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By: Ron Szczerba
Fonda, NY – SOMETHING FOR EVERYONE
On Saturday, December 16 the schedule (with some events marked as subject to change) for the 2024 season at the Track of Champions Fonda Speedway was announced. 2024 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.
2024 will start off with the annual Night of Champions awards banquet on Saturday, February 24 with the annual car show taking place on Friday-Sunday March 22-24 at the ViaPort Rotterdam. An open practice is scheduled for Saturday, April 13 with a rain date of Sunday, April 14 followed by the 73rd Season Opener on Saturday, April 20. 2024 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 2024 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 22s), 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 Saturday, May 11; CRSA Sprint cars on Saturday, June 1 and Saturday, July 27; the Thunder on the Thruway Series on Saturday, May 4, Saturday, June 15, and Saturday, July 13; NYSSCA Night on Saturday, June 8; Fan Appreciation Night ($5 Grandstand Admission along with a pre-race Meet & Greet) on Saturday, June 22; the “Firecracker 50� for Modifieds on Wednesday, July 3 with previous winners including Stewart Friesen (2018, 2019, 2022 while two other events were rained out); Hall of Fame Night on Saturday, July 6; Empire Super Sprints (ESS) on Saturday, July 20; Autism Awareness Night on Saturday, July 27; and Championship Night on Saturday, August 10.
The prestigious Fonda 200 Weekend will complete the 2024 schedule on Thursday-Saturday September 12-14 with a complete schedule of events and information coming out soon!
HIGH LIMIT 410 SPRINTS TO COMPETE IN THE RIVER RAGE ON SATURDAY, MAY 18
Brad Sweet and Kyle Larson in conjunction with FloRacing will bring the newly revamped High Limit Racing 410 Sprint Car Series to the Fonda Speedway in Fonda, N.Y. on Saturday, May 18 with a date the night before on Friday, 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 the 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 has 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 410 Sprints 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 while the last four events, all sanctioned by the All-Star Circuit of Champions (ASCoC), 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. For more information on the High Limit Racing Series, you can go to their website www.highlimitracing.com
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 Friday, June 28 and Saturday, June 29 respectively!
According to information from their website usaceastcoastsprintcars.myracepass.com in 1955, the United States Auto Club sanctioning body was born. Since then, the club has grown to sanction a National 410 Series, West Coast 360 Series, Champ Cars, Quarter Midgets, Full Size Midgets, Pavement Sprint Cars, and more.
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 beginning in April and ending in October.
USAC-EC works in conjunction with winged 360 series, the United Racing Club, to give 360 car owners, teams, and drivers the best schedules possible.
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 4/27, 6/8, 7/6, and 8/10, all Saturday nights. They will celebrate their Championship Night on 8/10 in conjunction with Fonda’s own Championship Night when Track Champions in all divisions will be decided. For more information on the MVVDMS please go to and like their Facebook page.
The complete Fonda Speedway schedule can be found and printed at the following link: www.thefondaspeedway.com/2024-schedule-of-events/
Stay informed on upcoming plans for the 2024 racing season at the Track of Champions as they become available by going to the Fonda Speedway website or social media outlets.
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.
