Terry Graves and Tommy Corellis stand next to the Leto No 50 vintage race car on Saturday at the Fonda Speedway car show. Biittig photo
Butchie Irwin was one of the many racers that displayed their race car and talked with the fans at the annual Fonda show on Saturday. Biittig photo
The Fonda car show at Via Port Mall in Rotterdam is an annual event that not only attracts fans and drivers this year we saw many faces we hadn’t seen in a long time. Beginning on Friday, the mall was busy with inquisitive and interested attendees, and the steady traffic continued until Sunday when the show exited the mall.
Saturday, Vintage Alley attracted a larger-than-usual audience. Much of the attention focused on a particular racecar: the replica No. 50 featuring Kenny Shoemaker’s name on its roof. The original vehicle was owned by Joe Leto, with other notable drivers including Tommy Corellis—primarily known as a regular at Lebanon Valley. Corellis's presence contributed significantly to the impressive turnout, and attendees enthusiastically shared stories throughout the afternoon while Corellis signed autographs.
Our interest in the builder of this exceptional replica was piqued, and we learned it was Terry Graves of Mudslinger Fabrication in Middleburgh. Inspired by seeing replicas such as No. 78M, 61, and 357 at various vintage races and shows, Graves wondered why there had never been a car dedicated to Kenny Shoemaker. Since Kenny never owned a racecar, Terry spoke with Melissa Shoemaker, gathered numerous photos of the original car, and ultimately decided to build the Leto No. 50. He shared with us that he has 72 days,700 hours in building the car.
During the event, we also spoke with Dan Leto, who attended on Saturday. He asked if we were aware of the origin of the No. 50 designation, explaining that his father’s trucking business was located at 50 Yarborough Ave in Albany. Throughout the day, many show participants gathered around Corellis and the No. 50 replica, reminiscing and exchanging stories about its history.
During our visit to Vintage Alley at the car show, we chatted with John “the dancing bear” Constantino. Curious about his nickname, we were surprised to find out it wasn’t related to racing at all. John told us it originated during his time working on a tow truck, when he slipped on ice. Because of his long hair and beard, a coworker jokingly called him the Dancing Bear. The name carried over into the racing world after announcer Jim King heard about it, and it stuck throughout John’s career. Even today, when he appears with vintage racers, he is still introduced by that memorable nickname.
We visited Butchie Irwin, No. 117, who competes at Fonda, Brookfield, Accord, and Glen Ridge whenever his schedule allows. He appreciates the opportunity to race and recalled that he was once among the youngest drivers in his division, but now he's considered one of the veterans. He mentioned that while he can now afford to race, he doesn't always have the time to do so.
When we arrived at the show on Friday, one of the first racers we met was Seth Martin from Schoharie. He drives the No. 621 Sportsman and intends to compete at Fonda this season. If his schedule allows, he may also travel to other events and hopes to participate in some Short Track Super Series races.
Brett Deyo, promoter of Fonda Speedway, was present during most of the car show to answer questions about local racing. He discussed the positive experience of working with Lebanon Valley promoter Howie Commander. Brett's Short Track Super Series (STSS) will visit the Valley for the first time on Thursday, May 21, and a two-race challenge between both tracks is also on the schedule this season. Brett mentioned that he meets weekly with Howie and his team.
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