News Director 
Story By: RON SZCZERBA / FONDA SPEEDWAY – FONDA, NY – “The Jack” will be held at the “Track of Champions” Fonda Speedway on Wednesday, August 1 featuring not only the 100-lap event for the modifieds but also the 30-lap Hondo Classic for pro stocks and a street stock challenge with racing set to start at 7:15 p.m.
DIRTcar made this official in a press release earlier this year saying: “In order to further honor the career of an outstanding big block modified driver, the Fourth Annual Jack Johnson Tribute race will offer a guaranteed starting position in the big event. Jumpin’ Jack Johnson, an unstoppable force at the Fonda Speedway and on the Super DIRTcar Series circuit for a quarter century, won four Super DIRTcar Series championships between 1978 and 1988, and sits fifth on the All Time Super DIRTcar Series win list with 57 victories.”
Johnson was a two-time winner of the Super DIRT Week at Syracuse event back in 1979 and 1984. His victory in 1979 was the first time in the history of the race at that time that a driver from New York State had won the event! He also won three Super DIRTcar Series events at Fonda back in 1976, 1979, and 1980.
In just a few short years, the Jack Johnson Tribute race at Fonda has proven to be one of the most highly sought after victories on the big block modified calendar. With the added prize of a guaranteed starting position in the NAPA Auto Parts Super DIRT Week big block modified finale, spectators at the historic “Track of Champions” will be in for a spectacular show. Previous winners of “The Jack” event were Stewart Friesen, Matt Sheppard, and Mike Mahaney.
