Tracks: Romano wins Fonda in 2001 Bicknell
13 August 2000
The rain held off for the night and when the checkered flag flew on the Nations Rent modified feature Mike Romano of Johnstown, NY sat in victory lane for the fifth time of the season at Fonda Speedway. Romano moved back to second in points where he is now 44 points behind point's leader, Bobby Varin.It was not an easy win for Romano. He went from 16th to win the event and also pick up the Hard Charger Award presented the Schoharie Kiwanis.
The Romano win came in his brand new 2001 Bicknell chassis. "I needed that last restart, said Romano. Bobby was better on the long run."
Nations Rent sponsored the night of racing action and brought the Michael Waltrip Winston Cup car to the track for the fans enjoy and get a closer look at.
Other winners on Nations Rent night were Mike Ballestero in the Sportsman 20 lap main, Mike Fritz won for the first time in the Pro Stock event. Kevin Buff won the IMCA modified main event. Randy Cannell and Dick Nichols took the honors in the Street Stock A&B events
Coming events at the "Track of Champions"
Thursday, August 17, 2000 7:00 P.M. Wm. Larned & Sons -358 Tour, Sportsman + Powder Puff
Saturday, August 19, 2000 6:00 PM- BBL Night of Features, IMCA- final points night. DARE Night for the kids club.
"The Shoe" Kenny Shoemaker will be on hand to greet the fans and sign copies of his new book They Called Me "The Shoe"
The modified main event saw four different leaders before the final lead change came when Mike Romano took over on lap 23.
John Kollar led the field to the green flag. Kollar led until lap three and Bob Savoie took over on the restart. Savoie had A. J. Romano right on his bumper until Romano was forced to the pits because of a clump of clay in his wheel.
On the restart, Bobby Varin grabbed the lead from Savoie. Varin pulled away and held the lead until lap 23 when the final yellow flag of the event flew for Bob Sitterly, sitting against the outside wall on the frontstretch.
On the restart Varin was in the lead. Romano was mounting a serious challenge by the time the two were in turn four. At the line they were dead even. Mike Romano was able to power around Varin in turn two and took off down the backstretch, never to be seriously challenged.
In the action packed Sportsman feature, Eddie SanSoucie led at the green. SanSoucie was followed closely by Robert Perry and Johnny LeClair.
The only caution of the 20-lap event came on lap two for Frank Greco who slammed into the turn one wall. Rich Wozniak also went to the pits with a flat tire.
Robert Perry led on the restart. Perry held the lead until eventual winner Mike Ballestero too over on lap eleven.
Ballestero had a close call on lap 18 when he was pinned behind the lap car of Mike Ketchum. Point leader Jim Davis tried to take the opportunity to get by Ballestero by failed. Ballestero held on for the win, his first of the season.
Jim Davis solidified his lead for the track title in the Sportsman divisions with his second place finish.
The Pro Stock racers were slow to settle down to racing. The first half of the event saw three cautions and three lead changes. Steve Burega was the early leader followed by Jim Duncan who took over on lap five when Burega got loose on the restart. Steve Welch led lap nine and looked to be on his way for a win.
Mike Fritz had different ideas, however. On lap 18 Fritz powered under Welch as the No. 1 drifted high.
Morris, Phlan Hart, Welch and Ken Gates chased Fritz to his first ever checker at Fonda.
Point leader Rob Noviczski finished 16th after getting involved with a car on the first caution. Noviczski is still leading the overall points by 34 over second place Ken Gates.
The 15-lap IMCA Modified main was slowed by only on caution on lap 10. Kevin Buff led the entire event with George Catanzano and Steve Bidwell locked in a fierce battle behind him. Buff recorded his first win in the IMCA Modifieds at Fonda.
With only one remaining point show for the IMCA division at Fonda, Steve Bidwell leads by only two points over George Catanzano.
The Street Stock A action came to the line with the No. 11 Nations Rent sponsored car of Eric Harper on the pole. Harper led from green to checker surviving a melee at the green and a caution on lap three but was disqualified in a post race tech inspection. Randy Cannell was given the win, his first of the season. Two other disqualifications came out of the tech area before the race was declared official.
