All About Racing - 18 August 2024

Fonda crowned their 2024 Track Champions on Saturday and celebrating from left to right is Jay Ingersoll, AJ Greco, Payton Talbot, Alex Yankowski, Kenny Gates and Ken Hollenbeck.

Alton and Carole Palmer celebrate in victory lane with JaMike Sowle after his win in the Palmer owned No. 76 on Saturday at Fonda Speedway.

Connor Prokop and Jim Becker, pose for a photo on Sunday prior to racing action at Glen Ridge.

 Saturday was championship night at Fonda Speedway, and history was made when 20-year-old Alex Yankowski of Covington Township, PA. was crowned as the youngest Modified Track Champion in the history of the “Track of Champions” and he did it without a win, joining other track champions, Jim Luke (1955), Don Hendenburg (1956) Pete Corey (1965), Ray Dalmata (1979) and Michael Maresca (2020). 

Others crowned on Saturday were, Payton Talbot of South New Berlin was 602 Crate Sportsman Champion for the third time, Kenny Gates of West Winfield was Pro Stock Champion for the eighth time, and AJ Greco of Fonda was a first time Champion in the Limited Sportsman division, Jay Ingersoll of Amsterdam was first time Four Cylinder (dual cam) Champion and Sloansville’s Ken Hollenbeck celebrated his 11th Track Championship in the Four Cylinder (single cam) division.  Hollenbeck won championships in 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2017, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024.

JaMike Sowle of Fultonville was the winner of the Modified feature on Saturday driving the Palmer Service Center No. 76 owned by Alton and Carole Palmer of Howes Cave.  It was a momentous win for Sowle, his second in Modifieds win at the track, his first on 8/17/2013 in his own car No. 711.  Palmer’s last visit to victory lane at Fonda was on 6/27/2020 when Jeff Heotzler was in the driver seat.  Sowle also had a win in the Palmer No. 76 at Utica-Rome on 5/26/2023.

Other winners on Saturday were Chad Edwards, 602 Crate Sportsman; Nick Stone, Pro Stocks; Mason Gray, Limited Sportsman; Ken Hollenbeck, Four Cylinder, single cam and Jay Ingersoll, Four Cylinder, dual cam.  

The Mohawk Valley Vintage Dirt Modified Series was also on the card on Saturday and recording wins were Jimmy Fugel, Antiques; Frank Hoard, Jr., Late Models; Harry Baldwin, Mystiques; Jack Miller, Modifieds; Bryon Seyfried, Sportsman.

The MVVDMS also crowned their 2024 champions and winning those titles were Jimmy Fugel, Antiques; Joe Rando, Mystiques, Jack Miller, Modifieds; Jon Trudeau, Sportsman and Curtis Condon, Late Models. 

Despite valiant efforts by Promoter Ray Sefrin and his team, the Glen Ridge racing program was cut short after all the qualifying and three features.  The DIRTcar Sportsman Series was the big race of the night bringing competitors in from other parts of the state and Gavin Eisele of LaFargeville was the winner of the 40-lap main event. The 358-Mod winner was Brett Graham of Kingston who won the rain shortened, 22-lap feature and Preston Trautschold of Roscoe was the winner of the JR Slingshot event. 

We picked up a bit of local news at Glen Ridge on Sunday from the Becker Racing Team out of Middleburgh.  Next week Connor Prokop, also of Middleburgh, will be behind the wheel of the No. 9J, 358-Modified normally driven by Jim Becker.  Connor began racing in the Limited Sportsman division at Fonda and Utica-Rome a couple years ago and was a winner at both tracks.  He moved up to 602 Crate Sportsman this season and picked up a win at Accord Speedway.  Connor is a talented young driver, and we look forward to seeing him in the Becker ride. 

Until next week please send all news and/or comments to biittig@yahoo.com