Story By: RON SZCZERBA / FONDA SPEEDWAY – FONDA, NY – Sampson Motor Car Night on Saturday evening at the “Track of Champions” Fonda Speedway was a special evening for Matt DeLorenzo.
The defending Track Champion was able to win his first feature of 2023 in the BBL Companies #3D Bicknell car and in the process took over the point lead by two points with only three events remaining in the regular season.
To top that off it was the 43rd win of DeLorenzo’s career at Fonda placing him in a tie for ninth place on the All-Time Win list with Bill Wimble.
“I have to thank my brother Mike,” DeLorenzo said in FX Caprara Car Companies victory lane. “He was the only one working on the car today, I met him here at the track. The track was really slick, it was awesome. Great job on the track, it was real racy, and I know what it takes to put this show on. Thanks to the fans it is great to see them come out and support us.”
Other winners on Samson Motor Car Night at Fonda were Clayton DuMond (Swagger Factory Apparel Crate 602 Sportsman), Jonathan Feagles (Montgomery County Office for Aging Limited Sportsman), Ken (SOHC) and Kerrie (DOHC) Hollenback (Fonda Fair Four Cylinders).
Two special events were also held on Saturday evening, the 18th annual Hondo Classic, honoring the late fan favorite driver Hondo Carpenter put on by Kelley and Kaitlyn Keefe along with the 2nd Annual BOBCO Memorial Dash honoring the late videographer Bob James put on by Mark Krosky. Kenny Gates was the winner of both events with more coming on those events in a separate release.
Opening ceremonies began with an invocation by Pastor Greg Nitz followed by the National Anthem sung this week by Jenna Sue. The 50/50 ladies did their normal fantastic job with a prize of $2,377 going to Ashley from Gloversville.
The 30-lap Amsterdam Truck Center Modified feature began with pole position starter JaMike Sowle taking the lead at the drop of Joe Kriss’ green flag with third place starter Brian Calabrese in the second position as lap one clicked on the lap counter. One lap later, Calabrese was the race leader after getting by Sowle on the inside of turn four.
Rocky Warner started the event in the fifth position and was up to the third spot at that point when he suffered a flat right rear tire in turn two bringing out the first caution of the event. He had the tire changed and restarted the event at the rear of the field. Calabrese continued to lead on the restart with Alex Yankowski getting up to a top five position after starting ninth.
Bobby Varin brought out the last caution of the race on lap three after slowing in turn three and retired from the event at that point. Matt DeLorenzo started the event in the eighth position and on the restart moved up to the third position from Jack Lehner. Sowle never gave up on the outside line and got back around Calabrese for the lead on lap seven at the finish line.
DeLorenzo got by Calabrese for the second position on lap ten while tenth place starter Demetrios Drellos completed the top five after getting by Lehner for the spot. Just before the halfway point on lap 14, DeLorenzo took the lead away from Sowle on the inside of turns three and four and pulled away to a comfortable advantage. At the halfway point, the top five consisted of DeLorenzo, Sowle, Yankowski, Drellos, and Calabrese.
Despite lap traffic on lap 19 and over the remaining laps, DeLorenzo had no issues and went on to a straightaway win in the BBL Companies #3D over Yankowski, Drellos, Calabrese, and Sowle.
“I got to the front quick and the car was real good,” DeLorenzo said. “I think that getting to the front quickly was the key. It’s tough, I’ve got a lot of seconds this year. Everybody is fast. When asked about possibly winning another Track Championship this year DeLorenzo told Mimi Lazzaro “we’ll just take it race by race and hope for the W.”
Mark Mortensen led at the start of the 25-lap Swagger Factory Apparel Crate 602 Sportsman feature from his outside pole starting position with Harry Shaffer second after sharing the front row with Mortensen. On lap three, Shaffer broke something in the right rear of his car and slowed on the backstretch to bring out the caution.
Mortensen maintained the lead on the restart, running so high in turns one and two that he scraped the wall with the right rear of the car. Fourth place starter Clayton DuMond was the new second place car with Troy Zilles in the third position on the restart with Mortensen and DuMond side by side for the lead on lap eight, Mortensen running the outside and DuMond the inside.
