Fonda’s Honoring Super Fan Of 70 Years, Wayne Winsman, Saturday Night
Story By: RON SZCZERBA / FONDA SPEEDWAY – FONDA, NY – This Saturday, April 26 Wayne Winsman, a race fan at the Fonda Speedway for 70 years, is honored at the Track of Champions by his friends and family along with speedway management.
All weekly divisions including the Amsterdam Truck Center Modifieds, the Swagger Factory Apparel Sportsman, the Leatherstocking Credit Union Pro Stocks, the Montgomery County Office for Aging Inc. Limited Sportsman, and the Fonda Fair Four Cylinders will be on the racing card along with the Mohawk Valley Vintage Dirt Modified Series (MVVDMS) program.
Points will begin on Saturday for all of the regular Fonda Speedway divisions towards the 2025 Track Championships. Points will also begin for all MVVDMS divisions including the Mystique, Antique, Sportsman, Late Model, and Modified divisions. The MVVDMS will also celebrate New York State Stock Car Association (NYSSCA) Night on Saturday evening and there will also be bonuses handed out by the Northeast Stock Car Old Timers (NESCOT) organization.
Winsman’s uncle took him to the races at Fonda a few times back in 1955 & 1956. In 1957, Wayne got his license and has been a weekly fan at the “Track of Champions” since then. “Pete Corey was my favorite driver back then,” Winsman said recently. “I always went into the pit area until they moved the pits outside of turns three and four and then I started sitting in the grandstand.”
Winsman currently has a seat in the grandstand above the men’s room, right across where people can cross the track. Once Corey retired from racing, Wayne switched favorite drivers to one who lived about a half mile from where he did. That was Dave Lape. “We were farmers, and we purchased fuel oil from the company that Dave’s family owned, Winsman said.
Although Wayne has been to Knoxville six times, Fonda Speedway is still home to him and always will be. He found out about the special night that was going to be held at the track in his honor on February 6 which was his birthday. “I wasn’t fond of the idea at first,” he said. “But then I figured why not go up in the VIP tower and have some fun.”
“Fonda is the most exciting racetrack there is,” he continued to say. “I get to the track on Saturday nights an hour and a half early, park my car, and read the Area Auto Racing News (AARN) until race time.”
Wayne’s current favorite drivers at Fonda are Stewart and Jessica Friesen. Congratulations Mr. Winsman on your 70 year commitment to the Fonda Speedway.
Last Year the MVVDMS visited the Fonda Speedway four times during the 2024 season with the following winners in their respective divisions (number of wins in parenthesis).
- Late Models – Curtis Condon (1), Frank Hoard (2), and Will Reed (1).
- Mystiques – Joe Rando (2) and Harry Baldwin (2).
- Antiques – Bryan Scofield (1) and Jimmy Fugal (3).
- Sportsman – Bryan Seyfried (2) and Brian Gray (2).
- Modified – Randy Delaney (2) and Jack Miller (2).
All gates will open on Saturday, April 26 at Fonda at 3:00 p.m. with hot laps at 5:00 p.m. and racing at 6:00 p.m.
Grandstand Admission is $13 (Adults), $11 Seniors (ages 65 and over), and Kids 11 and under are FREE!
- Infield Drive-In (includes four passes): $60
- Pit Admission: $40 (Non-Members) – $35 (Members) – $10 Kids (11 and under)
