News Director 
Story By: CHRIS MOORE / SHORT TRACK SUPER SERIES – FONDA, NY – A place in history. The most lucrative winner’s share in Northeast Modified racing will be distributed in Montgomery County, N.Y., Sept. 14-16 with the annual Fonda 200 at Fonda Speedway.
The stars of the Bob Hilbert Sportswear Short Track Super Series (STSS) Fueled By Sunoco clash with Fonda Speedway’s best in pursuit of a $53,000 grand prize.
The historic – and now annual – event offers a total purse nearing $140,000 for Saturday’s main event.
The ‘Fonda 200’ also plays a hand in both the Ollie’s ‘Elite’ Series (Round No. 3) and the River Valley Builders North Region (Round No. 10), paying $15,000 each, respectively, to their champions.
The ‘Fonda 200’ began in 1955 when the iconic Junior Johnson claimed the inaugural event, which served as a NASCAR Grand National event.
Johnson, David Pearson, and ‘The King,’ Richard Petty, are all on the ‘Fonda 200’ win list as NASCAR Grand National event winners in the late 1950s and 60s.
The ‘Fonda 200’ became an annual event starting in 1983 with Charlie Rudolph finding Fonda Speedway checkerboard square.
The event ran every year through 2002 (with the exception of 1996, weather related) before taking a 17-year hiatus as BD Motorsports Media LLC took the helm of Fonda Speedway.
The historic event returned in ’19, ’21, and ’22, with 2020 falling by the wayside due to COVID-19 restrictions.
Sprakers, N.Y.’s Stewart Friesen has added his name to the ‘Fonda 200’ win list, claiming the ’19 and ’21 renditions. Last year, Savannah, N.Y.’s Matt Sheppard added his name to the list of drivers to win the ‘Fonda 200.’
The 2023 Fonda 200 weekend begins next Thursday (Sept. 14) with the Amsterdam Truck Center Modified ‘Ultimate Underdog 33’ taking place. Any driver unable to pick up a Modified victory at any speedway this season will be eligible to participate.
The Montgomery County Office of the Aging Limited Sportsman join the program as well. Open Practice for all other divisions participating during the weekend will also be available.
On Friday (Sept. 15) the STSS big-block/small-block Modifieds take part in 15-lap Qualifying Races for Saturday’s main event.
Joining STSS Modified Qualifying Races will be the CRSA Sprint Cars, the Below Zero Ice Cream Pro Stocks, Stone Motorsports/Online Performance Street Stocks and Fonda Fair Four Cylinders.
The weekend concludes on Saturday, Sept. 16. The STSS Modifieds take part in Last Chance Races to set the final starting field for the $53,000-to-win ‘Fonda 200’ headliner paying $1,000 to take the green flag.
The Swagger Factory Apparel STSS Crate 602 Sportsman join the Saturday program, battling for 25-laps in Round No. 6 of the Precision Hydraulic & Oil North Region.
