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Decker, Friesen, McLaughlin & Hackel Top Qualifying Races for Fonda 200
Written by Chris Moore
FONDA, NY – Qualifying Night for the ‘Fonda 200’ presented by Southside Beverage is in the books.
The Bob Hilbert Sportswear Short Track Super Series (STSS) Fueled By Sunoco big-block/small-block Modifieds competed in four 15-lap qualifying races to set the first 28 cars for Saturday’s $53,000-to-win main event.
Billy Decker, Stewart Friesen, Max McLaughlin, and Bobby Hackel IV claimed the four qualifying races and the $500 to go with for their victories to begin their quest of Round No. 4 of the Halmar International ‘Elite’ Series and Round No. 9 of the River Valley Builders North Region.
Billy Decker rolled off from the fifth starting position in Qualifier No. 1 presented by Parks Companies. The Unadilla, N.Y., native raced by Ballston Spa, N.Y.’s Jack Lehner at the midway point of the 15-lap qualifier and never looked back.
“We didn’t come here to get our haircut, we came here to win the race,” explained Decker in Victory Lane.
Ringoes, N.J.’s Ryan Godown and Lehner rounded out the podium, locking themselves into the redraw for the 200-lap main event.
Payton Talbot, JaMike Sowle, Marc Johnson, and Matt DeLorenzo finished fourth through seventh, respectively, to lock themselves into Saturday’s feature.
Sprakers, N.Y.’s Stewart Friesen was dominant in the second qualifier, racing off the outside of the front row to take the lead and never looked back.
Friesen picked up his $500 courtesy of Fastline Performance in Qualifier No. 2.
“Proud of our Halmar team, we’ve got a fast hot rod and I’m really looking forward to tomorrow,” proclaimed Friesen in Victory Lane.
His wife, Jessica Friesen, and Sheffield, Mass., native Andy Bachetti rounded out the redraw cars.
Finishing fourth through seventh, respectively, were Alan Johnson, Brian Gleason, Danny Creeden, and Nick Heywood, all securing starting spots in the ‘Fonda 200.’
Qualifier No. 3, presented by Upstate Auto, saw Mooresville, N.C.’s Max McLaughlin follow in Friesen’s footsteps. McLaughlin started on the pole and ran away with a dominant victory in the third of the four qualifying events.
“This isn’t one of my better tracks, but it’s sure been a lot better so far this weekend,” McLaughlin stated in Victory Lane.
‘Mad Max’ entered the weekend as the Halmar International ‘Elite’ Series point leader.
Middletown, N.Y.’s Anthony Perrego and Savannah, N.Y.’s Matt Sheppard rounded out the podium cars, securing spots in the redraw.
Qualifying for Saturday’s main event fourth through seventh were Mat Williamson, Ronnie Johnson, Danny Varin, and Tim Fuller.
The fourth and final qualifying event saw East Greenbush, N.Y.’s Bobby Hackel IV take the checkered flag from the pole starting position.
Despite starting on the front row, Hackel IV was not as dominant as Friesen and McLaughlin were. Despite challenges from Dave Constantino and Mike Mahaney however, Hackel never wavered.
Qualifier No. 4 was presented by Dave Prime Jr. MAC Tools.
Elizabeth, N.Y.’s Mike Mahaney was the runner-up and Queensbury, N.Y.’s Demetrios Drellos raced from 11th to round out the redraw cars.
Finishing fourth through seventh and locking into Saturday’s feature were Dave Constantino, Alex Yankowski, Chris Curtis, and Jeff Trombley.
Fifty-three STSS big-block/small-block modifieds registered for the Southside Beverage ‘Fonda 200.’
The weekend rounds out tonight, as the STSS Modifieds run their 12-lap B-Mains, leading into the 200-lap, $53,000-to-win Fonda 200, the highest paying Modified race in 2022.
The STSS Crate 602 Sportsman will also be on hand for a full program in Round No. 6 of the Precision Hydraulic & Oil North Region.
The entire night of racing, along with every STSS race in 2022, will be broadcast LIVE on FloRacing (www.floracing.tv).
Since 1953, the “Track of Champions” Fonda Speedway has hosted the best in stock car racing. Under the management of BD Motorsports Media LLC, the speedway will operate weekly on Saturday nights from April through August plus several special events. Fonda Speedway is located on the Montgomery County Fairgrounds off New York State Thruway Exit No. 28 at 21 S. Bridge Street Fonda, NY 12068.
