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HANSON & DELORENZO WIN ON NIGHT OF FEATURES AT FONDA
VARIN CAPTURES FOURTH CAREER MODIFIED TITLE
By: Ron Szczerba
FONDA , NY – Fonda Speedway finished out the regular season on Saturday evening with the running of the annual Night of Features sponsored by the Morris Auto Group with double features in the Modified, Sportsman, and Pro Stock divisions.
When all was said and done Craig Hanson and Matt DeLorenzo won the Modified features, Luke Munroe and Mark Kislowski won the Sportsman features while Roy Fifield and Shane Henderson won the Pro Stock features.
The IMCA division ran a single feature event with Aaron Jacobs taking the win while Eric Sbrega and Cassidy Wilson won the Street Stock features and Bill Wilder the Budget Sportsman feature on a very busy night at the Track of Champions.
Champions for the 2008 season at Fonda were also decided with Bobby Varin taking the Modified title for the fourth time in his career (2000, 2005, 2006, & 2008), David Towns for the second consecutive year in the Sportsman division, Kenny Gates for the third time in his career in the Pro Stock division (2004, co-champion in 2007, 2008), Jeremy Cramer for the second consecutive year in the IMCA division, and Chuck McSpirit for the first time in his career in the Street Stock division.
Elmo Reckner and Hanson started the first 20-lap Modified feature from the front row with Reckner taking the lead at the drop of the green flag. Dave Lape started the event in the fourth position and moved up to third just before the first caution of the event came out on lap two for Danny Varin who spun in turn two.
On the restart, Hanson took the lead away from Reckner and by lap nine was already out to a straightaway lead. At the halfway point in the event Hanson, Reckner, Lape, Ronnie Johnson, and Bobby Varin were running in the top five with another caution out on lap 10 for Ancel Collins who spun in turn three.
On this restart, Johnson made a great move to gain the third position away from Lape and one lap later was in the number two spot after getting by Reckner. Dave Camara started the event in the 11th position and by the lap 14 point in the event was up to third and challenging Johnson for second.
Over the final two laps Johnson and Camara were side by side for the second position as Hanson went on to win by a straightaway over Johnson who held on to the second spot, Camara, DeLorenzo, and Reckner.
For Hanson it was his first win of the season and the third of his career at Fonda in the Modified division.
“We have been struggling with the big block in this car here at Fonda and this week we decided to put a small block in the car,” Hanson said in victory lane. “We were ready to cut this car up with a torch as we thought that it was junk but we proved that wrong tonight. I called Ronnie (Johnson) this week and he gave us a few pointers and I have to thank him for that.”
Nine positions from the finish of the first feature were inverted to determine the starting lineup for Modified feature number two with two Fonda legends Dave Lape and Jack Johnson occupying the front row. At the drop of the green flag Lape took the lead with Johnson pressuring him hard for the lead.
Varin and DeLorenzo were the third and fourth place cars early on while Lape and Johnson were side by side for the lead on lap four. In turn four on lap four, Johnson got alongside Lape for the lead but coming out of the turn Lape came up the track to block Johnson’s lane and break his momentum allowing DeLorenzo to get by both Varin and Johnson for the second position.
Coming down the front stretch to complete lap six, DeLorenzo took the lead away from Lape and from that point on pulled away from the field as the feature went caution free the rest of the way. After a classic two lap side by side battle, Johnson was able to get by Lape for the second position with Camara also getting by for third.
As DeLorenzo cruised to an easy win Camara got by a lap car and Johnson for the second position at the finish with Johnson, Varin, and Ronnie Johnson completing the top five.
For DeLorenzo it was his sixth win of the season and the 18th of his career in the Modified division at Fonda.
“That was a tough first feature for us as the car was a little loose,” DeLorenzo said in victory lane. “With the shortened feature distance (30 laps to 20 laps) it made it even tougher for us as we needed the ten more laps in the first feature. Things went pretty well for us in the second feature and we were able to get the win.”
With finishes of sixth and fourth in the two feature events Varin won the Modified title by 26 points (unofficially) over Ronnie Johnson.
