3/28/2019
Fonda Speedway
Fonda Speedway To Start 2019 Season April 13 at Open Practice
Written by Ron Szczerba
FONDA,
NY – After a successful Capital District Racecar Show last weekend
where many of the Fonda Speedway competitors showed off their cars for
the 2019 season, the focus now turns to Saturday, April 13 when an open
practice is planned at the “Track of Champions� followed by opening
night of the 2019 season the following Saturday, April 20.
In
case you have missed some of the announcements that have been made
throughout the winter months by new Fonda Speedway promoter Brett Deyo
of BD Motorsports Media LLC here is a brief rundown of what has been
announced since Mr. Deyo took over the reins at the “Track of Champions�
last November.
Since
1953, the legendary Fonda Speedway has played host to the Northeast’s
most talented competitors and passionate fans. For 2019, the “Track of
Champions� is poised for a return to prominence. With a new management
team under the BD Motorsports Media LLC promotion, Fonda Speedway
launches into the 2019 campaign with reduced admission, special events,
and larger purse structures. It’s truly a “win-win-win� for supporters
of the Montgomery County Fairgrounds half-mile track.
Admission for Adults has been rolled back to $11 for weekly Saturday night events in 2019!
Seniors
(ages 65 and up) pay $9 while Kids 11 and under are FREE. New for 2019
is the Fonda Speedway “Dollar Day� scheduled for May 18 offering $1
admission into the grandstands. This event will feature all classes
including the Modifieds.
All Fonda divisions will race for more money in 2019!
The
Modifieds will compete for $2,400 to win, $500 for 10th and $250 to
start weekly, a pay structure that totals $12,775. Crate 602 Sportsman
now battle for a $700 top prize minimum and $100 to take the green. But
it gets better, on 10 Saturday nights during the season, Eric Orozco
Racing has risen the stakes, offering $1,000 to win on April 20, May 4,
May 18, June 1, June 15, June 29, July 13, July 27, August 3 and August
10.
Pro Stocks will race for $500 weekly and a boosted $75 to start!
While Limited Sportsman, Street Stocks, and Four Cylinder Cruisers will all be paid throughout the field in the 2019 season.
Both
the Modified and Sportsman competitors will be eligible to participate
in the lucrative American Racer Cup presented by Sunoco!
Which
distributes $51,450 in cash and hundreds of tire certificates annually
to teams competing at American Racer tracks across the Northeast.
Fonda Speedway Goes National!
On Wednesday July 3rd, 2019 the Fonda Speedway will once again be in the limelight of the racing world as national television channel MAV-TV records the “Firecracker 50� $10,000-to-win Modified race from the “Track of Champions� in Fonda, N.Y. for broadcast! The Bob Hilbert Sportswear Short Track Super Series Fueled By Sunoco Racing & Fonda Speedway officials are amped up for this mid-week event to put Fonda Speedway back on the map on a national level. This event will have promotional support from John Lakata, who organized the wildly successful “Jack� event at the track in 2015.
$125,675.000!
That
is the magic number to be paid out at the September 28, 2019 “Return of
the Fonda 200�! This historic modified race will pay $53,000 to the
winner, $20,000 to 2nd and $10,000 for the 3rd place! Also announced
before the event was held, the winner of the Northeast dirt season
opening event at the Georgetown Speedway on March 16 will be a
guaranteed starter for the Fonda 200. Stewart Friesen was the winner of
the event giving him the guaranteed starting spot for the big paying
“Fonda 200� event!
Dollar Day Coming To the “Track of Champions�!
In
keeping up with the changes at the Fonda Speedway in 2019, we wanted to
do something to send along our appreciation to the loyal fans of Fonda.
What better way to do it than having a "Fonda Speedway Dollar Day�! On
Saturday, May 18, 2019, when the grandstand gates open up, ticket
sellers will be proud to say "One Dollar Please", and your admittance
into the famous Fonda 1/2 mile will be granted. All weekly divisions
will be in racing action that evening, which does include the Modifieds!
Seeing Double @ the “Track of Champions�!
For
many seasons at the Fonda Speedway, Modified Twin 20’s were always a
night you would not want to miss. In 2019, there will be two nights of
double features for the modified division paying $1500 to win each race.
June 8th will be the first of the Modified Twin 20’s, with July 13
being the second round of Modified Twin 20’s! With shorter laps in each
feature event, it makes the drivers’ urgency to get to the front even more important and makes for some exciting racing!
Cowboy Paul Szmal named Fonda Speedway Announcer for 2019!
A
familiar voice is returning to the “Track of Champions� this upcoming
season. Cowboy Paul Szmal will return to the head announcer’s chair to
call what we believe will be some iconic Fonda Speedway history making
moments in 2019. Paul was the announcer a few seasons ago at Fonda and
has been the voice for many racetracks throughout his career. His
knowledge of racing and history of the sport will make him a perfect fit
into our team. Paul will be assisted by Jay Severson in the tower for
the racing season, a knowledgeable duo to take the Fonda Speedway to
victory lane in 2019 and beyond.
Welcome to Sunoco Racing as the title sponsor of the Modified division at Fonda Speedway in 2019!
Thank you Bruce Insinger of Insinger Performance for the outstanding support. Also, welcome to the “Track of Champions� the Montgomery County Office for Aging as they have signed on as the Fonda Speedway Limited Sportsman Divisional Sponsor!
The Street Stock division just got better as well as Trackside Body Works in Fonda, New York has jumped on board for the 2019 racing season!
