Fonda Speedway is a half-mile (0.8 km) dirt oval track located in Fonda, New York. The track hosted NASCAR Cup Series races in 1955 and 1966 to 1968. It is home to the Fonda 200. The track hosts Saturday night races with Modified, Sportsman, Limited Sportsman, Pro Stock, and 4 Cylinder classes (as of 2021).[1]

Fonda Speedway
Track of Champions[1]
Location21 South Bridge Street, Fonda, New York
Time zoneUTC−5 / −4 (DST)
Coordinates42°57′11″N 74°22′17″W / 42.95311°N 74.3713369°W / 42.95311; -74.3713369
OwnerMontgomery County Agricultural Society
OperatorBD Motorsports Media LLC (Brett Deyo)
Opened1953
Websitethefondaspeedway.com
half mile oval
Surfacedirt
Length0.5 miles (0.8 km)
Race lap record17.740[2] (Stewart Friesen, , 2021, Big Block Modified)

History

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The track opened in 1953[3] as a half-mile dirt oval which it remains to this date. The track hosted NASCAR Cup Series races in 1955 and 1966 to 1968, two of which were won by Richard Petty, while David Pearson and Junior Johnson won the other two races. The track had an International Motor Contest Association (IMCA) class between 2000 and 2009.[4] It switched to a United Midwestern Promoters (UMP) Modified class for one year in 2010.[4] Brett Deyo took over as track promoter starting in 2019.[1]

Drag Strip

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From 1957 til 1968 the track was home to an 1/8 mile drag strip that ran in the middle of the track's infield. Shirley Muldowney debuted on the drag strip.[5] Muldowney described the drag strip: "That strip was deadly, deadly. You would go down the center of that dirt oval and when you would sail off that strip onto the oval, all four wheels would leave the ground."[5]

Notable alumni

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NASCAR Cup Series Results

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Date Winner Manufacturer Average Speed (mph)
June 18, 1955 Junior Johnson Oldsmobile 58.413
July 14, 1966 David Pearson Dodge 61.010
July 13, 1967 Richard Petty Plymouth 65.826
July 11, 1968 Richard Petty Plymouth 64.935

reference:[6]

References

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  1. ^ a b c "Fonda Speedway Signs Lease With Brett Deyo, Big Plans Ahead". Speed51. Retrieved August 29, 2020.
  2. ^ "Season Opener at Fonda". dirttrackdigest.tv. April 17, 2021. Event occurs at 20:27. FloRacing.
  3. ^ "Fonda Speedway - A Premier Track in New York Whose Drivers Often Drove in Vermont". www.catamountstadium.com. Retrieved 2020-08-28.
  4. ^ a b c "Fonda Speedway Track Champions" (PDF). Fonda Speedway. Retrieved August 29, 2020.
  5. ^ a b "Fonda Speedway". Hemmings. Retrieved August 28, 2020.
  6. ^ "NASCAR Race Results". Racing Reference. Retrieved August 29, 2020.
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