FONDA, N.Y. — After a rain out last Saturday evening, a midweek race was held at the “Track of Champions” Fonda Speedway on Wednesday with a familiar face in victory lane after the 32-lap event.
The event was named “12A Opening Day” in honor of Jumpin’ Jack Johnson and when the checkered flag flew it was Stewart Friesen standing in victory lane.
Ironically, Friesen started the event in the 12th position.
There have been a total of eight previous tribute/Memorial events held in past years to honor Jumpin’ Jack with Friesen winning two of them back in 2015 and 2022. Now after Wednesday nights victory he now has another in 2025.
“This is super special,” Friesen told Mimi Lazzaro in victory lane. “I mean Jack Johnson is Fonda. I grew up watching him and so did all of these race fans here tonight at Fonda. So, to win it again for Jack and his family is very special.”
The win for Friesen was career win number 95 at Fonda, and his seventh opening day victory (2015, 2016, 2018, 2020, 2021, 2022, and 2025).
Anthony Perrego, Cody Clark and Bobby Hackel IV completed the top five.
“The track was smokin’ fast, as fast as I’ve ever seen it,” Friesen said. “During intermission they brought the top back to life. We were a little bit off in the heat race but then the track just changed a lot as the sun went down and we were able to keep up with it.”
Dylan Madsen started fifth and claimed the 25-lap crate sportsman feature. Ken Gates won the pro stock main event.
The finish:
Feature (32 Laps): 1. 44-Stewart Friesen[12]; 2. 9S-Matt Sheppard[9]; 3. 4AP-Anthony Perrego[5]; 4. 4-Cody Clark[1]; 5. 97-Bobby Hackel IV[17]; 6. 84Y-Alex Yankowski[3]; 7. 93-Danny Varin[11]; 8. 79-Rocky Warner[13]; 9. 28T-Michael Trautschold[2]; 10. 9J-Marc Johnson[4]; 11. 21C-Brian Calabrese[10]; 12. 24-Adam McAuliffe[14]; 13. 3-Luciano (Pep) Corradi[19]; 14. 76-Jamike Sowle[6]; 15. 20C-Craig Hanson[15]; 16. 71-Eric Mack[16]; 17. 2RJ-Ronnie Johnson[8]; 18. 1Z-Jessica Friesen[7]; 19. 85-Jack Lehner[18]