Street Stock B action saw Dick Nichols on the front of the pack at the green. Nichols led from green to checker with no yellows flags to slow the action.
Dave Horning, Jr. is the leader of the overall Street Stock points with 774.
Modified finish (30 laps) 1. MIKE ROMANO, 2)Bobby Varin, 3) Ron Holmes, 4) Bobby Albert, 5) Bob Savoie, 6) Tim Clemons, 7) David Townes, 8) Tony Pepicelli, 9) Dave Lape, 10) Craig Criscone, 11) Seth Gano, 12) John Marsh, 13) A. J. Romano, 14) Matt DeLorenzo, 15) Frank Hoard, 16) Floyd Billington, 17) Bob Vedder, 18) Harry Shaffer, 19) Jerry Pennock, Jr., 20) Paul Luskin, 21) Lee Nutting, 22) Bob Sitterly, 23) Ken Hanson, 24) John Kollar, 25) Alton Palmer, 26) Rich Pennock, Jr.
Modified heat winners: John Kollar, Mike Romano, Matt DeLorenzo, John Marsh. Consi winners were Bob Sitterly and David Townes.
Sportsman finish (20 laps) 1. MIKE BALLESTERO, 2) Jim Davis, 3) Robert Perry, 4) Eddie SanSoucie, 5) John LeClair, 6) John McAuliffe, 7) Tony Farone, 8) Ryan Odasz, 9) Jeff Holt, 10) John Constantino, 11) Steve Akers, 12) Frank Hoard, Jr., 13) Ray Zemken, 14) Craig Boehler, 15) Joe Rando, 16) Drew Fallis, 17) Jim Burton, 18) Jeremiah Munson, 19) Rich Wozniak, 20) Paul Cirincione, 21) Mike Ketchum, 22) Jessica Zemken, 23) Tim Mayne, 24) Frank Greco.
Sportsman heat winners: Mike Ballestero, Robert Perry, Johnny LeClair. Sportsman consi winner was Craig Boehler.
IMCA Modified finish (15 laps) 1.KEVIN BUFF, 2) George Catanzano, 3) Danny Ballard, 4) Mike Bungay, 5) Steve Bidwell, 6) George Proctor, 7) Craig Simmons, 8) Joe Locorini, 9) Bill Ward, Jr., 10) Kevin Priest, 11) Steve Hough, 12) Skip Pabis, 13) Aaron Jacobs, 14) Bud Hernberg, 15) Jim Rajczi, 16) Dan Krajewski.
IMCA Modified heat winners: George Catanzano and Kevin Buff
Pro Stock finish (20 laps) 1. MIKE FRITZ, 2) Chris Morris, 3) Phlan Hart, 4) Steve Welch, 5) Ken Gates, 6) Hondo Carpenter, 7) Mark Sullivan, 8) Steve Burega, 9) Nick Stone, 10) Jeff Patrick, 11) Bryan Jordan, 12) Chuck McSpirit, 13) Luke Klob, 14) Tom LaPlante, 15) Kerry Jordan, 16) Rob Noviczski, 17) Dave Viall, 18) Joe Duncan, 19) Jim Duncan, 20) Jamie Proctor, 21) Steve Jazebowski.
Pro Stock heat winners: Kerry Jordan and Steve Burega
Street Stock A finish (12 laps) 1. RANDY CANNELL, 2) Rocky Warner, 3) Ken Barth, 4) Guy Klob, 5) Dan Rickard, 6) Joe Donato, 7) Don Warner, 8) Joe Smith, 9) Shawn Simmons. DQ in post race tech was Eric Harper, Jeff Davis and Scott Wells
Street Stock B finish (12 laps) 1. DICK NICHOLS, 2) Paul Chichester, 3) Jim Olsen, 4) John Babcock, 5) Dave Hewitt, 6) Dave Horning, Jr., 7) Dave Bayes, 8) Rob VanAernam, 9) Bob VanAernam, 10) Keith Ackerknecht, 11) Jerry Pepper.