By Mark Kane
There are times in this sport of racing when you have to just sit back and shake your head and wonder where the sport is going. There are some teams that have a ton of money to throw at their cars no matter what division, and then there are others who are on a limited budget.
Being involved in a crash can take a car out for the season. For some it is a hobby and for others it is much more: The teams thrive on winning, and it seems as if that drive to win has over taken their ability to race.
I understand winning is the ultimate goal for each and every driver on the track or beating the guy ahead of you, but at what expense?
So far in 2021 it seems many are taking the easy way out and have decided it is easier to drive right through someone rather than race them clean and use their talent and time in the shop to win races and not the front bumper.
With the speed teams are carrying, things can happen fast and go bad even faster without the help of someone plain out dumping another driver or putting a car into a hole that is not big enough for a VW let alone a race car.
I myself have never raced; well, that is not true: I turned many laps behind the wheel of the 900 Modified of Karl Haussel in his garage as a young race fan with elbows up and a helmet that covered my eyes. As you can imagine it was way too big, but that did not matter, as I was living the dream of a young race fan.
I hear it over and over “he was a lap car and was in the way.” They need to remember those lap cars are also paying their way into the pits and are putting fans in the stands, and without them we are going to see a pretty small field of race cars in the pits on a weekly basis.
Even today’s champions were being lapped when first starting out or even missing the setup. For the most part drivers obey the move-over flag, but when you are in the top 15 and racing Nerf bar to Nerf bar clean with someone, you don’t expect to be taken out by the leader. Or running wheel-to-wheel with someone you just passed clean, you hope he doesn’t take you out as well as four of the top five cars.
Maybe it is me, or the race fan in me, but that is what I am there to see: racing, not a demo derby as someone pounds their way to the front or dumps someone for the win.
To me a win should be earned with talent and hard work in the shop, not with the front bumper. For some I guess it is all about the win no matter what the cost or losing the respect of fans and – more than that – the other drivers. To some, it just does not matter.
For the second week in a row Albany Saratoga had to deal with Mother Nature, but for the second week in a row she would not win.
Fresh off back-to-back wins Kenny Tremont was looking for his third win, and if he was to pull it off he would have to come from deep in the powerful Modified starting field, and that is something that is tough to do even for the crafty veteran.
For the second time this season the “Great Race Place” would add a new name to the distinguished list of winners. After earlier in the year when three-time Sportsman champion Jeremy Pitts picked up his first Modified win, this time it was the “Ginga’ Ninja” Jack Lehner picking up the impressive win.
The very likable and talented Lehner, who picked up his first win at the Fonda Speedway earlier in the year, worked his way from the eighth starting spot to claim the win.
At the drop of the green it was Elmo Reckner with the early lead before one of the true veterans of Albany Saratoga Speedway Don Ronca grabbed the lead on lap 10 as the second-generation driver who has sure paid his dues over the years was fast.
When the first caution came out it was Reckner, Ronca, and Kris Vernold holding down the top three with Lehner already to fourth with young Derrick McGrew holding his own in the top five as Matt DeLorenzo was on the move to sixth.
Once back to green it was Lehner working his way to third as DeLorenzo was now fifth. With Ronca out front Lehner was closing and closing fast as the Ronca 7 was starting to get loose in the turns.
Behind the leaders it was a dog fight as Jessey Mueller and former champion Peter Britten were just outside the top five, and behind them 2020 Champion Mike Mahaney, Anthony Perrego and Tremont were looking for racing room inside the top 10.
The caution again flew this time for CG Morey in turn 4. Once back to racing things started to heat up as Lehner started to put pressure on the Ronca machine and was all over the rear deck of the leader, with DeLorenzo a close third as they raced clean and hard as Britten, Mahaney and Perrego were now in the hunt.
