9/23/2025
Fonda Speedway
FONDA SPEEDWAY CELEBRATES THE 2025 SEASON WITH A “SUNDAY FUNDAY” BANQUET
By: Ron Szczerba
Fonda, NY – On Sunday, September 14, the day after the recent Fonda 200, Brett Deyo and the Fonda Speedway management celebrated the 2025 racing season at the “Track of Champions” Fonda Speedway with a Sunday Funday Awards Banquet.
The event was held in the Entertainment Building on the Fonda Fairgrounds with a chicken barbeque being served before the awards ceremony began, in a very comfortable setting with casual attire being worn.
Earl Hoon Jr. was the emcee of the event with the top ten in all divisions being rewarded for their successes during the 2025 season. Below is a complete list of the top ten in points in all regular divisions:
AMSTERDAM TRUCK CENTER MODIFIED TOP 10
Alex Yankowski 591, Bobby Hackel IV 571 (-20), Jack Lehner 561 (-30), Ronnie Johnson 539 (-52), Rocky Warner 533 (-58), Cody Clark 465 (-126), Brian Calabrese 465 (-126), Luciano (Pep) Corradi 423 (-168), Danny Varin 410 (-181), JaMike Sowle 372 (-219).
SWAGGER FACTORY APPAREL CRATE 602 SPORTSMAN TOP 10
Chad Edwards 540, Tyler Peet 512 (-28), Dylan Madsen 502 (-38), Stephen Gray 461 (-79), Mark Mortensen 460 (-80), Tanner Warner 458 (-82), Josh Coonradt 415 (-125), Ricky Quick 402 (-138), Matt Perry 399 (-141), Chip Constantino 393 (-147).
LEATHERSTOCKING CREDIT UNION PRO STOCK TOP 10
Beau Ballard 561, Ivan Joslin 539 (-22), Nick Stone 518 (-43), Kenny Gates 493 (-68), Luke Horning 491 (-70), Jason Morrison 473 (-88), Andy Graves 459 (-102), A.J. Walters 391 (-170), Nick Santuccione 365 (-196), Hayleigh Gates 320 (-241).
MONTGOMERY COUNTY OFFICE FOR AGING INC. LIMITED SPORTSMAN TOP 10
Corky Warner 598, Mason Gray 539 (-59), Camron Hotaling 510 (-88), Steve Wagoner 480 (-118), Jim Mallia 471 (-127), Bobby Rhinehardt 471 (-127), Lance Hill 454 (-144), Walter Cook 439 (-159), Josh Persse 419 (-179), Zach McSpirit 322 (-276).
FONDA FAIR FOUR CYLINDER TOP 10 OVERALL
Jay Ingersoll (DOHC Track Champion) 644, Wayne Russell Jr. (SOHC Track Champion) 582 (-62), John Ray 510 (-134), Len St. Andrews 438 (-206), Tim Warner 427 (-217), Kerrie Hollenbeck 384 (-260), Ken Hollenbeck 368 (-276), Jeremiah Paro 246 (-398), Blake Smart 244 (-400), T.J. Marlitt 214 (-430).
PROMOTER BRETT DEYO ADDRESSES THE CROWD
Fonda Speedway promoter Brett Deyo took the mic, greeted the crowd, and talked about the 2025 season at the Montgomery County Fairgrounds track. Here is what Deyo had to say in his own words:
“Thank you everybody for coming out for our “Sunday Funday” banquet. Kind of cool when Ronnie Johnson got here today he had a 1985 schedule from the Fonda Speedway and that year they actually did the awards banquet as part of the 200 weekend, it is kind of cool for that nostalgia. As I said at the drivers meetings this year, it was a rebuilding year for the speedway and for all of us, and I think that we did just that.”
“We had a very good year with crowds, went to some different advertising methods with billboards and did some other things differently then we’ve done in the past, I think we started to see some new faces, and I’m really happy with that. Car counts this season were really outstanding, consolations for Sportsman for most of the year, and full fields for most weeks in all divisions.”
