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SOWLE TAKES THE ICONIC PALMER’S SERVICE CENTER #76 TO VICTORY LANE AT FONDA

By: Ron Szczerba

Fonda, NY – Championship Night at the Fonda Speedway takes on a lot of meaning as Track Champions are decided as a night to remember for all drivers and teams involved. Saturday was a night to remember for another race team and driver besides the champions when JaMike Sowle went to victory lane in the Amsterdam Truck Center Modified division in the iconic Palmer’s Service Center #76 owned by longtime supporters of racing and longtime supporters of the “Track of Champions” Carole & Alton Palmer.

Sowle visited victory lane once before in the Modified division at Fonda in his own #711 car back on 8/17/2013 while the Palmer’s last trip to victory was back on 6/27/2020 with Jeff Hoetzler behind the wheel. It was the first victory for Sowle in the Palmer’s Service Center #76 since taking over the ride in 2021, resulting in a special and emotional victory lane celebration.

“The kid’s are amazing,” Sowle said about his family in victory lane. “I’ve gotta spend as much time as I can with them, but it is nice to run here at Fonda. This means everything, to run for Carole and Alton, it’s a blessing to be able to drive their racecar. I never thought I’d have that chance.”

Other winners on Benjamin Moore Championship Night were Chad Edwards (Swagger Factory Apparel Crate 602 Sportsman), Nick Stone (Leatherstocking Credit Union Pro Stocks), Mason Gray (Montgomery County Office for Aging Inc. Limited Sportsman), Ken Hollenback (SOHC) and Jay Ingersoll (DOHC) in the Fonda Fair Four Cylinders.

Winning the 2024 Fonda Speedway Track Championships in their respective divisions were Alex Yankowski (Modified), Payton Talbot (Sportsman), Kenny Gates (Pro Stocks), AJ Greco (Limited Sportsman), Ken Hollenback (SOHC) and Jay Ingersoll (DOHC) in the Four Cylinders. Yankowski is now the youngest Modified Track Champion in the history of the Fonda Speedway at age 20!

The title for Talbot was the third Sportsman title of his career at Fonda in three consecutive seasons (2022, 2023, 2024). For Gates it was his eighth Pro Stock title at Fonda (2004, co-champion in 2007, 2008, 2009, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2024) while it was the first title for Greco in the Limited Sportsman division. Ken Hollenback is now a 11 time Four Cylinder Track Champion (2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2017, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024), while It was Ingersoll’s first Four Cylinder title at Fonda.

A separate champions press release will follow this one in the coming days.

The Mohawk Valley Vintage Dirt Modified Series (MVVDMS) were also in action with Jimmy Fugel (Antiques), Frank Hoard (Late Models), Harry Baldwin (Mystiques), Jack Miller (Modifieds), and Bryon Seyfried (Sportsman) winning their feature events. MVVDMS Track Champions were also crowned on Saturday at Fonda with Fugel (Antiques), Joe Rando (Mystiques), Miller (Modifieds), Jon Trudeau (Sportsman), and Curtis Condon (Late Model) winning the 2024 MVVDMS championships in their respective divisions.

The 30-lap Amsterdam Truck Center Modified feature started with JaMike Sowle taking the lead at the drop of the green flag from his pole position start with Ryan Odasz in tow after Odasz started third. Sowle was in lap traffic by lap 11 and actually came in contact with a lap car at that point but fortunately the contact didn’t result in any damage to the car.

While Sowle pulled away to a comfortable lead, all eyes were on the point leader going into the night Alex Yankowski and the second place driver in points Jack Lehner who was behind Yankowski going into the night by 14 points. At the halfway point of the feature event, Sowle continued to lead while Odasz, Brian Calabrese, Dave Constantino, and Jessica Friesen completed the top five while Lehner ran seventh and Yankowski tenth.

As lap 15 was completed going into turn one, Brian Calabrese was alongside of Odasz for the second position as the two raced three wide with the lap car of Jason Reome. Contact was made between Calabrese and Odasz resulting in Odasz flipping over after hitting the wall in turn one while Reome’s car was also heavily damaged. Nobody was hurt but track management placed Calabrese to the rear of the field for his part in the accident.

Sowle chose the inside for the restart and maintained the lead as the green flag dropped again with Constantino now second while Friesen, Lehner, and Bobby Hackel IV completed the top five. With five laps to go, Constantino applied some pressure to Sowle over the remaining laps while Lehner was able to get past Friesen for the third position. When Joe Kriss’ checkered flag flew it was Sowle taking the win over Constantino, Lehner, Friesen, and 15th place starter Rocky Warner completing the top five.

