NYSSCA Hall of Fame Announces 2025 Hall of Fame Inductees

Story By: RON SZCZERBA / NYSSCA – FONDA, NY – On Sunday, May 3, 2026 the New York State Stock Car Association (NYSSCA) will hold their induction ceremony for the class of 2025 at the Fonda Speedway Hall of Fame & Museum at 10:30 a.m. with a lunch to follow at the Winners Circle Restaurant.

Inductees for the 2025 class include drivers Don Ronca, Alan Johnson, Danny Johnson, and Billy Van Pelt; announcers Dan Martin and John Stanley; and mechanic and car builder Doug Rundel.

 

DON RONCA

When Don Ronca was 10 years old, his father Nick started racing and it has been in the family ever since. “I’ve been working on dad’s race car for as far back as I can remember,” Ronca said. In the late 70’s, Don got his start in the six cylinder Hobby class at Albany Saratoga and in 1980 he moved right up to the big block Modified division at both Malta and Fonda.

Although he only ran Fonda for the first year of his career, Don started racing three nights a week after that when he ran Albany Saratoga on Friday, Plattsburg on Saturday, and Devils Bowl on Sunday. “It was quite a jump for me going from a six cylinder to a big block and I wrecked a lot of cars back then,” he said. “Running three nights a week was tough to do. It was like having another full time job.”

The first car that Don competed with was a car that he found in the Want Ad Digest that included a complete car, trailer, and spare parts. In 1981 Dexter Dorr was building chassis up in Latham where Don, his brother Mike, and father Nick where all helping him out by cutting out parts for him for the cars.

“We built four or five cars that winter and dad and I each got a new car out of it,” Don said. “Dad taught all of us that racing isn’t an easy game. He always said that the more that you work on the car and the more time and effort that you put into it will get you better results. Preparation is the key and it is all a matter of dedication when you work on a race car.”

On Friday night June 20, 2025, 66-year-old Don Ronca added another win to his historic resume with his 15th career win at the Albany Saratoga Speedway where he was the Track Champion back in 1989 and 1992. In 1989, even though he didn’t win a race that season, his consistency played a huge role when he chalked up his first modified championship at Albany-Saratoga and also won the overall Champlain Valley Racing Association (CVRA) championship and the top prize of $15,000.

Ronca also has a total of nine wins at the Devils Bowl Speedway in Vermont with three Track Championships there back in 1986 (tie with Matt Waite), 1992 and 1993.

Up until that win on June 20 of last year at Malta, Ronca didn’t even have a top 10 finish to his credit during the 2025 season. “The car’s been hooked up, but we’ve had nothing to show for it,” he said. “Geez, on practice night, I ended up on my roof. But we just kept plugging along.”

At the age of 66, Don is the oldest driver to win a modified feature at Albany Saratoga. He’s won modified features in five consecutive decades (1980’s, 1990’s, 2000’s, 2010’s and 2020’s). And if you add in his three hobby stock wins in 1979, he’s been to victory lane in six consecutive decades. In fact, the first four modified wins of his career came at Drummondville Canada in 1982 and 1983.

Ronca suffered a broken back in a freak accident in the shop while working on his race car which put him out of racing from 2000-2004. “I was very lucky that I was able to race again,” he said. Don Ronca now joins his father Nick (inducted in 1991) and brother Mike (inducted in 2012) as inductees into the New York State Stock Car Association (NYSSCA) Hall of Fame.

Written by local auto racing columnist Tom Boggie in one of his press release/stories was that the Ronca’s are the first family of the Albany Saratoga Speedway. I would have to agree with that statement.

 

ALAN JOHNSON

Alan Johnson was born on October 3, 1957, and grew up in the rural town of Middlesex, New York, part of Yates County in the Finger Lakes region, where dirt track racing has long been a cultural staple among local communities. He has amassed 563 feature wins at 39 different tracks since his debut in 1974 according to the Auto Racing Research Associates (ARRA).

