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CAMARA TAKES FONDA SPEEDWAY WIN
By: Ron Szczerba
FONDA, NY – The 2008 season at Fonda has been a rough one for “The Flash” Dave Camara of Granville , NY who has seen his share of motor problems with the Camara Slate #26 PMC car this year.
On Tuesday, August 5 in a mid week special event at Fonda, Camara had a great second place run to Brett Hearn and said afterwards that he was down on horsepower. That problem was fixed last Saturday evening as Camara had a new Pat Morrison power plant under the hood which took him to victory lane for the first time in almost a year with his last win coming on 8/18/07.
“I have to thank my brother Danny who is my crew chief and all of my crew for this win,” Camara said in victory lane after celebrating with his son who was on top of the car waving the checkered flag. “The crew works like dogs in the shop and this year they have been doing a lot of motor swapping. I also have to thank Pete Chuckta for this PMC car and also Randy Ross for all of his help.”
Other winners on Leader Herald Night at the Track of Champions were Mark Mortensen (Sportsman), Rob Yetman (Pro Stock), Jeremy Cramer (IMCA), Dave Horning Sr. & Chuck McSpirit (Street Stock), D.T. Pickard (Jack Lockhart Memorial Dash for Cash (for non-winners in the Sportsman division), Dennis Vrooman (Wilma Smith Memorial Dash for Cash for tobacco free drivers in the IMCA division), and Dan Pollock (Robert Anderson Memorial Dash for Cash for non-winners in the Street Stock division).
Elmo Reckner led at the start of the 30-lap Modified event from his pole position start with Dave Lape grabbing the second position at the drop of the green flag after starting third. On a restart after a caution for Ray Zemken who spun in turn three, Lape took the lead from Reckner as Pat Ward drove into the top five after starting eighth.
On lap four, Camara who started ninth, Jack Johnson, and Craig Hanson were racing three wide for the fifth position with Johnson getting the spot at that point. Ward got by Danny Varin for the third position on lap three as Camara also got by both Johnson and Varin for the fourth spot.
Ward was in the runner-up spot on lap six after getting by Reckner with Lape now out to a straightaway lead. Camara also got by Reckner for the third position on lap eight and was turning lap times ½ second quicker than both Lape and Ward at the time. Ward and Camara both caught Lape in lap traffic on lap 14 with Camara able to get by Ward for the second position at the halfway point.
The final yellow flag of the event flew on lap 15 for debris and on the restart Camara used an inside move in turn three to get side by side with Lape for the lead. The side by side battle lasted for almost a lap with Lape running the outside and Camara on the inside with Camara able to take away the lead on lap 18 as Ward also got by Lape for the second position.
Lape wasn’t done racing side by side either as he and defending Modified Track Champion Matt DeLorenzo raced that way for three laps before DeLorenzo took over the third position on lap 21 with Camara out to a half straightaway lead with five laps to go. Ward pressured Camara one more time in lap traffic with three laps to go but Camara made a slick move in between the lap cars of Neil Erickson and John Marsh Sr. to get away from Ward and maintain his lead.
Camara was the winner for the first time this season and the 21st time in his career at Fonda over Ward, DeLorenzo, Lape, and Jack Johnson.
“I don’t know why we waited so long to do this,” Camara said after the win. “We learned a couple of things last week that we threw at the car and obviously they worked both Tuesday night and tonight. At one point during the race I just decided that if I was going to get the win I was going to have to go for it so that is what I did and it all worked out.”
The caution plagued Sportsman feature began with Ricky Quick taking the lead at the drop of the green flag with Drew Fallis in tow. At the finish line to complete lap one, Quick and Fallis were side by side for the lead with Quick able to hang on to the lead for one more lap.
On lap three, Fallis was the new race leader with Mark Mortensen also getting by Quick for the second position after starting sixth. The yellow flag was out before lap three was completed for D.T. Pickard, Jim Meka, and Tom Varin who crashed in turn two with Pickard flipping his car several times. Nobody was injured in the wreck.
On the restart the yellow flew again for Tony Farone who spun around on the backstretch and on the next restart Mortensen was the new race leader after getting by Fallis on the outside coming out of turn four. By lap six Luke Munroe was the new second place car with Mark Kislowski third after both cars got by Fallis for position.