Pat Ward came in to Saturday evenings racing program second in points and had all kinds of problems during the Night of Features racing program. In warm-ups at the beginning of the night he had power steering issues and brought out a second car for the first feature event.
That car was a big block car and he had a problem with the distributor in that car so he took the green in the first feature and then retired to the pit area. For the second Modified feature Ward brought out a third car and got a sixth place finish out of it but unfortunately all of the problems took him out of the point race for 2008.
“It has been an up and down season for us,” Varin said as he celebrated his fourth career Modified Track Championship at the Track of Champions. “We have been all over the place this season and it has been a challenge for the whole team but they worked hard to get us where we are today. Our team comes here to race hard, go fast, and have fun
“I wouldn’t be here without all of the help from Jake (Spraker) and Dave (Cruickshank) and I have to thank both of them. It is an honor and a privilege to be called a champion here at Fonda with all of the other big names who have been champions here in the past.”
The first 15-lap Sportsman feature event started with D.T. Pickard the early leader. As lap one was completed Chad Edwards over took Pickard for the lead with Luke Munroe in the second position on lap three after starting fifth. On the inside of turn three on lap five, Munroe was the new race leader after getting by Edwards with Neil Erickson now in the third position followed by Pickard, and Jeremy Wilder.
Wilder made his way past both Erickson and Edwards for the second position with one lap to go while McAuliffe was battling with Edwards for the third position on the final lap. Munroe went on to his second win of the season and the third of his career at Fonda over Wilder, McAuliffe, Edwards, and Erickson.
“This is unbelievable,” Munroe said in victory lane. “I really wanted to get another win this year and this feels real good. It has been an up and down year with wrecks and motor problems but it is great to come back from all those problems to get another win. This is actually my 2006 Teo car and I have to thank JPM for getting this motor ready for me in only three days.”
An inversion of eight spots for the second feature put two Mark’s on the front row with Mark Kislowski and Mark Mortensen side by side at the drop of the green flag. At the start Kislowski took the lead followed by Mortensen, John Scarborough, John McAuliffe, and Neil Erickson.
Kislowski was out to a half straightaway lead by lap two while Scarborough was pressuring Mortensen hard for the second position on lap five with the two running side by side for the position. Mortensen and Scarborough gained some ground on Kislowski just before the caution came out on lap nine for Jeremy Wilder who had steam coming from his car which was stopped in turn four.
On the restart, Kislowski pulled away as Mortensen and Scarborough continued their side by side battle for the second position. Mortensen finally got away from Scarborough with two laps to go and was closing in on Kislowski in the final laps but ran out of time as Kislowski went on to his second win of the season and the sixth of his career at Fonda followed by Mortensen, Scarborough, McAuliffe, and Munroe.
“Starting up front definitely helped but the car was definitely a lot better in the second feature than it was in the first,” Kislowski said. “My family is all here with me tonight and this is great because it keeps a smile on my kid’s faces.”
With finishes of ninth and sixth, David Towns took his second consecutive Sportsman Track Championship by 30 points (unofficially) over Kislowski.
“This championship is a tribute to a great crew, great sponsors, and a great family,” Towns said. “We finished every lap of every point race this season and that is what it takes to win a championship. We won our share of races at the beginning of the season but struggled towards the end. This Groski motor belongs in the Hall of Fame as it has a lot of racing on it.”
The first 15-lap Pro Stock feature started with Tony Stone the leader at the drop of the green flag with Chip Smith second and Nick Stone third. Smith took the lead from Stone on lap two after getting by Stone on the inside of turn four while point leader Kenny Gates moved into the fourth position on lap four after starting ninth and Roy Fifield moved up to fifth after starting sixth.
On lap five, Nick Stone and Gates were side by side for the second position with the caution out on lap 11 for Kenny Martin Jr. who spun his car in turn four. On the restart, Smith continued to lead as Fifield made a bold three wide move around both Gates and Nick Stone for the second position. Gates also got by Nick Stone for the third position on lap 12 with the final caution of the event out two laps later for Danny Ody who was in the wall in turn one.
