News Director 
Column By: MIKE TRAVERSE / RPW – FONDA, NY – In a race that was marked by high attrition, it was Mike Maresca surviving to win the 34 lap Lou Lazzaro Memorial at Fonda Speedway on Saturday night.
The victory, worth $4,444 was the 3rd career win at Fonda for Maresca and his first since 2017.
While the race was in memory of Lou Lazzaro, Maresca paid tribute to a recently lost crew member in his post race interview.
“That race was something, it was survival. But I definitely had someone pretty special riding with me tonight. And that is Paul Zinsman, the number one crew guy I had when I started driving the number 24 car. He passed away this past winter. I talked to him a lot and he was a good friend.”
For the first 2/3rds of the race, it looked to be an Alex Yankowski runaway as he sprinted off to a huge lead. But just past halfway, Yankowski’s car started showing sparks and with 8 laps to go, he slowed on the backstretch as did 2nd place Jack Lehner. This gave the lead to Maresca.
With the high attrition, Yankowski and Lehner returned to action, still in position to win over the final few laps. But Maresca started running his best laps of the race to take the big win. Yankowski recovered to finish 2nd. Chris Curtis was 3rd, Lehner 4th and Ryan Odasz 5th.
Brian Calabrese was 6th with Roger Henion Jr. 7th, Daniel Morgiewicz 8th, Tucker O’Connor 9th and Darwin Greene 10th.
“I was excited to come here tonight. It’s Fonda,” Maresca said. “The track had character, but we’re racers. And we were having a memorial race for a real racer. He would have been racing.”
Maresca praised his crew and sponsors for his win on Saturday.
“I thank all my sponsors, my Mom and Dad, my wife, my whole family. This car stayed together. We have an extremely good team. We have been having a good season, but this is our first win. I’m pumped.”
In Crate 602 Sportsman action, Chad Edwards was an impressive winner on Saturday, picking up his 20th career Sportsman win and his first since 2022.
Edwards passed Clayton Dumond for the lead on lap 7 and stretched out to a big lead over first Payton Talbot, then Brett Mortensen.
3rd place running Jared LaBagh had a flat and brought out the caution with 3 to go. But the final restart did not produce and change in the top running order.
Following Edwards was Mortensen 2nd, Talbot 3rd 3rd, Blaine Klinger 4th and Dumond 5th. Completing the top 10 were Butchie Irwin 6th, Mark Mortensen 7th, Gary Edwards III 8th, Brendan Gibbons 9th and Brock Miller 10th.
AJ Greco took the lead on lap 3 and cruised to an easy victory in the Limited Sportsman feature. Dylan Huston finished 2nd, Lance Hill 3rd, Randy Cosselman 4th and Brandon Tyler 5th.
Luke Horning was the Pro Stocks winner in a close race with Ken Gates 2nd, Ivan Joslin 3rd, Shane Playford 4th and Nick Santuccione 5th.
The holdover 4 Cylinder feature from last Saturday was won by Jay Ingersoll. John Napoli was 2nd and Chris Hemstreet 3rd. Wayne Russell was the Single Carb winner.
The regularly scheduled 4 Cylinder feature was won ny Adam Montville with Ingersoll 2nd and Napoli 3rd.
Results