Johnson’s father, Milt Johnson played a pivotal role in shaping the family’s connection to motorsports, he competed as a driver at tracks across Central New York and worked as an engine builder, supplying powerplants like those from B&M Speed Shop for early modified cars. Milt’s achievements included capturing the 1961 Sportsman points title at Canandaigua, reflecting the Johnson family’s deep immersion in the local racing scene during Alan’s youth.

Alan’s first hands-on exposures came through attending races at nearby dirt tracks, such as Canandaigua Speedway. His 1974 debut at age 16 involved adapting a big block Modified, with support from family resources, though his youth required navigating logistical hurdles like obtaining necessary permissions and integrating racing into his teenage routine.

Alan transitioned from snowmobile and motorcycle championships to full-bodied big-block Modifieds without prior hobby class experience. He secured his first career feature victory the following year in 1975 on May 3 at Canandaigua Speedway in a Corvair-bodied #14J car. His early partnership with car owner Tico Conley in the 1980’s led to groundbreaking chassis modifications, including motor centering, offset seating, widened right-side frames, and custom torsion bars, which influenced designs like Maynard Troyer’s Mud Buss.

Known as “A.J. Slideways” for his smooth, consistent style, Johnson’s major achievements include five Super DIRTcar Series/Mr. DIRT Series championships in 1981, 1983, 2002, 2003, & 2006 alongside four Mr. DIRT 358 titles and four Super DIRT 358 Series championships in 1995, 1997, 2001, & 2005. He has claimed a total of 37 Track Championships at nine different tracks including Weedsport, Rolling Wheels, Canandaigua, Brewerton, Ransomville, Fulton, Waterloo, Merrittville, and Outlaw.

Johnson’s iconic triumphs at Super Dirt Week at the Syracuse mile in the Super Dirt Week 300 at the Syracuse Mile further defined his era, with victories in 1989, leading 188 laps ahead of Dave Blaney and 2003, where he outdueled Kenny Tremont over 200 laps to claim the crown jewel event.

His contributions to the sport have been honored with induction into the Northeast Dirt Modified Hall of Fame in 2017 as an active driver and the Eastern Motorsports Press Association (EMPA) Hall of Fame in the 2025 class, where he was twice named the EMPA Richie Evans Memorial Northeast Dirt Driver of the Year in 2003 and 2006. Alan now joins his father Milt Johnson (inducted in 2012) and brother Danny (inducted in 2025) as inductees into the New York State Stock Car Association (NYSSCA) Hall of Fame.

 

DANNY JOHNSON

Danny Johnson was born on March 3, 1960 and his racing career spans more than four decades, beginning in the 1970s with participation in series such as the USAC National Sprint Car Series and the Little 500, before establishing himself as a dominant force in dirt modified racing during the 1980’s and 1990’s. He has amassed 607 feature wins at 56 different tracks since his debut in 1979 according to the Auto Racing Research Associates (ARRA).

Johnson grew up in the Rochester area of upstate New York, in a suburban-rural setting with a close-knit community atmosphere. He later resided in Phelps, NY, a small village in Ontario County with a population of around 1,900 residents. Danny was born into a prominent racing family in Central New York, where motor sports were an integral part of his upbringing.

His father, Milt Johnson, was a competitive racer in the late 1950s and 1960s, securing the 1961 points championship at Canandaigua Motorsports Park, before transitioning to a highly successful career as an engine builder. Operating B&M Speed Shop in Rochester, New York, Milt crafted powerful engines that propelled top drivers like Richie Evans and Jerry Cook to victories on both asphalt and dirt tracks, establishing a legacy of technical expertise in the Modified division.

Danny’s brother Alan’s pursuit of racing further reinforced this family dynamic, serving as a role model and idol for Danny from a young age. The brothers frequently traveled together to local races and collaborated on car preparation, with Danny assisting on Alan’s machine while aspiring to match his sibling’s achievements. These shared activities, including attending events at Central New York tracks and working in the family shop, ignited Danny’s interest in dirt track racing during his teenage years, culminating in his professional debut at age 18 with parental assistance in securing sponsorship and a race car.

