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ONE ZEE TEES & AIM AUTISM PRESENTS AUTISM AWARENESS NIGHT THIS SATURDAY, JULY 12 AT THE FONDA SPEEDWAY

By: Ron Szczerba

Fonda, NY – On Saturday, July 12, the Fonda Speedway will host a regular racing program consisting of the Amsterdam Truck Center Modifieds, the Swagger Factory Apparel Crate 602 Sportsman, the Leatherstocking Credit Union Pro Stocks, the Montgomery County Office for Aging Inc. Limited Sportsman, and the Fonda Fair Four Cylinders.

The rain delayed Amsterdam Truck Center Modified feature from June 28 will also be held making it double feature night for the Modified division. The Mohawk Valley Vintage Dirt Modified Series (MVVDMS) will also be in competition on Saturday evening at the “Track of Champions” with a Dave Lape Memorial Night held by the MVVDMS organization.

The “Autism Awareness Night” racing program will be presented by One Zee Tees and AIM Autism and will feature live music, a chicken barbeque, and raffles from 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. in the Entertainment Building.

A bounce house and a dunk tank will also be set up outside of the entertainment building, where fans will have the opportunity to dunk Fonda Speedway promoter Brett Deyo; drivers Jack Lehner, Kyle Dingman, and Alex Yankowski; NASCAR on Fox reporter Todd Bodine; and last but certainly not least Parker and Stewart Friesen. The schedule for the dunk tank activity can be found on the Fonda Speedway Facebook page.

The Crossroads Center for Children holds a special place in Stewart and Jessica Friesen’s hearts as their son Parker attended the center after he was diagnosed with Autism. This will be the fifth benefit for the organization held at the Fonda Speedway and organized by the Friesen’s, the first four were a huge success as this one promises to be as well.

Last year in 2024, according to a Facebook post put out after the evening was completed by Jessica Friesen’s One Zee Tees business, there was a total of $38,416 raised at the fundraiser held during the day at the track but after a donation of $11,584 by Halmar International the total amount raised, which was donated to the Crossroads Center for Children, was $50,000!

MVVDMS HONORS DAVE LAPE

Saturday evening July 12 will be another popular night for the Mohawk Valley Vintage Dirt Modified Series (MVVDMS) at Fonda Speedway as the MVVDMS will honor the "Track Of Champions" great, David Lape. Nearly fifty cars will be on hand representing the many eras of our racings past for this fun and exciting event that also will include the rescheduled New York State Stock Car Association (NYSSCA) Night for the series.

In honor of David Lape, Joe Rando, who drives a replica #44B to the one that Lape used to drive during his illustrious career, is giving two $22.00 cash bonuses in each of the five MVVDMS divisions.

The fun will start with a MVVDMS car display at the Fonda Speedway Hall of Fame & Museum at 1:00 p.m. where many of the beautiful MVVDMS race cars will be on display. Three features will determine the winners in five different divisions representing speedway great, David Lape. That's not the only thing happening for the series as the rescheduled NYSSCA Night for the MVVDMS will be held with over thirty-five drivers eligible to take home a cash prize from the NYSSCA organization.

This will be the MVVDMS third points show of the 2025 season, so that means it's NESCOT Pot Luck Bonus Night! Eight lucky drivers will have the chance of taking home a little bit more cash thanks to the North East Stock Car Old Timers Club. The MVVDMS is honored to keep so many of the drivers' memories and history alive by all the committed drivers this Saturday Night at the historic speedway.

PAST DAVE LAPE MEMORIAL NIGHT MEMORIES FROM JACKIE LAPE AND THE WINNERS OF THE EVENTS

There have been five previous Tribute/Memorial events honoring Dave Lape at the Fonda Speedway with Stewart Friesen winning three of them in 2012 and 2023 while Brian Pessolano and Demetrios Drellos captured one win apiece in the Twin 22-lap events held back in 2024.

