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JOHNSON, EDWARDS, & JOSLIN WIN THUNDER ON THE THRUWAY EVENTS AT FONDA

By: Ron Szczerba

Fonda, NY – Saturday evening at the “Track of Champions” Fonda Speedway, Doug’s Pool & Spa Sales & Service presented the final event of the three race “Thunder on the Thruway” series. When the final checkered flag flew it was Ronnie Johnson (Amsterdam Truck Center Modifieds), Chad Edwards (Swagger Factory Apparel Sportsman), and Ivan Joslin (Leatherstocking Credit Union Pro Stocks) winning the Thunder Series events in their respective divisions.

“I’ve gotta give Stew a shout out,” Johnson said in F.X. Caprara Victory Lane. “He is a hero to many of us including myself, hopefully he gets healed up and back after it. There was a lot of bite off the top of turn two, but it got rough up there, so I was bouncing pretty good. I know I had Yankowski next to me on the restart, and Danny Varin before that. These young guys are really fast; they make you race hard for it. I gave it my all the last few laps, and it worked.”

Other winners on Saturday at Fonda were Corky Warner (Montgomery County Office for Aging Inc. Limited Sportsman), Jay Ingersoll (DOHC) and Wayne Russell Jr. (SOHC) in the Fonda Fair Four Cylinder division. Two special Dash for Cash events were also run with the $444 Rick Rudolph Dash won by Ronnie Johnson while Lance Hill was the winner of the $100 Doug’s Pool and Spa Sales & Service Dash.

Rick Rudolph was a long time machinist from Greenfield Center, NY which was not far from the Albany Saratoga Speedway in Malta according to the Lou Lazzaro book written by Ron Moshier. Rick was first, a fan. Drag racing had been his passion before some friends talked him into joining them at Albany Saratoga on Friday nights. That was when Lou Lazzaro and his #4 caught his eye and got him hooked.

One Friday night at Malta, Rudoph saw Louie standing solo by his car in the pits and asked, hey Louie where’s your help? He was told there’s nobody here. “Back then it was the pit crew who usually picked the driver they wanted to help,” Rudolph quoted in the book. “I figured that was the perfect time. I just didn’t want to sit in the stands anymore. I wanted to be hands on, and Louie was the one I wanted to help.”

Rick Rudolph sadly passed away back in early 2024 and this event was organized by Mimi Lazzaro along with Rudolph’s family and friends. It was originally scheduled to be held during the 2024 season but was rained out and not rescheduled until Saturday evening. Mimi along with her mom Sheila presented $444 to Ronnie Johnson in victory lane as the winner of the Rick Rudolph Dash held in Rick’s memory.

Kayleigh Araujo sang the National Anthem during opening ceremonies after a prayer by Pastor Greg Nitz started off the racing program. Charles from Wappingers Falls was the winner of the $2,393 50/50.

The 30-lap $4,000 to win Amsterdam Truck Center Modified feature began with Pep Corradi and Ronnie Johnson on the front row after a redraw with Johnson the leader at the drop of Joe Kriss’ green flag. Danny Varin and Bobby Hackel IV both got by Corradi for the second and third positions by the time the Yurkewecz Auto Crushers lap counter showed lap three, Varin using the extreme outside of the speedway to catch up to the rear bumper of Johnson by lap nine.

Varin got too high on the backstretch on lap eight, so high that he was on the paved access road that goes back to the sewer plant and lost a lot of ground on the leader at that point. When the yellow came out on lap nine, Varin gained all of the lost ground back and restarted on the outside of Johnson when the green flag flew again. Johnson maintained the lead on the restart while fifth place starter Alex Yankowski got by Hackel for the third position while Varin again pressured Johnson for the lead.

One more caution flag flew just past the halfway point on lap 17 which unfortunately was for Varin after he suffered a cut tire and got into the wall in turn one while running second. Johnson pulled away on the restart and was never seriously challenged as he went on to his third win of the season (two big block wins and one 358 small block win) and the 34th of his career in the division at Fonda in the Mickel’s Automotive/Witz Roofing/Persons Farms #2RJ. Yankowski, Cody Clark, Hackel, and 12th place starter Rocky Warner completed the top five.

“These kids are half our age,” Johnson said in victory lane about Alex Yankowski. “They are just good, the kids are good, and I give them credit. Yankowski gets it done, gets after it. I knew I had to get off on that restart with him, use the outside and beat him to the top because I knew he was fast on the top. Yankowski alongside of me gave me butterflies a little bit.”

Unofficially, Rocky Warner was crowned as the 2025 Thunder on the Thruway Series Modified Champion.

A redraw for starting positions placed Brian Calabrese and Kadon Hohensheldt on the front row for the $1,500 to win Swagger Factory Apparel Sportsman Thunder on the Thruway Series event with Calabrese taking the early lead. Fourth place starter Chad Edwards quickly moved into the second position in the early laps as he and Calabrese pulled away from the rest of the field.

Calabrese and Edwards were side by side for the lead at the line to complete lap six, but Calabrese was able to hang on to the top spot and pulled away from Edwards. Lap traffic came in to play on lap 12 allowing Edwards to close in and when Calabrese was slowed by the lap car of Tavien Blowers on lap 17 it allowed Edwards to get by for the lead.

