Remembering Former Fonda Speedway Promoter Ralph Compani
Story By: ED & BETTY BIITTIG / DIRTTRACKDIGEST.COM Photos By: DIRTTRACKDIGEST.COM & MATT NOLES / RACERSGUIDE.COM
FONDA, NY- May 25, 2016- Sunday afternoon we received the very sad news of the passing of long time Fonda Speedway promoter, Ralph Compani. Ralph passed away at 4:00 am Sunday. When Ralph left Fonda he and his wife, Mary moved to California near his son, Jeff.
The last trip that Ralph made to Fonda Speedway was for Dave Lape night three years ago. The last time we saw him was in September last year when we met him at the Raindancer Restaurant in Amsterdam for dinner.
The same night former driver Ray Dalmata was at the restaurant and we got to hear some fabulous Fonda Speedway stories as the two reminisced about the good ole days. When we left that night we snapped a photo and made plans to meet again next year when he visited the area. Sad to say that will not happen and we will miss his interesting phone calls.
Ralph Compani’s history with Fonda Speedway began when he was a young boy and he and his brother Ronnie would hang around the track when Ed Feuz was promoter. Feuz said “I couldn’t get rid of those two boys so I put them to work.”
That is how Ralph came to love Fonda Speedway and even after he left the track as promoter 20 years ago he always called us once in a while to hear of news from the track. Ralph never forgot the fans and drivers at Fonda and I think it’s safe to say that they never forgot him. He was a one of a kind promoter.
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