At the line to complete lap nine, DuMond got by Mortensen for the lead and stretched out his advantage while Tanner Warner was now pressuring Mortensen for the second position. With five laps to go, DuMond was stuck behind the lap car of Dylan Eldred and that lasted over the remaining laps of the event while Warner was able to get by Mortensen for the second position with two laps to go.
“I didn’t really know what to do with the lap car,” DuMond said. “It didn’t seem like there was much on the outside, so I was just hoping nobody was going to go around the outside of me. I’m not any good on top, I’m a bottom feeder and it worked out for me tonight.”
Warner was right on the rear bumper of DuMond for the lead on the final lap, but DuMond was able to hang on to the lead for his first win of the season and the second of his career in the division in the Sampson Motor Car sponsored #314 DKM car. Warner, Mortensen, Zilles, and Brendan Gibbons completed the top five at the checkered flag.
“Mark (Mortensen) was fast on top, but I knew I couldn’t keep up with him up there,” DuMond said. “I could roll underneath him, so I kept it wound up enough on the bottom to go by him. Every week is a learning experience, but it’s great to put our sponsor Sampson Motor Car in victory lane on their night. This one is for Jerry Sampson. We lost him earlier this year, I asked him to give me a little help tonight and it worked.”
The 15-lap Montgomery County Office for Aging Inc. Limited Sportsman feature began with Brandon Tyler leading lap one until Steve Wagoner took the lead away from Tyler on lap two. Tenth place starter Jonathan Feagles was moving to the front lap after lap in the event and on lap 12 took the lead away from Wagoner on the outside of the backstretch and went on to his third win of the season in the Fitzpatrick Family Ties Auto Sales sponsored #55.
Bob Rowback, Michael Kalkbrenner, Kyle Dingman, and Mike Hill completed the top five at the checkered flag. Wagoner was the actual second place finisher but was disqualified in post-race tech for an illegal coil.
“The car has just been really good every week and everything went right tonight,” Feagles said. I just keep having things happen that really shouldn’t be happening, I got into the back stretch wall tonight and I was just hoping my tire wouldn’t go down but everything else went pretty smoothly. Coming from 10th to first tonight makes me feel like I did something.”
Ken (SOHC) and Kerrie (DOHC) Hollenback were the winners in the Fonda Fair Four Cylinder feature event. It was the ninth win of the 2023 season for Ken (94th of his career) and the sixth win for Kerrie (40th of his career).
Next Saturday, July 29 the CRSA Sprint cars will join all regular divisions on Parks Companies Night at the “Track of Champions” Fonda Speedway.
KENNY GATES WINS THE 18th ANNUAL HONDO CLASSIC
Special events have become a normal happening on a weekly basis at the “Track of Champions” Fonda Speedway. Saturday evening was no exception. On the racing card was the 18th running of the Hondo Classic for the Below Zero Ice Cream Pro Stock division, a prestigious event put on by Kelley and Kaitlyn Keefe honoring the late Hondo Carpenter who was a fan favorite to so many.
The event pays a lot of money to not only the winner but throughout the finishing order thanks to the sponsors and donations by friends of Hondo in a division that on a normal Saturday night produces the best race of the evening.
Along with the Hondo Classic the 2nd Annual BOBCO Memorial Dash was held, another special event honoring the late videographer Bob James, put on by Mark Krosky and a list of friends and sponsors that make the high paying event a prestigious one to win as well.
Both of these special events were won by Kenny Gates, his fourth win of the 2023 season, his 90th career win in the division at Fonda and the fourth Hondo Classic win of his career.
The luck of the draw placed Jason Morrison and Josh Coonradt on the front row of the 29-lap Hondo Classic event with Coonradt taking the lead from the outside pole position. At the completion of lap one, Shane Playford was the new second place car after starting third followed in the top five by fifth place starter Luke Horning, seventh place starter Beau Ballard, and eighth place starter Nick Stone.
Coonradt went between two lap cars on lap eight to maintain the lead with the yellow flag out on lap 11 for Slater Baker who was in the turn one wall. Another caution followed on the restart and the third try at the restart was single file with Coonradt maintaining the lead. At the halfway point in the event, Coonradt was the leader followed by Stone, Playford, Horning, and 12th place starter Kenny Gates.
