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NIGHT OF FEATURES CLOSES THE 2008 REGULAR SEASON AT FONDA THIS SATURDAY
By: Ron Szczerba
FONDA , NY – On Saturday, August 16 at the Fonda Speedway, track champions in all divisions will be crowned as the 2008 point season comes to a close with the “Night of Features”. Fonda Speedway promoter Ric Lucia started the “Night of Features” format in his first year of promoting the speedway back in 1997.
Looking back over the years here are all of the different drivers who have won feature events on the “Night of Features” in the modified, sportsman, and pro stock divisions. Over the 11 year span the “Night of Features” consisted of two feature events for each of those divisions with a total of 22 feature events being held in each of the three classes.
In the modified division, A.J. Romano leads the way with four “Night of Features” victories including a sweep of both events back in 2002. Bobby Varin and Dave Camara are next with three wins apiece followed by Jeff Trombley, Tony Pepicelli, Mike Romano and Dave Lape each with two wins apiece; while Alton Palmer, Ronnie and Jack Johnson, and Matt DeLorenzo all have one win apiece.
In the sportsman division Michael Ballestero leads the way with four “Night of Features” victories followed by David Towns with three feature wins. John McAuliffe and Tim Clemons both have two wins apiece while Jim Senzio, Alton Palmer, Brian Gathen, Craig Boehler, Tony Farone, Kenny Martin Jr., Tim Dwyer, Justin House, Jeremiah Munson, John Scarborough and Danny Varin all have one win apiece.
In the pro stock division (was known at the street stock division back in 1997 until changing to pro stocks in 1999) Kenny Gates leads the way with seven “Night of Features” victories including a sweep of both events back in 2004 followed by Rob Noviczski and Nick Stone (Stone swept both events back in 2006) with three wins apiece; while Steve Brownell, Dave Viall, Mark Sullivan, Jim Normoyle, Jim Burton, Chris Morris, Butchie Irwin, Kenny Martin Jr., and Roy Fifield all have one win apiece.
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 18 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 top five in modified division points going into this Saturday’s “Night of Features” racing program are Bobby Varin with 612, Pat Ward with 583, Ronnie Johnson with 578, defending Modified Track Champion Matt DeLorenzo with 554, and Dave Camara with 542.
In the sportsman division defending Sportsman Track Champion David Towns is the current point leader with 594 followed by Mark Kislowski with 546, John McAuliffe with 510, John Scarborough with 492, and Luke Munroe with 490.
Defending Co-Track Champion Kenny Gates (Gates was co-champion in the Pro Stock division with Rob Yetman in 2007) leads the way in the Pro Stock point standings going into the Night of Features with 586 points followed by Nick Stone with 552, Roy Fifield with 536, Chip Smith with 506, and Shane Henderson with 472.
Leading the way in IMCA points is defending IMCA Track Champion Jeremy Cramer with 419 followed by Aaron Jacobs with 397, Jim Cramer with 395, Kevin Buff with 392, and Beau Ballard with 389.
Street stock points are currently led by Chuck McSpirit with 586 followed by Cassidy Wilson with 570, Neil Cosselman with 560, Rob VanAernam with 558, and Dave Horning Sr. with 552.
It will also be Banner Night at Fonda this Saturday sponsored by the Fonda Futures Kid’s Club. In the event of a rain out on Saturday the rain date for the Night of Features program will be Saturday, September 13.
So come to the Fonda Speedway this Saturday and see who will be crowned the 2008 Track Champions! Racing starts at 6:00 p.m.
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