FONDA, N.Y. — Craig Hanson ran down early leader JaMike Sowle to claim Saturday night’s 30-lap modified feature at the Fonda Speedway in front of a standing-room-only Fan Appreciation Night crowd.
Out of the huge crowd, nobody was more surprised than Hanson, who didn’t know he had the lead until the end.
“I didn’t have a clue I was leading,” said the elated winner, who also runs the grader and oversees the track prep crew for promoter Brett Deyo. “I just got up on top and kept hammering it. Bobby Varin showed me the top and when I got up there, I really got going.”
Going indeed! A spate of early cautions kept the field closed up as front row starter Sowle and fourth starting Chris Curtis battled for the lead as Hansen and three-time winner Matt DeLorenzo advanced from the higher handicap positions.
The third yellow saw DeLorenzo fifth already after starting 11th and many thought he was on the way to another win. But the former Fonda promoter began backing up just as Hansen caught fire and began his run to the lead.
By lap 10, Rocky Warner and Bobby Varin were second and third with Hanson fourth and closing fast. He stood second at halfway, then used the bottom lane to dispose of Sowle on lap 22 before going right back to the top and driving off into the night.
Sowle hit the stripe a distant second ahead of Warner, Curtis, Ronnie Johnson, Bobby Varin, DeLorenzo, Danny Varin, Demetrious Drellos and Jack Lehner. Johnson’s run was as impressive as Hanson’s, as he dropped out of his heat, tagged the feature field in a spare car and drove to the top five.
In support class action, Nick Stone passed Kenny Gates between turn four and the flagstand to claim the Pro Stock feature. Beau Ballard was third. John Napoli won the Mini-Stock finale while Kyle Dingman led the Limited Sportsman field home.
The Mohawk Valley Vintage Racers ran three races, with Jimmy Fugel winning the Antique class, Curtis Condon taking the late model class and Randy Delaney edging John Flach and Jack Miller in the modified finale.