than just the flat tire while Stewart Friesen took one more lap before retiring from the event.

On the inside of turn three on lap seven, McLaughlin was the new race leader after getting by DeLorenzo and from that point on he pulled away to a comfortable lead with the top five at the halfway point consisting of McLaughlin, DeLorenzo, Johnson, eighth place starter Tim Fuller, and Jessica Friesen who were now all battling with lap traffic.

“I knew that we had speed,” McLaughlin said. “I didn’t know if I was gonna be able to get by Matt DeLorenzo, we were able to maneuver through the holes in turn one better than everybody else was.”

Lap 16 saw Matt Sheppard retire from the event while running in the eighth position with the top four of McLaughlin, DeLorenzo, Johnson, and Fuller all comfortable in those positions. The best battle on the track at that time was for the fifth position between Jessica Friesen, 12^th place starter Mike Mahaney, 16^th place starter Demetrious Drellos, and Alex Yankowski swapping the position many times over the final laps in the event.

Drellos’ great run cam to an end with one lap to go while running in the seventh position with McLaughlin going on to his first career win at the “Track of Champions” with DeLorenzo, Johnson, Fuller, and Jessica Friesen completing the top five.

“We started out the year winning in Florida and then came back to win at Brewerton but after that we’ve been horrible,” McLaughlin told Mimi Lazzaro in victory lane. “This is a place where I have been awful at for years. We were good here at last years 200 but I never thought that I’d win here so it’s pretty cool. This is a really prestigious place, one of my favorite places to come to as of recently.”

The 25-lap Swagger Factory Apparel Crate 602 Sportsman feature was an exciting event that saw five lead changes before the winner was decided. Pole position starter Clayton DuMond led the first two laps before outside pole position starter Tanner Warner took over the lead with a pass on the outside on the backstretch.

DuMond and Warner then swapped the lead position twice, DuMond leading lap five after Warner slid up high in turn two with Warner taking the lead back on the next lap. Chad Edwards started the event in the seventh position and on lap seven was the new second place car with eighth place starter Payton Talbot now in the third position.

At the halfway point the top five consisted of Warner, Edwards, Talbot, Butchie Irwin, and DuMond with the top two of Warner and Edwards battling amongst each other for the lead while Talbot was playing catch up behind them in third. Lap traffic came into play on lap 17 with Edwards able to get by Warner for the lead one lap later on the inside of turns three and four.

Talbot also got by Warner for the second position and when Edwards hit the rough in turn one it got him out of shape enough that Talbot was able to get by for the lead in turn two on lap 21. From that point on Talbot pulled away to his fourth win of the season and the eighth of his career in the division in the Ted’s Body Shop #14T over Edwards, Warner, Irwin, and Chip Constantino.

“We’ve got some tech going on so we’re gonna get that situated and be ready to go,” Talbot told Mimi Lazzaro before his car got to victory lane to celebrate his victory. “I felt like I could enter better in turns one and two and go higher around the bumps. Down in three and four the car was pretty good, but I didn’t know if I was gonna have enough time to get to Chad (Edwards) and Tanner (Warner). We were aways back, but the car was really good, and we got it done.”

The 20-lap Below Zero Ice Cream feature was another exciting lead changing event with Kenny Gates leading at the drop of Joe Kriss’ green flag. Gates led until lap four when his motor expired handing the lead over to Ivan Joslin. Joslin’s lead only lasted one lap when fourth place starter Nick Stone took over the point on lap five with a pass on the inside of turn four.

Luke Horning slowed to bring out the first of only two yellow flags in the event with ninth place starter Beau Ballard the new second place car on the restart. While Stone was running the top groove, Ballard was trying to make the bottom-line work for him and showed Stone his nose many times in the turns with Stone able to keep up his momentum on the outside and hold on to the lead.

That all changed when the yellow came out with one lap to go, setting up a one lap dash to the checkered flag. Ballard stayed with Stone on the restart and through turns three and four, and coming out of turn four made the inside groove work for him as he took the win by only 0.056 seconds for his second win of the season, the fifth of his career in the division, and his third consecutive win in the Thunder on the Thruway Series!

Stone, Joslin, Shane Playford, and Caden Dumblewski completed the top five in the event.