By 1979, this foundation led to his first victory at Canandaigua Speedway on July 14, marking the beginning of a storied racing career. He adopted the car number 27J early in his career and benefited from affiliations with supportive owners who provided competitive equipment. By 1983, Johnson began a significant partnership with car-building expert Maynard Troyer, racing his chassis for several years while honing his skills on Northeast dirt tracks.

Danny secured four Super DIRTcar Big-Block Modified Series championships in 1989, 1992, 1997, and 1999, along with runner-up finishes in 1986 and 2000. In the 358 Modified division, Johnson captured five Mr. DIRT 358 Modified Champion titles in 1996, 1999, 2000, 2010, & 2011. One of Danny Johnson’s most iconic achievements came in the 1997 Fay’s 300 at Super DIRT Week, held on October 12 at the New York State Fairgrounds Syracuse Mile in the Freightliner Trucks #6. He also won the 358-Modified main event in the same year on Saturday of Super DIRT Week.

In 2006, Johnson claimed the ITT Industries/Goulds Pumps Salute to the Troops 150-lap 358-Modified Championship on October 7 at the same Syracuse venue, earning $20,000 for his second career win in the event. Johnson’s son, Daniel, began his racing career in 2019, competing initially in local big block modified series at tracks like Land of Legends Raceway in Canandaigua, New York, with Danny serving as his key mentor.

Overall, Danny has a total of 21 Track Championships at five different tracks including Weedsport, Canandaigua, Rolling Wheels, Orange County, and Ransomville. In 2019, Danny Johnson was inducted into the Northeast Dirt Modified Hall of Fame as part of the organization’s 28th annual class, recognizing his lifetime contributions to the sport. He joins his brother Alan as an inductee into the New York State Stock Car Association Hall of Fame class of 2025 along with his father Milt who was inducted in 2012.

 

BILLY VAN PELT

Following in his older brother Curt’s footsteps, Westfield, PA’s Billy Van Pelt got into big car racing in 1987. He had been racing three-wheelers and snowmobiles until then when his brother Curt, who was poised to win a Mr. DIRT 358 Series title for the Sherwood team, left the family owned car and Billy and Curt’s father Jim put Billy in the seat.

The venue was Woodhull Raceway where Billy achieved his first career win in the 320-Modified division on May 28, 1988. In the ensuing 35 years, Billy not only dominated at the little third-mile bullring straddling the NY-PA border, he trashed every track record for all time.

Billy drove for his father, Ted White, Kevin Chilson, Grant Hilfiger, and finally for Chilson again during his career, racking up 198 documented wins and an incredible 23 championships at Woodhull alone. He absolutely understood every nuance of the track, where it could get slick, where there was bite, the color of the clay, the shadows off the wall, and where the room was to complete a pass. No other driver came close.

Fans remember a “Man or Mouse” challenge instituted by former track promoter Vern Wasson in the mid-2000s. Van Pelt could choose to be a “man” and elect to start last; or be a “mouse” and draw for starting position. Billy opted to fall in at the tail of the feature and collected a publicized bonus for the win.

But his success wasn’t confined to Woodhull and all total, he holds a total of 30 championship titles. In addition to the 23 at Woodhull, Van Pelt won two titles at Black Rock (now Outlaw Speedway) in 1995 and 1997; one at Freedom Motorsports Park in 2018; and four championships in the T3 All-Star Series for 358 Modifieds which took him to eight tracks in PA and NY.

He has 242 confirmed career victories at nine raceways in NY and PA according to the Auto Racing Research Associates (ARRA). Following a big $5,500 win at Woodhull, his final for car owner Kevin Chilson on August 6, 2022, Van Pelt retired on the spot. “If I go out on top, then they never beat me,” was his thinking. Billy still helps upcoming drivers with setups, which he loves doing, and took over as race director at Freedom Motorsports Park in 2024.