“We had a pretty good car in the heat race,” Sowle said. “We made a couple of changes for the feature, and it just got better. I’d like to thank Carole and Alton and the whole crew; I couldn’t do it without them.”

Brett Mortensen led the first lap of the Sportsman feature with the yellow out at the completion of the first lap for Blaine Klinger who suffered a flat left rear tire. Mortensen chose the inside for the restart and maintained his lead with the red flag out shortly afterwards for an accident that involved almost the entire field.

The accident started with Brendan Gibbons, Jeremy Tyrrell, and Tanner Warner three wide in turn three with Warner way outside going into turn four, getting sideways after what looked like possible contact with Tyrrell and all the other cars piling in. Warner was done for the night while everyone else continued on after going to the hot pit to check for damage.

Tenth place starter Chad Edwards was the new second place car on the restart, and he applied heavy pressure on Mortensen until lap 12 when he went around the outside of Mortensen for the lead on the backstretch. Butchie Irwin also got by Mortensen for the second position, but it was Edwards who led the remaining laps for his third win of the season and the 22nd of his career in the division in the John Kollar Motorsports #10%.

Irwin, Mortensen, Klinger, and Tyrrell completed the top five at the finish.

“A bunch of guys in front of me just started spinning,” Edwards told Mimi Lazzaro in victory lane as he looked at the damage to the front end of his racecar. “I just stayed in it and got through it somehow. The front end is probably bent back a couple of inches and that made the car a little tight, but the track was really good tonight, two lanes top and bottom so it was good. It’s been a tough year but we’re still here, still fighting.”

Jim Normoyle led early on in the 20-lap Pro Stock feature but at the completion of lap one it was outside pole position starter Nick Stone who took the lead away at the finish line to complete the lap. Fifth place starter AJ Walters moved into the second position on lap six with Stone now out to a straightaway advantage.

At the halfway point in the event, Stone was the leader followed by Walters, Kenny Gates, Normoyle, and Kyle Hoard. With two laps to go Hoard spun in turns one and two bringing out the caution and closing up the field. Stone led the remaining two laps for his first win of the 2024 season and the 70th of his career in the division over Walters, Gates, 13th place starter Jason Morrison, and 14th place starter Ivan Joslin.

“It’s been a struggle,” Stone said in victory lane after his win. “We’ve got a lot going on and it’s hard for me to focus. We’ve struggled with the handling and it’s hard for me to pinpoint it when there’s so much going on at the trailer with fuel, tires, and parts. Jamie takes care of it while I’m out there, and even that is tough for her to do by herself. It’s just been one of those years and we accept it.”

Mason Gray led all 15-laps of the Limited Sportsman feature for his first career win at Fonda over Kirsten Swartz, Corky Warner, Tim Wilmot, and Josh Persse. The win for Gray came in only his fourth start of the 2024 season in the O’Connor’s Towing #26 car.

“This feels pretty great,” Gray said after his victory. “The car was good tonight, it’s amazing, can’t have much better.”

Jay Ingersoll led all 12-laps of the Four Cylinder feature event for the overall win, his seventh DOHC win of the 2024 season and the eight of his career in the division at Fonda. Ken Hollenback finished third overall and was the winner in the SOHC class, his ninth win of the 2024 season and the 104th of his career in the division at Fonda. John Napoli was second while Joe Bouck Jr. was fourth and William Liberatore was fifth.

If you are a race fan that gets to the track early, be sure to check out the Fonda Speedway Museum & Hall of Fame which is located on the Fonda Fairgrounds at the rear of the parking area going down towards turn four. The museum is open from 3:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. on race days and admission is free!

All races at Fonda Speedway – will be broadcast live on FloRacing (www.floracing.tv) as part of the $150 annual subscription.

Since 1953, the “Track of Champions” Fonda Speedway has hosted the best in stock car racing. 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.

Fonda Speedway is on the web at www.thefondaspeedway.com. To learn more, call the office at 518.915.4395, like Fonda Speedway on Facebook or follow the speedway on Twitter and Instagram: @thefondaspdwy.

