Auto Racing News - 17 April 2026

The modified division race cars of Eric Mack 71 and Jackson Gill 06 as they patiently wait their turn to get on track at Fonda Speedway last Saturday.

You have a few options for racing tonight: Albany-Saratoga Speedway has the ground-pounding big block modified division of the Super DIRTcar Series competing in a 61-lap, $6,100-to-win feature. DIRTcar Sportsman will compete for $1,300, and the pro stock division is also on the program, with grandstands opening at 4:00 p.m. and racing beginning at 7:00 p.m. Utica-Rome Speedway will open with all regular weekly divisions—358 modifieds, pro stock, sportsman, and limited sportsman—in action for a non-points event.

Outlaw Speedway in Dundee will hold the inaugural David Guererri Sr. Memorial tonight. The 35-lap modified feature will pay $4,161 to win and $400 to start; the 30-lap sportsman feature will pay $2,161 to win and $200 to start. The 25-lap street stock feature pays $1,661 to win and $161 to start, the 20-lap 4-cylinder feature pays $1,061 to win and $100 to start, and the 20-lap hobby stock feature pays $1,061 to win and $100 to start. Grandstands open at 5:30 p.m. and racing begins at 7:30 p.m.

Fonda Speedway will open for its 75th anniversary season tomorrow with the Advanced Restoration & Cleaning Jumpin’ Jack Johnson Tribute. This includes a 32-lap feature for the Amsterdam Truck Center modified division paying $4,012. The crate 602 sportsman division will have a 25-lap feature paying $1,212, and the pro stock division will have a 20-lap feature paying $812. The limited sportsman and 4-cylinder divisions are also on the program. Pit gates open at 2:00 p.m., grandstands at 3:00 p.m., drivers meeting at 4:30 p.m., hot laps at 5:00 p.m., opening ceremonies at 5:50 p.m., and racing at 6:00 p.m. Don’t forget about the infield drive-in viewing available for $95, which includes four admissions.

On Sunday, Airborne Park Speedway in Plattsburgh will open for its 72nd season with the 40-lap, $4,000-to-win Leon Gonyo Memorial for the 358 modified division, and the crate 602 sportsman division will compete in a 30-lap, $1,500 feature. Other divisions competing include limited sportsman, renegades, mini stocks, and Crown Vics. Pit gates open at 10:00 a.m., grandstands at 12:30 p.m., and racing begins at 2:00 p.m.

Saturday and Sunday, April 18 and 19, the Cavalcade of Cars will be at the New York State Fairgrounds in Syracuse. Hot rods, classics, customs, and race-prepared cars, along with motorcycles, will be on display in the Expo Center. Show hours are 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Saturday and 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Sunday.

Next Friday, Albany-Saratoga Speedway will have a $3,000-to-win modified feature, a DiCarlo's Auto Body 358 modified shootout, and $1,300-to-win Crane's Outdoor Power Equipment sportsman and pro stocks. Utica-Rome Speedway starts its points season with a regular weekly program of 358 modifieds, pro stocks, crate 602 sportsman, and limited sportsman.

Also at Utica-Rome Speedway, Sunday, April 26, will be the 2nd annual Jim Normoyle Memorial Race for the pro stock division. The DIRTcar big block modifieds and limited sportsman are also on the schedule. The pro stock feature winner will earn $1,074 plus added bonuses and a boosted purse. Bonuses last year were around $7,000. This year, friends and family of Jim Normoyle would like to see that amount near $10,000. In order to achieve that, they are asking for your help. You can reach out to the track by a number of methods, including Venmo at https://venmo.com/u/utica-RomeSpeedway or via Facebook Messenger.

Friday, April 24, through Sunday, April 26, Colonie Center Mall will host the 2nd annual Tri-City Muscle Spring Fling indoor car show. On display will be muscle cars, classics, and custom cars. Show hours are Friday and Saturday from 10:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. and Sunday from 11:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.

Fans can expect a few invaders to be in the pits at Fonda on Saturday. A couple of these invaders may turn into regulars for the 2026 racing season. A midweek decision by Fonda management will see the return of backstretch restarts. Time will only tell how this procedure works out.

Friday night, the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series was at "The Last Great Colosseum," the half-mile Bristol Motor Speedway in Bristol, Tennessee, for the Tennessee National Guard 250. Local driver Stewart Friesen of Sprakers, driving the Halmar-Friesen Racing number 52 Toyota Tundra, qualified 13th, and NASCAR Cup Series driver Christopher Bell in the Halmar-Friesen Racing number 62 qualified 15th. At the end of Stage 1, Christopher was 15th and Stewart 16th. At the end of Stage 2, Bell was 5th and Stewart 13th. Near the 200-lap mark, Christopher was leading and Stewart was running 9th. Bell would hold on to claim the victory and Stewart would finish 16th. Unfortunately, Stewart would fall two positions in the point standings and now sits 11th.

Friday night, defending Fonda Speedway modified track champion Alex Yankowski was at Big Diamond Speedway in Pennsylvania collecting $10,000 for the rain-shortened Fritz Roehrig "Money in the Mountains" race, which ended on lap 37 of 50. Tim Buckwalter and Brett Kressley completed the podium. Saturday at Grandview Speedway in Pennsylvania, the 30-lap modified division feature was won by Jared Umbenhauer, and Alex Yankowski finished 7th.

At Lebanon Valley Speedway on Saturday for the sportsman division 40-lap, $4,000-to-win feature, Tim Hartman Jr. earned the win over Joey Scarborough and Chris Crane Jr. The pro stock 20-lap feature was won by Jason Casey over Frank Twing and Jay Casey. At Bridgeport Speedway in New Jersey, Ryan Godown earned the win and David Schilling finished 4th.

Fonda Speedway’s practice day went fairly well. Plenty of cars in every division were able to get in numerous laps. Unfortunately, there were a number of cancellations last weekend as Can-Am Speedway in LaFargeville cancelled its "Thunder in the Thousand Islands" Super DIRTcar Series for the 358 modified division, Outlaw Speedway in Dundee was forced to cancel the inaugural David G. Memorial, and on Sunday, Airborne Park Speedway was forced to cancel its 72nd opening day.