On the restart, Fifield made a crossover move on Smith to take the lead coming out of turn four and went on to his fifth win of the season and the eighth of his career at Fonda over Gates, Smith, Nick Stone, and last weeks winner Rob Yetman.
“This car has been a rocket on restarts all season,” Fifield said. “We fell back early on in the event and we were looking for cautions to be able to catch up. This car pulls real well on the restarts and on that final restart it was time to go for it and hope for a win.”
An inversion of eight from the first feature put Ivan Joslin and Dean Charbonneau on the front row but at the drop of the green flag it was the fifth place starter Shane Henderson taking the lead as lap one was completed. Gates started this event in the seventh position and on lap four he was up to the fifth position.
Henderson maintained a good lead in the caution free flag to flag event to take his first career win at Fonda. Gates took the second position on the final lap and was followed at the checkered flag by Charbonneau, Nick Stone, and Fifield.
“I have to thank Rob Yetman for getting me started in this sport,” Henderson said in victory lane. “It was great to come back from a wreck early in the season and I have to thank all of the race teams in the pit area that helped me get this win.”
With his two second place finishes Gates took the Pro Stock Track Championship by 46 points (unofficially) over Nick Stone.
“What a great feeling it is to be able to win this title again,” Gates said. “We had a great year, not a lot of wins but a lot of top five finishes and consistency is what it takes to win a Track Championship.”
Carol Parker led lap one of the 20-lap IMCA feature event from her pole position start with Danny Ballard second at the completion of lap one. Ballard was the new race leader on lap two after getting by Parker on the inside of turn four with the first yellow of the event out on lap five for point leader Jeremy Cramer who was in the inside frontstretch wall.
Coming out of turn four Dennis Vrooman came down on Cramer with Cramer getting the car sideways in order to avoid Vrooman ending up in the frontstretch wall. Cramer went to the pit area to get the car checked over and rejoined the rear of the field. Aaron Jacobs was third on the restart after starting eighth and on lap seven got by both Bob Banks Jr. for the second spot and Ballard for the lead on the outside of turn four.
Jacobs and Ballard ran side by side at times over the remaining laps but at the checkered flag it was Jacob’s who took his second win of the season and the fifth of his career at Fonda with a broken rear end housing in the car over Banks who got by Ballard in the late going for second, Danny Ballard, Beau Ballard, and Danny Ody.
“The car was vibrating so bad because of the broken rear end housing,” Jacobs said in victory lane. “Going for the lead I just stuck it out there and it was either going to break, flip or do something bad, or take the lead and I am glad that it was the last thing that I said.”
With his seventh place finish after all of the problems that he had during the event, Jeremy Cramer was crowned the IMCA Track Champion for the second year in a row over Jacobs by 16 points (unofficially).
“There was just something about tonight,” Cramer said as he celebrated his championship. “In my heat race I was running over my head and with the guys racing so hard in the feature someone came across my front end and I ended up in the wall. Steve Bidwell started me racing on dirt in this division and I owe this all to him along with my crew, family, and sponsors.”
The 12-lap Street Stock “A” feature began with Eric Sbrega in the lead from his pole position start and that is the way that it would end as Sbrega took the checkered flag first to take his first career win at Fonda. In between there was some drama and excitement to say the least.
Reuben Kennedy started the event in the sixth position and by lap two he was in the second spot. On lap six Sbrega and Kennedy were side by side for the lead with Sbrega holding on to the lead at that point. As lap nine was completed Sbrega and Kennedy were nose to nose at the finish line but going into turn one Kennedy squeezed down on Sbrega with the cars making contact as Sbrega had nowhere to go resulting in Kennedy flipping his car in turn two. Kennedy was not injured in the accident.
From that point on Sbrega went on to the win followed by Rob VanAernam, Luke Horning, Ken Allen Jr., and Brian Cosselman.
“I want to apologize for the contact with the #22K (Kennedy) but it was just good hard racing and I had nowhere to go,” Sbrega said in victory lane. “We battled a lot of motor and suspension problems this year with this car so it was great to finally get a win.”