Stone took the second spot away from Playford on lap 16 while Gates continued his march to the front, getting by Horning for the fourth position. Two more cautions slowed the field on laps 20 and 21 with Gates in the second position on the restart while ninth place starter Ivan Joslin was now third. Coonradt and Gates were side by side for the lead on lap 22 with Gates getting by Coonradt for the lead on the inside of turn four.
Gates led the remaining laps while Coonradt, Joslin, Stone, and Playford completed the top five.
“I can’t thank everyone that puts on this race enough,” Gates said in victory lane. “Kelley and Kaitlyn (Keefe) work their butts off on this event. It’s been a great race for a number of years, this is one we always circle, this is the big one for here at Fonda and I’m thrilled to death to be here. Coming from 12th I said oh boy, there’s a lot of good cars in front of me. We’ve had some bad luck this year a couple of weeks ago, but we turned it around.”
“Second place to Kenny Gates, he’s one of the best in the business,” second place finisher in the Hondo Classic Josh Coonradt said. “This track played to his favor tonight. I knew on the restart when I gave him the inside it was gonna be a challenge, but I knew that I had nothing on the bottom. I had to keep running the top and find any bite that I could. The track was phenomenal tonight and I’m very happy with second.”
“This one bites me all the time,” Honda Cassic third place finisher Ivan Joslin said. “To start ninth, have a good run, and pass all these guys, there’s a lot of good guys out there. Gates started rolling on the bottom, but my car was good on top, so I just had to get a rhythm going. I was getting closer and closer and just tried to keep going. It was good to have a good run here tonight.”
Kaitlyn Keefe threw the green flag to start the 2nd Annual BOBCO Memorial Dash with Josh Coonradt leading that event at the start. Kenny Gates started the event in the third position and took the lead away from Coonradt on lap three, leading the remaining laps for the dash event win.
Gates won a total of $1119 for the win followed by Coonradt ($759), Nick Stone ($509), Luke Horning ($409), Devon Camenga ($209), and Beau Ballard ($159). The winners share of the money included a $100 donation from the New York Stock Car Association (NYSSCA) for the first NYSSCA Member across the finish line which was Gates with all other drivers being NYSSCA members as well.
The purse money for the 2nd Annual BOBCO Dash was donated by Krash Menders, Elmo’s Speed & Supply, Bob & Tina Gamache, Don & Diane Champion in Memory of Craig, Don Kruger Motorsports, All In Printing & Designs, Premiere Landscaping, Friends of Bob James (BOBCO), Northeast Stock Car Old Timers (NESCOT), Bob Hackel Used Cars, Iron Outlaw Vintage Funny Car, Mark & Holly Krosky, BOBCO’S Family, Mom Louise, Sister’s Patty & Sandy.
“$1,119 that’s incredible,” Gates said about the payout after the BOBCO Memorial Dash win. “I’ve got every single win of mine on video from BOBCO, both VHS and DVD, and I love being able to get the old tapes out and watch them. Bob was a great guy, loved the sport, and loved this Pro Stock class. He was fun to talk to and I miss him.”
“This is the most I’ve made here all year,” second place dash finisher Josh Coonradt said after getting a check for $759. “When I had a good night Bob would leave me a video of it the next day so that I didn’t have to wait till the following week to get one. I talked to him a lot; he was a great guy.”
“This is probably the best paying race for not running all year long,” Stone said after his third place finish and $509 prize. “Finishing last you still leave with something. Great race to have, I look forward to it every year.”
Fonda Speedway Weekly Report
Miss any action from last week’s racing? The Fonda Speedway weekly report can take care of that. A 90 second summary of the previous Saturday racing action will air throughout the week across seven local radio stations including:
WCSS 1490 & 106.9 in Amsterdam/Schenectady
WIZR 930 & 102.9 in Johnstown/Fonda/Gloversville
WKAJ 1120 & 97.9 in St. Johnsville/Canajoharie
WYVS 96.5 in Speculator and the North Country
If you are a race fan that gets to the track early, be sure to check out the Fonda Speedway Museum & Hall of Fame which is located on the Fonda Fairgrounds at the rear of the parking area going down towards turn four. The museum is open from 3:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. on race days and admission is free!