“Usually, you can get some sort of a good draw and start the feature further ahead than you normally would, but I went and screwed myself and drew ninth,” Ballard said in victory lane. “I never would have got Nick (Stone) without that last caution at the end, he was checked out. I fell like I used my stuff up a little bit, but when the yellow came out I got everything cooled back down.”

“Riding around under the caution I was thinking with Kenny (Gates) blowing up that it was gonna be a good points night but then I said to myself screw that I want to win this thing,” Ballard continued to say. “I knew that if I could be door to door with him into turn three that I could get the bite on the bottom and get it done and sure enough here we are. To come here tonight after losing a motor at Utica Rome last night and do this, especially on Hall of Fame induction Night after inducting my dad earlier today, this is a pretty sweet win.”

Steve Wagoner led the first three laps in the 15-lap Montgomery County Office for Aging Inc. Limited Sportsman feature until fourth place starter AJ Greco took over the lead on lap four. Greco crossed the checkered flag first only to be light at the scales disqualifying him from the win. Tyler Bobar was the benefactor from the disqualification and took his first career win at Fonda over Mike Hill, Bobby Rhinehardt, Michael Kalkbrenner, and Wagoner.

“Here we are,” Bobar said in victory lane. “The car was fast, not enough for AJ (Greco) but you can’t be light right? We run at Utica Rome every Friday and got a second place finish out there last night and a win here at Fonda on Saturday. All we can do is keep chugging.”

Ken Hollenback led all 12-laps to win the overall Fonda Fair Four Cylinder feature in the SOHC class while Corey Valade finished second and was the winner of the DOHC class. For Hollenback it was the sixth win of the 2023 season and the 91^st of his career in the division while for Valade it was his first career win in the division at Fonda.

“It was kind of a one lane track,” Hollenback said in victory lane. We got to the front quick and I could hear the #21 car (Valade) behind me, so I had to get to the bottom and be defensive, but it all worked out.”

“This is my first time ever winning here,” Valade said after his first career win at Fonda. “The 12 (Hollenback) was fast. Coming out of turn two he would take my line away and that hindered me a little bit, but he was fast. He’s here every week and knows the track, I got used to it now and I think next week will be even better.”

Next week on Saturday, July 8, Dirt Track Digest will present the Bill Ag Memorial Modified Elimination Races. All other divisions will also be in action, and it will also be “Bike Night” for the Fonda Speedway Kid’s Club!

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!

All races at Fonda Speedway – will be broadcast live on FloRacing (www.floracing.tv) as part of the $150 annual subscription.

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 or follow the speedway on Twitter and Instagram: @thefondaspdwy.

PALMER’S SERVICE CENTER HALL OF FAME NIGHT – F.X. CAPRARA CAR COMPANIES THUNDER ON THE THRUWAY SERIES

AMSTERDAM TRUCK CENTER MODIFIED FEATURE – 30-LAPS – $4,000 TO WIN – MAX MCLAUGHLIN, Matt DeLorenzo, Ronnie Johnson, Tim Fuller, Jessica Friesen, Alex Yankowski, Mike Mahaney, Rocky Warner, Dave Constantino, Jack Lehner, Cody Clark, Brian Calabrese, Chris Curtis, Ryan Odasz, Pep Corradi, Kurtis Hohensheldt, Tucker O’Connor, JaMike Sowle, Brian Pessolano, Dave Camara, Demetrious Drellos, Matt Sheppard, Ryan Walther, Bobby Hackel IV, Stewart Friesen, David Schilling, Bobby Varin, Ancel Collins

1^st career win for McLaughlin at Fonda

LAP LEADERS – 1 Jessica Friesen, 2-6 DeLorenzo, 7-30 McLaughlin

HEAT RACE WINNERS – Fuller, Yankowski, Warner

SWAGGER FACTORY APPAREL CRATE 602 SPORTSMAN FEATURE – 25-LAPS – $1,500 TO WIN – PAYTON TALBOT, Chad Edwards, Tanner Warner, Butchie Irwin, Chip Constantino, Clayton DuMond, Mark Mortensen, Brendan Gibbons, Blaine Klinger, Dan Santabarbara, Troy Zilles, Brett Mortensen, Jason Greco, Michael McCallion, Josh Kane, Stephen Gray, Harry Shaffer, Jason Reome, Zach Dufel, Jeremy Tyrrell, Dylan Eldred, Seth Martin, Cody Clark, Jeremy Slosek, Clyde Peek, Matt Perry, Don Bellen, Kadon Hohensheldt, Wesley Sutliff (DNS), Roger Hummer (DNS)

4^th win of 2023 and 8^th of his career in the division for Talbot at Fonda.

