Race fans mingle amongst drivers and race cars in front of the historic covered grandstand of Fonda Speedway during last week’s meet & greet.
By Tom Coughlin
There were a couple of news items that came out in the drivers meeting on Saturday at Fonda Speedway. First off is that the Montgomery County Agricultural Society/Fonda Fair board has extended its contract with current promoter Brett Deyo and team through the year 2030. The other item was that the 2025 year-end awards banquet will take place on the weekend of the Fonda 200, Sunday, September 14, in the Entertainment Building on the Fairgrounds.
This weekend's racing begins tonight as Dodge City Speedway has Thunder #2 on Brown's Ford Night. Next Friday will have a Money Race for the Senior Clone Heavy division on Valley Beverage Night. Also tonight, it is Standard Heating, Cooling, Insulating Night at Utica-Rome Speedway, where general grandstand admission will be $5. All weekly divisions are on the program with double features for the Junior Slingshots. Albany-Saratoga Speedway is hosting another DiCarlo's 358-modified division Shootout, plus all weekly divisions.
On Saturday, it will be Parks Companies Night at Fonda, plus it is Kenny Shoemaker/Frank Trinkaus Tribute Night. This will be another round of the Thunder on the Thruway Series for the modified, crate 602 sportsman, and pro stock divisions. All weekly divisions will be in competition. Melissa Shoemaker will be on site and have shirts and stickers available in tribute to her father, the legendary Kenny "The Shoe" Shoemaker. As with every night at the Track of Champions, be sure to check out the weekly concession stand specials.
Hoods & Hooch will take place on Saturday from 4:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m. with cars, trucks, live entertainment, food, and more. This will happen at Murray Fool's Distilling at 7152 Amsterdam Road/Rt. 5 in Glenville.
Glen Ridge Motorsports Park will host the DIRTcar 358 Modified Series in a 50-lap feature on Sunday, offering $4,000 to win plus a guaranteed starting spot for this year’s Fulton Speedway Outlaw 200. You can expect to see most of the top DIRTcar 358 modified drivers at the "Fastest 1/4 Mile on Dirt." As of this writing, Felix Roy and Mike Mahaney are just two of the outsiders looking to invade and possibly take the win away from "The Ridge" regulars such as Lance Willix and Jordan McCreadie.
Orange County Fair Speedway in Middletown is holding Joey Falangea Memorial Night on the Hard Clay. DIRTcar big block modifieds, sportsman, and street stocks are on the schedule. Pit gates open at 2:00 p.m., grandstands and drive-in at 3:00 p.m., hot laps at 5:00 p.m., and racing at 6:00 p.m.
Next week at Fonda is the annual Bill Ag. Modified Elimination Races. There is still time to be a part of this exciting night. If you would like to sponsor any part of the night's event, contact Shelly Shaffer and she will be sure to help you with a sponsorship idea. Coming up on Saturday, July 12, will be the annual Aim Autism chicken barbecue. This will take place on the Fonda Fairgrounds from 1:00 p.m. until 4:00 p.m. with plenty of fun, raffles, a dunking tank, a bounce house, live music by the Rockwood band, and a complete chicken dinner including 1/2 chicken, salt potatoes, baked beans, a dinner roll, and a bottle of water. All proceeds go directly to the Crossroads Center for Children in Schenectady. The Fonda Speedway Museum & Hall of Fame will be open from 12:00 p.m. until 6:00 p.m. to provide the opportunity for everyone to experience the historic memorabilia on display.
Results from last week show more rain on Monday would force Utica-Rome to move their event from Tuesday to Wednesday. The Home of Heroes ran Round 2 of their VP Racing Fuels 358-modified Challenge Series special on Wednesday. The 30-lap 358-modified feature winner was Mat Williamson over Payton Talbot, Matt Janczuk, Willy Decker, and Brian Calabrese. In the 20-lap Fastline Performance limited sportsman division feature, Jayden Wust won in convincing fashion over Mason Rogers and Sullivan Dickey, with the top three all being 14 years old or younger. Completing the top five were Eymarah Bowman and Kirsten Swartz, who started last in 23rd. Utica had good size fields, considering this midweek event was not on the original schedule.
Brookfield Speedway held their own program Wednesday. Butchie Irwin won the 25-lap Scenic View Campground crate 602 sportsman division feature. Kenny Gates scored the Anderson Towing pro stock division feature victory. In the White’s Welding and Custom Cutting 4-cylinder division, Jamie Warner won the single cam division and Collin Mills the dual cam division. Paul Holic took the All-Star slingshot division feature and Blake Banek scored the junior slingshot division feature victory.
Thursday night at Airborne Park Speedway, the DIRTcar 358 Modified Series took part in the 75-lap, $5,000 to win Battle of Plattsburgh. Mat Williamson scored the win over Felix Roy and Mike Mahaney, who had started the feature in 25th. The DIRTcar Sportsman Division East Region competed in the Champlain Valley Showdown 40-lap feature which saw a twist, as third-place finisher Zach Buff was declared the winner after Donovan Lussier and Vince Quinneville were disqualified for fuel infractions. Tyler Warren and Ryan Senecal won the two mini stock features. Lea-Jeanne Lauziere won the Hoosier Racing Tire limited sportsman feature.
