Rocky Warner Wins Grit Series Race Wednesday At Fonda

Story By: RON SZCZERBA / FONDA SPEEDWAY – FONDA, NY – The 30-lap GRIT Series feature for 602 sportsman started with two rookies Mike Block and Griffen Mansmith on the front row with Mansmith the early race leader from the outside row.

Fourth place starter Rocky Warner made quick work of the top three and was leading the feature event when lap one was completed. From that point on the race was basically for the second position as Warner dominated the rest of the race and stretched out his advantage lap after lap.

Two consecutive yellow flags followed by a red flag on lap seven slowed the event, the red flag for a multi car pileup on the front stretch. Many cars were able to drive away while others were not so lucky and were done for the evening. On the restart, Chad Edwards was the new second place car with the top five at the halfway point consisting of Warner, Edwards, Dave Constantino, Connor Cleveland, and Tim Hartman Jr.

Edwards closed in on Warner in lap traffic with 10 laps to go but once Warner cleared a pack of lap cars with five laps to go while Edwards was still stuck behind them all it was clear sailing to victory lane for the Jake & Nancy Spraker owned #1J. Edwards, 10th place starter Cody Clark, Cleveland, and Hartman Jr. completed the top five.

“There was a whole herd of elephants behind me with a lot of great drivers here at Fonda in this race so you just gotta go because you never know,” Warner said in victory lane.

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.

GRIT SERIES SPORTSMAN FEATURE – 30-LAPS – ROCKY WARNER, Chad Edwards, Cody Clark, Connor Cleveland, Tim Hartman Jr., Tony Farone, Brian Pessolano, Nick Scavia, Dave Constantino, Ricky Quick, Bobby Hackel IV, Griffen Mansmith, Ryan Harrison, Mark Mortensen, Harry Shaffer, Mike Block, Charlie Tibbitts, Larry Niemiec, Joel Hall, David Manchester, David Schilling, Ray Zemken, Aaron Burton, Tommy Collins, Kurtis Hohensheldt, Eric Giguere, Justin Auspelmyer, Josh DeMagistris, Ricky Thompson