THE DOCTOR MAKES A HOUSE CALL AT FONDA FOR HIS FIRST WIN OF 2016
Story By: RON SZCZERBA / FONDA SPEEDWAY MEDIA Photos By:RACERSGUIDE.COM PHOTO STAFF
Fonda, NY –June 27, 2016- The Dr. Danny Johnson went were nobody else wanted to race, the outside groove at the “Track of Champions” on Saturday evening and drove around the outside of both Ronnie Johnson and Jimmy Davis to get the lead on his way to his 11th career win at Fonda and his first win at the track since 9/23/2012!
It was a special night at Fonda on Saturday as it was Dave Lape Tribute Night with Dave pacing the modified feature field under the pace laps before the green flag flew. In a surprise move to Dave both Bobby Varin and Danny Johnson came up to pace the field with Dave for one lap with the two drivers on the inside and outside of the 44B for one of those pace laps.
“It was great,” Laps said during victory lane ceremonies when he drove the 44B to victory lane to celebrate the win with Johnson. “We worked a long time on this car and when Bobby and Danny drove along side of me during the pace laps I wanted to start the race.”
There were many photo opportunities with Dave and the 44B in the Fonda Speedway Museum before the racing actually began but one special moment was in victory lane after the modified feature when both the 27J and the 44B stood in victory lane with Johnson, Lape, and the car owner of the 44B Burger all posing for a special photo that won’t soon be forgotten.
Other winners at Fonda on Saturday were John McAuliffe (sportsman), Brian Calabrese (rookie sportsman), Luke Horning (pro stock), Josh Coonradt (street stock), Rob Sanford (vintage modified), and John Constantino (vintage sportsman).
The 35-lap modified feature began with substitute driver Jimmy Davis subbing for Vinnie Sanganetti in the Thermo Control #34 and Scott Huber making up the front row with Davis taking the race lead at the drop of Joe Kriss’ green flag with Huber in tow. Ronnie Johnson started the event in the seventh position but didn’t stay there long as he immediately began his move to the front.
At the completion of lap one Johnson was fourth after getting by Darwin Greene for the spot and one lap later he was second after getting by Jessey Mueller. It took a few more laps for Johnson to get by Huber which he did for the second position on lap 11 with Davis still maintaining the lead. On lap 13 Johnson caught Davis and began his challenge for the lead which would last for the remainder of the race.
At the halfway point the top five was Davis, Johnson, sixth place starter Josh Hohenforst, Mueller, and Greene with Johnson trying to stick his nose under Davis in every turn on every lap. Davis was running a unique line on the track where he would come out of turn four and go right to the front stretch wall then diamond the straightaway and come back down low by the time he got to turn one. So Johnson saw an opportunity coming down the straightaway on the inside on each lap but just couldn’t make a move to get by.
After a yellow flag gave the drivers a little break on lap 23 when Greene spun in turn two while running in the top 10, Mueller tried the outside groove and was the only driver to do so for most of the event to that point. Danny Johnson started the event in the ninth position, got three wide alongside both Mueller and Huber to take over the third position on lap 26, and immediately closed in on Ronnie Johnson and started their battle for the second spot.
While the Johnson’s were racing hard for the second position Davis put some distance between them but that all closed back up when the final caution of the event came out on lap 31 for Mark Kislowski who was sideways in turn four with Brandon Walters also making contact with the stopped car of Kislowski.
This caution turned out to be the turning point in the event as on the “Delaware” restart the Johnson’s were side by side in the second row with Davis all by himself up in the front row. Davis maintained the lead going into turn one but Danny Johnson used the outside groove to get by both Ronnie Johnson and Davis for the lead by the time they reached turn three on lap 32.
Danny Johnson pulled away for the win in the Shakelton Auto & Truck Parts #27J followed by Davis who proved that although he hasn’t raced in a while he deserves a full time ride in a race car, Ronnie Johnson, 12th place starter Bobby Varin who made a great move from seventh to fourth on that final restart, and 11th place starter Jeremy Wilder.
In victory lane it was also revealed that the win for Danny Johnson was the 582nd of his racing career.
“Everything came together and came our way tonight and it was a pleasure to come to victory lane with Dave tonight,” Johnson said in victory lane. “Our car was really good today, the track brushed off and the outside had some bite to it towards the end of the feature.”
John McAuliffe started the 25-lap sportsman feature on the pole position and took the lead at the drop of the green flag and that was pretty much the story of the race as he led every lap for his second win of the season and the seventh of his career in the division. An early yellow was out in the event with no laps complete after Chris Schaffer ended up in the backstretch wall and on the original restart Harry Shaffer was the new second place car.
By lap seven McAuliffe held a straightaway advantage over Shaffer and on lap 13 the leaders were in lap traffic. The final yellow flag in the event was out on lap 17 for Chris Curtis and Jack Lehner who came together in turn two and on the restart Billy Gray was the new second place car with 10th place starter Rocky Warner now in the third spot.
While McAuliffe held a straightaway advantage with three laps to go the best race on track was for the second position between Gray and Warner. At the drop of the checkered flag McAuliffe was the race winner followed by Gray, Warner, Dave Constantino, and 12th place starter Ray Zemken.
