Story By: RON SZCZERBA / FONDA SPEEDWAY – FONDA, NY – On Saturday, September 14 the “Track of Champions” Fonda Speedway will be back in action with a racing program presented by Dodson Construction after a break for the Annual Fonda Fair.
On the racing card will be the Sunoco Racing Modifieds in a 30-lap $4,000 to win event with a draw for heat-race starting positions, the Swagger Factory Apparel Crate 602 Sportsman King of Dirt Racing Series in a 50-lap $2,000 to win event with a draw for heat-race starting positions, the Algonkin Motel Pro Stocks in a 20-lap $1,000 to win event with a draw for heat-race starting positions, the CRSA Sprints in a 20-lap feature event, the Trackside Body Works Street Stocks in a 15 lap feature event with a draw for position, the Four Cylinder Cruisers in a 12-lap event with a draw for position, and the Mohawk Valley Vintage Dirt Modified Series (MVVDMS).
Pit gates will open at 2:00 p.m. on Saturday afternoon with grandstand gates opening at 3:00 p.m., hot laps at 4:45 p.m., and racing at 6:00 p.m.
The “Track of Champions” is not only back to racing this Saturday, September 14 it is also “BACK” to the prominence that it has shown throughout its 68 year old history. That has come with a lot of hard work by promoter Brett Deyo and his wife Heather, Jamie and Denise Paige, and a great supporting cast of staff members.
Many sponsors have also come on board with sponsorship for all divisions but there are also some that have been behind the scenes sponsors of sorts with extra money handed out in the Swagger Factory Apparel 602 Crate Sportsman division and the Algonkin Motel Pro Stock division.
Greco’s NAPA came on board in 2019 with the NAPA Hard Charger Award in the Swagger Factory Apparel 602 Crate Sportsman division, awarding the driver who gained the most positions during the weekly 25-lap feature events a $100 award.
According to Greco’s NAPA, drivers winning the Greco’s NAPA Hard Charger Award this season at Fonda included Mark Mortensen who won the award a total of three times in 2019, Tim Hartman Jr. and Harry Shaffer who each won the award twice during the season, Tim Dwyer, Brian Borst, Chad Edwards, Cody Clark, Joe Orlando, Jason Greco, and Aaron Burton who all won the award once during the season.
Eric Orozco Racing also came on board in 2019, increasing the purse in the Swagger Factory Apparel Crate 602 Sportsman division to $1,000 to win in a total of 10 events during the 2019 racing season. Winners of those 10 events were Tim Hartman Jr. who won three of the extra money races sponsored by Mr. Orozco, Mark Mortensen and Adam McAuliffe who both won the extra money events twice, Brian Calabrese, Chad Edwards, and Nick Scavia who each won one of the extra money events.
American Racer Tire also came on board to sponsor a “Best of 8” Series of events paying $800 to win for the Algonkin Motel Pro Stock division with 2019 Track Champion Luke Horning and Nick Stone winning three of those events each along with Kenny Gates and Ivan Joslin who each won the award once during the season.
On Saturday, September 14 the best “Crate Modified” drivers in and around the Capital District will converge on the “Track of Champions”, Fonda Speedway for the 10th edition of the “Northeast Crate Nationals” to pen a brand new chapter in event history! The 50-lap feature event will pay $2,000 to win, $150 to start, and $75 for any car that does not qualify for the event! Plus Andy’s Speed Shop is presenting a $250 bonus to the winner, American Racer or Hoosier (driver’s choice) will present one free tire to the second and third place finishers in the feature event, and the winner has the honor and bragging rights of being the King of Dirt (KOD) Nationals Champion for the next 365 days!
Over 10 drivers are title eligible, but only one can be King! Vince Quenneville (187 points), Bobby Hackel IV (183 points), Adam Pierson and Billy Lussier (both with 182 points), and Joey Scarborough (175 points) are the current top five in points going in to the event with the top 12 separated by only 20 points from the point leader in the three race series!
Winners of the two KOD events held at the Devils Bowl Speedway in Vermont this season were Bobby Hackel IV and Kenny Tremont Jr. Past King of Dirt (KOD) Track Champions include Bobby Varin (358-Modified), Connor Cleveland (Sportsman), and Jason Casey (Pro Stock) in 2018; Marc Johnson (358-Modified), Rocky Warner (Sportsman), and Rob Yetman (Pro Stock) in 2017; Connor Cleveland (Sportsman) and Robbie Speed (Pro Stock) in 2016; Rocky Warner (Sportsman), and Nick Stone (Pro Stock) in 2015.
So come out and see two 2019 champions being crowned, a Nationals Champion and a King of Dirt (KOD) Champion at the Fonda Speedway!