By JAMES A. ELLIS
Friday night Ronnie Johnson scored his second modified feature win of the season at Albany-Saratoga Speedway.
Saturday, he backed the win up by parking his retro-designed modified honoring his father, Jumpin’ Jack Johnson, in Victory Lane at Fonda Speedway.
“I think this is the first time we ever did this,” Johnson said of the weekend sweep. “It has been a goal for 20 years. It feels good. It is neat. One of our goals was to do this throwback 1988 paint scheme, and to win a race here at Fonda with it is really something. It just tops off a great weekend.”
Johnson started fifth in Friday’s feature and made the most of a late-race caution that brought race leader Marc Johnson back to the field. Ronnie Johnson got the jump on the restart and held Marc Johnson off on multiple restarts to claim his second feature win of the season.
Saturday, RJ started third, passed Pep Corradi to take the lead before Alex Yankowski took over the point two laps later. Running the high line, Yankowski looked headed for his first career victory at the Track of Champions, until traction in high line began to fade, allowing Johnson to close the gap and take the lead back with five laps to go.
Matt DeLorenzo also got past Yankowski in the closing laps but could not chase down Johnson as he recorded his first win of the season and 32nd of his career at Fonda.
“If the top didn’t go away on him, I don’t think I could have beat him,” Johnson said. “I know sometimes the track tightens up on the bottom here after we get going. That was my thing, I was stuck down there and I just kept trying to work the bottom and keep getting better and it worked for us tonight.”
DeLorenzo finished second, with Yankowski third, Demetrios Drellos fourth and Jack Lehner fifth. Cody Clark, Rocky Warner, Chris Curtis, Jessica Friesen and Corradi completed the second five.
After winning the 2022 Limited Sportsman track championship, Zach Dufel made the jump to the 602 Crate Sportsman class and collected his first feature win of the season Saturday night at Fonda Speedway.
Dufel passed early-race leader Matt Perry with seven laps to go and pulled away for the win. Brendan Gibbons held off a charge from Payton Talbot for second, while Brett Mortensen and Chip Constantino rounded out the top five.
After winning the opening night feature Ivan Joslin posted his second win of the season in the 20-lap Pro Stock feature over Caden Dumblewski. Josh Coonradt, Kenny Gates and Luke Horning completed the top five.
The Pro Stock feature was red flagged on lap five when the fifth place running car of Shane Playford clipped the first-turn wall and barrel-rolled several times before coming to rest on its roof. Playford was uninjured in the wreck.
Lance Hill led all but one lap of the 15-lap Limited Sportsman feature before putting his red Dave Lape tribute car in Victory Lane for his first win of the season. Tyler Bobar followed Hill under the checkers with Mike Hill third, Kyle Dingman fourth and Tim Deffer fifth.
Ken and Kerrie Hollenbeck continued their win streak in the 4-cylinder mini stock division.
Ken posted his fourth straight win for his 89th career single overhead cam class victory, while Kerrie also got his fourth win of the season and 38th of his career in the dual overhead cam class.
The “Canadian Kid” Tomy Moreau used his front-row starting spot to his advantage, leading all 20-laps of the CRSA A-main for his first career CRSA victory.
Jordan Hutton held off Peter Dance for the runner-up finish, while Dalton Herrick fourth and Timmy Lotiz fifth.
