Friday night, the 358-modifieds take center stage in a $5,000-to-win, plus contingencies, main event, while the DIRTcar Sportsman Fall Championship Series will hit the track for a $2,000-to-win feature, along with the Street Stock and 4-cylinder divisions.
The Big Block Modifieds are scheduled for hot lap sessions during the program with a $500 bonus from Andy’s Speedshop going to the fastest overall average time in the hot lap session on the line and $250 for the second fastest overall average time.
Saturday, the DIRTcar Pro Stocks and Limited Sportsmen join the race card that features the Super DIRTcar Big Series Block Modifieds running a 100-lap $10,000-to-win main event which also carries a guaranteed starting spot in the in the Billy Whittaker Cars 200 at Oswego Speedway during Super DIRT Week 52.
There have been four different winners of the annual season-ending event.
Demetrios Drellos won the Malta Massive Weekend 100-lap feature in 2019, while Mike Mahaney won the 2021 event and Matt Sheppard took the checkers in 2022. Stewart Friesen won the 2023 event, which was dedicated to Kenny Tremont Jr., as he closed out his illustrious racing career.
The race was not run in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
General admission for Friday will be $24 for adults and $5 for children under 11-years-old. General admission for Saturday will be $30 for adults and $5 for children.
EMPIRE STATE SHOWDOWN AT UTICA-ROME
Utica-Rome Speedway will host the first of two consecutive two-day racing events on Friday and Saturday.
On Friday, the Limited Sportsman will compete in a 20-lap main offering a guaranteed starting position in Saturday’s Crate 602 Sportsman feature. A guaranteed spot in Saturday’s 602-Sportsman feature is also at stake in a 20-lap, winner-take-all 20-lap, $300-to-win non-winners 602-Sportsman event.
Practice laps will be granted for Crate 602 Sportsman with a pair of Saturday redraw positions up for grabs.
The All-Star and Junior Slingshots will also be on the program, along with the 4-Cylinder division that will be in competition for a $300 winner’s share and $150 to the first Single Cam with $50 to start in a 15-lap main.
All qualifying for the Crate 602 Sportsman division running a 50-lap, $2,400-to-win feature will be run on Saturday through timed hot laps and qualifying heat races.
Also competing on Saturday are the 4-Cylinders in a 20-lap, $500-to-win, $150 guaranteed Single Cam winner, $50 to start feature along with the Junior and Allstar Slingshots.
General grandstand admission Friday will be $10, with kids under 11-years-old admitted free, and pit admission is $40 for non-members.
Saturday, general grandstand admission will be $15, and kids under 11 admitted free. Pit admission is $45 for non-members.
PIT NOTES
It was a tough weekend at Fonda Speedway for Bobby Hackel IV.
Hackel debuted a new car last Thursday, but had a right-rear tire explode during his qualifier for the Underdog 33, sending him into the fourth-turn wall, damaging the rear clip on the modified.
Friday, he returned with his old car and won his qualifying event before having the drive-shaft break during warmups on Saturday. He was able to make repairs, only to have his Fonda 200 run end flipping in turn three.
Ronnie Johnson missed racing at Albany-Saratoga two weeks ago due to physical ailments, but returned last weekend to finish in the top 10 in the Malta feature before taking his potent 358-modified ride to Devil’s Bowl Speedway and coming home with his second small-block feature win.
The Fonda 200 Weekend also marked the return of Adam McAuliffe and Kurtis Hohensheldt to the modified racing ranks.
Hohensheldt was behind the wheel of the Fassett-owned No. 22, while McAuliffe piloted the Moody Mile Racing No. 24.
