Area Stock Car Racing: Varin wins second mofified at Fonda

Bobby Varin became the first modified driver to double up with feature wins this season at Fonda Speedway, earning his second victory of the season and the 37th of his career at the Track of Champions Saturday evening.

“I’ve got a real fast race car here,” Varin said of the JPM-powered, Dover Brake-sponsored, Dave Cruickshank-owned Bicknell car. “The breaks came our way, and I just had to stay patient.”

Alton Palmer led from the start, with Tim Dwyer in tow. The first yellow flag was out on lap two for Crag Hanson, who came to a stop on the infield just past turn four.

On the restart, Elmo Reckner took second away from Dwyer. Jim Davis and Dave Camara both got by Dwyer for the third and fourth positions on lap five, with Varin sixth.

Palmer was in lapped traffic by lap 10 when the yellow flag was out for Howard Gage, who was in the turn-two wall. On the restart, Varin swung around the outside of Davis, Camara and Reckner to take over second place in turn four, and by the time he got to turn two, he switched lanes to the low groove to take the lead from Palmer.

“I was set up on the outside for the restart, and made the best of it,” Varin said. “Alton was quick on the outside, so I knew that I was going to have to stay tight on him, and get him down low.”

Matt DeLorenzo moved into fourth place by lap 13, with Varin a straightaway ahead of Palmer and Camara.

DeLorenzo took over second by lap 22, but Varin was a half-track ahead in heavy lapped traffic.

Varin took the win in dominating fashion over DeLorenzo, Camara, Palmer, Jack Johnson, Reckner, Ronnie Johnson (who started 21st), Ryan Odasz, Jeff Trombley and Danny Varin.

“The outside was the fast way around tonight, and that was where the lapped cars wanted to run, so I had to be real careful getting by them,” Varin said. “I was more worried about Matty coming up and beating me, though.”

The 20-lap sportsman feature started with Chuck Allen the early leader, followed by Jason Memrick. Mark Mortensen started sixth, and began making his move to the front right away, taking over fourth by the completion of lap one. Two laps later, he was sitting second, after getting by Memrick.

Mortensen used the outside groove in turn four to get by Allen

for the lead on lap four, and stretched his lead as David Towns made his way into the second position by lap seven, with Mortensen a straightaway ahead.

Mortensen was slowed by the lapped car of Adam Tranka in turn one with five laps to go, but he made it by safely as the two cars

exited turn two, with Towns closing in. Mortensen went on to his first win of the season and the seventh of his career at Fonda, followed by Towns, Luke Munroe, John McAuliffe, John Scarborough, Memrick, Chad Edwards, Allen, Drew Fallis and Vinny Sanganetti.

Other winners were McAuliffe in the held-over sportsman event from last week, Kenny Gates (pro stock), Danny Ballard (IMCA), Rob VanAernam (street stock), Jeremiah Munson and Mike Ketchum (602 limited sportsman), and Dylan Swiernik (CRSA sprints).