|
By: Ron Szczerba
FONDA, NY – After losing a heartbreaker at another local speedway on Friday night on the final turn of the final lap, Matt DeLorenzo wasn’t about to let it happen a second night in a row as he took the modified feature win by a straightaway at the Fonda Speedway on Saturday night.
The convincing win was DeLorenzo’s second of the season and the sixth of his career in the modified division at Fonda.
“I really need to thank my brother Mike, my father, and my family along with my sponsor BBL Companies,” DeLorenzo said in victory lane. “They are the ones who tell me to go out there and step on the gas and they are the ones responsible for this win tonight.”
Other winners on Veterans Night sponsored by Jumpin’ Jack’s Pro Speed and the United States Air Force were John Scarborough (sportsman), Kenny Gates (pro stock), Aaron Jacobs (IMCA), and John Babcock (street stock).
Dan Hartgraves led at the drop of the green flag in the 30-lap modified main event with Ray Zemken the leader by the time lap one was completed. Dave Camara started the event in the ninth starting position and by lap two he was already up to the third spot. One lap later Camara took over the second position from Erik Nelson but on lap five the Camara Slate #26 started showing signs of smoke on the backstretch and was forced to retire from the event.
After starting seventh, Tony Pepicelli moved up to the third spot behind Zemken and Nelson by the lap six point in the event with DeLorenzo in the fourth position after starting 10th. Pepicelli and DeLorenzo both got by the smoking car of Nelson on lap seven with DeLorenzo the new second place car on lap 12.
DeLorenzo made quick work of Zemken as he got the lead on the outside of turn two on lap 13 and by the halfway point he held a straightaway advantage over Pepicelli. Ryan Odasz started the event in the 11th position and on lap 19 he swept around the outside of both Zemken and Nelson for the third position with defending champion Bobby Varin following him through for the fourth spot after starting 12th.
The one and only caution of the event came out on lap 19 for Paul Cirincione who came to a stop at the exit of pit road in turn four. With four lap cars between himself and the second place car of Pepicelli, DeLorenzo pulled away on the restart with Varin now third after getting by Odasz.
As DeLorenzo was out on a Sunday drive with a huge lead, Ronnie Johnson who started the event in the 28th spot in a back-up car was racing his father Jack for the sixth position over the final five laps. Lap traffic came into play for the leader with three laps to go but that wasn’t about to slow DeLorenzo as he went on to the win followed by Pepicelli, Varin, Odasz, and Jim Davis.
“The lap cars were running two wide and the track was getting slicker lap after lap,” DeLorenzo said. “I was just moving around on the race track trying different lanes to find a hole to get through.”
Jason Memrick started the sportsman feature from the pole position and took the lead at the drop of the green flag. An early caution on lap two slowed the field after Dave Constantino and Jim Meka came together in turns three and four. On the restart, Mark Kislowski took over the lead from Memrick with John McAuliffe now in the third position after starting eighth.
Memrick was running a great race and wasn’t about to let Kislowski get away and got alongside of the leader on lap five with Kislowski able to hold on to the lead after a side by side battle. The final caution of the event came out shortly afterwards for a hard crash on the front stretch involving Vinnie Sanganetti who was not injured in the crash.
On the restart, Scarborough went from fourth to second with a quick move on the outside in turns three and four and on lap eight he was the new leader after getting by Kislowski in the same spot. McAuliffe also got by Kislowski for the second spot but had nothing for the defending track champion as Scarborough went on to an easy win and climbed the fence in turn four afterwards to celebrate the back to back win.
McAuliffe, Memrick, Derrick McGrew, and Tony Farone completed the top five.
The win was the fifth of Scarborough ’s career in the sportsman division at Fonda and his second of the 2007 season.
“The car ran well and we have a great combination here with my crew and sponsors who stand behind me,” Scarborough said. “Hopefully this puts us on a roll as we want another championship this year.”
Phil Pearson took the lead at the drop of the green flag in the pro stock feature from his pole position start with an early yellow coming out before lap one was completed. The yellow was for Nick Stone who got loose and spun in turn two collecting three other cars. Nobody was injured with Stone the only one who was able to continue.
On the original restart, Pearson took the lead again with Chip Smith and Gates in tow. On lap three, Smith took over the lead briefly coming out of turn four but by the time they reached the finish line Pearson retook the position in a great side by side, lead swapping battle.
On lap four coming out of turn four, Gates got a great run on the inside and took the lead after getting by both Smith and Pearson for the spot. With five laps to go, Gates and Smith made it a two car battle for the win as Kenny Martin Jr. was sitting a distant third.
With two laps to go, Gates pulled away to an easy back to back win, the 35th of his career in the pro stock division at Fonda and his second of the season. Smith, Martin Jr., Pearson, and Roy Fifield completed the top five.
“I found a little something on the bottom and made it work for me,” Gates said. “My car hooked up down there just like it did last week.”
The IMCA feature began with Jim Cramer as the early leader and by lap two he had already stretched it out to a full straightaway advantage over Bob Banks Jr. When Dan Clemens spun coming out of turn four it brought out the caution and took away the huge lead that Cramer had built up.
On the restart, Cramer continued to lead with defending track champion Danny Ballard moving into the second spot with Jacobs in third. On lap four, Jacobs got by Ballard for the second spot with Cramer just ahead. On a restart after a caution on lap seven, Jacobs was the new leader after getting by Cramer with Ballard also getting by to maintain the second position.
As Jacobs pulled away from Ballard with the laps winding down, the Cramer brothers Jim and Jeremy were waging a great battle for the fourth position. At the finish it was Jacobs who got his third career IMCA feature win at Fonda and his first of the 2007 season over Ballard, Jeremy Cramer, Jim Cramer, and Danny Ody.