Fonda Speedway is on the web at www.thefondaspeedway.com. To learn more, call the office at 518.915.4395, like Fonda Speedway on Facebook or follow the speedway on Twitter: @thefondaspdwy or Instagram: @fondaspeedway.
To learn more about the Short Track Super Series Fueled By Sunoco, visit www.shorttracksuperseries.com, e-mail bdmotorsportsmedia@gmail.com, check out ‘Short Track Super Series’ on Facebook or @ShortTrackSS on Twitter or Instagram.
The Short Track Super Series is presented by American Racer/Lias Tire, Sunoco Race Fuel, Insinger Performance, FloSports, Bob Hilbert Sportswear, BDR Speed, Halmar International, Ollie’s, River Valley Builders, Hurlock Auto & Speed, Velocita-USA, St. Lawrence Radiology, Franklin Products, Design for Vision & Sunglass Central, Belmont’s Garage, Precision Hydraulic & Oil, Prime MAC Tools, F.X. Caprara Car Companies, Behrent’s Performance Warehouse, Beyea Custom Headers, Bicknell Racing Products, Dirt Track Digest, EIBACH, Elite Welder Testing & Training, Flach Performance Products, Henry’s Exhaust, Hig Fab, Penske Racing Shocks, Schultz Racing Fuel Cells, Spyder Filters, Superior Remodeling, Teo-Pro Car, VAHLCO, Wegner Automotive & Wilwood.
STSS SUNOCO MODIFIED QUALIFYING RACE No. 1 FOR THE FONDA 200 – 15-LAPS – $500 BONUS THANKS TO PARKS COMPANIES LLC – 7 QUALIFY – 3 REDRAW – BILLY DECKER, Ryan Godown, Jack Lehner, Payton Talbot, JaMike Sowle, Marc Johnson, Matt DeLorenzo, Scott Huber, Ryan Darcy, Josh Reome, Aaron Jacobs, Rocky Warner, Jeremy Slosek (DNS), Nick Stone (DNS)
$100 BONUS FOR THE HIGHEST FINISHING FONDA SPEEDWAY REGULAR FROM THE GANG IN SECTION 8 – PAYTON TALBOT
STSS SUNOCO MODIFIED QUALIFYING RACE No. 2 FOR THE FONDA 200 – 15-LAPS – $500 BONUS THANKS TO FASTLINE PERFORMANCE – 7 QUALIFY – 3 REDRAW – STEWART FRIESEN, Jessica Friesen, Andy Bachetti, Alan Johnson, Brian Gleason, Danny Creeden, Nick Heywood, Jimmy Horton, Tucker O’Connor, Brian Pessolano, Danny Johnson, Bobby Varin, Craig Hanson
$100 BONUS FOR THE HIGHEST FINISHING FONDA SPEEDWAY REGULAR
FROM THE GANG IN SECTION 8 – BRIAN GLEASON
STSS SUNOCO MODIFIED QUALIFYING RACE No. 3 FOR THE FONDA 200 – 15-LAPS – $500 BONUS THANKS TO UPSTATE AUTOMOTIVE – 7 QUALIFY – 3 REDRAW – MAX MCLAUGHLIN, Anthony Perrego, Matt Sheppard, Mat Williamson, Ronnie Johnson, Danny Varin, Tim Fuller, Tyler Dippel, David Schilling, Allison Ricci, Brett Haas, JR Hurlburt, Matt Sobiech
$100 BONUS FOR THE HIGHEST FINISHING FONDA SPEEDWAY REGULAR FROM THE GANG IN SECTION 8 – RONNIE JOHNSON
STSS SUNOCO MODIFIED QUALIFYING RACE No. 4 FOR THE FONDA 200 – 15-LAPS – $500 BONUS THANKS TO DAVE PRIME JR. MAC TOOLS – 7 QUALIFY – 3 REDRAW – BOBBY HACKEL IV, Mike Mahaney, Demetrios Drellos, Dave Constantino, Alex Yankowski, Chris Curtis, Jeff Trombley, Darwin Greene, Tanner Warner, Ancel Collins, Kurtis Hohensheldt, Daniel Morgiewicz, Neil Stratton
$100 BONUS FOR THE HIGHEST FINISHING FONDA SPEEDWAY REGULAR FROM THE GANG IN SECTION 8 – DEMETRIOS DRELLOS
