Varin collects ESS win #6 at Fonda
By Bob Finley
Fonda, New York – Hometown driver Danny Varin continued his winning ways at the Fonda Speedway on Saturday night, claiming his sixth win of the year with the Lucas Oil Empire Super Sprints. It was also Varin’s sixth ESS victory in a row at the Track of Champions. Varin tracked down early race leader and pole sitter Josh Pieniazek on lap nine and despite two late cautions, was never contested for the win. Varin made a clean sweep of the night by posting fast time in his group, winning his heat and ultimately the A Main enroute the $2,000 payday. The racing behind Varin was exciting to watch as drivers had their choice of the extreme bottom or the top of the track. Early stages of the race saw Pieniazek stay out front until Varin moved by on lap nine followed by outside pole sitter Dylan Swiernik. While Varin and Swiernik were putting some distance between themselves and the pack, some notable drivers were making their way to the front. Current points leader Jordan Poirier ( started 12th ), Paulie Colagiovanni ( started 13th ) and Shawn Donath ( started 15th ) had all moved into the top 10. On lap 14, Jordan Poirier had moved into fifth when he did a full 360 spin and go after contact with a lapped car. The cost for the spin and go was high as the Quebec native dropped back to tenth but would rally for a seventh place finish. Donath’s charge to the front was nothing short of spectacular as he ripped the lip around the 1/2 mile dirt oval to move from eighth to third in the last 10 laps of the race. Varin, whose last five laps of the A Main were his fastest for the whole race, took the checkered flag first, followed by Swiernik and Donath. Matt Tanner and Paulie Colagiovanni rounded out the top five. Davie Franek, Poirier, Pieniazek, Jason Barney and Mike Kiser completed the top ten.
Fast times were set by Joe Trenca, Franek, and Varin while heat races were won by Jeff Cook, Barney and Varin. Poirier was the Dash winner.
Next three Lucas Oil Empire Super Sprints tour dates:
Friday, September 2nd at Brewerton Speedway
Saturday, September 3rd at Fulton Speedway
Saturday, September 10th at Weedsport
LUCAS OIL EMPIRE SUPER SPRINTS A MAIN RESULTS from Fonda Speedway:
DANNY VARIN, Dylan Swiernik, Shawn Donath, Matt Tanner. Paulie Colagiovanni, Davie Franek, Jordan Poirier, Josh Pieniazek, Jason Barney, Mike Kiser, Chad Miller, Joe Trenca, Scott Kreutter, Jeff Cook, Kelly Hebing, Jeff Trombley, Lacey Hanson, Chris Jones, Logan Crisafulli, Tyler Cartier, Scott Holcomb, Floyd Billingotn, Trsvis Billington, Jeremiah Munson
Pinnacle Pole Award : Pieniazek, $25
Halfway Leader : Varin, $50
Hard Charger Award : Donath, $50
Pinnacle Investments Last Car Running : Hebing, $50
Pinnacle Investments 11th Place Finish : Miller, $25 in fuel
Highest Finishing ESS Rookie : Crisafulli, $25
First Non-Feature Winner : Kiser, $65
Rifenburg Contracting Fast Time Award : Trenca, Franek, Varin, $25 each
E & V Energy Heat Race Award : Cook, Barney, Varin, $25 each
Ashley Lynn Winery Podium : Varin, Swiernik, Donath, bottle of wine
Hoosier Tire: Franek, free tire