“It sure helped starting out front tonight,” McAuliffe said in victory lane. “There wasn’t a lot out there on the top tonight so I was worried about getting around the lap cars.”
Brian Calabrese started on the pole position in the 12-lap rookie sportsman feature and led every lap for his second win of the season and was followed in the top five by Travis Billington, David Manchester, Mike Peek, and Jake Granacker.
James Normoyle Jr. started on the outside pole of the 20-lap pro stock feature and took the lead at the drop of the green flag. Luke Horning started the event in the sixth position and was the new third place car when the first of two yellow flags came out on lap six for a spin by A.J. Walters in turn four.
On the restart Normoyle Jr. maintained the lead with Horning the new second place car as he also got alongside Normoyle Jr. for the lead. Normoyle Jr. hung on to the lead after the side by side battle and at the halfway point the top five consisted of Normoyle Jr., Horning, seventh place starter Jason Casey, and Justin Knight.
On the restart Horning pushed Normoyle Jr. down the front straightaway into turn one where he ducked underneath for the lead which Horning would eventually get on the inside of turn four coming down to complete lap 14. Horning led the remaining laps for his second win of the season and the seventh of his career over a great run by Normoyle Jr., Casey, 12th place starter Pete Broderson, and 14th place starter Jim Normoyle.
“I told my guys this week that we were going to change this car to run the bottom and didn’t care if I ran last because of it,” Horning said in victory lane. “That way the only way that Gates (Kenny) was going to beat us was if he ran through the infield. I ran Normoyle Jr. pretty hard down the front stretch on that restart and was able to get inside of him which is where you had to be tonight.”
Jim Groncki led the first four laps of the street stock feature until second place runner Jason Samrov inherited the lead when Bill Yager spun to bring out the yellow flag after spinning in turn two. Samrov wouldn’t lead any laps however as ninth place starter Josh Coonradt took the lead on the restart and went on to his seventh win of the season and the 10th of his career over Samrov, Johnny Young, Jerry Cohn, and Dave Horning Sr.
Next Saturday, July 2 Fireworks are back at the Fonda Speedway after not being a part of the Independence Day holiday for many years. The Fireworks by Alonzo will be lit off after the racing program is completed. As far as racing is concerned the modifieds will compete in a 61-lap modified feature as a tribute to C.D. Coville paying $3061 to the winner.
The modifieds will also be running for double points with all other divisions in action as well along with the CRSA Sprint cars with a starting time of 7:30 p.m. The Fonda Speedway Museum will also be open from 3:00 p.m. up until race time as they pay tribute to Coville. For more information about the Fonda Speedway you can go to their website www.fondaspeedway.com
MODIFIED FEATURE – 35-LAPS – DANNY JOHNSON, Jimmy Davis, Ronnie Johnson, Bobby Varin, Jeremy Wilder, Josh Hohenforst, Jessey Mueller, Bodie Bellinger, Justin Boehler, Jeff Rockefeller, Craig Hanson, Scott Huber, Troy Palmer, Korey Wilder, Pep Corradi, Darwin Greene, Ed Harris, Mark Kislowski, Kenny Sparks, Brandon Walters
SPORTSMAN FEATURE – 25-LAPS – JOHN MCAULIFFE, Billy Gray, Rocky Warner, Dave Constantino, Ray Zemken, Connor Cleveland, Cody Clark, Tim Hartman Jr., Adam McAuliffe, Dan Santabarbara, Brian Pessolano, Chad Edwards, Ricky Quick, Tony Farone, JaMike Sowle, Nick Scavia, Doug Flynn, Kurtis Hohensheldt, Doug Hancock, Chris Curtis, Jack Lehner, Josh DeMagistris, Aaron Burton, Harry Shaffer, Mark Mortensen, Chris Schaffer
ROOKIE SPORTSMAN FEATURE – 12-LAPS – BRIAN CALABRESE, Travis Billington, David Manchester, Mike Peek, Jake Granacker, Josh Neal
PRO STOCK FEATURE – 20-LAPS – LUKE HORNING, James Normoyle Jr., Jason Casey, Pete Broderson, Jim Normoyle, Kenny Gates, Justin Knight, Chuck Dumblewski, Shane Henderson, Jay Casey, Randy Cosselman, A,J, Walters, Tom Denton, Rob VanAernam, Ivan Joslin, Jamie Warner, Jim Morrison
STREET STOCK FEATURE – 12-LAPS – JOSH COONRADT, Jason Samrov, Johnny Young, Jerry Cohn, Dave Horning Sr., Joey Wilson, Jim Groncki, Ellis Shaffer, Harold Chadderon, Bill Yager, Cliff Haslun
VINTAGE FEATURE – 15-LAPS – ROB SANFORD (Vintage Modified), Ray See, Don Greco, Darral Hulbert, John Constantino (Vintage Sportsman), Jay Lais, Chris Adams, Bob Schmidt, Rob Casti, Stan Wetmore, Jeff Hager, Adam Warner, Brian Seyfried (DNS)
