REVISED Airborne Results - 5/01/10

OFFICIAL RESULTS – Valcour Imaging/Hamilton Funeral Home Night
Airborne Speedway, Plattsburgh, N.Y.
Saturday, May 1, 2010

Pos.-Driver-Hometown
Modified (50 laps)

1. Patrick Dupree, Saranac Lake, N.Y.
2. Greg Atkins, Clintonville, N.Y.
3. George Foley, Saranac Lake, N.Y.
4. Andy Heywood, Morrisonville, N.Y.
5. Matt Woodruff, Bloomingdale, N.Y.
6. Chris Cayea, Mooers Forks, N.Y.
7. Cameron Grady, Wilmington, N.Y.
8. Mike Wells, West Chazy, N.Y.
9. Leon Gonyo, Chazy, N.Y.
10. Mike Reyell, West Chazy, N.Y.
11. Dan Brown, Sutton, Que.
12. Bryant Trim, Morrisonville, N.Y.
13. Jimmy Ryan, Whiting
14. Todd Ormsby, Plattsburgh, N.Y.
15. Terry Hayes, Warrensburg, N.Y.
16. Andy Powell, Hannibal, N.Y.
17. Floyd Billington, Glens Falls, N.Y.
18. Michel Viens, St-Cesaire, Que.
19. Jason Bruno, Morrisonville, N.Y.
20. Mike Bruno, Castleton
21. Don Scarborough, Brandon
22. Patrice McGrail, Quebec, Que.
23. Maxime Viens, St-Cesaire, Que.
24. Jason Durgan, Morrisonville, N.Y.
25. Chad Blair, Saranac, N.Y.
26. Aaron Bartemy, Sheldon
27. Craig Ormsby, Plattsburgh, N.Y.
28. Vince Quenneville, Jr., Brandon
DQ -- Martin Roy, Napierville, Que.
DQ -- Richard Tisseur, Chateauguay, Que.

Sportsman (25 laps)
1. Robin Wood, Plattsburgh, N.Y.
2. Bucko Branham, Plattsburgh, N.Y.
3. Shawn Duquette, Morrisonville, N.Y.
4. Jamy Begor, Mooers Forks, N.Y.
5. Jim Bushey, Mooers Forks, N.Y.
6. Rick Frenyea, Saranac, N.Y.
7. Bill Fountain, Amsterdam, N.Y.
8. Tylor Terry, Morrisonville, N.Y.
9. Nick Heywood, Plattsburgh, N.Y.
10. Howard Stoner, Altona, N.Y.

Renegade (25 laps)
1. Lance Rabtoy, Fairfax
2. Kevin Boutin, Swanton
3. Ken St. Germaine, AuSable Forks, N.Y.
4. Keith Pelkey, Clintonville, N.Y.
5. Keith O’Neil, Mooers Forks, N.Y.

Mini-Modified (15 laps)
1. Rick Doner, AuSable Forks, N.Y.
2. Steven Bressette, Keeseville, N.Y.
3. Jamie LaFountain, Keeseville, N.Y.
4. Randy Martin, Keeseville, N.Y.
5. Chris LaVair, Gabriels, N.Y.

Bomber (15 laps)
1. Bill Joyal, Plattsburgh, N.Y.
2. Curtis LaGrave, Jr., Plattsburgh, N.Y.
3. Cody Meyers, Plattsburgh, N.Y.
4. Scott Richner, Rouses Point, N.Y.
5. Josh Durivage, West Chazy, N.Y.

Roy Wins at Airborne Pending Inspection

PLATTSBURGH, N.Y. – Questions surround the finish of what was an interesting finish at Airborne Speedway on Saturday night. Defending track champion Martin Roy of Napierville, Que., held off the late charges of Patrick Dupree – the man he narrowly beat to win the 2009 title – in the 50-lap opening event, but their fates, along with that of third-place finisher Richard Tisseur, will wait to be decided.

The cylinder heads of each driver’s cars were thoroughly inspected by Airborne officials, but the findings of each were deemed inconclusive. “The finish will be considered unofficial pending further inspection by Brodix (an engine manufacturer),” said promoter Mike Perrotte.

Dupree, of Saranac Lake, N.Y., passed Chateauguay, Que., driver Tisseur after the two collided on the frontstretch on lap 15. After a lengthy rain delay at lap 28, Dupree reeled in Roy over the final ten laps, coming within a car length of making a pass, but fell back in lapped traffic on the final circuit.

Greg Atkins of Clintonville, N.Y., turned in an impressive fourth-place effort, with former track champion George Foley of Saranac Lake, N.Y., fifth. The top ten was completed in order by Andy Heywood, Matt Woodruff, Chris Cayea, Cameron Grady, and Mike Wells.

The eventual winner will earn a guaranteed starting berth in October’s Super DIRT Week at Syracuse.

The 25-lap Sportsman feature was not without controversy, as hometown driver Robin Wood was named the winner nearly an hour after the checkered flag fell.

