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DELORENZO TAKES FOURTH VICTORY OF THE SEASON AT FONDA
By: Ron Szczerba
FONDA, NY Defending Fonda Speedway Modified Track Champion Matt DeLorenzo and Bobby Varin started the 30-lap Modified feature event Saturday evening at Fonda side by side in the fifth row and as the laps were clicked off they made it evident that they were going to challenge for the win as they both worked their way up to the front of the field.
When it was all said and done it was DeLorenzo who took home the hard fought victory over Varin in the BBL Companies sponsored #3D for his fourth win of the season and the 16th of his career in the Modified division at Fonda.
The track was fast tonight, DeLorenzo said in victory lane. Winning just never gets old and it keeps up the morale of the team. It also keeps the fans either cheering or booing whatever they choose to do.
Other feature winners on Morris Auto Group/Snapple Night at the Track of Champions were David Towns (Sportsman), Nick Stone the Third Annual Hondo Classic for Pro Stocks (see separate press release for race story and results), Aaron Jacobs (IMCA), Dave Horning Sr. and Rob VanAernam (Street Stock), and Mike Gray (Northeast Vintage Dirt Modified).
Erik Nelson and Craig Hanson started the Modified feature event on the front row and ran side by side for the entire first lap before Nelson was able to take the advantage. Back a little further in the field Dave Camara and Ryan Odasz made a sandwich of Danny Varin as they got by him on the inside and the outside into the fourth and fifth positions just behind the third place runner Dave Lape.
Nelson and Hanson were side by side for the lead again on lap five with Hanson gaining the advantage at the completion of the lap. Camara made his way by Lape for the third position on the same lap just before the yellow came out for Danny Varin who came in contact with first the frontstretch wall and then the wall in turn one. He was not injured in the accident but was done for the nigh at that point in the event.
On the restart Bobby Varin went from eighth to sixth while Camara and Ryan Odasz both got by Nelson for the second and third positions. While all of that action was going on Lape and Varin were side by side for two laps for the fourth position with Varin eventually getting the spot.
On lap 12 Camara slowed coming out of turn four and pulled to the infield while running second with a trail of fluid following him. On lap 14 the final yellow flag of the event came out for Nelson who pulled off the track on the backstretch taking away the big lead that Hanson had built up with Varin now second.
On lap 15 on the inside of turn four, Varin was the new race leader while DeLorenzo was getting by both Odasz and Hanson for the second position on lap 17. One lap later DeLorenzo was up to the leader and followed Varin into lap traffic. With five laps to go DeLorenzo went in between both Varin and the lap car of Harry Shaffer for the lead while back in the top five Jack and Ronnie Johnson were running side by side for the fourth spot.
At the checkered flag DeLorenzo was the winner followed by Varin, Hanson, Jack Johnson, and Ronnie Johnson.
Bobby (Varin) had me off turn two but going into turn three I was able to get back by him, DeLorenzo said. I just kept my foot into it all the way around the track.
Ricky Quick got the early lead in the 20-lap Sportsman feature with Chad Edwards second after starting fourth. After starting the event in the sixth and ninth positions respectively, Mark Kislowski and David Towns were up to the third and fourth positions by lap four while a little further back in the field John McAuliffe and Mark Mortensen both got by Sisler for the sixth and seventh positions on lap seven.
Quick and Edwards were side by side for the lead on lap eight with Edwards taking the advantage with a pass at the finish line to complete lap eight with Towns now right on their heels in third. At the halfway point in the event Towns got by Quick for the second position and one lap later was the new race leader after getting by Edwards on the outside of the backstretch.
On lap 12 the caution was out for Mortensen who spun in turn two while working his way to the front of the field. When lap cars slowed the leaders in turn two they were forced to take drastic measures and when Quick had to check up as a car slowed in front of him Mortensen had nowhere to go and made contact with the rear of the Quick car. Mortensen pitted and returned to the rear of the field but after a couple of laps went to the pit area with front end damage.
John Scarborough got up to the second position on the restart after starting seventh with one more caution slowing the field on lap 14 but nobody had anything for Towns as he took his fourth win of the season and the 30th of his career at Fonda. Scarborough finished second with Luke Munroe third after starting 12th. Jeremy Wilder who started 10th and Kislowski completed the top five.
Weve been struggling ever since the new clay was put down on the track, Towns said. The car still isnt real good, it is alright but not where we need it to be. We need to work on it but tonight the breaks went my way for a change.
The last few weeks the IMCA feature has been one of the best of the evening and last Saturday was no exception. Kevin Buff took the lead at the drop of the green flag in the 20-lap event after starting on the outside pole with Beau Ballard and Bob Banks Jr. completing the top three. On lap four Buff and Ballard were running side by side for the lead with Ballard able to take the advantage on lap five on the inside of the backstretch.
Defending IMCA Track Champion Jeremy Cramer started the event in the seventh position and by lap six was up to the third spot. After a side by side battle Cramer was able to get by Buff for second with a caution flag closing up the field on lap 10 when Howard Smith spun in turn two.
On lap 12 on the inside of turn three, Cramer was the new race leader while Jacobs was getting by both Banks and Buff for the third position. Jacobs continued his march to the front on lap 14 as he got by Ballard for the second position and quickly closed in on Cramer for the lead. On lap 16 Jacobs was able to use the outside groove which he had been using throughout the event to get by Cramer for the lead.
Jacobs pulled away from that point on to a straightaway win over Jeremy Cramer, Ballard, Buff, and Jim Cramer. For Jacobs it was his first win of the season and the fourth of his career at Fonda in the IMCA division.