Billy Van Pelt was inducted into the Northeast Dirt Modified Hall of Fame in Weedsport, NY last year in 2025 and now joins his brother Curt as a member of the New York State Stock Car Association (NYSSCA) Hall of Fame after Curt was inducted back in 2018.

 

DAN MARTIN

Hall of Fame announcer Dan Martin grew up as a race fan, going to the races locally as a youngster with his dad. As a teenager, Dan raced Flat Track Motorcycles but still remained an avid stock car fan. In 1985, Dan started racing cars in the 4-Cylinder Mini-Modified division, which didn’t race weekly at any area tracks.

“I was looking to race weekly so in 1986 I started racing in the Pro Stock division at Albany Saratoga,” Martin said. “I finished second in points and was named Rookie of the Year by the New York State Stock Car Association (NYSSCA).”

In 1987, Martin claimed the Track Championship in the Pro Stock Division at Albany Saratoga and was runner up in points in the Silver Crown Series celebrating the CVRA’s 25th Anniversary. He also finished in the top 10 in points at both Airborne Park & Devils Bowl, running partial seasons at each track.

In 1988, Dan ran a partial season in the Pro Stock division at Albany Saratoga, but after wrecking the car decided to move to an open wheel class the next year instead of rebuilding the Pro Stock. After the decision was made to move up to the Sportsman division, Martin made the move to the Fonda Speedway in 1989 as Albany Saratoga did not have a Sportsman division at that time, running the entire 1989 season at Fonda.

“Unfortunately, a blown motor at the end of the season and lack of finances led to the end of the driving portion of my career,” he said.

After a conversation with John Stanley at The Amsterdam Mall Car Show, Dan learned that John was taking the announcer position at Lebanon Valley and that there was an opening for an assistant announcer. He decided to pursue the opportunity. “I started at Lebanon Valley as John’s partner in 1990 and also started to fill in for Jim King at Albany Saratoga in the mid 90’s,” Martin said. “I took over that position in 1997.”

Martin hosted a race results based radio show on a number of different radio stations including The Motorsports Report on My Country in Cobleskill and CD Country in Guilderland, Dan Martin’s Motorsports Hour on  Z Country in Glens Falls and co-hosting the Up to Speed Radio Show on The Team in Albany with Mark Krosky (Krash Mender).

In the past Dan has been awarded with The President’s Award by the New York State Stock Car Association (NYSSCA) along with the Arty McCarty Memorial Award for Contributions to NYSSCA. He also won the Media Award from the Lebanon Valley Speedway and was inducted into their Hall of Fame in 2024.

On a personal note, longtime friend Andy Hickok had this to say about Dan Martin. “He is one of the biggest race fans I know, he and I traveled together for years to many diverse kinds of auto racing events. We could be watching asphalt racing at Thunder Road or Stafford one week then travel to Lincoln or Williams Grove the next. Dan loves all types of racing.”

 

JOHN STANLEY

John Stanley went to his first auto race in 1965 at Albany Saratoga with his father who was long-time friends with Kenny Shoemaker. “As a kid, I was excited that my father actually knew one of the driving stars,” Stanley said. “Unfortunately, as we walked in the gate, the announcer said The Shoe was done for the night after breaking an axle in warmups so that meant that we had to come back the following week to see him run and then we started going every week.”

John grew up going to the races at Albany Saratoga and looked for ways to get more involved. In high school, he worked writing press releases for track manager Harry Hebenstreit and also started writing a column called “The Auto Racing Scene” for some local weekly newspapers. He also began his 50 plus year radio broadcasting career at that time. When he got to 107.7 WGNA-FM, he brought the “Auto Racing Scene” over to radio and provided local area auto racing results on the air the morning after the races were held. This was many years before such info was available on the Internet.

