Memorial Honoring Track Legend Dave Lape This Saturday At Fonda Speedway

Story By: RON SZCZERBA / FONDA SPEEDWAY – FONDA, NY – Memorial events are sometimes held on a yearly basis at local speedways, but as sad of a time as it is to hold these events it is also a time to remember those people and how they may have touched or affected your lives.

This week is no different as on Saturday, May 10 at the “Track of Champions” Fonda Speedway, a Dave Lape Memorial event will be held at the track that he called home.

The jam-packed racing program at Fonda on Saturday will be presented by one of Lape’s long-time sponsors M.W. Roosevelt & Son/Roosevelt’s Towing highlighted by the Dave Lape Memorial events for the Amsterdam Truck Center Modifieds.

All other regular divisions will also be in action on the first night of weekly points for the 2025 season including the Swagger Factory Apparel Crate 602 Sportsman, the Leatherstocking Credit Union Pro Stocks, the Montgomery County Office for Aging Inc. Limited Sportsman, and the Fonda Fair Four Cylinders.

A Dave Lape Tribute event was held at Fonda back on 5/29/21 with Stewart Friesen winning both of the Twin 22-lap events. Lape passed away in September of 2022 with the first Dave Lape Memorial event held at Fonda on 5/27/23.

That evening, a great friend of the Lape Family won that event as well, none other than Stewart Friesen. Last year on 6/8/2024, Brian Pessolano and Demetrios Drellos were the winners of the Dave Lape Memorial Twin 22’s.

The feature winner’s trophy last year in 2024 was a commemorative “Popcorn Machine Trophy.” Popcorn was Dave’s favorite pre-race treat.

“Brian was one of the hugest Dave Lape fans, he used to come up to the house when he first started and I am so proud of him,” Jackie Lape said as she congratulated Pessolano in victory lane.

“This is crazy to win on this night, Dave Lape was my idol growing up, he was my favorite race car driver,” Pessolano told Mimi Lazzaro in victory lane. “Crazy, ironic isn’t it being my first career Modified win.”

“I like popcorn,” Drellos said after his win in Dave Lape Memorial event number two. “That is a cool trophy, I’m glad that I get to go home with one. It is a real good night here for a Fonda legend, it feels cool to win one for someone like Dave.”

The Dave Lape Memorial event this Saturday, May 10 will definitely be a must see event.