To
be the headline sponsor of the Street Stock division! Street Stocks
will now race for a minimum of $200 to win each event thanks to
Trackside Body Works!
Pro Stock “Best of 8� Series Announced for the 2019 Fonda Season!
Fonda
Speedway management has been working hard on an incentive program for
the popular Pro Stock division in 2019. Enter the “Best of 8� Series. On
eight Saturday nights, the Pro Stock division will race for an
increased $800 to win. The dates are as follows: April 20, May 4, May
11, June 8, June 22, July 13, July 20, and August 3.
Montgomery County Championships for 602 Sportsman & Pro-Stocks!
The
Fonda Speedway & the Glen Ridge Motorsports Park have joined forces
to offer the first ever “Montgomery County Championships� between the
two tracks starting in 2019. Separated by a mere three miles, the 602
Sportsman and Pro-Stocks will go to battle to find out who is the best
in the county. Each division will use their eight best finishes at the
Fonda Speedway, and their eight best finishes at The Ridge with a
combined point system kept. There will also be two special challenge
races, one at The Ridge on July 6, and Fonda Speedway’s challenge race
slated for September 14.
16th Annual Earl Halaquist Memorial!
If
you grew up going to Fonda Speedway, you knew that on every Memorial
Day weekend you could bank on seeing sprint cars at the “Track of
Champions�. In 2019, that tradition will continue on as the Patriot
Sprint Tour invades the speedway with the running of the 16th annual
Earl Halaquist Memorial. Earl Halaquist was a six-time United Racing
Club (URC) point champion, and “The Earl of Sidney� sits in the record
books with 53 feature wins. Danny Varin is a two-time defending race
champion and will look to three-peat at his hometown track in 2019.
Weekly Hard Charger Award!
602
Crate Sportsman weekly racing just got a little better for the upcoming
2019 racing season at the Fonda Speedway. Frank & Jason Greco from
Greco's Napa Auto Parts in Palatine Bridge New York have come on board
to sponsor a weekly Hard Charger Award for the season. The driver who
advances the most positions in the weekly 602 Crate Sportsman will
receive a $100.00 gift certificate to their store in Palatine Bridge. A
special sticker is being produced & must be on your racecar in order
to be eligible for the award. In case of a tie, the certificate will be
split. The offer is only valid at Greco's Napa Auto Parts in Palatine
Bridge, NY. We will announce when & where to grab your stickers!
Bob Hilbert Sportswear Meet & Greet Night!
On Saturday night, May 4, 2019 Bob Hilbert Sportswear presents Meet & Greet night at Fonda Speedway,
and they are bringing along plenty of goodies! All race teams competing
that night will receive a t-shirt, along with giveaway items for the
1st 100 fans to arrive at the speedway that day. Mr. Hilbert & his
team will also have special giveaway items for the kids as well!
It’s huge!
Fonda Speedway and Fuccillo Automotive Group
have joined forces in a multi-faceted partnership for the upcoming 2019
season at the legendary Montgomery County Fairgrounds facility. Victory
Lane at the hallowed “Track of Champions� is a destination racers
aspire to reach. This season, the checkerboard square will bring even
more meaning. Fuccillo Automotive Group has signed on to present Victory
Lane for the entire season in memory of their longtime employee and
avid race fan Mike Cole of Canajoharie, who worked at the Fuccillo
Nelliston location. Mr. Cole passed away unexpectedly and the Fuccillo
family wanted to honor him at the speedway.
Fuccillo
Automotive Group has taken a title sponsorship role of the Wednesday,
July 3 “Firecracker 50� at Fonda, featuring the first-ever appearance by
the Bob Hilbert Sportswear Short Track Super Series STSS Fueled By Sunoco Racing
big-block/small-block Modifieds. This 50-lap event offers $10,000 to
win plus lap money and is sure to attract top drivers from the Northeast
and Mid-Atlantic.
The
Fuccillo Automotive Group “Firecracker 50� also includes the STSS Crate
602 Sportsman series for $1,500 to win and will be recorded for
national broadcast on MAV-TV Motorsports Network, available to more than
35 million households across the country. And there’s more! Fuccillo
Automotive Group will provide Fonda Speedway with an official pace truck
for the entire 2019 season.
Sponsors for the 2019 Racing Season at Fonda!
The
list of sponsors who have come on board with the “Track of Champions�
for 2019 includes the following in no particular order: BD Motorsports
Media LLC, Eric Orozco, American Racer Cup presented by Sunoco Racing,
Bob Hilbert Sportswear Short Track Super Series fueled by Sunoco, Sunoco
Race Fuels Bruce-Insinger of Insinger Performance, Lias Tire, Bob
Hilbert Sportswear, Fuccillo Automotive Group, John Lakata, Autism
Awareness, Corr Pak Merchandising, One Zee Tees, Greco’s Auto &
Truck Parts NAPA, Trackside Body Works, BBL Construction Services,
Recovery Room Sports Grill, Palmer’s Service Center, Bill Lake Homes,
Montgomery County Office for the Aging, Benjamin Moore Paints, DKM
Fabrication, MW Roosevelt & Sons, Roosevelt Towing & Recovery,
Teo Pro Car, Montgomery County Championships, Mav-TV, Make A Wish, and
School House Pools!
Since
1953, the “Track of Champions� Fonda Speedway has hosted the best in
stock car racing. Now under the management of BD Motorsports Media LLC,
the speedway will operate weekly on Saturday nights from April through
August plus several special events. Fonda Speedway is located on the
Montgomery County Fairgrounds off New York State Thruway Exit No. 28 at
21 S. Bridge Street Fonda, NY 12068.