Edwards was in lap traffic for the remaining laps but went on to his fourth win of the season in the Kollar Motorsports #10% and the 26th of his career in the division, tying him for second on the All-Time Win List in the division with Rocky Warner. Calabrese, Tyler Peet, Hohensheldt, and 12th place starter Dave Constantino completed the top five in the event.

“We’re working hard,” Edwards told Mimi Lazzaro in victory lane. “We’ve been in kind of a slump here with John (car owner John Kollar) really battling for his life after a car accident. This ones for him, I wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for him. He is currently in ICU and hopefully we can get him going in the right direction here soon. He is battling, he’s in rough shape, but I hope this win gives him a little incentive.”

“It was a great race with Brian (Calabrese),” Edwards continued to say. “I showed him the top and I said man I just lost this race. But we got into lap traffic, and I was able to get back by him. The track came around real good, and I can’t wait to bring this check down to John tomorrow.”

Unofficially, Chad Edwards was crowned the 2025 Thunder on the Thruway Series Sportsman Champion.

Ivan Joslin and Kenny Gates started the 20-lap $1,000 to win Leatherstocking Credit Union Pro Stock feature on the front row with Joslin taking the early lead in the event. With only two caution flags slowing the event, Joslin was never seriously challenged for the lead in the event besides the two restarts as he went on to his second win of the 2025 season and the 18th of his career in the division in the One Zee Tees/Southside Beverage #49.

The race for the top five was a good one behind Joslin with Gates, Luke Horning, 10th place starter Beau Ballard, and Nick Stone sitting in the top five at the halfway point. Ballard and Horning both got by Gates for the second and third positions with four laps to go with the top five at the checkered flag consisting of Joslin, Ballard, Horning, and Jason Morrison.

Ballard was involved in a heat race wreck, but he and his crew got the car back together for the feature event allowing his to unofficially take home the 2025 Thunder on the Thruway Series Pro Stock Championship.

“This thing is on rails, it was great tonight,” Joslin said in victory lane. “You don’t know, they watered the top and your wondering if it is going to come in. I wasn’t going up there first. I didn’t hear anybody, and I kept watching for Kenny (Gates) but I found a good groove in three and four so I used it all I could then came back to the bottom and just protected. This one is for Stew and Jess, they said they were gonna watch tonight.”

Just as Ballard was involved in a heat race wreck so was Corky Warner in the Montgomery County Office for Aging Inc. division. Warner was unable to get his car back together for the feature but drove the Randy Cosselman #5C for the feature, starting last in the 19 car field. With numerous cautions throughout the event, it allowed Warner to get to the front, and he took the lead on lap 12 of the 15-lap event.

Warner led the remaining laps on his way to his third win of the season and the fourth of his career in the division over Zach McSpirit, eighth place starter Jim Malia, seventh place starter Steve Wagoner, and 11th place starter Walter Cook. The win was extra special for Warner as it was also his birthday on Saturday!

“Pretty cool,” Warner said in victory lane on his birthday. “After crashing in the heat race, I was gonna try to run Brian’s (Calabrese) car, but he was a little busy with his own stuff, so Randy (Cosselman) offered me his car and without hesitation I said yes. I didn’t think I would be standing here, this is awesome.”

Doug’s Pool and Spa Sales & Service offered many bonuses to drivers in the Montgomery County Office for Aging Inc. division including $400 to the winner (Warner), $50 to the second through fifth place finishers (McSpirit, Malia, Wagoner, and Cook), $100 to a random driver chosen in victory lane (Owen Mormile), $100 for a Dash for Cash (Lance Hill), and $50 to each heat race winner (Hill and McSpirit).

Next Saturday, August 16, Fonda Speedway Track Champions for the 2025 season will be crowned in all divisions on Benjamin Moore Paints Championship Night!

If you are a race fan that gets to the track early, be sure to check out the history of the Fonda Speedway at the Fonda Speedway Museum & Hall of Fame which is located on the Fonda Fairgrounds at the rear of the parking area going down towards turn four. The museum is open from 3:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. on race days and admission is free!

Fonda Speedway weekly feature winners, their race teams, and sponsors are invited the following week to display their cars at the museum and watch their feature win on Flo before the races. The victorious car display can begin as early as 3:00, and you are welcome to arrive and stay as late as your schedule allows.

Please message the Fonda Speedway Hall of Fame and Museum Facebook page to RSVP or with any questions!

All Fonda Speedway events are broadcast LIVE on FloRacing (www.floracing.tv).

Since 1953, the Track of Champions Fonda Speedway has hosted the best in stock car racing. The speedway operates 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.