Lap 26 Found Ronca slip high in turn 2 and go over the bank as Lehner would be the new leader and would have to hold off a determined DeLorenzo, and that he did as he picked up his first-ever Albany Saratoga win with DeLorenzo a close second and Mahaney, Perrego, and Britten rounding out the top five.
The points battle is tight as Anthony Perrego with his consistency leads the way without a win with 392, Mike Mahaney and Marc Johnson are now tied for second with 376, Ken Tremont Jr. with back-to-back wins has 344 points, and Lehner and DeLorenzo also tied with 336. The top 10 are separated by only 90 points, one bad week and things can change quickly.
In other action Tim Hartman picked up his 31st Sportsman win and is now just two wins away from becoming the all-time Sportsman win leader over Mike Ballestero. Starting 23rd on the field Hartman worked his way steadily through the field as veteran Ron Proctor and Jim Nagle were battling out front with Nagle getting the lead on lap 15.
The first caution tightened up the field on lap 22, a caution that Nagle was not looking for. Once back to green Hartman was now second and would make the pass and go on to pick up the win as Nagle, Joey Scarborough, Proctor and Andrew Buff rounded out the top five.
The Pro Stock feature found Chad Jeseo pick up the win that found many cars with heavy damage and Jay Casey on his roof on the front straight and other than the leader the top five either went to the pits or the back after heavy contact between turns 3 and 4.
The limited Sportsman found Tyler Rapp picking up the win with Al Relyea picked up the Street Stock win, and Justin Phillips was the USAC Midget winner.
It was a special night at the “Track of Champions” Fonda Speedway with the annual Bill Ag Memorial Match race that has grown over the years to become very lucrative for the driver who can win the event.
For the third time in its history it was Ronnie Johnson picking up the money as he went out and defeated Craig Hanson, current point leader Josh Hohenforst, Mike Mahaney and Rocky Warner who later in the night would claim the SUNOCO Modified 30-lap feature.
For his efforts Ronnie Johnson picked up a cool $5,600 from the family, friends and other supporters of the event for just 10 laps of racing, turning back the challenge of each driver one at a time.
Just as the SUNOCO Modifieds came to the Speedway on their parade lap, rain began to fall, sending the drivers back to the pits for a short delay in the start.
Once the rain had cleared it was race time with JaMike Sowle grabbing the early lead with Steve Akers behind the wheel of his NOLEN Propane 27A working hard to hold off the challenges of Adam McAuliffe and Ronnie Johnson, who was looking to add to what he had already pocketed.
By lap 5 the top five consisted of Sowle, McAuliffe, Johnson, Warner and Jack Lehner fresh off of his Friday-night win. On the move was Stewart Friesen, who was working his way to the front on the high side of a very fast smooth race track as the leaders were quickly catching the back of the pack.
By lap 7 Sowle, who was setting a blistering pace, was into lap traffic as McAuliffe was closing and was all over the Palmer Service 76 machine and made the move to be the new leader as Sowle now had Johnson and Warner to contend with as those two drivers quickly worked their way past Sowle and set their sights on the leader with Josh Hohenforst working his way into the top five.
With McAuliffe out front, the duo of Johnson and Warner started to close on the leader, racing hard as Warner worked his way into second past Johnson. With 15 down and 15 to go McAuliffe now had to contend with Warner, Johnson, Lehner and Hohenforst all sitting in the top five in points.
Behind the leaders Friesen was working his way through the field, as was Mike Mahaney. Quickly things started to heat up as the leaders were racing close in heavy lap traffic, and also racing for position and not off the pace, contact was made between the front bumper of Warner and the rear bumper of Robert Bublak. The final tap, if you want to call it that, sent Bublak spinning, collecting the 44 of Friesen to bring out the yellow.
During the caution Friesen made his way to the hot pit and would return and start behind the cars that were on the lead lap in 12th. Once back to green the fine ride for McAuliffe ended with mechanical woes as the yellow was once again out handing the lead over to Warner for a single file restart. Now it was Mahaney making his presence felt quickly moving to fourth.
