New engine makes difference for Camara

Dave Camara of Granville solved his horsepower problem with a new Pat Morrison power plant and won his first feature race in nearly a year Saturday night at Fonda Speedway.

Camara had seen his share of motor problems in the Camara Slate #26 PMC car this year, and last Tuesday in the midweek special, he had a strong second-place run to Brett Hearn. That led to the change of motors.

“I have to thank my brother Danny, who is my crew chief, and all of my crew for this win,” Camara said in victory lane after celebrating with his son, who was on top of the car, waving the checkered flag.

“The crew works like dogs in the shop, and this year, they have been doing a lot of motor-swapping. I also have to thank Pete Chuckta for this PMC car and also Randy Ross for all of his help.”

Elmo Reckner led at the start of the 30-lap modified main event from his pole position start, with Dave Lape grabbing second at the drop of the green after starting third. On a restart after a caution for Ray Zemken, who spun in turn three, Lape took the lead from Reckner while Pat Ward drove into the top five after starting eighth.

On lap four, Camara who started ninth, Jack Johnson and Craig Hanson were racing three-wide for the fifth spot, with Johnson getting the spot. Ward got by Danny Varin for the third position on lap three as Camara also got by both Johnson and Varin for the fourth spot.

Ward got by Reckner for the second position on lap six, when Lape was out to a straightaway lead.

Camara got by Reckner for the third position on lap eight and was turning lap times a half-second quicker than both Lape and Ward.

Ward and Camara both caught Lape in lapped traffic on lap 14, with Camara able to get by Ward for the second spot at the halfway point.

The final yellow of the event flew on lap 15, and on the restart, Camara used an inside move in turn three to get alongside Lape. After a side-by-side battle with Lape running the outside and Camara the inside, Camara took over the lead on lap 18, with Ward also getting by Lape for the second position.

Lape and defending modified track champion Matt DeLorenzo raced side-by-side for three laps before DeLorenzo took over the third position on lap 21, when

Camara had extended his lead to a half straightaway with five laps to go. Ward pressured Camara one more time in lapped traffic with three laps to go, but Camara made a slick move in between the lapped cars of Neil Erickson and John Marsh Sr. to get away and maintain his lead.

Camara scored his 21st career win at Fonda, defeating Ward, DeLorenzo, Lape, Jack Johnson, Ronnie Johnson, Reckner, Ryan Odasz, Bobby Varin and John McAuliffe who was in Reckner’s back-up car after wrecking his own car last week.

The sportsman drivers were allowed to start at the rear of the modified field.

“I don’t know why we wait so long to do this,” Camara said after the win. “We learned a couple of things last week that we threw at the car, and obviously, they worked both Tuesday night and tonight. At one point during the race, I just decided that if I was going to get the win, I was going to have to go for it, so that is what I did, and it all worked out.”

In the sportsman feature, Mark Mortensen chose the outside lane for a double-file restart after a cuation on lap seven and maintained the lead position and went on to post his second win of the season and the sixth of his career at Fonda. Mark Kislowski, Jeremy Wilder, McAuliffe, Drew Fallis, Erickson, Jason Memrick, David Towns, Tony Farone and Ricky Quick completed the top 10.

The pro stock feature had three lead changes at the finish line over the final three laps, with Rob Yetman outdueling Kenny Gates for his first win of the season and the third of his career at Fonda. Gates, Chip Smith, Roy Fifield and Nick Stone completed the top five.

Jeremy Cramer (IMCA), Dave Horning Sr. & Chuck McSpirit (street stock), Dan Pollock (Richard Anderson Street Stock Dash), D.T. Pickard (Jack Lockhart Sportsman Dash) and Dennis Vrooman (Wilma Smith IMCA Dash) were the other winners.