By JAMES A. ELLIS (sports@leaderherald.com) , The Leader Herald
FONDA – Bobby Varin has won five of the last six modified track championships at Fonda Speedway and entering Saturday’s Night of Features held a one-point margin over Ronnie Johnson in the race for his seventh career track championship.
Johnson asked his father, 11-time track champion Jack Johnson, for some advice before the night’s racing began. Jack simply said, “Just go win.”
Johnson, driving the car that was purchased for his father to run two years ago, took a five-point lead with a fifth place finish in the opening 33-lap feature, while Varin crossed the line eighth.
When first feature winner Danny Varin drew to invert 10 cars, Bobby Varin started on the inside of the second row with Johnson on the outside of row three in the second feature.
“We went to work on the car to get it right because we knew that fifth wasn’t going to cut it with Bobby starting third,” Johnson said.
When the caution flew on the second lap of the second feature, Johnson and Varin restarted side-by-side in the second row.
Johnson got the break he needed when Varin got held up behind Jeremy Wilder on the restart and Johnson followed Jimmy Davis to the front. A lap later, Johnson powered his way between Davis and the fourth-turn wall to take the lead.
Running the final 30 laps caution free, Johnson extended his advantage to half a track to pick up his fifth win of the season, 20th of his career and first modified track championship.
Also locking up track championships Saturday were Mark Mortensen (602 limited sportsman), Rocky Warner (pro stock), Cassidy Wilson (street stock) and Ben Righi (4 cylinder).
Picking up feature wins on the night were Danny Varin and Johnson in the modifieds, while Mortensen and Doug Flynn won the twin 20-lap sportsman features. Warner and Ivan Joslin picked up the pro stock division victories, while Dave Horning Sr. and Wilson won the street stock main events. Ken Hollenbeck won the night’s 4-cylinder feature.
Dave Lape and Dustin Delaney won the modified B-mains, while David Constantino and Dan Santabarbara picked up the 602 sportsman B-main victories.
Josh Hohenforst led the opening 33-lap modified feature until a series of cautions and restarts on lap eight allowed Mark Kislowski to take the point. Danny Varin followed through into second. Kislowski and Varin battled side-by-side for six laps swapping spots multiple times a lap before Varin was able to secure the lead.
Meanwhile, the race-within-the-race between Johnson and Bobby Varin was heating up as Varin and Johnson were never separated by more than two spots the entire event.
At the finish, it was Danny Varin picking up his second career modified win with Kislowski hold off Matt DeLorenzo for second. Ryan Odasz placed third with Johnson fifth. Elmo Reckner, Alton Palmer Bobby Varin, Jimmy Davis and Jeremy Wilder completed the top 10. Danny Varin drew the No. 10 inversion chip on victory lane, putting Wilder and Davis on the front row and Bobby Varin and Palmer in the second.
Johnson’s move off turn four on lap three was enough to help him break away from the field and allowed him to pick his way through lapped traffic, while Bobby Varin moved into second at the midway point but was hoping for a caution as Johnson was a half-track ahead. The caution never came and Johnson secured his first modified track championship by a nine point margin.
Danny Varin was third followed by Davis, Reckner, Wilder, Odasz, Palmer, DeLorenzo and Kislowski.
Mortensen wrapped up his first 602 limited sportsman championship is winning fashion, capturing the opening 20-lap feature to extend his point lead to 44 points over John Scarborough. Mortensen needed to take the green in the second feature to lock up the title. He did and finished 16th in the second feature.
Flynn survived a late-race restart to pick up his first career victory over Robert Bublak, Scarborough, Adam McAuliffe and Cody Bleau.
Korey Wilder placed second in the opening 20-lap feature with Ray Zemken third, Scarborough fourth and Justin Auspelmyer fifth.
Warner also took a giant step toward his first pro stock championship by capturing the opening 15-lap feature. Warner took over the lead from early-race leader Kim Duell on lap six and never looked back.
Pete Broderson got up for second with Duell third and Kenny Gates, who entered the night six-points behind Warner in the standing, fourth and Rob Yetman fifth.
Joslin took command of the second 15-lap feature at the drop of the green and turned back all challengers as he raced to his first win of the season and second of his career. Warner finished second followed by Broderson, Kenny Martin and Dean Charbonneau.
Horning took the lead from Chuck McSpirit on the third lap of the opening 10-lap street stock feature and held off a late-race charge from Wilson to pick up his second win of the season and 30th of his street stock career.
The victory moves him ahead of Bob VanAernam into second on the all-time wins list 21 wins benind Dave Horning Jr.
Greg Havlicek led the second street stock feature for the opening three laps before McSpirit slipped past on lap four. Havlicek regained the point on lap five before McSpirit grabbed the lead on lap six.
Wilson took over on a lap seven restart and was never headed as he won for the fifth time this season. McSpirit was second followed by Rob VanAernam, Randy Cosselman and Luke Horning.
Fonda Speedway will host a regular card of racing plus the CRSA 305 Sprints next Saturday before shutting down until Sept. 17 for the annual Montgomery County Fair.
