Hondo Classic For Pro Stocks At Fonda Won By Nick Stone

Story By: RON SZCZERBA / FONDA SPEEDWAY – FONDA, NY – There was a four wide pace lap for the 12th Annual Hondo Classic for the pro stocks with starter Joe Kriss’ giving the white flag to the field from down on the track, much like the way it was done in the early days of the Fonda Speedway. Chuck Dumblewski and Nick Stone started the event on the front row with Dumblewski the early race leader.

Dumblewski and Stone remained side by side over the first two laps with Dumblewski holding on to the top spot each of those laps. From the drop of the green flag to the checkered flag these two great drivers spent many laps side by side, swapping the lead many times along the way. Through each of the six cautions during the event, Stone would choose the outside on the restart that was until the final restart on lap 28.

On the lap 28 restart, Stone choose the inside for the restart and maintained the lead at the drop of the green flag. Over the final two laps, Stone and Dumblewski swapped the lead several times but when the checkered flag flew it was Stone who stood in victory lane after winning the “Hondo Classic” in the STR Trailer Repair/RCT Roofing #27. It was his fourth win in the event after winning it back in 2007, 2008, & last year in 2016.

Dumblewski was a close second followed by Josh Coonradt, Dean Charbonneau, and Jason Casey. A total of over $3,300 in bonuses were collected for the 12th Annual Hondo Classic event by the Friends of Hondo Memorial Society from many sponsors and supporters of the event.

“We put a new body on this car for this event because I wanted to have a good looking car and I really wanted to win it,” Stone said in victory lane. “That was a great race with Chucky (Dumblewski). When I was trying to catch him I kept screwing up but I got by him on one of the restarts and settled in. Hondo was a heck of a guy, we used to hang out at the car show together and we started racing right around the same time. This is a big race for us.”

This Saturday, August 5 will be Police, Fire, and EMS Appreciation Night featuring “Kiddie Rides”. The first green flag of the evening will fly at 7:00 p.m.

HONDO CLASSIC PRO STOCK FEATURE – 30-LAPS – NICK STONE, Chuck Dumblewski, Josh Coonradt, Dean Charbonneau, Jason Casey, Ivan Joslin, Jim Normoyle, Shane Henderson, Rich Crane, Jay Casey, AJ Walters, Jeff McPhail, Kenny Gates, Shane Playford, Justin Knight, Chuck Townslee, Sheldon Martin, Ron Delease, Jason Samrov, Dennis Joslin, Jason Morrison, Gus Hollner, Ashley Celebucki, Mark Sullivan, Frank Twing, Randy Cosselman, Chuck McSpirit, Kenny Martin Jr. (DNS), Luke Horning (DNS)