FONDA, N.Y. — Rocky Warner said it all on Fonda Speedway’s famed Checkerboard Square after winning the 30-lap NASCAR modified feature Saturday night.
“We’ve got a real hot rod here!” said Warner, nicknamed “The Flying Squirrel” but actually one of the sport’s steadiest and most accomplished drivers.
Warner advanced from ninth on the grid to take the lead from race-long leader Dave Camara, who ended a lengthy retirement to run owner Wes Moody’s No. 24 this season. Camara prevailed until a restart with six laps remaining, when Warner got the drop on him off turn four and then cruised to the checkers ahead of third starting Jamike Sowle, Matt DeLorenzo, Jessica Friesen, Demetrious Drellos and Brian Calabrese.
Camara, a former track champion and steady winner, started on the pole and got out to a solid lead in search of his first win since 2008.
But Warner and 12th starting Ronnie Johnson, winner of the last modified feature on the big half-mile, fought their way forward together with Johnson appearing to be the fastest car on the speedway until suffering a flat tire under the lap 25 yellow. At the time, he was a tight third behind Camara and Warner.
It took two tries to get the race restarted after the lap 25 yellow, with Warner getting a huge start both times off the outside row as Camara was obviously struggling.
Before the checkers flew, he dropped to seventh, with his front row companion Brian Pessolano, Pep Corradi and Bobby Hackel III rounding out the top 10.
In the companion Sportsman race, Danny Santabarbara led flag-to-flag with Jason Greco, Troy Zilles, Tanner Warner and Brett Mortensen trailing.
The modified feature was paced by Mimi Lazzaro, daughter of the late modified hero Lou Lazzaro, in a restored No. 4 Gremlin modified with her father’s iconic maroon and white paint scheme as part of the afternoon celebration of the release of author Ron Moshier’s book about her father published by Coastal 181.