The Street Stock “B” feature was just as exciting as the first with Matt Johnson leading lap one with the caution out at the completion of lap one for the point leader Chuck McSpirit who spun in turn four with a flat left front tire. McSpirit pitted and restarted at the rear of the field.
Dan Pollock took the lead from Johnson on the restart with Dave Horning Sr. and Cassidy Wilson now in the second and third positions. On the inside of turn two on lap 11, Horning was the new race leader with Wilson also getting by Pollock for the second position.
On the outside of the backstretch on the final lap, Wilson went to the outside of Horning for the lead and going into turn three was the new race leader. Wilson went on for the win, his fifth of the season and the sixth of his career at Fonda over Horning, Pollock, Cody Bleau, and McSpirit.
“I figured that I had to win and let the 57 (McSpirit) finish where he does,” Wilson said of the point battle. “I have to thank my father for telling me before the race to take just what you can get and for all of his help with this race car.”
With his fifth place finish in the feature McSpirit took his first ever point title at Fonda over Wilson by four points (unofficially).
“I was just hoping that nothing else broke when I got the flat tire and spun in turn four,” McSpirit said afterwards. “I knew that I had to get back into the top five and fortunately I was able to do it. I have really done my homework this year and after doing this for the last 10 years I finally got a championship.”
The 15-lap Budget Sportsman event turned into a battle of the Wilder’s with Bill first to lead the event at the drop of the green flag after starting on the pole. Jeff Holt was back in competition at Fonda and got by Frank Corradi for the second position on lap two with Korey Wilder also getting by Corradi for the third spot.
Holt closed in on the leader by lap 13 and going into turn one tried a three wide move to get by both Wilder and a lap car on the outside. The move backfired on Holt as there wasn’t enough room for three cars going into the turn with Holt going over the wheel of Wilder and ending up in the turn one wall. Holt wasn’t injured in the hard wreck but was done for the night.
On the restart, Bill and Korey Wilder were side by side for the lead with Korey taking the point with only one lap to go. On the final lap Bill got back around Korey to retake the lead and get the win. Korey Wilder, Aaron Jacobs, Corradi, and Dan Peckham completed the top five.
“I couldn’t find a better man to finish second to,” Bill Wilder said of Kory Wilder in victory lane.
The Fonda Speedway is now closed down for the annual Fonda Fair. The next race at the Track of Champions will take place on Saturday, September 13 with “Open” events for all divisions with home track rules in place along with the Budget Sportsman. Starting time will be 6:00 p.m.
MORRIS AUTO GROUP MODIFIED B-MAIN – 10-LAPS – A.J. ROMANO, Tony Pepicelli, John Marsh Sr., Josh Hohenforst, Floyd Billington, JaMike Sowle, Darwin Greene, Ancel Collins, Brett Graham, Harry Shaffer, Matt Depew, Ryan Charland
MORRIS AUTO GROUP MODIFIED FEATURE #1 – 20-LAPS – CRAIG HANSON, Ronnie Johnson, Dave Camara, Matt DeLorenzo, Elmo Reckner, Bobby Varin, Jack Johnson, Dave Lape, Alton Palmer, Ryan Odasz, Todd Morey, A.J. Romano, Erik Nelson, Ray Zemken, Josh Hohenforst, Floyd Billington, Danny Varin, Ancel Collins, Brett Graham, JaMike Sowle, Darwin Greene, Tony Pepicelli, John Marsh Sr., Pat Ward
