News Director 
Column By: RAY ROGERS / RPW – FONDA, NY – Friday night the ‘Track of Champions,’ the Fonda Speedway, welcomed the King Of Dirt Racing Series for its Sportsman and 358-Modified finales along with the CRSA Sprint Cars. A super crowd was on hand, and when things got going, they didn’t slow down.
‘Damn Kid’ Dave Constantino would lay down fast time in Sportsman warm-ups with Jeremy Wilder following suit in the 358’s.
Pro Stocks would be the first to roll off for heat races. Kenny Gates and Chuck Dumblewski would take the top spots. King of Dirt 358 heat winners were Jessey Mueller, Marc Johnson, and Matt Delorenzo. KOD Sportsman heats went to Willy Decker, Dave Constantino, David Schilling and Rocky Warner.
Sportsman consolation winners were Jeff Watson and Aaron Burton and Friday’s Street Stock feature winner was David Cook.
The Pro Stocks were next to take on the super-fast half-mile for 20-laps and Gus Hollner took the checkers. He was followed to the finish by Jim Normoyle, Dumblewski, Gates and Justin Knight.
Bobby Varin has been the class of the field at Fonda in the closing weeks and had no plans on slowing down Friday night as he scored his second KOD 358-Modified Series race of the season. Mike Maresca showed he’s learned a few things this season at Fonda with a solid second place finish. Jessey Mueller would settle for third with Elmo Reckner fourth and Mike Mahaney fifth.
Marc Johnson would finish sixth and claim the 2017 King of Dirt 358-Modified Championship.
Rocky Warner continued his winning ways, scoring the top spot in the KOD Sportsman feature and taking his seat on the throne as 2017 Champion. Dave Constantino was second with Chad Edwards, Connor Cleveland and Tim Hartman Jr. in pursuit at the finish, rounding out the top five.
The CRSA sprint cars brought their Thunder to the Mohawk Valley Friday for 20-laps. Kyle Smith would score his second win of the season with former Fonda Modified regular Jeff Trombley in second followed by Josh Pieniazek, Mike Kiser and Eddis Strada.
Once the racing action wrapped up, I headed over to the entertainment building to check things out. I have to thank Pete Demitraszek for the cold one and the pizza. What a great way to send off the 2017 season.
From there I made my way over to see my friend and RPW teammate, Laurie Fallis. She promised me a cold one for loaning her little racing monster my headset. We sat around her campsite with her wonderful family and chatted racing and I think we all agreed that the announcing was fantastic. RPW’s Mike Warren and ESS’s Mike Mallet added real excitement to the night.
Saturday morning rolled around a bit too fast for me. I think I burned the right rear off Friday night. But, after watching my home track hero, Stewart Friesen, score a top 5 finish in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race at NHMS, I was ready to get back to my Saturday night home for the Super DIRTcar series.
Once I arrived, I made my way to the speedway museum and was greeted by smiling faces of my racing family and tailgaters having a great time. One topic that seemed to come up a few times was can the Fonda regulars fend off the best in the business? That was a question we would learn the answer to later in the evening.
Things kicked off with a quick hot lap session followed by time trials for The DIRTcar Pro Stocks and Modifieds. AJ Walters would set quick time for the full-fendered guys while Stewart Friesen, who made it to Fonda after the truck race in NH, laid down fast lap in the Modifieds.
Pro Stock heat race winners were Randy Cosselman, Jim Normoyle, Chuck Dumblewski and Kenny Gates with the consi going to Jay Corbin.
DIRTcar Modified heat races went to Pat Ward, Friesen, Jimmy Phelps and Tim Fuller. The Modified consolation was won by Jessey Mueller.
Street Stocks had two heats and those winners were Zack Sorrentino and Michael Arnold. Sorrentino would go on to win the Street Stock feature later in the evening in his throwback #54, a tribute to the late Pro Stock legend Jimmy Langenback.
The 360 Sprinters rolled away for their heat races after the Street Stock heats. Stewart Friesen, Corey Sparks, and Danny Varin laid claim to the wins.
Kenny Gates would once again find his stride once the Pro Stock feature took the green. He grabbed the lead from Chuck Dumblewski and went on to score the DIRTcar Series win. Dumblewski would settle for second with Nick Stone third, Jocelyn Roy fourth and Ivan Joslin rounding out the top five.
The Super DIRTcar Series Big Block Modifieds took to the Historic race track next for 100 laps of excitement. The crowd came to its feet for the highlight of the weekend…the four wide salute to the fans. What a great site rolling past the old grandstand!
Bobby Varin would once again stun the DIRTcar field, just like he did 22 years ago, out-running the best of the best to score another Super DIRTcar Series win at the ‘Track of Champions.’ Varin’s star student, his son Danny, would battle his way to a solid second place finish. Pat Ward would hold on by a thread to score third. Billy Decker managed a fourth place at the end with Matt Sheppard being awarded fifth after Brian Gleason came up light at the scales.
The 360 Sprint Cars would close out the weekend with 25 laps in honor of Kramer Williamson. A fantastic field of cars took the green and Danny Varin continued his family’s winning ways. He jumped out to an early lead and went on to claim the victory. Stewart Friesen would come home second, capping off a great Saturday for him. Bobby Varin was close-in-tow at the end but brought his car home third. Mike Mahaney came across the line fourth and Coleman Gullick was fifth.
What a super weekend of racing! It had something for everyone. I don’t think we could have closed out the season at Fonda any better.
On the way home, my thoughts began to wander towards the famed Oswego Speedway and Super DIRT Week. I wonder what adventure and excitement the week will hold.
Be sure to check back with Race Pro Weekly often as we’ll be launching our Super DIRT Week special edition soon! We will be covering the whole week the way it ought to be covered with Videos, Interviews, photos and all the stories from in the pits and on the track…everything you want to know about. I will be there and I hope to see you there as well!
