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METRO FORD OF SCHENECTADY PRESENTS DOLLAR NIGHT AT THE FONDA SPEEDWAY THIS SATURDAY, MAY 16

By: Ron Szczerba

FONDA, NY – RACINGS BIGGEST BARGAIN

On Saturday, May 16 at the “Track of Champions” Fonda Speedway, Metro Ford of Schenectady will present racings biggest bargain, Dollar Night, with $1 grandstand admission! Thanks to an anonymous donor (200 tickets) and Versus Monster Trucks (100 tickets) the first 300 fans through the grandstand gates will be admitted free of charge!

Divisions in action include 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. The night cap event for the evening will be a 50-lap Enduro.

Early pit pass sales will start at 2:00 p.m. with gates opening at 4:00 p.m., hot laps at 5:00 p.m., and racing at 7:00 p.m.

One year ago, on a Wednesday evening (5/14/2025) a special mid-week racing program was held at Fonda called the “River Rage” with two first time winners sitting in victory lane after the last checkered flag flew in their respective divisions.

After winning the big block Modified feature for his 33rd career win in that division at Fonda on Saturday evening (5/10/2025), Ronnie Johnson put his name in the history books for winning a 358-Modified event with his win in the River Rage event.

“There is quite a bit of difference, the 358’s you go around here almost wide open without lifting,” Johnson told Mimi Lazzaro after the win. “In a big block you can’t do that. I like racing the 358’s, we usually do okay with them, and it was fun tonight.”

Other winners one year ago on “River Rage Night” at Fonda were Steven Gray (first career win in the Swagger Factory Apparel Sportsman), Jay Ingersoll (DOHC) and Ken Hollenback (SOHC) in the Fonda Fair Four Cylinders, and Jason Samrov (Online Performance/Stone Motorsports Street Stocks).

A draw for starting positions placed Johnson on the pole for the start of the 30-lap event and he wasted no time getting the lead at the drop of the green flag. The top four of Ronnie Johnson, Chris Curtis, Marc Johnson, and Bobby Hackel IV pulled away from the rest of the field by lap five with Lance Willix fifth after starting tenth.

When Ronnie Johnson got into lap traffic on lap 13, Curtis closed in to pressure the leader with the top five at the halfway point consisting of Marc Johnson, Hackel, and Willix. Ronnie Johnson was having trouble getting through lap traffic, but a caution flag on lap 18 cleared the lap cars away.

“It was a little bit marbly, and the track was not very wide,” Johnson said after the win. “I didn’t want to jeopardize going to the top. It made me protect what I had and if someone drove around me so be it I guess.”

Ronnie Johnson led the remaining laps for his first career 358-Modified win at Fonda over Hackel, Curtis, Lance Willix, and Marc Johnson.

“I have to thank all my guys,” Johnson said after the win. “They put up with me and my temper tantrums and some of my stuff, but we work hard. Gary Mickle has been with me for 25 plus years, Chris Persons, Frank Witz he’s been a sponsor of my dad’s since the early to mid-90’s, Kevlar Racing Engines, and all of my fans.”

“It seems like we haven’t won many races the last couple of years so hopefully we can keep this going but it’s definitely not from a lack of effort,” Johnson continued to say. “Maybe we are on to something here. We’re gonna keep trying and come after it again this Saturday.”

Stephen Gray took the lead on lap 16 of the Swagger Factory Apparel Sportsman feature and went on to his first career win in the division one year ago.

“I’ve been wanting this one for a real long time, it’s been escaping us, but we finally got it done tonight,” Gray said in victory lane. “I had a real good car tonight and everything worked out in my favor. I was catching him (Brett Mortensen) early then I messed up in turns three and four and he got away from me. I got him back in lap traffic and I was able to stick the bottom better than he was and I got by him.”

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!

This Saturday, May 16 the Fonda Speedway Kid’s Club will have “Panel Night” on “Dollar Night” where drivers can donate panels from their race cars that the Kid’s Club members will have a chance to win! If you are a driver who would like to donate a body panel from your race car please drop them off at the Kid’s Club location at the end of the covered grandstand at gate two. Also coming up on May 30th will be the rescheduled Flagger Class with Joe Kriss along with “Bike Night”. Any drivers or race teams wishing to donate a bike please message the Fonda Speedway Kids Club page on Facebook!

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.

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