AMSTERDAM TRUCK CENTER MODIFIED FEATURE – 30-LAPS – MATT DELORENZO, Alex Yankowski, Demetrios Drellos, Brian Calabrese, JaMike Sowle, Ronnie Johnson, Jack Lehner, Cody Clark, Chris Curtis, Dave Constantino, David Schilling, Rocky Warner, Dave Camara, Ron Holmes, Stewart Friesen, Bobby Varin, Bobby Hackel IV
1st win of 2023 and the 43rd of his career in the division for DeLorenzo who is now tied for 9th on the All-Time Win List with Bill Wimble.
LAP LEADERS – 1 Sowle, 2-6 Calabrese, 7-13 DeLorenzo
HEAT RACE WINNERS – Sowle, Curtis
SWAGGER FACTORY APPAREL CRATE 602 SPORTSMAN FEATURE – 25-LAPS – CLAYTON DUMOND, Tanner Warner, Mark Mortensen, Troy Zilles, Brendan Gibbons, Stephen Gray, Chad Edwards, Payton Talbot, Blaine Klinger, Brian Calabrese, Chip Constantino, Jeremy Tyrrell, Matt Perry, Zach Dufel, Michael McCallion, Butchie Irwin, Brett Mortensen, Josh Kane, Don Bellen, John DuMond, Dylan Eldred, Kadon Hohensheldt, Tim Dwyer, Clyde Peek, Wesley Sutliff, Harry Shaffer, Jason Greco (DNS)
1st win of 2023 and the 2nd of his career in the division at Fonda for DuMond.
LAP LEADERS – 1-8 Mark Mortensen, 9-25 Clayton DuMond
HEAT RACE WINNERS – Zilles, Edwards, Mark Mortensen
GRECO’S NAPA HARD CHARGER AWARD – Tyrrell +8
BELOW ZERO ICE CREAM “HONDO CLASSIC” PRO STOCK FEATURE – 29-LAPS – KENNY GATES, Josh Coonradt, Ivan Joslin, Nick Stone, Shane Playford, Beau Ballard, Devon Camenga, Jason Morrison, AJ Walters, Jim Normoyle, Jay Casey, Caden Dumblewski, Jason Casey, Gary Silkey, Steve Gates, Michael Achzet, Jordan Modiano, Joe Wilson, Nick Hilt, Connor White, Luke Horning, Dean Charbonneau, Chuck Dumblewski, Ian Bressette, Jimmy Eaton, Nick Santuccione, Randy Cosselman, Slater Baker, Dan Krajewski
4th win of 2023 and the 90th of his career in the division at Fonda for Gates, 4th career win in the “Hondo Classic”.
LAP LEADERS – 1-22 Coonradt, 23-29 Gates
HEAT RACE WINNERS – Ballard, Stone, Horning
BOBCO MEMORIAL DASH – 5-LAPS – KENNY GATES, Josh Coonradt, Nick Stone, Luke Horning, Devon Camenga, Beau Ballard
MONTGOMERY COUNTY OFFICE FOR AGING INC. LIMITED SPORTSMAN FEATURE – 15-LAPS – JONATHAN FEAGLES, Bob Rowback, Michael Kalkbrenner, Kyle Dingman, Mike Hill, Kirsten Swartz, Chris Kugler, Ryan Sweet, Brandon Taylor, Tim Wilmot, Bobby Rhinehardt, Jim Mallia, Dylan Huston, Gus Kamberelis, Cian DiMezza, John Anderson, Jeff Bobilin, Tyler Bobar, Jason Palombo, Aaron Armitage, AJ Greco, Lance Hill, Corky Warner (DNS), Collin Williams (DNS), Steve Wagoner (DQ coil)
3rd win of 2023 and the 3rd of his career in the division for Feagles.
LAP LEADERS – 1 Tyler, 2-11 Wagoner, 12-15 Feagles
HEAT RACE WINNERS – Kalkbrenner, Warner, Rowback
FONDA FAIR FOUR CYLINDER FEATURE – 12-LAPS – KEN HOLLENBACK (SOHC), KERRIE HOLLENBACK (DOHC), Brandon Ely, Len St. Andrews, Wayne Russel Jr., Hayleigh Gates, TJ Marlitt, David Peek-Britten, John Ray, Tim Warner
9th win of 2023 and the 94th win of his career in the division for Ken Hollenback
6th win of 2023 and the 40th career win in the division for Kerrie Hollenback
LAP LEADERS – 1 Warner, 2-5 Kerrie Hollenback, 6-12 Kerrie Hollenback