Once again Friesen started a charge to the front and was coming to the front quickly, working his way into the top five as Mahaney worked his way around Lehner. With Warner out front Friesen was not done yet moving around both Lehner and then Mahaney for third. At the checkers it was Warner, Johnson, Friesen, Lehner and Mahaney rounding out the top five with current point leader Josh Hohenforst sixth. Having a great run was outsider Alex Yankowski with a fine seventh at the finish with Steve Akers holding on for his best finish of eighth with a broken rear shock after a busy week in the shop changing the car completely. While he was being interviewed post-race, the fans were showing their displeasure loud and clear with Warner and his involvement that brought out the yellow on lap 21.
Another Saturday night and another great race in the Pro Stocks that has become the norm. At the drop of green Gary Silky – who is calling Fonda Speedway home in 2021 after several seasons at Lebanon Valley – was the early leader before Jim Normoyle powered his way to the front to lead lap 3 and held on for the popular win, holding off Nick Stone and Kenny Gates at the checker with Ivan Joslin and Chuck Dumblewski rounding out the top five and Silky hanging on for sixth. Lap 12 saw the red flag for Steve Cosselman, who made heavy contact with the wall between turns 3 and 4 and flipped. Cosselman walked away from his damaged car.
Sportsman racers, who have been putting on a show of their own, once again had a great race with Bill August setting the early pace with Jason Reome, another new competitor in 2021, staying close until the red flag flew for a multi-car tangle that blocked the track in turn 4.
Once back to racing Reome was the new leader, but on the move on the high side as he has been throughout the season was Cody Clark with Mark Mortenson also putting on a show for the fans, as was Chad Edwards who started deep in the field. But all eyes were on Clark as lap after lap he worked the high side with perfection, hitting his marks to be the new leader. Clark was on cruise control until a late race caution put Mortensen on Clark’s back bumper. However, that was as close as he would get as Clark pulled away leaving Mortensen and second-generation driver Tanner Warner, who was having a great run battling for second and picked up the spot on the final lap.
At the flag it was Clark in for another impressive win after picking up last week’s feature win as Warner, Mortensen, Aaron Burton and Edwards rounded out the top five. A protest was filed on the 4 car of Cody Clark, and after a thorough check Clark was 100% legal. The 4 Cyl class found Slappy White picking up yet another win.
Looking at the points, Josh Hohenforst with consistency and yet to win a feature leads the way with 483 points as Jack Lehner sits second with 468, just one point ahead of Rocky Warner, as Craig Hanson has 461 and Ronnie Johnson rounds out the top five with 445.
It was a tough night for Hanson who in the match race blew the water pump and put the fan into the radiator and had to use the Brian Calabrese ride to finish 15th.
There are some big races coming up as Fonda will play host to a pair of races over the upcoming holiday weekend kicking it off on July 3 with a Thunder along the Thruway Series with the Red, White, & Blue $4,000 to win SUNOCO Modified feature, $1,500 to win Sportsman, $1,000 to win Pro Stock along with the Limited Sportsman, 4 Cyl and the Mohawk Valley Vintage Dirt Modifieds.
Then they come right back to kick off the Fourth as fireworks will be in the air and on the track with the Short Track Super Series Firecracker 50 for a $50,000 to win event for the SUNOCO Modifieds that is sure to bring in a fine field of invaders, as well as the STSS 602 Sportsman on the card going for $2,000 to win. The night will end with fireworks in the air.
After heavy rain the night before and rain during the day, Albany Saratoga Speedway has rescheduled its Horse Power 100 – 100 laps of the ground-pounding Super DIRTcar Series – to Tuesday, July 13, that will bring in a strong contingent of outsiders along with the Sportsman division.
Well, folks, the weather is heating up, point battles are heating up, tempers are getting a little heated and the racing as always is hot, so make your way to the races for a great night.