“Honestly even our Modified division, even though it wasn’t what it was five or ten years ago, but it was still better than most. I am very, very happy with the support we received this year from all of our race teams. We really worked hard on the race track, sometimes we got it right, sometimes we didn’t but very happy that we got it perfect last night for the 200. That was definitely the way we wanted to do the 200 on a track like we had it.”
“It was pretty encouraging, it was an awesome 200 lap race, a great way to end the season. Some people I really want to recognize are Mark Wilmot as the President of the Fonda Fair and his wife Mary Ellen. They have done great things for this place, they really have. You look around and you’ve got things getting remodeled, new fences, look at what they’ve done to this building in the last couple of years. Everywhere you go they are making improvements, some stuff that you don’t even see, the water lines, the electrical work.”
“I go to a lot of Fairgrounds facilities with the series, and you know I look around and what we’ve got here is pretty amazing, it is amazing that we have a Fair Board that truly loves racing. I’m very lucky to have that and we’re very excited that midway through the season, as I told you and the drivers at the drivers meeting, that we extended our contract until 2030. I am very, very happy with the partnership that we have.”
“Some other people also come to mind, we are paying out a very nice point fund today, we are one of the last tracks in the northeast to pay $10,000 to the champion in the Modified division. We couldn’t do that without our 50/50 girls, they hustle, almost $7,000 last night. They have done a great job all season.”
“It was way back in 2014 at the STSS event at Afton, which was then I-88, it was a crazy eight special. Jamie and Denise Page were the promoters, and I was the series promoter, and we partnered up for that race. At the end of the night, we were talking how wouldn’t it be cool if we could ever do this all the time, have me work with the marketing, Jamie as the General Manager, and Denise with the food.”
“Five years later the opportunity came to promote Fonda and I called Denise, and she agreed before Jamie knew that we were even doing it, it has been a very rewarding friendship, almost like family now, we spend so much time together. So, thanks to those guys because they are always hustling for us. We’ve got one more weekend to go, looking forward to the Montgomery County Open.”
“We have a January 1 Enduro next year to open for 2026 with the “Chill Factor”, so we are looking forward to doing that as I said it was an outstanding year for all of us. The Fonda community needed it, no doubt last year was tough, tough on me personally, tough on everyone. I’ve been doing this for 17 years and I don’t plan to stop anytime soon.”
“The tough times definitely build character, you learn from it, I’ve seen some things that I’ve done, we keep building as I feel real good about this year I felt real good about last night. It was nice to hear all the comments and messages today. I think that there is a very strong future for racing on Fairgrounds tracks, racing started at Fairgrounds, and probably when this sport is all said and done it’s gonna end up at Fairgrounds because the privately owned properties quite honestly can’t afford it, so we are very lucky to have this venue.”
“Fonda Speedway has been here since 1953, well before me, through many promoters, I think there is a very strong future for this place and a lot of that is the community that we have here. I remember when I started to take on Fonda we were at the Syracuse trade show and Gary Tomkins came up to me and said man you’ve gotta have some thick skin, there have been some times on Facebook that have been tough sledding and there has been times that I’m like man why do I do this.”
“But this place has such a strong community, and I think the reason that we have that is that everyone is so passionate about this place. In the Fonda book it says that promoters are just caretakers of history, and I really believe that it has been a real nice seven years for me here, and looking forward to at least five more, but I am fortunate to have my name in the history books here at Fonda because it is an iconic venue that’s got some of the most passionate racers and race fans around so thank you all.”
GENERAL MANAGER JAMIE PAGE ADDRESSES THE CROWD
Jamie Page was next to the mic and had these things to say in his own words:
“Obviously my wife Denise and I get a lot of recognition from here but many times it is obviously also about the people that are also behind us, right up until like today every one of them, my job is out there but you never hear that. Today was I need help serving chicken, we’ve got people walking around here with broken legs selling 50/50.”
“It is a pretty amazing group that is here, right down to the fans, as Brett says they are tough people, but they are also some of the best people, people that support this place like it is theirs, and we feel like we are just a part of helping support it, it’s not ours, it is all for you guys. We really do appreciate all the support, all of the staff, the Teal Suits Team, Nick Squires and his Fire Team. Thank everybody that puts it out everyday we race here, we really do appreciate it.”
