By RON SZCZERBA
Fonda Speedway
FONDA — It is certainly hard to believe that the 2019 regular season at Fonda is almost over. But with the reality that today is Benjamin Moore Paints Championship Night, it unfortunately is.
Tonight’s racing card will be the final point race of the 2019 season with Track Champions to be crowned in all divisions before the Montgomery County Fairgrounds closes for a few weeks for the annual Fonda Fair.
On the racing card, will be the Sunoco Racing modifieds, the Swagger Factory Apparel crate 602 sportsman ($1,000 to win Thanks to Eric Orozco Racing), the Montgomery County Office for Aging, Inc. limited sportsman, the Algonkin Motel pro stocks, the Trackside Body Works street stocks, and the four-cylinder cruisers.
The Mohawk Valley Vintage Dirt Modified Series also will also be part of the card, competing in a bonus race, which will be a non-point show for the competitors with all the racing action set to begin at 7 p.m.
The Fonda Speedway Kid’s Club also will be having a Backpack Giveaway, so those who would like to donate a backpack should see Ashley Abeling at the Kid’s Club location at the track, which is at gate two underneath the covered grandstands.
Looking at the current point standings in all divisions going into this week in the Sunoco modified division, Rocky Warner leads the way with 765 points on the strength of five feature wins, 10 top-five, and 15 top-10 finishes.
Warner will become the 2019 Sunoco Modified Track Champion by starting the feature event today, and with this championship, Warner has now won a championship in all four of the divisions that he has competed in during his career at Fonda, an historic moment for him and for the Fonda Speedway as well.
Warner’s other championships came back in the street stock division as co-champion in 2005 and then champion in 2007; in the pro stock division back in 2011; in the crate 602 sportsman division in 2014, 2015, 2016, & 2017; and now in the modified division in 2019.
Warner’s car owner Jake Spraker has also seen a lot of success in the past at Fonda with this year’s title by Warner being the 10th of Spraker’s career at the “Track of Champions”. Looking back Spraker won a title in the pro sock division with Steve Welch in 1999; crate 602 Sportsman titles with Warner in 2015, 2016 and 2017; a modified title with Mike Romano in 1989 along with a Fonda 200 win that year; three modified titles with Bobby Varin in 2005, 2006 and 2008; and one modified title with Ronnie Johnson in 2016.
Currently sitting second in Sunoco modified points at Fonda is Bobby Varin with 695 (one win, nine top-fives, 13 top-10s), followed in the top five by Stewart Friesen with 677 points (four wins, 11 top-fives, 11 top-10s), Dave Constantino with 635 points (one win, five top-fives, 11 top-10s), and Danny Varin with 634 points (two wins, five top-fives, 10 top-10s).
Tim Hartman Jr. leads the way in the Swagger factory Apparel crate 602 sportsman point standings with 643 based on five feature wins, nine top- five, and 11 top-10 finishes. Second in points is Chad Edwards with 595 points (one win, seven top-fives, and 12 top-10s), Adam McAuliffe with 593 points (one win, five top-fives, 12 top-10s), Brian Calabrese with 564 points (two wins, seven top-fives, nine top-10s), and Mark Mortensen with 555 points (two wins, six top-fives, nine top-10s).
In the Montgomery County Office for Aging Inc. limited sportsman point standings, EJ McAuliffe is the point leader with 664 based on four feature wins, 12 top-five, and 12 top-10 finishes. Following behind McAuliffe in the top five are Rich Christman with 648 points (four wins, 11 top-fives, 12 top-10s), Brett Mortensen with 572 points (two wins, seven top-fives, and 10 top-10s), John Young with 507 points (no wins, four top-fives, nine top-10s), and Steve Wagoner with 454 points (one win, four top-fives, 11 top-10s).
In the Algonkin Motel pro stocks, Luke Horning leads the point standings with 637 with a record of five wins, 11 top-fives, and 11 top-10s. Nick Stone is next with 607 points (three wins, nine top-fives, 10 top-10s), Josh Coonradt with 581 points (one win, nine top-fives, 12 top-10s), Kenny Gates with 573 points (two wins, nine top-fives, 11 top-10s), and Chuck Dumblewski with 527 points (no wins, seven to- fives, 10 top-10s).
Jason Samrov is the point leader in the Trackside Body Works street stock division with 664 with a record of five wins, 11 top-fives, and 12 top-10s. Michael Arnold is next in line with 620 points (one win, nine top-fives, 12 top-10s) followed by Cliff Haslun with 586 points (no wins, 10 top-fives, 10 top-10s), Stephen Young with 556 points (two wins, six top-fives, 11 top-10s), and Dave Horning Sr. with 544 points (four wins, eight top-fives, 12 top-10s).
Ken Hollenbeck is the point leader in the four-cylinder cruiser division with 404 points based on five wins, seven top-fives, and seven top-10s. Next in line is Cole Lawton with 384 points (two wins, six top-fives, seven top-10s), John Napoli with 344 points (no wins, five top-fives, seven top-10s), Wayne Russell with 265 (no wins, four top-fives, six top-10s), and TJ Marlitt with 247 points (no wins, two top-fives, six top-10s).
Gates are slated to open today at 4 p.m., with hot laps set for 6 p.m. Racing is slated to begin at 7 p.m.
Adult admission will be $11, while seniors (age 65 and older) will be admitted for $9. Children age 11 and younger will be admitted free,
For more information, visit www.thefondaspeedway.com or call the office at (518) 915-4395.