At that point Mortensen had stretched out his lead out to a full straightaway until lap seven when Howard Gage and Shawn Gibbons crashed hard against the front stretch wall under the flagger stand. Neither driver was injured. On the double file restart Mortensen chose the outside with Munroe, Kislowski, John Scarborough , and Fallis completing the top five.
Mortensen made the right move choosing the outside on the restart as Munroe got ahead of the leader briefly when the green flag flew on the backstretch only to have Mortensen build up momentum on the outside and swing around the outside of Munroe to maintain the lead.
On the restart Scarborough was the new third place car and was racing so hard to get to the front that he made contact with the inside wall in turn two with his left front tire forcing his car to the outside of the speedway. All drivers steered clear of the Scarborough car as he was able to maintain his third place position until lap 17 when his motor went up in smoke ending his night and bringing out the final caution of the event.
That gave Munroe and Kislowski one more shot at Mortensen but the Jumpin’ Jack’s Drive In sponsored, Jack Boyd powered #1M was fast and turned the fastest lap of the event of 20.562 sec. Mortensen maintained the lead to the checkered flag for his second win of the season and the sixth of his career at Fonda followed by Kislowski, Jeremy Wilder, John McAuliffe, and Fallis.
“This car really goes good on the outside of the track,” Mortensen said in victory lane. “And tonight the outside was really fast.”
The car count was up to 18 in the Pro Stock division on Saturday but if there was one thing that was never lacking in the division it was the competition in the full fendered division as the 20-lap Pro Stock feature was the most exciting of the Saturday evening racing program.
Shane Henderson started on the pole position and took the early lead at the drop of the green flag. Before lap one was completed Chip Smith was the new race leader after starting fifth and racing three wide with John Babcock and Roy Fifield down the front stretch.
Fifield and Gates both got by Henderson for the second and third positions and with Gates the only car that was running the low side of the speedway he was able to get by Fifield for the second position on lap nine the same way that he made his way through the field after starting seventh.
At the halfway point Smith and Gates were side by side for the lead and were three wide around a lap car on lap 11 as they raced for the lead. On the inside of the backstretch on lap 12, Gates got around Smith for the lead with Gates’ Co-Champion in the Pro Stock division in 2007 Rob Yetman now second after starting eighth.
On lap 16 Gates and Yetman were side by side for the lead and that was the way they stayed for the remaining four laps as they swapped the lead each lap as the laps were completed with Gates running low and Yetman up high.
When Yetman took the lead on the outside of the frontstretch to complete lap 19 he dropped down to the inside to throw a block on Gates which worked to perfection as he was able to go on to his first win of the season in only his second appearance at Fonda in 2008. It was Yetman’s third career win at Fonda.
Gates, Smith, Fifield, and Nick Stone completed the top five.
“Kenny (Gates) and I were going at it good,” Yetman said. “The track had a groove that worked for me on the top and this win was with a crate engine (the same car and motor that he is running at Albany Saratoga) which is a feather in the cap for the crate motor program. This has been an up and down season for us and maybe this will turn it around. I came down on Kenny after taking the lead but I really wasn’t paying attention to the lap counter so when I threw that block on him I never knew that it was so late in the race.”
Bob Banks Jr. used his pole position start to his advantage and took the lead at the drop of the green flag in the 20-lap IMCA feature event. On lap two Kevin Buff and Jeremy Cramer both got by Danny Ody for the second and third positions while Banks was out to a straightaway lead by lap seven.
Cramer got by Buff for the second position on lap eight with Aaron Jacobs now fourth after starting eighth. The yellow flag was out on lap 11 for Carol Parker taking away the big lead that Banks had and putting Cramer, Buff, Aaron Jacobs, and Jim Cramer right on his rear bumper.
On the restart Cramer was the new race leader with Jacobs also getting by both Buff and Banks for the second position. One final yellow flag waved on lap 14 to close up the field but Cramer went on to his third win of the season and the 14th of his career at Fonda followed by Jacobs, Banks, Ody, and Jim Cramer.
“Because we are leading the points we really weren’t going for the win tonight,” Cramer said. “We just wanted to try and keep it clean, find a groove, and run some laps but the opportunity came and I had to take it.”