LAP LEADERS – 1-2 DuMond, 3-4 Warner, 5 DuMond, 6-17 Warner, 18-20 Edwards, 21-25 Talbot

HEAT RACE WINNERS – Santabarbara, Klinger, Perry

GRECO’S NAPA HARD CHARGER AWARD – Stephen Gray +10 26^th to 16^th

BELOW ZERO ICE CREAM PRO STOCK FEATURE – 20-LAPS – $1,000 TO WIN – BEAU BALLARD, Nick Stone, Ivan Joslin, Shane Playford, Caden Dumblewski, Devon Camenga, Andy Graves, Josh Coonradt, Jim Normoyle, Jason Morrison, Gary Silkey, Michael Achzet, Jordan Modiano, Johnny Holmes, Randy Cosselman, Nick Santuccione, Don Collins, Luke Horning, Kenny Gates

2^nd win of 2023 and the 5^th of his career in the division for Ballard at Fonda.

LAP LEADERS – 1-3 Gates, 4 Joslin, 5-19 Stone, 20 Ballard

HEAT RACE WINNERS – Stone, Graves

MONTGOMERY COUNTY OFFICE FOR AGING INC. LIMITED SPORTSMAN FEATURE – 15-LAPS – TYLER BOBAR, Mike Hill, Bobby Rhinehardt, Michael Kalkbrenner, Steve Wagoner, Kirsten Swartz, Kyle Dingman, Tim Wilmot, Lance Hill, Chris Kugler, Ryan Sweet, Dylan Huston, Jonathan Feagles, Tavien Blowers, Bob Rowback, Brandon Tyler, Bella Pickard, Brandon Hazzard, Maddy Broedel, Matt Strauss, Cian DiMezza, Joel Knudsen Jr., John Anderson, Dale Van Allen (DNS), Lucas Duncan (DNS) AJ Greco (DQ weight)

1^st career win for Bobar at Fonda

LAP LEADERS – 1-3 Wagoner, 4-15 Greco DQ’d for weight

HEAT RACE WINNERS – Kugler, Greco, Swartz

FONDA FAIR FOUR CYLINDER FEATURE – 12-LAPS – KEN HOLLENBACK (SOHC), COREY VALADE (DOHC), Kerrie Hollenback, Len St. Andrews, Wayne Russell Jr., Tim Warner, John Ray, TJ Marlitt

6^th win of 2023 and the 91^st of his career in the division for Ken Hollenback

1^st career win in the division

LAP LEADERS – 1-12 Ken Hollenback

MOHAWK VALLEY VINTAGE DIRT MODIFIED SERIES (MVVDMS) ANTIQUE FEATURE – CLIFF HASLUN, Don Briggs, Bryan Scofield, John Wood, Mike Wheeler, Jimmy Hyde, John Orsini, Mark Reardon, Mike Gray, Sean Searson, Tony Kamberelis, Dustin Chapman (DNS).

MOHAWK VALLEY VINTAGE DIRT MODIFIED SERIES (MVVDMS) MYSTIQUE FEATURE – GEORGE PALMER, John Marks, Dan Karl, Carl Cram, Peter Nowicki, George Berbench, Mark Anatriello, Terry Graves, Frank Brown, Harry Baldwin.

MOHAWK VALLEY VINTAGE DIRT MODIFIED SERIES (MVVDMS) LATE MODEL FEATURE – MATT MOSHER, Frank Hoard, Will Reed, John Roese, Dennis Joslin, Adam Warner, Ed Docskalik, Curtis Condon.

MOHAWK VALLEY VINTAGE DIRT MODIFIED SERIES (MVVDMS) SPORTSMAN FEATURE – BRIAN GRAY, Malachi Matthews, Nathan McFadden, Jon Treadeau, Merv Blackwell, Jimmy Fugel, Mike Francisco, John Constantino, Mark Hahn, Joe Trudeau.