Wood nipped his uncle, Bucko Branham, at the finish line by inches, but Branham’s car was scored first by electronic transponders. Inspectors ruled that Branham’s transponder was mounted too far forward on the chassis of his car and Wood was given the win. Branham was placed second with no further penalty. Shawn Duquette, Jamy Begor, and Jim Bushey finished third through fifth, respectively.

Lance Rabtoy of Fairfax grabbed his first career Renegade win after a 25-lap duel with Swanton driver Kevin Boutin. Ken St. Germaine was third over Ketih Pelkey and Keith O’Neil. Rick Doner of AuSable Forks, N.Y., won the 15-lap Mini-Modified feature over teammate Steven Bressette, and Plattsburgh’s Bill Joyal won the 15-lap Bomber event.

Airborne Adds New Sportsman Event to 2010 Schedule

(From Airborne Speedway press release)

Plattsburgh, N.Y. – Airborne Speedway’s J&S Steel Sportsmen will compete in a unique 80-lap event comprised of four 20-lap segments, each paying $250 to win, on Saturday, August 14.

“We’ll set the initial line-up by draw and invert the field for each segment,” promoter Mike Perrotte said. “The overall winner will be determined by adding up everyone’s finish in each segment. The driver with the lowest score earns an extra $250.”

Plattsburgh Distributing, Buck Paper Supply and Agency Insurance present the Sportsman 4-20’s, which could be a pivotal race in the 2010 track championship battle. Bucko Branham of Plattsburgh is the defending Sportsman champion and begins a three-peat bid at Airborne’s 58th season opener Saturday, May 1. Branham edged out his nephew, Robin Wood, by 11 points for his second straight title after posting three wins and 12 top-10 finishes.

Wood, a seven-time winner in 2009 who has never claimed the track championship, vowed that winning races remains his top priority. “I’ve had fun and survived 19 years of racing without a championship so far, so I could manage to get by without one for another year if I have to,” he said. “Last year I got out ahead of Bucko in some races and when we raced together for positions I could hold my own. You just race to win and hope the points will add up at the end.”

Ganienkeh Territorial Bingo, Rent-A-Wreck, Daniel’s Signs and Melissa’s Barber Shop of Plattsburgh sponsor Wood’s No. 61.

“Everything’s new on my car except for the chassis,” Branham said. “We’ve purchased a new spec motor and have Bud Lite as our new sponsor.” Casey St. Clair and John LaFountain return as crewmembers.

Airborne’s opening day headline event is the Econo Lodge 50 for the Ernie’s Discount Tools DIRTcar Modifieds. Saturday, May 8, Airborne hosts the 36th Spring Green 100 for American-Canadian Tour (ACT) Late Models sponsored by Furniture World of VT and Soleil Lumber. For additional information, visit http://www.airborneparkspeedway.com/.

Branham, Rivers Wrap up Second Airborne Titles

Fall Foliage 300 weekend coverage by Vermont Motorsports Magazine

PLATTSBURGH, N.Y. -- Bucko Branham and Lonnie Rivers might have each won their second-straight championships at Airborne Speedway on Sunday, but they were won in completely different fashion. Branham did what he has done all season and remained consistent up front, finishing third in the Sportsman feature and in close proximity to his nephew, Robin Wood, who was Branham's biggest challenger for the championship through the year. Rivers, though, had a huge amount of luck, combined with the misfortune of Nick Heywood.

In the Sportsman feature, Bill Sawyer spun in Turn 1 after coming down on leader Toby Ebersole with five laps to go; Plattsburgh racers Wood and Branham narrowly missed collecting both drivers. (See video of the incident below -- Sawyer (#39) spins as Ebersole (#82), Wood (#61), Branham (#20), and others avoid.)

Wood took the lead from Ebersole on the restart following the incident, then held him and Branham off for the win. Unofficially, Branham took the championship by just seven points.

Branham's game plan was to keep Wood in sight. "I just stayed tight to Robin," he said. "He's my nephew and he's a great competitor. He's as strong as I am behind the wheel, and he's really good at picking the car apart to make it faster and obviously it shows, he's got a lot of wins."

Wood was gracious in defeat. "I can't complain about the year, we won seven races," he said. "Losing the title to Bucko makes it hurt a little less."

Branham celebrated his 25th season of racing in 2008 with his first career championship, and now he's gone back-to-back. He said that it took him a while, but he figured out the secret to winning a title. "Keeping my temper, that's basically what it's all about," he said. "Just keeping my temper and keeping my cool. I'm getting soft."

Tylor Terry finished fourth in the race with Jamy Begor fifth. The top ten was completed by Shawn Duquette, Rick Frenyea, Jimmy Bushey, Larry Underwood, and Howard Stoner.

Rivers, of Cadyville, N.Y., entered the Renegade division finale trailing Heywood by a dozen points. Both were running inside the top ten -- with Heywood trailing Rivers in the race but clinging to a slim point lead -- when Heywood came together with another car and sailed off Turn 2 with just three laps remaining. The yellow flag came out, with Rivers restarting in third place and Heywood a distant 20th. Rivers eventually lost third place to Joe Warren at the finish line, but Heywood was only able to make his way to 16th at the finish.

