RPW Exclusive: Fonda Speedway Fired Things Back Up This Past Weekend

Column By: RAY ROGERS / RPW – FONDA, NY – Racing action returned to the Fonda Speedway on Saturday night and Pat Ward strolled in and took the Modified checkers. Kenny Gates scored his third Hondo Classic while Mark Mortensen claimed another Sportsman win and Josh Pieniazek went flag-to-flag in CRSA Sprint Car action.

Saturday afternoon, the track reopened the gates to race teams and fans for what has the makings for an amazing fall classic…one for the record books for sure. I made my usual first stop at the Speedway museum and was pleased to see Dave and Jackie Lape back at the museum along with all my racing friends and family.

I made my way down pit road a bit early to see who was around and caught up with Erik Nelson as he was unloading his #85. With regular driver Demetrios Drellos running his family’s 111 at the Valley for the King of Dirt 358-Modified race, I had to get the scoop.

“Ryan Odasz is an old friend who I been kicking around wrenches for years now,” he said. “With Demetrios committed elsewhere, I think Ryan can get the job done for us tonight.”

Dave Constantino was another driver filling a seat in the Modified division Saturday night as he was aboard Laudy Hoyenga’s #34 DKM Cyclone for the night.

Over 20 winged warriors of the CRSA Sprint Car Series graced the pit area ready to do battle on the historic half-mile. The Pro Stock pit area was full as well with some serious talent all looking to claim one of the Speedway’s most prestigious events of the year, the Hondo Classic.

As I was making my way over to the front stretch, the big red hauler of Pat Ward rolled up to the gate and I knew a good field just got a whole lot tighter for the Modifieds.

I made my way to get a good look at the racing surface and anyone who has been around Fonda knows the Fair puts a beating on the track itself. Once again, the track crew did a great job putting everything back in place. The surface was in tip-top shape and the grounds were ready for race teams and fans.

Heat races brought the speedway to life with Pro Stocks rolling away first. These went to Luke Horning,Ivan Joslin, and Josh Coonradt.CRSA Heat race winners were Eric Jennings, Emily Vanlnwegen and Dalton Herrick. Modified heats went to Pep Corradi and Kyle Armstrong with Jason Greco and Jeremiah Munson taking the top spots in Sportsman.

Michael Arnold was the victor in the Street Stock division…his second in a row at Fonda, David Cook Cliff Haslun Johnny Young and Scott Gauthier rounded out the top 5.

The Mohawk Valley Vintage Dirt Modified Series was pitted on the infield and ready to put on a great show for the fans. Doug Mathewson took the checkers followed by Rob Sanford, Dan Wood, John Constantino and Mike Houghtaling.

The 13th running of the Hondo Classic rolled away next with a Pro Stock four-wide salute in honor of the late Hondo Carpenter. These racers went 29 laps but cautions extended the length dramatically with leads being exchanged only on restarts.

Those restarts play into the hands of some drivers like Chuck Dumblewski who worked his way to the front by lap 13 with Jason Casey in tow. The two put on a show. swapping the lead until a late race caution with three to go saw Dumblewski’s night end with an empty fuel tank.

This season’s Pro Stock track champion Kenny Gates was there to pounce after working his way through the field from his 23rd starting spot. He took the last on the final restart and went on to collect ‘the Hondo’ for a third time.

Josh Coonradt continued his great season with a solid second place run. Horning muscled his way to third with Nick Stone in the Dave DePaulo 21 finishing fourth and Jay Casey rounding out the top 5.

The CRSA Sprints A-Main rolled away next for a 20-lap Sprint Car showdown. Josh Pieniazek jumped to a quick lead as this one would go flag-to-flag. Pieniazek led the whole way, holding off a late race charge from Justin Mills who came home second. The two were followed by former Fonda regular Jeff Trombley, Tyler Cartier and Dalton Herrick.

Saturday’s Modified feature was more like the Pat Ward and Jeremy Wilder show as both drivers went door-to-door for several circuits of the 25-lap Saturday night shootout. In the end, it was Ward, the crafty veteran from Genoa, NY, who used his many laps of experience at Fonda to show the way to the finish. Willy Decker was fast all night long, holding his own to come home third with Rocky Warner fourth and Odasz bringing the Nelson 85 home fifth.

The Sportsman feature closed out the night with 25-laps of crate action. Mark Mortensen quickly jumped out to the lead and was never really challenged. Jeremiah Munson showed some speed early on but could not catch Mortensen. He took home second with Utica-Rome regular AJ Filbeck finishing third after a great run. Jason Greco and Aaron Burton completed the top five.

After a long night of racing, as I was heading to my car, fans all around were beginning to buzz about this coming weekend’s events at the Track of Champions.

Friday kicks off the track’s biggest events of the year with the annual Thunder Along the Mohawk weekend. Friday, the 358-Modifieds take center stage for 100 laps of DIRTcar action. Also on the card is the DIRTcar Sportsman who are set to go to battle for 50 laps, plus a $500-to-win Street Stock throwdown. Modified teams who are on hand Friday can shake down their rides in a special warm-up session in preparation for Saturday’s Super DIRTcar Series event.

Once the fun wraps up on track Friday, the party will continue at the Entertainment building with live music and the Fall Pit Party. The Speedway Museum will be open late Friday for fans to stop in and check things out. Camping for the weekend is welcome and encouraged. For more info, contact the speedway.

On Saturday, the stars and cars of the Super DIRTcar Series bring the Big Block power to the Track of Champions for the highly-anticipated 100-lap feature in honor of Fonda’s all-time winningest driver, Jack Johnson. Also on the card Saturday will be a 50-lap DIRTcar Pro Stock race, a 30-lap DIRTcar Sportsman event and a 25-lap ESS A-Main.