The car has been out to lunch the last few weeks, Jacobs said in victory lane. Tonight I was able to throw the car into the turns and it stuck and after getting beat on a restart earlier this year it wasnt going to happen again tonight.
The Street Stock A feature began with Neil Cosselman the early leader. By the time lap one was completed Dave Horning Sr. was up to the third position after starting seventh and on lap two Horning was the new second place car after getting by Matt Johnson for the spot.
Cosselman and Horning were side by side for the lead when the yellow came out on lap three for Luke Horning who suffered a flat tire and came to a stop on the backstretch. On the restart Dave Horning Sr. was the new race leader while Reuben Kennedy was making his way to the front after starting 10th.
Kennedy was the new second place car on lap 8 after going between Cassidy Wilson and Cosselman for the spot and on the final lap Kennedy was all over Horning Sr. for the win. Coming out of turn four Kennedy got alongside Horning Sr. and the two raced side by side to the checkered flag. Horning Sr. was declared the winner in a photo finish over Kennedy, Wilson, Cosselman, and last weeks winner Cody Bleau.
The finish was so close I had to ask who won, Horning Sr. said. I looked outside of me and knew that someone was there but I didnt know who it was.
The Street Stock B feature began with Dan Pollock as the early leader with Eric Sbrega in tow. Rob VanAernam started the event in the fifth position and by lap five was racing three wide with Chuck McSpirit and Mike Jeske for the third spot. VanAernam was able to get the third position on lap seven and two laps later he was the new second place car after getting by Sbrega for the spot.
On the inside of turns three and four on lap eight, VanAernam was the new race leader and he held on the rest of the way for his second win of the season and the 21st of his career in the Street Stock division at Fonda over Pollock, Sbrega, McSpirit, and Jeske.
We didnt run a full season at Fonda last year but this year we are, VanAernam said in victory lane. It took awhile to get this car to handle but I think we have it figured out now.
Next Saturday at Fonda a regular show in all divisions is on the racing card along with the Budget Sportsman. The Fonda Futures Kids Club will also hold Duct Tape Night where the kids can do or make anything with duct tape with prizes to be awarded. Starting time next Saturday will be 6:00 p.m.
MODIFIED QUALIFYING 24 total cars 5 qualify 4 handicapped
HEAT 1 Tony Pepicelli, Matt DeLorenzo, Craig Hanson, Ray Zemken, Elmo Reckner
HEAT 2 Alton Palmer, Ryan Odasz, Pat Ward, Danny Varin, Ronne Johnson
HEAT 3 Dave Lape, Erik Nelson, Bobby Varin, Dave Camara, Alan Barker
MORRIS AUTO GROUP/SNAPPLE MODIFIED FEATURE 30-LAPS MATT DELORENZO, Bobby Varin, Craig Hanson, Jack Johnson, Ronnie Johnson, Pat Ward, Dave Lape, Ryan Odasz, Elmo Reckner, Marc Johnson, Ray Zemken, Alton Palmer, Tony Pepicelli, Todd Morey, Alan Barker, Darwin Green, Ed Harris, Harry Shaffer, John Scarborough , Erik Nelson, Dave Camara, Paul Cirincione, Danny Varin, Donnie Corellis (DNS)
SPORTSMAN QUALIFYING 21 total cars 6 qualify 6 handicapped
HEAT 1 Chad Edwards, John McAuliffe, Luke Munroe, Ricky Quick, Mark Mortensen, Pete Sisler
HEAT 2 John Scarborough , Mark Kislowski, David Towns, Jeremy Wilder, Neil Erickson, Vinny Sanganetti
MORRIS AUTO GROUP/SNAPPLE SPORTSMAN FEATURE 20-LAPS DAVID TOWNS, John Scarborough , Luke Munroe, Jeremy Wilder, Mark Kislowski, Chad Edwards, John McAuliffe, Neil Erickson, Vinny Sanganetti, Dan Papa, Ricky Quick, D.T. Pickard, Pete Sisler, Bill Wilder, Shawn Gibbons, Howard Gage, Mark Bishop, John Reome, Jason Reome, Chuck Allen, Mark Mortensen
IMCA QUALIFYING 14 total cars 4 qualify
HEAT 1 Jeremy Cramer, Bob Banks Jr., Jim Cramer, Dan Hartgraves
HEAT 2 Beau Ballard, Kevin Buff, Aaron Jacobs, JoJo Donato
MORRIS AUTO GROUP/SNAPPLE IMCA FEATURE 20-LAPS AARON JACOBS, Jeremy Cramer, Beau Ballard, Kevin Buff, Jim Cramer, Bob Banks Jr., Danny Ballard, Dan Hartgraves, George Proctor III, Carol Parker, Howard Smith, Danny Wood, Dennis Vrooman, JoJo Donato
MORRIS AUTO GROUP/SNAPPLE STREET STOCK A FEATURE 12-LAPS DAVE HORNING SR., Reuben Kennedy, Cassidy Wilson, Neil Cosselman, Cody Bleau, Luke Horning, Matt Johnson, John Palmer, A.J. Walters, Ellis Shaffer
MORRIS AUTO GROUP/SNAPPLE STREET STOCK B FEATURE 12-LAPS ROB VANAERNAM, Dan Pollock, Eric Sbrega, Chuck McSpirit, Mike Jeske, Steve Oleksak, Chris Reckner, T.J. Marlett
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