Friday night would see plenty of local action. At Albany-Saratoga Speedway, "The Great Race Place" would see a first-time winner in the Next Generation Roofing big block modified division 35-lap feature, as Justin Stone earned his career-first victory over Brian Calabrese and Brendan Darrah. The Doug Wholey's crate 602 sportsman division 25-lap feature was won by Nick Brundige over Taylor Wasson and Daryl Nutting. In the Saratoga Masonry pro stock division feature, Jimmy Duncan earned the win over Brandon Emigh and Kyle Hoard. The Haun Welding limited sportsman division feature saw Alex Smith take the win ahead of Nick Arnold and Bodie Marks. The Cornell's Auto street stock win went to Chris Murray over Shane Wethington and John Filaracki. Plus, the Sprint Cars of New England (SCoNE) feature was won by Jordan Poirier over Danny Varin of Fonda and Dalton Rombough. Other locals finished in this order: Chase Moran of Fultonville sixth, Chad Miller of Amsterdam ninth, and Jeff Trombley of Altamont 22nd.
Out at the Utica-Rome Speedway, the 3 Bastards Brewing modified division 30-lap feature was won by Stewart Friesen, followed by Alex Yankowski and Justin Wright. In the Taylor's Trailers crate 602 sportsman division 25-lap feature, rain-shortened at lap 16, Jeremy Slosek earned the victory over Mike Richmond and Payton Talbot. The Next Generation GraphiX pro stock division 20-lap feature was won by Cousin Luke Horning ahead of Devon Camenga and Bret Belden. The JB Sewer & Septic 4-cylinder division 15-lap feature saw the winners being Wayne Russell Jr. (single cam) and John Connolly (dual cam). Plus, the CRSA 305 winged sprint cars ran for Round Two of the I-90 Pit Stop Challenge. The 25-lap race was very competitive with multiple back-and-forth and side-by-side battles for position throughout the field. Zach Sobotka claimed the win over Dillon Paddack and Darryl Ruggles, becoming the 85th different winner in CRSA history. Due to rain, the Fastline Performance limited sportsman division feature will be rescheduled.
Fonda Speedway regular Darwin Greene won the 30-lap modified division feature at Penn-Can Speedway in Susquehanna, Pennsylvania. Also, 2020 Fonda modified champion Michael Maresca finished third and multi-time modified champion Bobby Varin finished sixth in the 30-lap modified feature at Outlaw Speedway in Dundee.
Fonda had a full program on Saturday. In the Amsterdam Truck Center modified 30-lap feature, Cody Clark earned the win with a fast-closing Stewart Friesen and Jack Lehner completing the top three. The Swagger Factory Apparel crate 602 sportsman 25-lap feature was claimed by Tyler Peet ahead of Chad Edwards and Jonny Feagles. The Leatherstocking Credit Union pro stock 20-lap feature saw a last-lap pass by Nick Stone to earn the win over Jason Morrison and Kenny Gates. The Montgomery County Office for Aging limited sportsman 15-lap feature went to Camron Hotaling over Corky Warner and Steve Wagoner. In the Fonda Fair 4-cylinder 12-lap feature, the winners were Wayne Russell Jr. (single cam division) and Jay Ingersoll (dual cam division). In the M2 Metal RUSH Late Models 15-lap feature, Cody Clark earned the victory over A.J. Miller, Brady Wonderling, Harry Halliday, and Aaron Jacobs.
On Sunday at Glen Ridge Motorsports Park, Lance Willix claimed the checkers over Jordan McCreadie and Brian Pessolano in the DIRTcar 358 modified 35-lap feature. For the Ted’s Body Shop/Next Generation GraphiX DIRTcar crate 602 sportsman 30-lap feature, Zach Buff scored the win over Tavien Blowers and Kyle Bobar. The Yurkewecz Auto Crushers DIRTcar pro stock 20-lap feature was won by Slater Baker over Steve Cosselman and Charles McSpirit. The Limited sportsman 20-lap feature was earned by Bodie Marks over Timothy Wilmot and Zach McSpirit. The Street stock division 15-lap feature was won by Jason Samrov ahead of Matt Wells and Matt Mosher. The Crown Vics were also in action with Ron Tollner taking the win over Ernie Darrah. The DIRTcar Mini stock winners were William Liberatore (single cam) and Adam Montville (dual cam). The All-Star slingshot feature winner was Justin House and the Junior division 12-lap feature winner was Alex Cossleman.
Devil’s Bowl Speedway in West Haven, Vermont, hosted the Short Track Super Series-Slate Valley 67 for the modified division. Mat Williamson would stand on top of the podium, filled with fellow native Canadians Stewart Friesen and Felix Roy. Jack Lehner would earn the Hard Charger Award with a ninth-place finish.
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