FONDA SPEEDWAY RESULTS
A-VERDI STORAGE CONTAINERS NIGHT
JUNE 3, 2023
AMSTERDAM TRUCK CENTER MODIFIED FEATURE – 30-LAPS – RONNIE JOHNSON, Matt DeLorenzo, Alex Yankowski, Demetrious Drellos, Jack Lehner, Cody Clark, Rocky Warner, Chris Curtis, Jessica Friesen, Pep Corradi, JaMike Sowle, Bobby Hackel IV, Dave Constantino, Ryan Odasz, Bobby Varin, Brian Pessolano, Tucker O’Connor, David Schilling, Ryan Walther, Dave Camara, Brian Calabrese, Daniel Morgiewicz, Josh Hohenforst, Dale Gray, Kurtis Hohensheldt, Shawn McPhee, Brian Gleason (DNS)
1st win of 2023 and the 32nd career win at Fonda for Johnson
HEAT RACE WINNERS – Corradi, Curtis, Sowle
SWAGGER FACTORY APPAREL CRATE 602 SPORTSMAN FEATURE – 25-LAPS – ZACH DUFEL, Brendan Gibbons, Peyton Talbot, Brett Mortensen, Chip Constantino, Tanner Warner, Jeremy Tyrrell, Clayton DuMond, Blaine Klinger, Chad Edwards, Stephen Gray, Michael McCallion, Butchie Irwin, Mark Mortensen, Jason Reome, Dylan Eldred, Harry Shaffer, Matthew Perry, Bubba McPhee, Kaydon Hohensheldt, Clyde Peek, Dan Santabarbara (DNS), Josh Kane (DNS), Jason Greco (DNS), Troy Zilles (DNS)
1st career win in the division at Fonda for Dufel
HEAT RACE WINNERS – Warner, Talbot, Brett Mortensen
GRECO’S NAPA HARD CHARGER AWARD – Talbot 9 positions 12th to 3rd
BELOW ZERO ICE CREAM PRO STOCK FEATURE – 20-LAPS – IVAN JOSLIN, Caden Dumblewski, Josh Coonradt, Kenny Gates, Luke Horning, Andy Graves, Beau Ballard, Jason Morrison, Randy Cosselman, Gary Silkey, Slater Baker, Jim Normoyle, Michael Achzet, Hunter Keith, Don Collins, Ken Griffen, Shane Playford
2nd win of 2023 and the 14th career win at Fonda for Joslin
HEAT RACE WINNERS – Coonradt, Joslin
MONTGOMERY COUNTY OFFICE FOR AGING INC. LIMITED SPORTSMAN FEATURE – 15-LAPS – LANCE HILL, Tyler Bobar, Mike Hill, Kyle Dingman, Tim Deffer, Jonathan Feagles, Bobby Rhinehart, John Anderson, Chris Kugler, Brandon Tyler, Timmy Wilmot, Dylan Huston, Cian DiMezza, Jeff Bobilin, Lucas Duncan, Maddy Broedel, Gus Kamberelis, Connor Prokop, Steve Wagoner, Michael Kalkbrenner, AJ Greco, Kirsten Swartz, Brandon Hazzard
1st win of 2023 and the 2nd career win at Fonda for Hill
HEAT RACE WINNERS – Kugler, Dingman, Hill
FONDA FAIR FOUR CYLINDER FEATURE – 12-LAPS – KEN HOLLENBACK (SOHC), KERRIE HOLLENBACK (DOHC), Jon Mason, Wayne Russell Jr., Justin Ramsey, Keith Tesiero Jr., Josh Ramsey, David Peek-Britten, Tim Warner, Len St. Andrews, TJ Marlitt, John Ray
4th win of 2023 and the 89th career win at Fonda for Ken Hollenback
4th win of 2023 and the 38th career win at Fonda for Kerrie Hollenback
CRSA SPRINT CAR FEATURE – 20-LAPS – TOMY MOREAU, Jordan Hutton, Peter Dance, Dalton Herrick, Timmy Lotz, Mike Kiser, Alex Adamsky, Chad Miller, Mark Taylor, Ronnie Greek, John Cunningham, James Layton, Aaron Shelton, Steve Glover, Dan Craun, Dustin Sehn, Tyler Chartrand, Jeff Trombley, Kyle Pierce, Blake Warner, Kristen Dombrowski, Thomas Radivoy, Fred Proctor (DNS)
1st career win for Moreau at Fonda and in CRSA competition
CRSA HEAT RACE WINNERS – Hutton, Kiser, Dance
McGREW JR., NUTTING CLAIM MALTA SPORTSMAN FEATURES
Derrick McGrew Jr. scored his first career Crate Sportsman feature, while Daryl Nutting posted his second win of the season Friday at Albany-Saratoga Speedway.
McGrew beat out Pat Jones, Andrew Buff, David Boisclair and Mike Benson for the win, while Nutting topped Joey Scarborough, Mike Coffey Jr., Dan Grignon and Travis Witbeck for the victory in the second 20-lap sportsman feature.
Jay Corbin edged Kim Duell by .292 seconds to collect his fourth career victory at Albany-Saratoga and first feature win since August of 2019.
Mike Parodi and Chad Gregory picked up the victories in the dual 15-lap limited sportsman features and Chris Stalker got his first win of the season in the 20-lap street stock feature.
Amsterdam’s Chad Miller pressured race leader Matt Tanner but came up short as Tanner collected the $2,000 winner’s check in the 25-lap Empire Super Sprint A-Main. Shawn Donath placed third with Chuck Hebing fourth and Paulie Colagiovanni fifth.
ALBANY-SARATOGA SPEEDWAY RESULTS
JUNE 2, 2023
NAPA MODIFIEDS: RONNIE JOHNSON, Marc Johnson, Jeremy Pitts, Peter Britten, Matt DeLorenzo, Demetrios Drellos, Mike Mahaney, Jack Speshock, Kris Vernold, Don Ronca, CG Morey, Ryan McCartney, Jack Lehner, Rich Ronca, Ken Tremont Jr., Justin Stone, Vinnie Visconti, Matt Depew, Brian Calabrese, Adam Pierson, Jessey Mueller, LJ Lombardo, Mike Kolka, Neil Stratton, Keith Flach, Derek Bornt, Robert Bublak Jr.
