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By: Ron Szczerba

FONDA, NY – Matt DeLorenzo took up right where he left off last year as he stood in victory lane at the Fonda Speedway on Saturday afternoon after the annual “Ice Jam” event. DeLorenzo won the final race of the 2007 season and yesterday battled Brett Hearn and Ryan Odasz to take home the win in the 40-lap event.

In victory lane DeLorenzo made a very special dedication to his grandfather Anthony who passed away during the off season.

“I really need to dedicate this win to my grandfather,” DeLorenzo said. “He always used to ask me why does Brett Hearn beat you all the time. My grandfather was here with us at the races every week and this win is for him as he was definitely looking down on me today.”

The win was worth $4000 with another $800 added on top of it because a Fonda Speedway regular was able to beat an outsider. The win was the 13th of DeLorenzo’s career in the Modified division at Fonda.

Odasz took the early lead after drawing the pole for the start with Hearn making a quick move by Donnie Corellis for the second position at the drop of the green flag after starting third. Ronnie Johnson who started fourth and DeLorenzo who started seventh were also able to get by Corellis for the third and fourth positions by the time lap four was completed.

DeLorenzo got by Johnson for the third position on lap five while Odasz held a half straightaway lead over Hearn at that point in the event. On lap six, Jack Johnson spun in turn four taking away the lead that Odasz had built up and putting a lot of hungry drivers on his tail who were all after an opening day victory. Jack Johnson was done for the day at that point.

Odasz decided to take the outside line on the restart and held the point at the drop of the green flag until Alton Palmer spun on the back stretch shortly afterwards bringing out the second caution of the event before another lap was completed. Palmer was able to continue on and when the green flag dropped on the restart Odasz again chose the outside line but this time Hearn made the low line work for him as he took the lead coming out of turn four.

Ronnie Johnson and DeLorenzo swapped the third position twice in the next two laps with DeLorenzo the new second place car on lap eight after he was finally able to clear Ronnie Johnson. Jeff Trombley got by Ronnie for the fourth position on lap 12 while DeLorenzo got by Odasz for the second position on lap 14 with Hearn now out to a full straightaway advantage.

When the leader entered lap traffic on lap 16, DeLorenzo closed in on Hearn just looking for room to get by. Odasz made it a three way battle by lap 23 while Hearn and DeLorenzo were now side by side for the lead. On lap 25 coming out of turn four on the low side, DeLorenzo was the new leader of the event and from that point on stretched his lead out to a full straightaway by the time the checkered flag flew.

Hearn ended up second followed by Odasz, Bobby Varin who made his way up from the 11th starting position, Trombley, Ronnie Johnson, Pat Ward who started 17th, Dave Camara who started 22nd, Corellis, and Elmo Reckner.

“I really never knew where Hearn was after I took the lead,” DeLorenzo said. “The track locked down and after awhile there was no high side so I moved down low which is where I was able to take the lead.”

“I chose the wrong compound tires for the race and had night time tires on for a day time race,” Hearn said after the event. “I was just trying to hold on for much of the race.”

“I knew that I was in trouble after lap two,” Odasz said. “The car just kept getting tighter and tighter but it was a good run and I am very excited about this year with my new team owned by Bill Schoons.”

The 25-lap Sportsman feature was a two man race for the win between defending track champion David Towns and 2006 Track Champion John Scarborough who started side by side on the front row in a heads up start format. At the drop of the green flag the two ran side by side with Scarborough leading lap one by a nose but by the time the two cars reached the back stretch Scarborough was finally able to clear Towns with the cars now nose to tail.

With Scarborough and Towns the class of the field and pulling away from the rest of the field there was plenty of racing a little bit farther back in the pack. After starting ninth and falling back to 12th early, Mark Mortensen put on a show on the outside of the speedway as he got back up to the sixth position by lap 13. The one and only caution in the event came out on lap 14 for Neil Erickson who spun going into turn three and on the restart Towns seized the moment as he took over the lead for good in the event.

Mark Kislowski started the event in the 17th position and was one of the drivers who used primarily the low line around the speedway to make his way to the front. Kislowski was able to easily get by all of the cars that were using the outside groove and by lap 15 he was already up to the seventh position.

Meanwhile the best race on the track was between Mortensen and Tony Farone who was in a brand new #18 Teo car to open up the season. The two ran nose to tail and side by side for many laps as they raced hard and clean for a spot just out of the top five.

When the checkered flag flew it was Towns who took home the 27th victory of his career at Fonda followed by Scarborough, Luke Munroe, John McAuliffe, Kislowski, Jeremy Wilder, Mortensen, Farone, D.T. Pickard who moved up this year after running in the street stock division last season, and John Reome.

“I’m not sure if maybe John’s tires sealed up or something but the track was fast on both the top and the bottom,” Towns said. “This is the same car as last year as nobody wanted to buy the old junk.”

Next week the 2008 point season begins at Fonda in all divisions with a regular show in all classes starting at 4:00 p.m.

MODIFIED QUALIFYING – 36 total cars – 4 qualify – 3 redraw

HEAT 1 – Donnie Corellis, Jeff Trombley, Bobby Varin, Larry Wight

HEAT 2 – Ronnie Johnson, Mario Clair, Alton Palmer, Dustin Delaney

HEAT 3 – Tony Pepicelli, Elmo Reckner, Ryan Odasz, Shaun Pangman

HEAT 4 – Brett Hearn, Matt DeLorenzo, Erik Nelson, Jack Johnson

MODIFIED CONSOLATIONS – 5 qualify

CONSI 1 – Pat Ward, Mitch Gibbs, A.J. Romano, Jeremy Wilder, Mike Fusco

CONSI 2 – Alan Barker, Danny Varin, Dave Camara, Andy Bachetti, John Marsh

ICE JAM MODIFIED FEATURE – 40-LAPS – MATT DELORENZO, Brett Hearn, Ryan Odasz, Bobby Varin, Jeff Trombley, Ronnie Johnson, Pat Ward, Dave Camara, Donnie Corellis, Elmo Reckner, Dustin Delaney, Larry Wight, Shaun Pangman, Danny Varin, Alan Barker, Ray Zemken, A.J. Romano, Jeremy Wilder, Alton Palmer, Mike Fusco, Erik Nelson, John Marsh, Tony Pepicelli, Mitch Gibbs, Jack Johnson, Andy Bachetti (DNS), Mario Clair (DNS)

SPORTSMAN QUALIFYING – 19 total cars – 4 qualify

HEAT 1 – David Towns , Luke Munroe, Tony Farone , Chad Edwards

HEAT 2 – John Scarborough, Jeremy Wilder, John McAuliffe, D.T. Pickard

SPORTSMAN OPEN FEATURE – 25-LAPS – DAVID TOWNS, John Scarborough, Luke Munroe, John McAuliffe, Mark Kislowski, Jeremy Wilder, Mark Mortensen, Tony Farone, D.T. Pickard, John Reome, Vinny Sanganetti, Justin House, Kris Savoie, Bill Wilder, Neil Erickson, Howard Gage, Chad Edwards (DNS), Pete Sisler (DNS)

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