“There is a lot of tough competition here at Fonda,” Jacobs said in victory lane. “This is a new car for me this season and we have been working on setups but I knew that the win would come.”
Cassidy Wilson led lap one of a wild street stock feature until Luke Horning took over the point on the second go around. An early yellow was out on lap two involving Dave Horning Jr. and Rocky Warner who came together in turn four. Both were able to continue at the rear of the field.
Dave Horning Sr. was the new leader on lap five after coming through the field quickly from his 14th place starting position. John Babcock started the event in the 12th position and when the caution came out on lap five he was in the second spot pressuring Horning Sr. for the lead.
On the restart, Babcock was the new leader and from that point on he never looked back as he went on to his 24th career street stock feature win at Fonda and his second of the 2007 season. Wilson, Warner, Horning Jr., and Dan Pollock completed the top five. Horning Sr. spun in turn two while running second taking him out of contention for the lead.
Next Saturday at Fonda a regular show in all divisions is on the racing card starting at 6:00 p.m.
MODIFIED QUALIFYING – 30 total cars – 4 qualify
HEAT 1 – Ray Zemken, Dan Hartgraves, Ryan Odasz, John Marsh
HEAT 2 – Bobby Varin, Tony Pepicelli, Dustin Purdy, Matt DeLorenzo
HEAT 3 – Alton Palmer, Jack Johnson, Erik Nelson, Dave Camara
JUMPIN’ JACK’S PRO SPEED/UNITED STATES AIR FORCE MODIFIED FEATURE – 30-LAPS – MATT DELORENZO, Tony Pepicelli, Bobby Varin, Ryan Odasz, Jim Davis, Ronnie Johnson, Jack Johnson, Craig Hanson, Ray Zemken, Erik Nelson, Josh Pieniazek, John Marsh, Elmo Reckner, Steve Akers, Donnie Corellis, Dan Hartgraves, Butchie Irwin, Bobby Vedder, Brett Graham, Ed Harris, Rick Amo, Harry Shaffer, Dustin Purdy, Mike Fusco, Paul Cirincione, Dave Lape, Alton Palmer, Dave Camara
SPORTSMAN QUALIFYING – 20 total cars – 6 qualify
HEAT 1 – Jason Memrick, Tony Farone, John McAuliffe, John Scarborough, Justin House, Dave Constantino
HEAT 2 – David Towns, Mark Kislowski, Vinnie Sanganetti, Mark Mortensen, Danny Varin, Robert Perry
JUMPIN’ JACK’S PRO SPEED/UNITED STATES AIR FORCE SPORTSMAN FEATURE – 20-LAPS – JOHN SCARBOROUGH, John McAuliffe, Jason Memrick, Derrick McGrew, Tony Farone, Mark Kislowski, Danny Varin, Mark Mortensen, Luke Monroe, Jim Meka, Robert Perry, John Constantino, Ricky Quick, Justin House, Vinnie Sanganetti, Dave Constantino, David Towns
PRO STOCK QUALIFYING – 16 total cars – 4 qualify
HEAT 1 – Chip Smith, Kenny Martin Jr., Phil Pearson, Chucky Dumblewski
HEAT 2 – Kenny Gates, Rob Yetman, Nick Stone, Roy Fifield
JUMPIN’ JACK’S PRO SPEED/UNITED STATES AIR FORCE PRO STOCK FEATURE – 20-LAPS – KENNY GATES, Chip Smith, Kenny Martin Jr., Phil Pearson, Roy Fifield, Rob Yetman, Chucky Dumblewski, Jason Brownell, Nick Stone, Rocky Warner, Tony Stone, Ivan Joslin, Shane Henderson, Rod Slater
IMCA QUALIFYING – 14 total cars – 4 qualify
HEAT 1 – Jim Cramer, Danny Ballard, Aaron Jacobs, JoJo Donato
HEAT 2 – Jeremy Cramer, Bob Banks Jr., Bill Casey, Howard Smith
JUMPIN’ JACK’S PRO SPEED/UNITED STATES AIR FORCE IMCA FEATURE – 20-LAPS – AARON JACOBS, Danny Ballard, Jeremy Cramer, Jim Cramer, Danny Ody, Bob Banks Jr., JoJo Donato, Bill Ward, Jeff Townsend, Dan Clemens, Howard Smith, Beau Ballard, Bill Casey, Kevin Buff
STREET STOCK QUALIFYING – 26 total cars – 10 qualify
HEAT 1 – Dave Horning Sr., Luke Horning, John Babcock, Dave Bayes, Joe Smith, Dave Horning Jr., Roger Newkirk Jr., Chuck McSpirit, Cody Bleau, Chris Reckner
HEAT 2 – Rocky Warner, Cassidy Wilson, Neil Cosselman, Chris Fifield, Dan Pollock, Rob VanAernam, Randy Moore, Reuben Kennedy, Eric Sbrega, Jeff Crosier
JUMPIN’ JACK’S PRO SPEED/UNITED STATES AIR FORCE STREET STOCK FEATURE – 15-laps – JOHN BABCOCK, Cassidy Wilson, Rocky Warner, Dave Horning Jr., Dan Pollock, Chris Fifield, Rob VanAernam, Neil Cosselman, Reuben Kennedy, Joe Smith, Jeff Crosier, Chuck McSpirit, Dave Horning Sr., Chris Reckner, Jack Hamm, Cody Bleau, Dave Bayes, Randy Myers, Lee Horning, Randy Cosselman, Randy Moore, Luke Horning, Kenny Allen Jr., car #111, Roger Newkirk Jr., Duke McSpirit, Eric Sbrega
|
|