Cody Bleau led the first five laps of the Street Stock “A” feature with Dave Horning Sr. making his way up through the field from his 10th place starting position in the early going. By lap four, Horning got by Neil Cosselman for the second position and one lap later Bleau and Horning were side by side for the lead.
Bleau held on to the lead at that point as Horning got sideways off of turn two but made a great save not to spin the car out. On the inside of turn four on lap six, Horning took over the lead with Cassidy Wilson the new third place car behind Bleau with Cosselman now back to fourth. Cosselman was black flagged on lap 10 with parts hanging off of his car as Horning went on for the win over Bleau, Wilson, A.J. Walters, and Chris Reckner.
For Horning it was his fourth win in a row, his sixth win of 2008, and the 22nd of his career at Fonda.
Street Stock “B” began with Chuck McSpirit leading while Rob VanAernam, Ken Allen Jr., and Luke Horning were racing three wide on lap two for the third position. Horning was able to get the position and then got by Dan Pollock for the second position just before the yellow was out for a three car wreck in turn four.
Under the yellow Pollock drove to the infield and was out of the event at that point with Horning now pressuring McSpirit for the lead. Coming out of turn four on lap four, Horning was on the inside of McSpirit and when he drifted up the track he made contact with McSpirit and was able to take the lead.
McSpirit retook the lead one lap later as these two drivers were battling hard for the top spot. On lap seven on the outside of turn two; Horning retook the lead and went on to the win followed by McSpirit, Reuben Kennedy, VanAernam, and Brian Cosselman. In post race inspection Horning was disqualified giving the win to McSpirit which was his second win of the season and the fourth of his career at Fonda.
The six lap Jack Lockhart Memorial Dash for Cash for non-winners in the Sportsman division began with a five car field with D.T. Pickard taking the lead from his third place starting spot on the grid. Pickard led every lap to take the $200 win followed by Neil Erickson, Jim Meka, Mark Bishop, and Howard Gage.
The Wilma Smith Memorial Dash for Cash for tobacco free drivers in the IMCA division began with five cars on the starting line and Howard Smith the early leader after starting on the pole. The cars took their roofs off for the event and Smith was fast right from the drop of the green flag.
On the final lap coming out of turn four, Dennis Vrooman got around the outside of Smith for the lead and went on to the win followed by JoJo Donato, Carol Parker, Malcum Warner, and Howard Smith who spun in turn four just after Vrooman took over the lead.
The Richard Anderson Memorial Dash for Cash for non-winners in the Street Stock division began with Dan Pollock taking the lead from his outside pole starting position. Pollock led all 10 laps of the event for the win and the $100 top prize over Neil Cosselman, Eric Sbrega, Chris Reckner, and Leo Brady.
Next Saturday, August 16 the final point’s night of the 2008 racing season will take place with the annual “Night of Features”. In 2008 the “Night of Features” will bring the same excitement to all of the fans in attendance as drivers in all five regular divisions look towards the 2008 Track Championship. The modified, sportsman, and pro stock divisions will run two feature events while the IMCA will run a single event due to the rules in their sanctioning body.
The street stock competitors will run an “A” and a “B” feature as they have in the past few weeks of the season. All feature events will award single points with the modifieds running two 20-lap features while the sportsman and pro stock divisions will be running two 15-lap events.
The top 12 in the modified and sportsman points going into the night on August 16 will be handicapped. Positions 13th, 14th, and 15th in points will start the first feature event in the 13th, 14th, and 15th starting spots. Drivers in point positions 16th and down will be lined up in a “B” Main event which will qualify nine more cars for the first modified and sportsman feature events.
The top 10 in pro stock points will be handicapped for the first feature event while point positions 11th and down will be lined up according to points to run a “B” Main event. If the “B” Main isn’t needed drivers in point positions 11th and lower will be handicapped according to money won.
At the conclusion of each of the first modified, sportsman, and pro stock feature events the winner will draw the number of positions (1-10) that will be inverted for the second feature event. Any additional spots in the second feature will be filled by the alternates from the “B” feature events.
The Fonda Futures Kid’s Club will also hold Banner Night on Saturday, August 16 with prizes to be awarded. The banners can be made out of anything from paper, cardboard, an old bed sheet, plastic, or anything you can think of.
