The Next Step: David Schilling Joins Fonda Speedway Sunoco Modified Field for 2019 Season
Story By: BRETT DEYO/ FONDA SPEEDWAY – FONDA, NY – David Schilling has made his mark as a consistent front-runner in the Sportsman division of upstate New York.
Now, he is set to embark on a bigger challenge.
Schilling will move into the Sunoco Modified ranks for 2019 at Fonda Speedway, tackling the headline division at the ‘Track of Champions’ with support from St. Lawrence Radiology and 1-800-GOT-JUNK?
The 22-year-old from East Greenbush, N.Y., looks to add his name to the impressive list of Modified feature winners – including fellow St. Lawrence Radiology team members Michael Maresca and Tim Fuller – at the legendary Fonda half-mile oval starting with the Saturday, April 20 Season Opener.
The opportunity to advance from the Crate 602-powered Sportsman division to the competitive Modified ranks at Fonda is thanks to the Maresca family and their St. Lawrence Radiology based in Potsdam, N.Y. The sponsorship support allowed Schilling to order a new power plant from Bedell Racing Engines for the ’19 season.
“’Doc’ (Maresca) is a big part of making this happen,” Schilling said. “I can’t thank the Marescas enough for giving me the opportunity to move up.”
Schilling will install the new engine in his No. 20 Bicknell chassis. He knows there will be a learning curve and hopes to make some starts prior to the Fonda gates opening in mid-April.
“It’s a big jump (from the Crate),” Schilling said. “Getting seat time is key in the beginning to get me up to speed. I just hope I can be half as fast as Tim (Fuller) and Mike (Maresca) were there.”
Schilling is no stranger to success. He has traveled the Northeast extensively since moving from pavement Legend Car racing to the dirt Sportsman ranks. He is a past winner at Albany-Saratoga Speedway in Malta, N.Y., and Devil’s Bowl Speedway in West Haven, Vt.
Schilling is optimistic about spending his Saturday nights along the Mohawk River at Fonda this summer.
“There is a lot of buzz about Fonda right now,” he said, adding, “the weekly payout is good back through the field and we have some big races on the schedule to prepare for.”
Additional marketing support for Schilling’s Modified effort comes from Capital Plumbing, Tri-City Pools, Jam Performance and MRB Darcy DirtWork.
The engines fire on the ’19 season at Fonda on Saturday, April 13 with a practice session. Opening Night is slated for Saturday, April 20 featuring the Sunoco Modifieds, Crate 602 Sportsman paying $1,000 to win (thanks to Eric Orozco Racing), Pro Stocks in a ‘Best of 8’ Series $800-to-win event, Limited Sportsman and Street Stocks.
Since 1953, the ‘Track of Champions’ Fonda Speedway has hosted the best in stock car racing. Now under the management of BD Motorsports Media LLC, the speedway will operate weekly on Saturday nights from April through August plus several special events. Fonda Speedway is located on the Montgomery County Fairgrounds off New York State Thruway Exit No. 28 at 21 S. Bridge Street Fonda, NY 12068.
Fonda Speedway is on the web at www.thefondaspeedway.com. To learn more, call the office at 518.915.4395, like Fonda Speedway on Facebook www.facebook.com/thefondaspdwy or follow on Twitter: @thefondaspdwy.