MOHAWK VALLEY VINTAGE DIRT MODIFIED SERIES (MVVDMS) MODIFIED FEATURE – RANDY DELANEY, Jack Miller, Don Colvin, Darral Hulbert, Anthony Cardamone, Joe Rando

By: Ron Szczerba

Fonda, NY – What better way to celebrate the Fourth of July holiday than with a doubleheader racing program at the “Track of Champions” Fonda Speedway this Saturday and Sunday.

First up, on Saturday, July 1, Palmer’s Service Center presents Hall of Fame Night. F.X. Caprara Car Companies Thunder on the Thruway Series events are on deck for Amsterdam Truck Center Modifieds ($4,000 to win), Swagger Factory Apparel Crate 602 Sportsman ($1,500 to win) and Below Zero Ice Cream Pro Stocks ($1,000 to win).

Thunder on the Thruway Series divisions will compete under traditional Fonda Speedway rules (no sail panels for the Modifieds) with a draw/redraw format in place. Track, Thunder on the Thruway and NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series points will be on the line.

Also in competition will be the Montgomery County Office for Aging Inc. Limited Sportsman, the Fonda Fair Four Cylinders, and the Mohawk Valley Vintage Dirt Modified Racing Series who will celebrate the life of a true race fan with the Don Gras Memorial.

Gates open at 4 p.m., with hot laps at 6 p.m. and racing at 7 p.m.

Then on Sunday, July 2, the Bob Hilbert Sportswear Short Track Super Series (STSS) Fueled by Sunoco highlights the “Firecracker 50” presented by Scenic View Campground and Picture Perfect Pools & Spas.

The STSS Modifieds of the River Valley Builders North Region roll 50 laps for a $10,000-plus winner’s share, $1,000 for 10^th and $500 just to take the green flag.

Modifieds will utilize sail panels for the “Firecracker 50” event at the Track of Champions. Precision Hydraulic & Oil STSS North Region Crate 602 Sportsman take part in a $2,000-to-win, 25-lap main event. Both the Modifieds and Crate 602 Sportsman will receive 25 Fonda show-up points and NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series points on Sunday.

Gates open at 4 p.m., with hot laps at 6:30 p.m. and racing at 7:15 p.m.

HALL OF FAME INDUCTIONS

Coming up this Saturday, July 1, five new members will be inducted into the prestigious Fonda Speedway Hall of Fame. The festivities will start at 3:00 p.m. rain or shine, at the Fonda Speedway Hall of Fame & Museum. The Fonda Speedway Hall of Fame induction class of 2023 includes two race car drivers (Danny Ballard and Jack Miller), a track official (John W. “Jack Black Flag” Blackwood Jr.), a track personnel/pace car driver (Billy Peek), and a crew chief (Jeff Carter).

THUNDER ON THE THRUWAY

There has only been one race so far in the 2023 Thunder on the Thruway Series which was held at the Fonda Speedway back on May 27 with Stewart Friesen, Payton Talbot, and Beau Ballard the feature event winners in their respective classes. Two events are set to be held at the Utica Rome Speedway on June 29^th & 30^th prior to the event at Fonda on Saturday, July 1.

SHORT TRACK SUPER SERIES (STSS)

So far in 2023 in the STSS North Region Modified division there have been four events held with Matt Sheppard (Orange County & Accord), Cory Costa (Outlaw), and Stewart Friesen (Devils Bowl) the winners of those events. Sheppard leads the way in the point standings going into the event at Fonda on July 2 followed in the top five by Mat Willaimson, Dillon Steuer, JR Hurlburt, and Steve Bernier.

Two STSS North Region Crate 602 Sportsman events have been held so far this year with Derrick McGrew Jr. (Accord) and Blaine Klinger (Brookfield) the winners of those events. Current point standings going into the event at Fonda show McGrew Jr. leading with Joe Toth, Dylan Madsen, Klinger, and Jared LaBagh completing the top five.