8/9/2025 DOUG’S POOL & SPA SALES & SERVICE THUNDER ON THE THRUWAY SERIES

18 Entrees
Amsterdam Truck Center Modifieds
A Feature 1 (30 Laps): 1. 2RJ-Ronnie Johnson[2]; 2. 84Y-Alex Yankowski[5]; 3. 4-Cody Clark[9]; 4. 97-Bobby Hackel IV[3]; 5. 79-Rocky Warner[12]; 6. 85-Jack Lehner[10]; 7. 88-Ryan Odasz[15]; 8. 21C-Brian Calabrese[14]; 9. B24-Brendan Gibbons[7]; 10. 21P-Luciano (Pep) Corradi[1]; 11. 76-Jamike Sowle[11]; 12. 71-Eric Mack[8]; 13. 02-Dylan Madsen[17]; 14. 93-Danny Varin[4]; 15. 18-Tony Farone[16]; 16. 24-Adam McAuliffe[13]; 17. 20C-Craig Hanson[6]; 18. 4M-Al McCoy[18]

PALMER’S SERVICE CENTER/JAMIE & DENISE PAGE POWER POSITION – $100 Gift Certificate to Online Performance/Stone Motorsports – Bobby Hackel IV

RICK RUDOLPH DASH FOR CASH - $444 Ronnie Johnson

32 entries
Swagger Factory Apparel Crate 602 Sportsman
A Feature 1 (25 Laps): 1. 10%-Chad Edwards[4]; 2. 21C-Brian Calabrese[1]; 3. 12T-Tyler Peet[7]; 4. 42H-Kadon Hohensheldt[2]; 5. 7-Dave Constantino[12]; 6. 12AJ-AJ Greco[5]; 7. 74-Matt Perry[6]; 8. 89-Dylan Madsen[10]; 9. 1M-Mark Mortensen[8]; 10. 44-Rocco Constantino[3]; 11. 1-Steve Akers[9]; 12. 78-Tanner Warner[13]; 13. 314-Clayton Dumond[11]; 14. 25-Stephen Gray[15]; 15. 14J-Jeremy Tyrrell[17]; 16. 63-Chip Constantino[23]; 17. 00X-Josh Coonradt[16]; 18. 5C-Randy Cosselman[14]; 19. 164-Brock Miller[20]; 20. 84-Ricky Quick[22]; 21. 5EJ-Tavien Blowers[19]; 22. 12B-Tyler Bobar[21]; 23. 55-Jonny Feagles[18]; 24. 31J-John Dumond[24]; 25. 1D-Kyle Dingman[25]

PALMER’S SERVICE CENTER/JAMIE & DENISE PAGE POWER POSITION – $100 Gift Certificate to Online Performance/Stone Motorsports – Matt Perry

GRECO’S NAPA HARD CHARGER AWARD – $100 Gift Certificate to Greco’s NAPA – Dave Constantino +7

10 entries
Leatherstocking Credit Union Pro Stocks
A Feature 1 (20 Laps): 1. 49-Ivan Joslin[1]; 2. 15-Beau Ballard[10]; 3. 2H-Luke Horning[3]; 4. 715-Jason Morrison[6]; 5. 35-Ken Gates[2]; 6. 8N-Nick Stone[5]; 7. 96-Andy Graves[4]; 8. 1D-Nick Santuccione[7]; 9. 39-Hayleigh Gates[8]; 10. 62-Nick Danna[9]

19 entries
Montgomery County Office for Aging Limited Sportsman
(Doug’s Pool & Spa Sales & Service Bonuses in Parenthesis)
A Feature 1 (15 Laps): 1. 797-Corky Warner[16] ($400); 2. 4-Zach McSpirit[2] ($50); 3. 13J-Jim Mallia[8] ($50); 4. 7A-Steve Wagoner[7] ($50); 5. 47-Walter Cook[11] ($50); 6. 18-John West[14]; 7. 48-Chayton Young[17]; 8. 98-Camron Hotaling[10]; 9. 92C-Lance Hill[5]; 10. 11-Josh Persse[4]; 11. 647-Brian Nelson[15]; 12. 96B-Jimmy Beach[1]; 13. 32-Owen Mormile[3] ($50 Random Draw); 14. 27R-Rusty Baumes[12]; 15. 618-Bobby Rhinehardt[6]; 16. 26-Mason Gray[9]; 17. 24-Kirsten Swartz[13]; 18. 87J-Joel Knudsen Jr[19]; 19. (DNS) 2-Michael Block Sr

DOUG’S POOL & SPA SALES & SERVICE DASH FOR CASH - $100 Lance Hill

PALMER’S SERVICE CENTER/JAMIE & DENISE PAGE POWER POSITION – $50 Gift Certificate to Online Performance/Stone Motorsports – Walter Cook

GRECO’S NAPA HARD CHARGER AWARD – $50 Gift Certificate to Greco’s NAPA – Corky Warner +15

11 entries
Fonda Fair Four Cylinders
A Feature 1 (12 Laps): 1. 97JD-Jay Ingersoll[9]; 2. 78D-Blake Smart[2]; 3. 26D-Len St Andrews[3]; 4. 54S-Wayne Russell Jr[5]; 5. 29JD-John Ray[1]; 6. 70JD-Anthony Johnson[10]; 7. 420XS-Tim Warner[4]; 8. 191D-Chris Danylieko[6]; 9. 57S-Jeremiah Paro[7]; 10. 6D-Joshua Leonard[11]; 11. 0D-Jason Peck[8]

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