|
FONDA, NY- Matt Delorenzo had to replace his primary car after wrecking it one week ago in a heat race crash. The crew thrashed all week to put a new frame together and arrived late to the track. The BBL Companies no. 3D team was rewarded for their efforts as Delorenzo recorded his fifth win of the season in the 30-lap modified feature. Mark Mortensen wheeled his Jumpin’ Jack’s Drive-In, no. 1M to his fourth career victory in the 20-lap sportsman main.
Kenny Gates low-lined his way to his third win of the season in the 20-lap pro stock feature while George Catanzano went wire to wire in the 20-lap IMCA modified feature. The street stock feature went to Dave Horning Jr, but he insisted that Joe Smith go to victory lane to pay tribute to his wife who tragically passed away this week.
Tony Pepicelli led the first half of the 30-lap modified feature on Saturday night. Pepicelli had a huge lead, as the usual suspects were starting to make their way to the front of the pack. Delorenzo and Bobby Varin were running in the top five by lap six. Varin used a lap six restart to move from fourth to second, but Delorenzo was able to regain the runner-up position coming off turn four.
Dave Camara flipped his racecar during qualifying and had to go to a backup for the main. Camara started twenty-fifth but rocketed up to seventh just before halfway. Camara would finish fourth. Pepicelli was able to maintain his advantage over Delorenzo in lapped traffic but a caution on lap 18 proved to be his undoing. Delorenzo powered past on the restart and quickly opened a big lead. Pepicelli’s night got worse on lap 22 as his right rear tire went flat. He would recover to finish eighth.
Varin made a bid for the lead on the restart but Matty D had his new racer ready for the challenge and he went on to record his fifth win of the season. Dave Lape had a strong run with a third place finish and last week’s winner Craig Hanson rounded out the top five.
Jason Memrick led the early portion of the 20-lap sportsman main before relinquishing the lead to Mortensen on lap five. Mortensen was flying on the outside of the track and quickly opened up a straightaway lead until a lap 13 caution flag. He now had to contend with David Towns in second. Towns made a bid for the lead on the restart but Mortensen had the hot setup and was able to maintain the lead and cruise home for his first win of the season and the fourth of his career.
In victory lane, Mortensen was quick to thank former sportsman racer, Jeremiah Munson who is helping him out in the pits and John Scarborough who stopped by and offered some setup advice during the night. Towns held on for second with Derrick McGrew third, Memrick fourth and John McAuliffe fifth.
Kenny Gates found himself in a familiar place Saturday night in the 20-lap pro stock main. Gates used the extreme bottom of the track to take the lead from Phil Pearson on lap four and he would never move from that lane. He missed a four-way battle for the runner-up position between Rob Yetman, Nick Stone, Chip Smith and Jim Burton. The first caution flag of the race came on lap 18 as Smith spun coming off turn four while third. Burton made a bid for the lead on the restart, but the caution flag flew again and negated the pass.
Gates held the advantage on the next restart and went on to record his thirty-sixth career victory at the Track of Champions. Burton finished second, Stone third, Yetman fourth and Roy Fifield rounded out the top five.
The most eventful race of the night belonged to the street stocks in their scheduled 15-lap feature. ‘Cousin’ Luke Horning and Chuck McSpirit led the event early while Horning Sr. and Jr. made their way towards the front of the field. John Babcock and Rocky Warner both slowed on lap sic bringing out the third caution of the race. Dave Horning Jr. took the lead on the restart before the caution flew on lap seven. The field restarted but the caution flag flew again before another lap was completed. While under the caution lights things got interesting on the speedway. Rocky Warner was sent pit side by speedway officials and chose not to go. He refused to leave the speedway, the flagger threw the checkered on the race making it official on lap seven, which gave the win to Horning Jr. Joe Smith came to victory lane instead of Horning Jr as the competitors wanted to honor Joe’s wife, Mary who passed away earlier this week.
The sportsman drivers went through the stands during the intermission to collect donations for John Scarborough after his big wreck a few weeks back. Over $1200 was collected. Next week a full card of modified, sportsmen, pro stocks, IMCA mods and street stocks will be in competition. The pro stocks will be running the 2nd Annual Hondo Carpenter Memorial Race in memory of their fallen friend. Race time is set for 6:00. For more information about next week’s event or future races log onto www.fondaspeedway.com
MORRIS AUTO GROUP & SNAPPLE MODIFIED FEATURE FINISH- 30 LAPS:
MATT DELORENZO, Bobby Varin, Dave Lape, Dave Camara, Craig Hanson, Jack Johnson, Ronnie Johnson, Tony Pepicelli, Alton Palmer, Josh Hohenforst, Elmo Reckner, Ray Zemken, John Marsh, Ed Pieniazek, Eric Nelson, Mike Fusco, Harry Shaffer, Brian Purdy, Brett Graham, Josh Pieniazek, Ryan Odasz, Donnie Corellis, Steve Akers, Jim Davis, Robert King, Ed Harris
SPORTMAN FEATURE FINISH- 20 LAPS: MARK MORTENSEN, David Towns, Derrick McGrew, Jason Memrick, John McAuliffe, Robert Perry, Danny Varin, Jeremy Wilder, Chad Edwards, Jim Meka, Rick Quick, Vinnie Sanganetti, Luke Munroe, Bill Wilder Tony Farone, Dave Constantino, John Constantino
PRO STOCK FEATURE FINISH- 20-LAP: KENNY GATES, Jim Burton, Nick Stone, Rob Yetman, Roy Fifield, Kenny Martin, Phil Pearson, Dean Charbonneau, Chip Smith, Shane Henderson, Chuck Dumblewski, Ivan Joslin, Tony Stone
IMCA MODIFIED FEATURE FINISH- 20 LAPS: GEROGE CATANZANO, Dan Ballard, Jeremy Cramer, Kevin Buff, Aaron Jacobs, Jim Cramer, Bob Banks Jr, Beau Ballard, George Proctor III, JoJo Donato, Howard Smith, Bill Casey, Dan Ody
STREET STOCK FEATURE FINISH- (7 LAPS): DAVE HORNING JR., Chuck McSpirit, Luke Horning, Dave Horning Sr., Chris Fifield, Eric Sbrega, Duke McSpirit, Neil Cosselman, Randy Moore, Dan Pollack, Joe Smith, Cody Bleau, Reuben Kennedy, Brian Cosselman, Don Warner, John Babcock, Dave Cook, Brian Haas, George Green, Rocky Warner
|
|