FIRECRACKER 50

The prestigious “Firecracker 50” event began back in 2019 when Brett Deyo and BD Motorsports Media LLC took over promotion of the “Track of Champions” Fonda Speedway. The event has been held every year since with Stewart Friesen a perfect four for four in “Firecracker 50” events with wins every year since the events inception.

For more information about the big holiday doubleheader at Fonda you can go to their Facebook page.

All races at Fonda Speedway – will be broadcast live on FloRacing (www.floracing.tv) as part of the $150 annual subscription.

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 or follow the speedway on Twitter and Instagram: @thefondaspdwy.

To learn more about the Short Track Super Series Fueled By Sunoco, visit www.shorttracksuperseries.com, e-mail bdmotorsportsmedia@gmail.com, check out Short Track Super Series on Facebook or @ShortTrackSS on Twitter or Instagram.

The Short Track Super Series is presented by American Racer/Lias Tire, Sunoco Race Fuel, FloSports, Bob Hilbert Sportswear, Rent Equip/Party Central, BDR Speed, Bicknell Racing Products, Ollie’s, Penske Racing Shocks, Wegner Automotive, River Valley Builders, Behrent’s Performance Warehouse, DIG Race Products, Velocita-USA, Franklin Products, Design for Vision & Sunglass Central, Belmont’s Garage, Quality Drywall, Precision Hydraulic & Oil, Prime MAC Tools, F.X. Caprara Car Companies, Algonkin Motel, Beyea Custom Headers, Dirt Track Digest, EIBACH, Electric Neon Custom Signs, Fastline Performance, Flach Performance Products, Henry’s Exhaust, Hig Fab, Schultz Racing Fuel Cells, Spyder Filters, Superior Remodeling, Teo-Pro Car, VAHLCO & Wilwood.

By: Ron Szczerba

Fonda, NY – Coming up this Saturday, July 1 five new members will be inducted into the prestigious Fonda Speedway Hall of Fame. The festivities will start at 3:00 p.m. rain or shine, at the Fonda Speedway Hall of Fame & Museum. The Fonda Speedway Hall of Fame induction class of 2023 includes two race car drivers, a track official, a track personnel/pace car driver, and a crew chief.

DANNY BALLARD

An original member of the “Grand Gorge Gang” Danny Ballard towed his familiar 22M from Grand Gorge, NY to the Fonda Speedway and its victory lane, over, and over, and over again. The Heavy equipment operator found success in the Street Stock Division (now the Pro Stocks) where he amassed 17 career victories and claimed the 1994 track championship.

With the IMCA Modifieds joining the competition at the Speedway in 2000, Ballard would change classes and the success would follow. Claiming 27 checkered flags, he sits 2^nd on the all-time win list, while besting the competition to claim track championships in 2002, 2004, and 2006.

Since retiring from the big car racing Ballard can still be found in victory lane competing in the Slingshot Division at nearby Glen Ridge Motorsports Park where has claimed another 26 victories and the 2020 and 2021 track championships.

JACK MILLER

In 1968 at the Fonda Speedway, Jack Miller started his racing career with a 1956 Chevy that Harry Peek found for him at a cost of $350 for the car and some spare parts including tires and wheels. In 1969, Miller built a 1954 Chevy that he ran from 1969-1972 getting his first feature win at Fonda in that car. 1973 was a banner year for Jack with seven feature wins and the 1973 Limited Sportsman Track Championship at Fonda, including one night when he won his qualifying heat race along with two feature wins on the same evening!

Miller ran a Modified for a few years with limited success, took a few years off from racing, and then raced an Open Sportsman car at Utica Rome with great success including feature wins and the 1998 Track Championship. When things started getting crazy and his age was getting up there, Miller decided to go racing in a Vintage car in 2020 with great success.

Over the years Miller ran at 21 different racetracks, some of which are not open any longer, in states including New York, Pennsylvania, Vermont, Delaware, and Canada. In 2019 he received the Lifetime Achievement Award from the New York State Stock Car Association (NYSSCA). Miller was born on May 1, 1951 and was married to his wife Karen on June 9, 1978. He has a large family including three children, two daughter in laws, and six grandchildren.

JOHN W. “JACK BLACK FLAG” BLACKWOOD JR.