NORTHEAST PAVING & SEALCOATING SPORTSMAN (first feature, 20 laps): DERRICK MCGREW JR., Pat Jones, Andrew Buff, David Boisclair, Mike Benson, Tim Hartman Jr., Chris Crane Jr., Bryce Breault, Jon Miller, Michael Wagner Fitzgerald, Zach Buff, Mike Jeske, Mike Ballestero, Taylor Wasson, Tyler Rapp, Nick Lussier, Justin Barber, Jeff Washburn, Brandon Darrah, Floyd Billington.
NORTHEAST PAVING & SEALCOATING SPORTSMAN (second feature, 20 laps): DARYL NUTTING, Joey Scarborough, Mike Coffey Jr., Dan Grignon, Travis Witbeck, Drew Cormie, Eric Mack, Chris Jakubiak, Taylor LaPlante, Cody Ochs, Tommy D’Angelo, Marty Kelly III, Dave Baranowski Jr., Travis Billington, Dylan Madsen, Chad Edwards, Jim Osgood, Scott Bennett, Ron Proctor, Scott Duell.
SARATOGA MASONRY SUPPLY PRO STOCKS: JAY CORBIN, Kim Duell, Jason Casey, Luke Horning, Jaxson Ryan, Shane Henderson, Chucky Dumblewski, Kyle Hoard, Jay Casey, Jordan Modiano, Pete Vila, Jimmy Eaton, Rich Crane, Phil Defiglio.
HAUN WELDING LIMITED SPORTSMAN (first feature, 15 laps): MIKE PARODI, Mike Arnold, Kyle Swart, Ron Delease Jr., Nick Arnold, John Santolin, Nick Auspelmyer, Dan Sequin, Damian Anderson, Joe Venditti, Walter Cook, Kameron McConchie, Alex Palmer-Sawyer, David Zelker.
HAUN WELDING LIMITED SPORTSMAN (second feature, 15 laps): CHAD GREGORY, Scott Towslee, Connor Crane Jr., Dylan Grogan, Dakota Green, Chase Zimmer, Phil Arnold, James Galarneau, Mike Baker, Tanner Coon, Sara Arnold, Brent Bouplon.
LAKE AUTO PARTS STREET STOCKS: CHRIS STALKER, Jason Meltz, Josh Bussino, Pat Cram Jr., Mike Bussino, Jeff Meltz Sr., Al Relyea, Jimmy Duncan, Josh Hemming, Mark Burch, Matt Mosher, Nick Napoli, Fred Shippee, Ray Pierre Jr., Dan Buell, Milo Campbell, Tim McFarland.
EMPIRE SUPER SPRINTS, PRESENTED BY A-VERDI CONTAINERS: MATT TANNER, Chad Miller, Shawn Donath, Chuck Hebing, Paulie Colagiovanni, Danny Varin, Davie Franek, Jordan Poirier, Kelly Hebing, Jeff Cook, Mike Kiser, Josh Pieniazek, Chase Moran, Trever Years, Lacey Hanson, Brett Wright, Keith Granholm, Jason Barney, Dylan Swiernik.
HAAS WINS FLACH MEMORIAL AT LEBANON VALLEY
Brett Haas topped Marc Johnson to win the 11th Annual JC Flach Memorial for big-block modifieds Saturday night at Lebanon Valley Speedway.
Andy Bachetti finished third with Keith Flach fourth and Ryan Chartrand fifth.
Bachetti picked up the victory in the small358-modified feature over LJ Lombardo, Jason Harrington, Lorne Browe and Kim Lavoy.
Kevin Ward took home the sportsman feature while Craig Coons won the budget sportsman main.
DEVIL’S BOWL WIN GOES TO WAGNER FITZGERALD
Michael Wagner-Fitzgerald took the field from green-to-checkers to win the 30-lap Sportsman-Modified feature Saturday night at Devil’s Bowl Speedway.
Hunter Nutter won the special 50-lap Limited Sportsman feature, while Raelin Dunham claimed the victory in the 500cc Mini Sprint feature and Ed Bell claimed the victory in the Novice Sportsman feature. Adam Mahoney picked up the win in the 15-lap Mini Stock feature.
UTICA-ROME RAINS OUT
The threat of heavy rains throughout the race program forced the management at Utica-Rome Speedway to postpone Friday’s events.
The speedway will host a full regular race card with the addition of the CRSA 305 sprint cars this Friday.
Categories: Sports
