Friesen Travels From Michigan & Takes Modified Win At Fonda

Story By: RON SZCZERBA / FONDA SPEEDWAY – FONDA, NY – On Saturday afternoon in Michigan, Stewart Friesen competed in the Camping World Truck Series event finishing 13th when the checkered flag flew. After the event was completed he made the trip home to the “Track of Champions” Fonda Speedway to win his fifth feature event of the season and the 46th win of his career at the Montgomery County Fairgrounds facility.

After late afternoon rain hit the speedway in Fonda, the track crew did a fantastic job getting the track ready for racing and the wet, heavy surface provided some very quick lap times for the racers in all divisions.

Other winners besides Friesen on A-Verdi Storage Containers Night at Fonda were William August (limited sportsman), Jim Normoyle (pro stock), Johnny Young (street stock), Ken Hollenback (4-Cylinder/Cruisers), Darral Hulbert (Vintage Modified), Don Greco (Vintage Sportsman), and Danny Varin (ESS Sprints).

The 25-lap sportsman feature was cancelled due to time constraints and will be run first on the racing program next Saturday, August 19.

The yellow flag flew before any laps were completed in the 30-lap modified main event when cars in the back of the pack got out of shape forcing a multi car wreck in turn two. As a result, Bobby Varin, Jessey Mueller, and Jeremy Wilder were all done for the night at that point. Shaun Pangman led on the second try at the start with Scott Huber second after starting fourth with sixth place starter Justin Boehler in third.

Stewart Friesen started the event in the 11th position and by lap 13 was in the fourth spot after getting by Ronnie Johnson. Three laps later Friesen was the new second place car after getting by Huber and on laps 18 & 19 he was side by side with Pangman for the lead. On lap 20, Friesen took the lead and immediately stretched out his advantage over the second place car of Pangman.

Tim Fuller started the event in the eighth position and in the closing laps was passing cars in the top five. On the final lap at the finish line, Fuller just nosed out Pangman for the second position while Friesen went on to the win by a straightaway. Behind Pangman in the top five were Huber who ran a great race, and Boehler.

The 20-lap pro stock feature began with Jamie Warner and Jason Morrison on the front row but at the drop of the green flag it was fourth place starter Ivan Joslin who led the event. Nick Stone started the race way back in the 19th position but by lap five he was already in the sixth spot until a flat right front tire brought out the caution and took him out of the event on lap five.

On Lap seven, fifth place starter Jim Normoyle took over the race lead with Randy Cosselman second and 12th place starter Kenny Gates in third. At the halfway point, Frank Twing was able to get by both Gates and Cosselman for the second position while Normoyle was out to a straightaway lead. During the last five laps of the event, 15th place starter Jason Casey was the car on the move as he sat in the third position on a lap 15 restart after a caution.

Casey got by Twing for the second position on the final lap while Gates got by both Twing and Casey to finish the event in the runner-up spot to Normoyle. Behind Gates in the top five at the checkered flag were Casey, Gus Hollner, and AJ Walters. For Normoyle it was his first win of the season and the seventh of his career in the division at Fonda.

Johnny Young took the win in the street stock division by a half car length over Joey Wilson for his third win of the season and the sixth of his career at Fonda. Young took the lead on a lap five restart from Steve Cosselman on his way to the win.

William August took the lead on lap two of the limited sportsman feature and went on to his fourth win of the season in the division over Travis Billington, Devon Willis, Kathy Bellen, Larry Niemiec, Cory White, and Andrew Leduc.

Ken Hollenback was the winner of his fifth 4-cylinder/cruiser feature of the season and the 42nd of his career in the division over Wayne Russell, Pat McSpirit, Zach McSpirit, Kerrie Hollenback, and TJ Marlitt. Ken Hollenback took the lead on lap two from Pat McSpirit on his way to the victory.

Darral Hulbert (Vintage Modified), and Don Greco (Vintage Sportsman) took the wins in the Mohawk Valley Vintage Dirt Modified Series feature event with Rob Sanford, Jay Lais, John Constantino, and Doug Mathewson competing the top six in the six car field.

The 25-lap Empire Super Sprint feature event which was the Earl Halaquist Memorial saw Danny Varin grab the early lead from his front row starting position and never looking back as he led all 25-laps on his way to the $2,000 victory. Another local favorite Cory Sparks started back in the field but took the second position in the final laps for a second place finish with Paulie Colagiovanni, Jonathan Preston, and Jeff Cook completing the top five in that event. More information on the event can be found on the ESS Facebook page.

Next Saturday, August 19 will be the final night of points in all divisions as the track champions for 2017 will be crowned. Starting time will be 7:00 p.m.

A-VERDI STORAGE CONTAINERS DIRTCAR MODIFIED FEATURE – 30-LAPS – STEWART FRIESEN, Tim Fuller, Shaun Pangman, Scott Huber, Justin Boehler, Josh Hohenforst, Ronnie Johnson, Jimmy Davis, Darwin Greene, Cody Bleau, Jeff Rockefeller, Mike Maresca, Kenny Sparks, Bob Vedder, Pep Corradi, Troy Palmer, Craig Hanson, Bobby Varin, Jessey Mueller, Jeremy Wilder, Tony Pepicelli

A-VERDI STORAGE CONTAINERS DIRTCAR PRO STOCK FEATURE – 20-LAPS – JIM NORMOYLE, Kenny Gates, Jason Casey, Gus Hollner, AJ Walters, Frank Twing, Randy Cosselman, Josh Coonradt, Ron Delease, Shane Playford, Jason Morrison, Jay Casey, Jim Yesse, Chuck Dumblewski, Nick Ryan, Ivan Joslin, Cassidy Wilson, Nick Stone, Jamie Warner, Ralph Isabella (DNS), Luke Horning (DNS)

A-VERDI STORAGE CONTAINERS STREET STOCK FEATURE – 12-LAPS – JOHNNY YOUNG, Joey Wilson, David Cook, Steve Cosselman, Steven Young, Cliff Haslun, Bill Yager, Bubby Shaffer, Jim Groncki, Herold Chadderden

EARL HALAQUIST MEMORIAL EMPIRE SUPER SPRINT (ESS) FEATURE – 25-LAPS – DANNY VARIN, Cory Sparks, Paulie Colagiovanni, Jonathan Preston, Jeff Cook, Josh Pieniazek, Mike Kiser, Jason Barney, Bobby Varin, Matt Tanner, Paul Kinney, Derrick Juliano, Dave Axton, Dalton Herrick, Chad Miller, Kelly Hebing, Brett Wright, Chris Donnelly, Matt Billings, Yan Bilodeau, Scott Holcomb, Alex Vigneault, Billy VanInwegen, Keith Granholm, Chuck Hebing, Dylan Swiernik