AMSTERDAM TRUCK CENTER/FX CAPRARA THUNDER ON THE THRUWAY SERIES/LOU LAZZARO MEMORIAL MODIFIED FEATURE – 34-LAPS – $4,444 TO WIN – Feature (34 Laps): 1. 7MM-Michael Maresca[6]; 2. 84Y-Alex Yankowski[2]; 3. 35-Chris Curtis[3]; 4. 85-Jack Lehner[14]; 5. 93-Ryan Odasz[11]; 6. 21C-Brian Calabrese[10]; 7. 19JR-Roger Henion Jr[20]; 8. 15M-Daniel Morgiewicz Jr[16]; 9. 42-Tucker O’Connor[1]; 10. 1G-Darwin Greene[18]; 11. 34-Dave Constantino[15]; 12. 1-Rocky Warner[17]; 13. 21P-Luciano (Pep) Corradi[24]; 14. 76-Jamike Sowle[12]; 15. 66-Don Bellen[19]; 16. 20C-Craig Hanson[9]; 17. 4-Cody Clark[8]; 18. 27-Jason Reome[21]; 19. 2RJ-Ronnie Johnson[13]; 20. 24P-Brian Pessolano[7]; 21. 96-Andy Graves[23]; 22. (DNS) 1Z-Jessica Friesen; 23. (DNS) 97-Bobby Hackel IV; 24. (DNS) 111-Demetrios Drellos
Heat 1 (8 Laps): 1. 20C-Craig Hanson[1]; 2. 97-Bobby Hackel IV[4]; 3. 4-Cody Clark[7]; 4. 42-Tucker O’Connor[2]; 5. 2RJ-Ronnie Johnson[8]; 6. 15M-Daniel Morgiewicz Jr[6]; 7. 66-Don Bellen[5]; 8. 111-Demetrios Drellos[3]
Heat 2 (8 Laps): 1. 84Y-Alex Yankowski[1]; 2. 1Z-Jessica Friesen[2]; 3. 21C-Brian Calabrese[4]; 4. 24P-Brian Pessolano[3]; 5. 85-Jack Lehner[7]; 6. 1-Rocky Warner[6]; 7. 19JR-Roger Henion Jr[8]; 8. 96-Andy Graves[5]
Heat 3 (8 Laps): 1. 35-Chris Curtis[1]; 2. 76-Jamike Sowle[2]; 3. 93-Ryan Odasz[3]; 4. 7MM-Michael Maresca[5]; 5. 34-Dave Constantino[7]; 6. 1G-Darwin Greene[8]; 7. 27-Jason Reome[6]; 8. 21P-Luciano (Pep) Corradi[4]
LAP LEADERS – 1-26 Yankowski, 27-34 Maresca
3rd Career win in the division for Maresca
SWAGGER FACTORY APPAREL/FX CAPRARA THUNDER ON THE THRUWAY SERIES CRATE 602 SPORTSMAN FEATURE – 25-LAPS – $1,500 TO WIN – Feature (25 Laps): 1. 10%-Chad Edwards[4]; 2. 1B-Brett Mortensen[5]; 3. 14T-Payton Talbot[6]; 4. 9K-Blaine Klinger[21]; 5. 314-Clayton DuMond[1]; 6. 40D-Butchie Irwin[12]; 7. 1M-Mark Mortensen[3]; 8. 21-Gary Edwards III[17]; 9. B24-Brendan Gibbons[31]; 10. 164-Brock Miller[14]; 11. 9L-Jimmy Leiby[16]; 12. 38SPEC-Jared LaBagh[8]; 13. 84-Ricky Quick[2]; 14. 14J-Jeremy Tyrrell[24]; 15. 12P-Connor Prokop[15]; 16. 78-Tanner Warner[19]; 17. 99-Clyde Peek[20]; 18. 12T-Tyler Peet[10]; 19. 1D-Kyle Dingman[9]; 20. 8-Josh Kane[13]; 21. 63-Chip Constantino[11]; 22. 12B-Tyler Bobar[27]; 23. 312-Bill Port[26]; 24. 89-Dylan Madsen[7]; 25. 7J-Dan Santabarbara[29]; 26. 85R-Bob Rowback[25]; 27. (DNS) 2K-Mike Kalkbrenner; 28. (DNS) 55-Jonny Feagles; 29. (DNS) 28-Dylan Eldred; 30. (DNS) 31J-John DuMond; 31. (DNS) 25-Stephen Gray
Heat 1 (8 Laps): 1. 12T-Tyler Peet[1]; 2. 89-Dylan Madsen[6]; 3. 1B-Brett Mortensen[7]; 4. 1D-Kyle Dingman[5]; 5. 8-Josh Kane[8]; 6. 9L-Jimmy Leiby[10]; 7. 78-Tanner Warner[4]; 8. 9K-Blaine Klinger[9]; 9. 14J-Jeremy Tyrrell[11]; 10. 12B-Tyler Bobar[2]; 11. 25-Stephen Gray[3]
Heat 2 (8 Laps): 1. 63-Chip Constantino[1]; 2. 10%-Chad Edwards[2]; 3. 38SPEC-Jared LaBagh[4]; 4. 84-Ricky Quick[9]; 5. 164-Brock Miller[3]; 6. 21-Gary Edwards III[7]; 7. 99-Clyde Peek[6]; 8. 55-Jonny Feagles[5]; 9. 85R-Bob Rowback[10]; 10. (DNS) 31J-John DuMond
Heat 3 (8 Laps): 1. 14T-Payton Talbot[7]; 2. 314-Clayton DuMond[1]; 3. 40D-Butchie Irwin[4]; 4. 1M-Mark Mortensen[5]; 5. 12P-Connor Prokop[10]; 6. 2K-Mike Kalkbrenner[2]; 7. B24-Brendan Gibbons[6]; 8. 28-Dylan Eldred[3]; 9. 312-Bill Port[9]; 10. 7J-Dan Santabarbara[8]
LAP LEADERS – 1-7 Clayton DuMond, 8-25 Edwards
20th Career win in the division for Edwards
GRECO’S NAPA HARD CHARGER AWARD – Blaine Klinger +18