MORRIS AUTO GROUP MODIFIED FEATURE #2 – 20-LAPS – MATT DELORENZO, Dave Camara, Jack Johnson, Bobby Varin, Ronnie Johnson, Pat Ward, Dave Lape, Craig Hanson, Elmo Reckner, Ryan Odasz, Todd Morey, A.J. Romano, Josh Hohenforst, Floyd Billington, Erik Nelson, Tony Pepicelli, Ray Zemken, Alton Palmer, Danny Varin, Brett Graham, Matt Depew, Ancel Collins, Darwin Greene, Harry Shaffer, Ryan Charland, John Marsh Sr., JaMike Sowle (DNS)
MORRIS AUTO GROUP SPORTSMAN B-MAIN – 8-LAPS – TONY FARONE, Mark Bishop, Jason Memrick, Jim Meka, Tom Funk, Jason Herrington, Adam Tranka, Justin Auspelmyer
MORRIS AUTO GROUP SPORTSMAN FEATURE #1 – 15-LAPS – LUKE MUNROE, Jeremy Wilder, John McAuliffe, Chad Edwards, Neil Erickson, John Scarborough , Mark Kislowski, Mark Mortensen, David Towns, D.T. Pickard, Tony Farone, Drew Fallis, Howard Gage, Jason Memrick, Mark Bishop, Jim Meka, Jason Herrington, Chuck Allen, Tom Funk, Adam Tranka, Justin Auspelmyer, Vinny Sanganetti (DNS), Ricky Quick (DNS)
MORRIS AUTO GROUP SPORTSMAN FEATURE #2 – 15-LAPS – MARK KISLOWSKI, Mark Mortensen, John Scarborough , John McAuliffe, Luke Munroe, David Towns, Neil Erickson, Drew Fallis, D.T. Pickard, Chad Edwards, Tony Farone, Mark Bishop, Jason Herrington, Jason Memrick, Howard Gage, Chuck Allen, Tom Funk, Adam Tranka, Justin Auspelmyer, Jim Meka, Jeremy Wilder
MORRIS AUTO GROUP PRO STOCK B-MAIN – 6-LAPS – IVAN JOSLIN, Rob Yetman, Pete Broderson, Danny Ody, Chucky Dumblewski, John Rivers, Bill Dona
MORRIS AUTO GROUP PRO STOCK FEATURE #1 – 15-LAPS – ROY FIFIELD, Kenny Gates, Chip Smith, Nick Stone, Rob Yetman, Dean Charbonneau, Shane Henderson, Ivan Joslin, Pete Broderson, Sheldon Martin, Tony Stone, John Rivers, Chucky Dumblewski, Danny Ody, Kenny Martin Jr., Bill Dona, John Babcock (DNS)
MORRIS AUTO GROUP PRO STOCK FEATURE #2 – 15-LAPS – SHANE HENDERSON, Kenny Gates, Dean Charbonneau, Nick Stone, Roy Fifield, Rob Yetman, Danny Ody, Chip Smith, Pete Broderson, Tony Stone, Ivan Joslin, Sheldon Martin, John Rivers, Chucky Dumblewski, Bill Dona, Kenny Martin Jr. (DNS)
IMCA QUALIFYING – 14 total cars
HEAT 1 – Beau Ballard, Danny Ballard, Dennis Vrooman, Jim Cramer, Howard Smith, Jeremy Cramer, Malcum Warner
HEAT 2 – Bob Banks Jr., Kevin Buff, Carol Parker, Aaron Jacobs, JoJo Donato, Eric Stumpf, Danny Ody
MORRIS AUTO GROUP IMCA FEATURE – 20-LAPS – AARON JACOBS, Bob Banks Jr., Danny Ballard, Beau Ballard, Danny Ody, Jim Cramer, Jeremy Cramer, Howard Smith, Dennis Vrooman, Malcum Warner, Carol Parker, JoJo Donato, Kevin Buff (DNS), Eric Stumpf (DNS)
MORRIS AUTO GROUP STREET STOCK “A” FEATURE – 12-LAPS – ERIC SBREGA, Rob VanAernam, Luke Horning, Ken Allen Jr., Brian Cosselman, Leo Brady, Chris Reckner, Ellis Shaffer, Reuben Kennedy, A.J. Walters, Don Warner
MORRIS AUTO GROUP STREET STOCK “B” FEATURE – 12-LAPS – CASSIDY WILSON, Dave Horning Sr., Dan Pollock, Cody Bleau, Chuck McSpirit, John Palmer, Mike Jeske, John Ketchum, Matt Johnson, Neil Cosselman
MORRIS AUTO GROUP BUDGET SPORTSMAN FEATURE – 15-LAPS – BILL WILDER, Korey Wilder, Aaron Jacobs, Frank Corradi, Dan Peckham, Bodie Bellinger, Justin Lansing, Jeff Holt, John Constantino
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