“Thanks to my wife Denise, there are a lot of road miles up and down the highway back and forth to take care of business and take care of here. She is with me every step of the way and I wouldn’t do it without being able to do it that way, thank Brett for the opportunity. Yeah I was second to know that I was doing it but sometimes that’s the way it goes. When he called me I was like how am I ever gonna get my wife back in the sport, but she was already in. Thank her for what we give up to be here and thanks to all of you for the opportunity.”
BRIAN CALABRESE RECEIVES THE “AGAINST THE WIND” AWARD
Presented by Jessica Lape in her own words:
“When I think of my dad, one song always comes to mind, Against the Wind. It was his theme song, the one that rode with him through each of the five nights a week he spent racing, week after week, year after year, for 17 straight years. That song says a lot about who he was, because no matter how strong the wind was blowing against him, he just kept going. He pushed forward with grit, determination, and an unshakable love for this sport.”
“It’s in that spirit that we present the Against the Wind Award, in honor of Dave Lape. This award is about more than success on the track—it’s about integrity, perseverance, and the will to keep moving forward, even when the odds are tough. This year’s recipient, Brian Calabrese, embodies all of those qualities. He presents himself with integrity, works hard, and puts in long hours that few ever see. He doesn’t just race, he gives back by taking young crew members under his wing, teaching them, and inspiring the next generation to chase their dreams in racing.”
“On the track, he shows a never-give-up attitude, racing in multiple divisions and proving time and again that determination and heart matter just as much as speed. It is my honor to present Brian with this year’s Against the Wind Award in honor of Dave Lape.”
FONDA SPEEDWAY HALL OF FAME & MUSEUM UPDATE
By Jessica Lape in her own words:
“In racing, emotions are known to run high. Passions flare, words are sometimes spoken in the heat of the moment, and tensions can rise between teams, drivers, and fans. But one thing I have consistently observed is that, after those moments pass, this community comes back to what matters most, the big picture. At the heart of it all is a shared love of the sport, and emotions don’t run so deeply in anything unless it is something people truly care about.”
“Since the passing of my father, this journey has not been an easy one for our family. Grief is a difficult road to navigate. Mistakes are made, sadness finds its way in, and the loss is felt every time we arrive to the speedway. My dad was our voice of reason, and without him, the shifts in partnerships and communication have sometimes been hard to balance. Even so, it has been deeply satisfying for us to continue improving the building we’ve proudly called home for the last ten years.”
“Thanks to the generosity of fans and drivers who contributed to my father’s memorial fund, we’ve been able to stain the building the Montgomery County Agricultural Society has allowed us to call home, add a new sign, purchase flags that let fans know when we’re open, install shelving for the ever-growing donations of memorabilia, PA system to use for our Hall of Fame events and others we events we host, and even a TV to show FloRacing highlights from the week before. Each of these updates has not only honored my dad’s memory but also ensured that the museum grows stronger for the future.”
“In addition to our updates, we were able to provide financial contributions to Fonda Speedway and the Mohawk Valley Vintage Modified Series. I personally was glad to give back to these organizations as they are working to keep history alive in their own way. In many ways, we feel we’re leaving things better than we found them, something my dad would be proud of.”
“With that said, we also know that change is sometimes necessary for growth. And today, we are excited to announce that the time for change has come. It is my honor to announce new Executive Director, Bob Lansing, and your new Event Coordinator, Jaynie Corbet. We believe their leadership, vision, and energy will help guide this organization into its next chapter, while continuing to build on the foundation my dad worked so hard to establish.”
“As for our family, we look forward to taking a step back, focusing on one another, and cherishing time together, especially enjoying the chance to see my son, Luca, grow up. On behalf of my family, I want to thank you for your patience, your passion, and your support. This community, this sport, and this history mean so much to us, and I know my dad would be proud to see us move forward with self-respect, integrity and strength.”
“Thank you to all who have supported us while we worked to keep moving forward and honoring my dad’s wishes. We know the Board of Director’s and Museum Executive Director can take it from here.”
Submitted By: Brett Deyo