Blackwood worked as crew chief for Ernie Gahan in the 1960’s. In 1966, Ernie won the NASCAR Modified National Championship and Jack, as crew chief, was named the NASCAR Modified Crew Chief of the year. With this title Jack was presented the P.A. Sturtevant Master Mechanic award and he was named to the Mechanics Hall of Fame during the 1967 NASCAR Championship Banquet in Daytona Beach, FL. At this time, the Master Mechanic award was the highest award a mechanic in motorsports could receive. Jack is the only mechanic from the Northeast to have received this award. This trophy is currently on display at the Saratoga Automobile Museum in Saratoga Springs, NY.

Jack was chief starter at Fonda Speedway during the 1970’s and assistance starter at Albany Saratoga (Malta) Speedway during this time as well. He was best known for starting each night’s feature events from the track instead of the starter stand. One evening Jack black-flagged Maynard Forrette for an on-track incident. This did not settle well with Maynard; however, the next week he attempted to make peace with Jack. In doing so, Maynard presented Jack with a black flag with Maynard’s #99 emblazoned on it along with the peace symbol. Hence, from this day on, Jack was dubbed “Black Flag” and this nickname stuck through the rest of his life.

During the late 1970’s and into the 1980’s Jack could be seen with his wife Sue as co-pilot in the Macek’s Garage tow truck every Saturday night at the Fonda Speedway. In the latter part of the 1980’s and early 1990’s Jack was back at Fonda Speedway each Saturday night wrenching for then modified driver of the #15 Randy Snyder. Later in the 1990’s Jack wrenched for Randy Snyder in the #3 Busch Grand National North NASCAR Series for many racing events. Jack passed away in February of 2001 and is greatly missed by all whose lives he touched in racing and beyond. In 2009 Jack was posthumously inducted into the New York State Stock Car Association Hall of Fame (NYSSCA).

BILLY PEEK

When Billy Peek was around seven years old he started going to the races at Fonda with his grandfather. As he got older he started helping his cousin Clyde, who has since started driving again in the #99 Crate Sportsman car, with his racecars. His first job at Fonda around 1980 was driving a wrecker for Gigi Conover who taught him many things about a racetrack and as time went on he became a full-fledged member of the track crew, working under promoters Ralph and Ron Compani, and Seymour Hayes.

Peek continued working at the Fonda Speedway well into the 90’s, working for Ric Lucia, who he has a lot of respect for. He would drive fire safety and EMT Safety trucks for Lucia until the untimely passing of Donnie Rose. After Donnie passed away, Peek took over the reins of the pace car in the early 2000’s. After Ric Lucia left, and the DeLorenzo era started, he continued driving the pace car at Fonda, and would work the first year for Pete Demitraszek.

When Brett Deyo took over Fonda, Peek returned to drive the pace truck for around a year before retiring. Peek said that he has “millions of laps” packing mud around the Fonda Speedway over the years, nearly 40 years of spending Saturday nights at Fonda, only missing one Saturday night event over that span of time.

JEFF CARTER

Working with four different drivers over his racing career as a crew chief, Jeff Carter spent 1978-1995 working with Dave Lape with some amazing statistics following them during their time together. The Lape/Carter combo were winners of five Track Championships at Fonda back in 1983, 1986, 1987, 1991, & 1992 along with Track Championships at Albany Saratoga (1982), Utica Rome (1985), Weedsport (1982 & 1983), and the DIRT CRC Series (1982).

During the 1982 season, Lape/Carter ran 109 races, finishing 105 of them on the lead lap, with 27 feature wins! Big wins achieved by the duo were the 1985 & 1989 Rolling Wheels 200, along with the 1984 Eastern States 200. Carter also worked with Jimmy Johnson, Todd Stone, and Troy Audet winning 40 races and eight Track Championships together with that trio of drivers.

“In 1981, I drove Lape’s red #22 at Utica Rome as the original start and park driver,” Carter told Jackie Lape as she gathered statistics for his Hall of Fame induction. “David was frugal about towing the car to the track to run a 10-lap heat race and two laps in the feature for $100 a week to take the green flag. Chuck Wright bought the fuel for the car while Roosevelt’s covered the oil changes for the car, which is currently in the DIRT Museum & Hall of Fame in Weedsport with the same four tires that I ran on the car. We were probably the only ones that made money racing back then.”