Words from Jackie Lape that should never be forgotten: “When you’re a racer, you just race and if you did good, great and if you don’t you keep on pushing on to the next day. That is what David taught us the most, that was some of his final words and I think this would work for everyone, you just keep going, do what you do, be good to others, and you just keep going and be happy.”

5/29/2021
Every race night at the “Track of Champions” Fonda Speedway is special. It means so much to win there, to even race there. Saturday evening was even more special as one of the legendary drivers at the speedway was honored with a special tribute night.

As the winner of both Twin 22 lap Sunoco Modified features that night, Stewart Friesen said in victory lane “The track was challenging tonight, it had some character. That was pretty wild, Dave Lape is one of my hero’s and my friend, he used to come to Ransomville to race back when my family owned the speedway.”

Dave Lape Tribute Night started that Saturday afternoon at the Fonda Speedway Hall of Fame & Museum when a special ceremony was held to honor the driver from Canajoharie, NY. A whose who list of people were on hand to honor Lape including the founder of DIRT Motorsports Glenn Donnelly who came all the way to Fonda from his home in Florida, Shane Andrews, Lew Boyd, Dick Berggren, Adam Fusco who is the son of Lape’s great friend the late Andy Fusco, Matt Noles, many of Lape’s former crew members, business partners, and friends.

5/27/2023
“Dave was my hero as a little kid,” Friesen said to Mimi Lazzaro in victory lane after winning the event. “I grew up out west at the Ransomville Speedway and when he came to town with his family, who were close to my family, he let me sit in his racecar, ride my minibike in his trailer, and hang out with the guys before the races. When I raced for Tadd Parks we got to park next to Dave in the pits and those are probably some of the best memories I have of him and racing here at Fonda. Super special to get this win on his night.”

“Thank you to everyone for being here tonight,” Jackie Lape said to the crowd. “It is a great place to be on a Saturday night. David was dedicated to the Fonda Speedway, he loved it. His father started him out here in 1965 and he was at Fonda for 50 years. It was our family; it was what we did. Jessica was here at six days old, and David won the feature the following Saturday night. We have so many wonderful memories from this place, a few memories that weren’t great.”

6/8/2024
“Brian was one of the hugest Dave Lape fans, he used to come up to the house when he first started and I am so proud of him,” Jackie Lape said as she congratulated Pessolano in victory lane.

“This is crazy to win on this night, Dave Lape was my idol growing up, he was my favorite race car driver,” Pessolano told Mimi Lazzaro in victory lane. “Crazy, ironic isn’t it being my first career Modified win.

If you are a race fan that gets to the track early, be sure to check out the history of the Fonda Speedway at 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!

Fonda Speedway weekly feature winners, their race teams, and sponsors are invited the following week to display their cars at the museum and watch their feature win on Flo before the races. The victorious car display can begin as early as 3:00, and you are welcome to arrive and stay as late as your schedule allows.

Please message the Fonda Speedway Hall of Fame and Museum Facebook page to RSVP or with any questions!

All Fonda Speedway events are broadcast LIVE on FloRacing (www.floracing.tv).

Since 1953, the Track of Champions Fonda Speedway has hosted the best in stock car racing. The speedway operates 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: @thefondaspdwy or Instagram: @fondaspeedway.

AIM Autism & One Zee Tees present Autism Awareness Night

AIM Autism and One Zee Tees present Autism Awareness Night - pre-race fundraisers, music, barbecue and more. All divisions plus Vintage Cars in competition.

Amsterdam Truck Center Modified postponed by rain from June 28

Amsterdam Truck Center Modifieds
Swagger Factory Apparel Sportsman
Leatherstocking Credit Union Pro Stocks
Montgomery County Office for Aging Inc.
Fonda Fair Four Cylinders

All Gates Open: 4 p.m. - Hot Laps: 6 p.m. - Racing: 7 p.m.

Grandstand Admission: $13 (Adults) - $11 Seniors (ages 65 and over) - Kids 11 and under FREE

Infield Drive-In (includes four passes): $60

Pit Admission: $40 (Non-Members) - $35 (Members) - $10 Kids (11 and under)

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