8/10/2024 BENJAMIN MOORE PAINTS CHAMPIONSHIP NIGHT
21 Entrees
Amsterdam Truck Center Modifieds
Feature (30 Laps): 1. 76-Jamike Sowle[1]; 2. 34-Dave Constantino[2]; 3. 85-Jack Lehner[8]; 4. 1Z-Jessica Friesen[6]; 5. 1-Rocky Warner[15]; 6. 97-Bobby Hackel IV[9]; 7. 84Y-Alex Yankowski[10]; 8. 21C-Brian Calabrese[7]; 9. 7MM-Michael Maresca[11]; 10. 24P-Brian Pessolano[13]; 11. 3-Luciano (Pep) Corradi[12]; 12. 47-Simon Perreault[18]; 13. 23X-Tommy D'Angelo[17]; 14. 93-Ryan Odasz[3]; 15. 27-Jason Reome[14]; 16. 4-Cody Clark[5]; 17. 44T-Brandon Daley[19]; 18. 2RJ-Ronnie Johnson[4]; 19. 16-Aaron Jacobs[16]; 20. Z-Ed Kitchell[20]

2024 Modified Track Champion – Alex Yankowski

21 entries
Swagger Factory Apparel Crate 602 Sportsman
Feature (25 Laps): 1. 10%-Chad Edwards[10]; 2. 117-Butchie Irwin[4]; 3. 1B-Brett Mortensen[2]; 4. 9K-Blaine Klinger[5]; 5. 14J-Jeremy Tyrrell[6]; 6. B62-Brendan Gibbons[7]; 7. 1M-Mark Mortensen[16]; 8. 89-Dylan Madsen[15]; 9. 14T-Payton Talbot[14]; 10. 25-Stephen Gray[12]; 11. 55-Jonny Feagles[18]; 12. 8-Josh Kane[17]; 13. 63-Chip Constantino[8]; 14. 4-Al McCoy[20]; 15. 7J-Dan Santabarbara[1]; 16. 99-Clyde Peek[21]; 17. 4M-David Manchester[19]; 18. 1H-Harry Shaffer[3]; 19. 12T-Tyler Peet[11]; 20. 78-Tanner Warner[9]; 21. 5C-Mike Kalkbrenner[13]

2024 Sportsman Track Champion – Payton Talbot

Greco’s NAPA Hard Charger Chad Edwards +9

14 entries
Leatherstocking Credit Union Pro Stocks
Feature (20 Laps): 1. 8N-Nick Stone[2]; 2. 22W-AJ Walters[5]; 3. 35-Ken Gates[6]; 4. 715-Jason Morrison[13]; 5. 49-Ivan Joslin[14]; 6. 74N-Jim Normoyle[1]; 7. 96-Andy Graves[3]; 8. 1D-Nick Santuccione[4]; 9. 75-Gary Silkey[12]; 10. 76-Kyle Hoard[8]; 11. 62-Nick Danna[11]; 12. 44-Ray Richer[9]; 13. 35A-Brandon Karram[10]; 14. 39-Matt Wells[7]

2024 Pro Stock Track Champion – Kenny Gates

15 entries
Montgomery County Office for Aging Limited Sportsman
Feature (15 Laps): 1. 26-Mason Gray[2]; 2. 24-Kirsten Swartz[3]; 3. 797-Corky Warner[7]; 4. 14W-Timothy Wilmot[8]; 5. 11-Josh Persse[1]; 6. 216-Phil Arnold[6]; 7. 22L-Lance Hill[4]; 8. 5C-Randy Cosselman[12]; 9. 44J-Adam Tranka[11]; 10. 47-Walter Cook[10]; 11. 538-Gus Kamburelis[14]; 12. 1H-Kyle Corbett[13]; 13. 12AJ-AJ Greco[9]; 14. 1B-Jeff Bobilin[5]; 15. 21-Destry Scribner[15]

2024 Limited Sportsman Track Champion – AJ Greco

Greco’s NAPA Hard Charger – Corky Warner

16 entries
Fonda Fair Four Cylinders
Feature (12 Laps): 1. 97JD-Jay Ingersoll[10]; 2. 3D-John Napoli[8]; 3. 12S-Ken Hollenbeck[11]; 4. 17RD-Joe Bouck Jr[6]; 5. K1S-William Liberatore[2]; 6. 29D-Zach McSpirit[14]; 7. 212S-TJ Marlitt[3]; 8. 11D-Hayleigh Gates[5]; 9. 29JD-John Ray[1]; 10. 33D-Kerrie Hollenbeck[9]; 11. 57S-Jeremiah Paro[12]; 12. 420XXS-Jamie Warner[13]; 13. 54S-Wayne Russell Jr[4]; 14. 13D-Kyle Simmons[15]; 15. (DNS) 223S-Josh Beals; 16. (DNS) 09D-Kamrin Krause

2024 SOHC Track Champion – Ken Hollenback

2024 DOHC Track Champion – Jay Ingersoll

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