Starting time next Saturday for the Night of Features will be 6:00 p.m.
MODIFIED QUALIFYING – 19 total cars – 4 qualify
HEAT 1 – Pat Ward, Bobby Varin, Elmo Reckner, Alton Palmer
HEAT 2 – Dave Lape, Jack Johnson, Dave Camara, Danny Varin
HEAT 3 – Matt DeLorenzo, Ronnie Johnson, Craig Hanson, John Marsh Sr.
LEADER HERALD MODIFIED FEATURE – 30-LAPS – DAVE CAMARA, Pat Ward, Matt DeLorenzo, Dave Lape, Jack Johnson, Ronnie Johnson, Elmo Reckner, Ryan Odasz, Bobby Varin, John McAuliffe, Alton Palmer, Tony Pepicelli, Josh Hohenforst, John Marsh Sr., Neil Erickson, Todd Morey, Erik Nelson, Craig Hanson, Ray Zemken, Danny Varin, Ed Harris DNS
NOTE: the top five in Sportsman points were allowed to start at the rear of the Modified feature field with John McAuliffe and Neil Erickson finishing 10th and 15th respectively.
SPORTSMAN QUALIFYING – 26 total cars – 4 qualify
HEAT 1 – Luke Munroe, David Towns , Jeremy Wilder, Howard Gage
HEAT 2 – Mark Kislowski, Mark Mortensen, John McAuliffe, Tony Farone
HEAT 3 – John Scarborough , Chad Edwards, Drew Fallis, Ricky Quick
LEADER HERALD SPORTSMAN FEATURE – 20-LAPS – MARK MORTENSEN, Mark Kislowski, Jeremy Wilder, John McAuliffe, Drew Fallis, Neil Erickson, Jason Memrick, David Towns, Tony Farone, Ricky Quick, Chad Edwards, Bill Wilder, Aaron Jacobs, Chuck Allen, Jim Meka, Tom Funk, John Marini, Tom Varin, Luke Munroe, Jason Herrington, John Scarborough , Justin Auspelmyer, Shawn Gibbons, Howard Gage, D.T. Pickard, Mark Bishop, Adam Tranka
PRO STOCK QUALIFYING – 18 total cars – 5 qualify
HEAT 1 – Nick Stone, Roy Fifield, Shane Henderson, Danny Ody, Kenny Gates
HEAT 2 – Chip Smith, Rob Yetman, Dean Charbonneau, Kenny Martin Jr., Pete Broderson
LEADER HERALD PRO STOCK FEATURE – 20-LAPS – ROB YETMAN, Kenny Gates, Chip Smith, Roy Fifield, Nick Stone, Pete Broderson, Kenny Martin Jr., Danny Ody, Shane Henderson, Ivan Joslin, Dean Charbonneau, Chucky Dumblewski, Sheldon Martin, Luke Klob, Tony Stone, Bill Dona, Bill Smith DNS
IMCA QUALIFYING – 13 total cars – 4 qualify
HEAT 1 – Jeremy Cramer, Bob Banks Jr., Beau Ballard, JoJo Donato
HEAT 2 – Danny Ody, Kevin Buff, Danny Ballard, Jim Cramer
LEADER HERALD IMCA FEATURE – 20-LAPS – JEREMY CRAMER, Aaron Jacobs, Bob Banks Jr., Danny Ody, Jim Cramer, Kevin Buff, Dennis Vrooman, Beau Ballard, Howard Smith, Carol Parker, JoJo Donato, Malcum Warner
LEADER HERALD STREET STOCK “A” FEATURE – 12-LAPS – DAVE HORNING SR., Cody Bleau, Cassidy Wilson, A.J. Walters, Chris Reckner, Neil Cosselman, Mike Walters, Warren Pollock
LEADER HERALD STREET STOCK “B” FEATURE – 12-LAPS – CHUCK MCSPIRIT, Reuben Kennedy, Rob VanAernam, Brian Cosselman, Leo Brady, Kyle Klob, Ken Allen Jr., Dan Pollock, Don Warner, John Palmer, Brian Haas, A.J. Horning, Luke Horning
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