FONDA, N.Y. — The schedule for the 2024 season at Fonda Speedway, the “Track of Champions,” was announced.
Next year will mark the 73rd season of competition at the Montgomery County Fairgrounds track and features memorial events, special events and a new event featuring a type of race car that has never competed at Fonda in the past.
The season will start off with the annual “Night of Champions” awards banquet on Saturday, Feb. 24, with the annual car show taking place March 22-24 at the ViaPort Rotterdam. An open practice is scheduled for Saturday, April 13, followed by the 73rd season opener on April 20.
The coming season will mark the sixth year of promotion at Fonda by Brett & Heather Deyo of BD Motorsports Media LLC. and their staff.
MEMORIAL EVENTS
There are five memorial events on the schedule, honoring four drivers who put the “Track of Champions” Fonda Speedway on the map and one gentleman who supported the track and many of its drivers in many different ways.
The first memorial event of the 2024 season will be held on “Opening Night” Saturday, April 20, with the “Jumpin’ Jack Johnson Memorial” event. Previous tribute/memorial events held at Fonda in honor of Johnson were won by Mike Mahaney (2012, 2017), Stewart Friesen (2015, 2022), Tim Fuller (2018, 2023), Matt Sheppard (2016) and Rocky Warner (2021).
On Saturday, May 4, the “Lou Lazzaro Memorial” event will be held with previous winners including Matt DeLorenzo (2006, 2010), Stewart Friesen (2014, 2021), Seth Gano (2000), Willy Decker (2007@Utica Rome) and Ronnie Johnson (2016).
Twin 22-Lap Memorial events for Dave Lape are scheduled on Saturday, June 8, with previous winners of tribute/memorial events for Lape won by Stewart Friesen in 2021 (Twin 22’s) and (2023).
The 19th Annual Hondo Classic named for Hondo Carpenter will be held on Saturday, July 20, with previous winners including Nick Stone (2007, 2008, 2016, 2017, 2020), Kenny Gates (2009, 2015, 2018, 2023), Pete Broderson (2012, 2014), Chip Smith (2010), Rob Yetman (2011), Kenny Martin, Jr. (2013), Josh Coonradt (2019), Luke Horning (2021), Jim Burton (2006) and Beau Ballard (2022).
The Bill Ag Memorial Elimination Race will be held on Saturday, June 22, with previous winners including Ronnie Johnson (2016, 2017, 2021, 2023), Tim Fuller (2018), Stewart Friesen (2019), Demetrios Drellos (2022) and Bobby Varin (2014).
SPECIAL EVENTS
The endless list of special events in 2024 at Fonda includes Dollar Night ($1 Grandstand Admission) on May 11; CRSA sprint cars on June 1 and July 27; the Thunder on the Thruway Series on May 4, June 15 and July 13; NYSSCA Night on June 8; Fan Appreciation Night on June 22; the “Firecracker 50” for Modifieds on July 3 with previous winners including Stewart Friesen (2018, 2019, 2022); Hall of Fame Night on July 6; Empire Super Sprints (ESS) on July 20; Autism Awareness Night on July 27; and Championship Night on August 10.
The prestigious “Fonda 200” Weekend will complete the 2024 schedule Sept. 12-14.
HIGH LIMIT RACING
Brad Sweet and Kyle Larson will bring the newly revamped “High Limit Racing” 410 sprint car series to the Fonda Speedway in Fonda, N.Y. on May 18 with a date the night before on May 17 at Fonda’s sister track the Utica Rome Speedway.
Both events will feature the nation’s premier sprint car division — the 410s — in conjunction with modifieds in a quick-hitting, two-division, double-headline program.
The All-Star Circuit of Champions (ASCoC) 410 sprint cars visited the Utica-Rome Speedway each of the last two seasons in events won by Danny Varin and Justin Peck. The ASCoC was scheduled for a visit to the Fonda Speedway last May, but that event was cancelled by rain.
Following the announcement in late October that the High Limit Series had bought out the ASCoC from Tony Stewart, Fonda and Utica-Rome promoter Brett Deyo of BD Motorsports Media LLC secured dates for the highly sought-after national 410 sprint car division.
The visit by the High Limit Racing marks the ninth time in Fonda Speedway history that 410 sprint cars have competed at the “Track of Champions,” with each of the previous four events falling under ASCoC sanctioning.
Shane Stewart (7/28/2002 World of Outlaw Gumout Series), Daryn Pitman (7/29/2003 410-Sprint Open), Craig Keel (7/14/2005 410-Sprint Open) and Danny Lasoski (7/18/2006 National Sprint Tour 410-Sprints) won the first four 410 sprint events ever held at Fonda.
The last four events, all sanctioned by the All-Star Circuit of Champions, were won by Daryn Pittman (2010), Tim Shaffer (2011 & 2012) and Danny Dietrich (2013).
Both the Utica-Rome and Fonda events will pay a minimum of $12,000 to win and $1,200 to take the green flag.
SOMETHING NEW
The wingless Rapid Tire USAC East Coast Sprint Cars will be making their debut at both the Home of Heroes and Track of Champions on June 28-29.
The wingless USAC East Coast Sprint Car Series is run by husband and wife, Curt and Jenn Michael, and it debuted back in 2018 with an inaugural 10-race season. In 2023, the Rapid Tire USAC East Coast Sprint Car Series presented by Capital Custom Trailers ran a 22-event schedule, stretching from Pennsylvania to New Jersey, Delaware and Virginia.
FOR VINTAGE FANS
The Mohawk Valley Vintage Dirt Modified Series (MVVDMS) will make four visits to the “Track of Champions” in 2024 with races on April 27, June 8, July 6 and Aug. 10 — all Saturday nights.