LEATHERSTOCKING CREDIT UNION/FX CAPRARA THUNDER ON THE THRUWAY SERIES PRO STOCK FEATURE – 20-LAPS – $1,000 TO WIN – Feature (20 Laps): 1. 2H-Luke Horning[1]; 2. 35-Ken Gates[4]; 3. 49-Ivan Joslin[5]; 4. 6-Shane Playford[7]; 5. 1D-Nick Santuccione[12]; 6. 75-Gary Silkey[9]; 7. 8N-Nick Stone[3]; 8. 7C-Caden Dumblewski[8]; 9. 28H-Johnny Holmes[10]; 10. 715-Jason Morrison[6]; 11. 81A-Michael Achzet[11]; 12. 81-Bret Belden[2]
Heat 1 (8 Laps): 1. 49-Ivan Joslin[4]; 2. 8N-Nick Stone[6]; 3. 35-Ken Gates[5]; 4. 6-Shane Playford[1]; 5. 75-Gary Silkey[3]; 6. 81A-Michael Achzet[2]
Heat 2 (8 Laps): 1. 2H-Luke Horning[2]; 2. 81-Bret Belden[1]; 3. 715-Jason Morrison[5]; 4. 7C-Caden Dumblewski[6]; 5. 28H-Johnny Holmes[3]; 6. 1D-Nick Santuccione[4]
LAP LEADERS – 1 Horning, 2 Stone, 3-20 Horning
28th career win in the division for Horning
MONTGOMERY COUNTY OFFICE FOR AGING INC. LIMITED SPORTSMAN FEATURE – 15-LAPS – Feature (15 Laps): 1. 12AJ-AJ Greco[8]; 2. 16H-Dylan Huston[1]; 3. 22L-Lance Hill[10]; 4. 5C-Randy Cosselman[7]; 5. 2-Brandon Tyler[11]; 6. 87J-Joel Knudsen Jr[13]; 7. 47-Walter Cook[2]; 8. 00X-Josh Coonradt[4]; 9. 797-Corky Warner[14]; 10. 37-Ryan Sweet[3]; 11. 618-Bobby Rhinehardt[12]; 12. 07-Josh Persse[18]; 13. 14W-Timothy Wilmot[6]; 14. 57-Ben Balzer[17]; 15. (DNS) 216-Phil Arnold; 16. (DNS) 44J-Adam Tranka; 17. (DNS) 44-Rocco Constantino; 18. (DNS) 4-Zach McSpirit; 19. (DNS) 13J-Jim Mallia
Heat 1 (6 Laps): 1. 16H-Dylan Huston[2]; 2. 37-Ryan Sweet[4]; 3. 216-Phil Arnold[9]; 4. 5C-Randy Cosselman[7]; 5. 44J-Adam Tranka[8]; 6. 2-Brandon Tyler[3]; 7. 87J-Joel Knudsen Jr[5]; 8. 44-Rocco Constantino[10]; 9. 57-Ben Balzer[1]; 10. (DNS) 07-Josh Persse
Heat 2 (6 Laps): 1. 47-Walter Cook[1]; 2. 00X-Josh Coonradt[6]; 3. 14W-Timothy Wilmot[5]; 4. 12AJ-AJ Greco[7]; 5. 22L-Lance Hill[2]; 6. 618-Bobby Rhinehardt[8]; 7. 797-Corky Warner[3]; 8. 4-Zach McSpirit[9]; 9. 07-Josh Persse[10]; 10. 13J-Jim Mallia[4]
LAP LEADERS – 1 Cook, 2-15 Greco
3rd career win in the division for Greco
GRECO’S NAPA HARD CHARGER AWARD – Greco +7
FONDA FAIR FOUR CYLINDER FEATURE – 12-LAPS – RAIN DELAYED FROM 4/27/24 – 4/27 Make-Up Feature (12 Laps): 1. 97JD-JAY INGERSOLL (dual cam winner)[4]; 2. 3D-John Napoli[3]; 3. 777D-Chris Hemstreet[14]; 4. 36D-Todd Morey[2]; 5. 54S-WAYNE RUSSELL JR (single cam winner[9]; 6. 42D-Hayleigh Gates[15]; 7. 26D-Len St Andrews[13]; 8. K1S-William Liberatore[10]; 9. 212S-TJ Marlitt[12]; 10. 29D-Howard Marlitt[6]; 11. 420XS-Tim Warner[8]; 12. 223S-Josh Beals[7]; 13. D5D-Shawn Hemstreet[5]; 14. 33D-Kerrie Hollenbeck[1]; 15. 26S-Ken Hollenbeck; 16. (DNS) 98S-Stephanie Maille
FONDA FAIR FOUR CYLINDER FEATURE – 12-LAPS – REGULAR SCHEDULED FEATURE – Feature (12 Laps): 1. 7D-ADAM MONTVILLE[8]; 2. 97JD-Jay Ingersoll[7]; 3. 3D-John Napoli[3]; 4. 42D-Hayleigh Gates[9]; 5. 54S-WAYNE RUSSELL JR[4]; 6. 26D-Len St Andrews[15]; 7. 26S-Ken Hollenbeck[18]; 8. 420XS-Tim Warner[11]; 9. D5D-Shawn Hemstreet[10]; 10. 212S-TJ Marlitt[1]; 11. 33D-Kerrie Hollenbeck[5]; 12. 36D-Todd Morey[14]; 13. 29D-Howard Marlitt[13]; 14. (DNS) K1S-William Liberatore; 15. (DNS) 223S-Josh Beals; 16. (DNS) 777D-Chris Hemstreet; 17. (DNS) X54S-Bruce Boldin; 18. (DQ tires) 22D-Tony Frezzo[16]
2nd career win in the division for Ingersoll
1st career win in the division for Montville
7th career win in the division for Russell Jr.