Next John approached CJ Richards, who was going to be taking over Albany-Saratoga, about an announcing job there. Although he had no track announcing experience, CJ took a chance on him with Howard Cameron as his mentor. “He was a great announcer and fantastic teacher,” Stanley said. “CJ brought him over from Devils Bowl to work both tracks, but when I got up to speed, Howard told me that he wanted to focus on Devils Bowl so that is how I became the voice of Albany-Saratoga.”

Stanley was the Malta track announcer for several years until the mid-1980s. He felt that they had some incredible races during those times with the best of Fonda like Jack Johnson, C.D. Coville and Dave Lape going up against the best of Lebanon Valley like Chuck Ely, Dave Leckonby and Tommy Corellis on the neutral turf of Albany-Saratoga. “It was a great race every week,” he said. “That’s when I started calling it The Great Race Place. At that time, the track did not have a slogan to build brand identity like some did and CJ loved it. The name stuck and to this day is still used because it’s the truth.”

In the winter of 1989-90, John got a call from Howard Commander who asked if he would be interested in announcing at Lebanon Valley. He took the job and asked who would be working with him. Howard said that was up to him. Dan Martin was a championship winning pro-stock and mini-stock driver who moved up to the sportsman class and then stepped out of the race car.

“He was someone that I knew who had a pleasing speaking voice and encyclopedic knowledge of the sport of auto racing,” Stanley said. “I felt that combination would make Dan an outstanding track announcer if given the chance.”

Dan decided to give it a try and became John’s announcing teammate at Lebanon Valley beginning in 1990. “He has gone on to an amazing announcing career from very humble beginnings,” Stanley said. “Fortunately for me, we have remained a tandem at the Valley of Speed all of these years.”

As for John’s own racing, it has pretty much been limited to an occasional go-cart race for fun. “I did a couple of media races at Malta and quickly learned that I am not a race car driver, he said. “Nonetheless, I did get a podium finish the second time and have a trophy to prove it.”

 

DOUG RUNDEL

Doug Rundel was probably best known for working with Fred DeCarr on the Dave McCredy owned cars that were driven by Bill Wimble, among others. But there is so much more to his story than that. Rundel got started in racing in 1960 while he was still in high school, hanging around DeCarr’s shop at the time. “Fred was a great person,” Rundel said. “He was patient and he taught me a lot.”

Rundel was a fan at first, a connection to racing with his wife while they were dating back then made it more interesting for him to be there. “My wife’s parents used to race flatheads at Brookfield and Smyrna, Dale Curns and his brother Benjamin,” he said. “That is what really got me interested in racing.”

Doug would get into racing himself in 1972, racing at places like Chemung and Utica Rome on the asphalt where he raced Mini-Stocks and was track champion at both tracks in his first year. “I started out in the 1200 CC class, but when they went to the 1500 CC OHC cars your tongue was hanging out just trying to keep up,” he said. “I never kept track of how many wins I had but I really liked racing on the asphalt.”

After ten years of working on race cars, Rundel started building cars, one year taking a trip out to Michigan in the winter to pick up an assembly of a Late Model from Tommy Williams who used to run at both Fonda and Utica Rome. “That was quite a ride in the winter, but I picked up the car, brought it back home, and assembled it,” Doug said.

He also built a couple of Norton #3X cars for driver Benny Stevens, which made news when he went out the first turn at Trenton according to Rundel. Doug’s son Bob raced Limited Supers at Oswego, and Doug’s latest racing experience was with his grandson Alex Hughes who raced at Utica Rome in the 602 Sportsman class until Hughes bought a house and got out of racing three years ago.

Rundel said that one of his favorite and memorable moments in racing was back when Dutch Hoag won a race in the McCreedy #133 car and gave him the trophy. “That was quite an experience.” Doug Rundel spent 29 years working for the Town of Sherburne, NY and he is not done building cars either, currently working on two Model A’s, one two door and one four door. “You have to keep busy doing something,” he said.