5/7/2026
Fonda Speedway
COBLESKILL COLLISION PRESENTS ALL DIVISIONS PLUS AN ENDURO THIS SATURDAY AT FONDA
By: Ron Szczerba
Fonda, NY – This Saturday, May 9 at the “Track of Champions” Fonda Speedway, Cobleskill Collision will present all regular divisions in action plus an Enduro when point championship battles continue on the 75th anniversary season at the Montgomery County Fairgrounds track.
All regular divisions will be in action including the Amsterdam Truck Center Modifieds, the Swagger Factory Apparel Sportsman, the Leatherstocking Credit Union Pro Stocks, the Montgomery County Office for Aging Inc. Limited Sportsman, and the Fonda Fair Four Cylinders with an Enduro closing out the evening.
The Fonda Speedway Kid’s Club will also hold a Junior Flagging class with Fonda Speedway starter Joe Kriss! Kid’s signed up for the class are asked to be at the Kid’s Club location at the fourth turn end of the covered grandstands at 3:45 P.M. with the class starting at 4:00 P.M.
Grandstand Admission on Saturday, May 9 will be $15 (Adults), $13 (Seniors ages 65 and over), Kids 11 and under FREE! Infield Parking will be $65 (includes four passes) with Pit Admission: $40 (Non-Members) - $35 (Members) - $10 (Kids 11 and under). Event Times are Pits Open at 4:00 PM, Grandstand Gates Open at 4:00 PM, Hot Laps at 6:00 PM, and Racing at 7:00 PM.
A LOOK BACK
Last year on this date, a racing program honoring Fonda Speedway legend Dave Lape was held at Fonda. The evenings racing program was presented by long time sponsors of the Dave Lape #22, M.W. Roosevelt & Son Inc./Roosevelt’s Towing. During opening ceremonies, the 2024 “Running Against the Wind Award” was handed out by Jackie and Jessica Lape honoring defending 2024 Fonda Speedway Track Champion Alex Yankowski.
“Each year we give away an award in honor of my father’s legacy,” Jessica Lape said. “It goes to a driver who has dedication, determination, a driver who will not give up and has a good mindset coming into a race at the Fonda Speedway. My dad was a man of few words, but when he spoke it was meaningful, tactful, and many times he mentioned a young driver who came to the Fonda Speedway. The last driver that he mentioned was Alex Yankowski.”
“My dad recognized that Alex had the skill and ability to have an impactful career in the future, and we wanted to honor him this year because racing every week he comes here with the determination that he was going to give it his all and he did just that,” Jessica continued to say. “My dad had a nickname of “Mr. Consistency” and each week all through the year in 2024, although you didn’t win, you still ended up with the Track Championship. Tonight, we honor Alex Yankowski as a nice young gentleman with class as well.”
“Dave Lape was a racer that kept going no matter what,” Yankowski said after accepting his award. “Racing is a tough sport, it kicks you down and hits you, but you just keep digging and digging. They don’t make them like they made Dave anymore; we need more of that in the sport. Dave Lape was a heck of a racer, dedicated his life to racing, and was a real good family man as well so it is hard to beat that.”
The first of two Dave Lape Memorial 22-lap events was won by Ronnie Johnson while Yankowski won the first Modified feature of his career at Fonda in the second 22-lap Memorial event.
“My life went on as a kid sitting up in the grandstands,” Johnson said in victory lane after his win in the first Twin 22. “Dave Lape was a competitor, we didn’t root for Dave Lape. But as I started racing and got to know Dave and learned what kind of a man he was, I became friends with him. He was a hero to so many, including myself, and it is an honor to be here tonight. It has been a whole lifetime of this and I’m proud to be here.”
“It is such a cool night,” Yankowski said in victory lane after the win in the second Twin 22 event. “Dave Lape was a legend, especially here at Fonda, not many drivers were able to get around here that good. This has been a long time coming for ourselves. Corey Wilcox never stopped believing, we just kept digging and got a couple of wins last year at Utica Rome and now to win at Fonda right out of the box is pretty darn cool. Kevin Bates is the crew chief, the brains of the operation, Jeff Murray, I’m really lucky to have such a good group of guys with me.”
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).
The “Track of Champions” Fonda Speedway has hosted the best in stock car racing for 75 years. 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.
Submitted By: Brett Deyo