"I didn't see Nick go off, but when the caution came out I saw him at the very tail [of the field] and I assumed that something had happened to him. Thank God," Rivers said. "Thank God for Nick spinning out. You know, sorry Nick, but it happens."

Former Renegade champion Dave Rabtoy of Swanton ended a frustrating season with his first win of the year. Josh Terry finished second over Warren, Rivers, and Randy LaDue.

Billy Thwaits of Clintonville, N.Y. captured his first Mini-Modified championship with a fourth-place finish in his feature. Justin Doner of Keeseville, N.Y. was the race winner, followed by Randy Martin, Dustin Duvall, Thwaits, and Chris LaVair.

Jayson Blondo of Champlain, N.Y. finished second in the Bomber feature to overtake rookie Josh Durivage for the division championship. Josh LaPorte of Peru, N.Y. was the race winner, Durivage finished seventh.

UNOFFICIAL RESULTS -- Akwesasne Mohawk Casino Fall Foliage
Airborne Speedway, Plattsburgh, N.Y.
Sunday, Sept. 13, 2009

Pos.-Driver-Hometown

J&S Steel Sportsman (25 laps)
1. Robin Wood, Plattsburgh, N.Y.
2. Toby Ebersole, Peru, N.Y,
3. Bucko Branham, Plattsburgh, N.Y.
4. Tylor Terry, Morrisonville, N.Y.
5. Jamy Begor, Mooers Forks, N.Y.
6. Shawn Duquette, Morrisonville, N.Y.
7. Rick Frenyea, Schuyler Falls, N.Y.
8. Jimmy Bushey, Mooers Forks, N.Y.
9. Larry Underwood, Milton
10. Howard Stoner, Altona, N.Y.

Versatile Trailer Sales Renegade (25 laps)
1. Dave Rabtoy, Swanton
2. Josh Terry, Morrisonville, N.Y.
3. Joe Warren, West Chazy, N.Y.
4. Lonnie Rivers, Cadyville, N.Y.
5. Randy LaDue, West Chazy, N.Y.

Keeseville NAPA Mini-Modified (15 laps)
1. Justin Doner, Keeseville, N.Y.
2. Randy Martin, Keeseville, N.Y.
3. Dustin Duvall, Keeseville, N.Y.
4. Billy Thwaits, Clintonville, N.Y.
5. Chris LaVair, Gabriels, N.Y.

Monster Energy Bomber (15 laps)
1. Josh LaPorte, Peru, N.Y.
2. Jayson Blondo, Champlain, N.Y.
3. Curtis LaGrave, Jr., Plattsburgh, N.Y.
4. Bill Joyal, AuSable Forks, N.Y.
5. Josh LeClaire, Plattsburgh, N.Y.

(PHOTOS: 1. Bucko Branham and crew celebrate their second-straight Sportsman championship at Airborne Speedway. 2. Lonnie Rivers came from behind to win the Renegade title. Photos and video by Justin St. Louis/VMM)

Roy Beats Dupree for Trombley 100 Win, Championship

Roy is first Canadian to win track title since 1971

PLATTSBURGH, N.Y. -- Martin Roy's car owner, Jean-Claude Fortin, issued some unsolicited advice to Airborne Speedway champion Patrick Dupree at the 2008 awards banquet: Enjoy your reign as king now, because 2009 will belong to us. After a win on opening day in May, Roy backed up Fortin's claim, saying, "It's my year." On Saturday night, both men were proven correct.

Roy dominated the second half of the Charlie Trombley Memorial 100-lap championship finale for the headline Modified division on Saturday night at the Plattsburgh, N.Y. track, holding off Dupree for the win and the championship, unofficially, by 14 points.

Roy started 13th on the 30-car field and quickly worked his way through traffic, passing Dupree for eighth place on lap 2. Roy reaching third place by passing Chris Cayea on lap 10, then moved under Cameron Grady to take second away on lap 24. Pierre Berthiaume led the first 46 laps from the pole position, but his car shut down following a restart, allowing Roy to slip by and inherit the lead. Dupree, who started 11th, used a tire-saving strategy for the first half of the race, content to ride in the back half of the top-five while racing with Andy Heywood and Mike Bruno before taking second place form Heywood on the 57th lap.

After a restart on lap 65, Dupree turned the wick up a bit, running Roy down in lapped traffic. However, a red flag for a nasty crash on lap 79 involving Heywood, George Foley, and Michel Viens effectively put a stop to Dupree's charge. Roy was faster than Dupree immediately following each late-race restart, while Dupree was much faster after about three laps of green flag racing (Dupree turned a 16.007-second lap -- the fastest lap of the year in any feature race, on lap 94, three laps after a restart), but late cautions kept Dupree stuck behind Roy.

The victory was Roy's seventh of the year in 15 events -- jus shy of 47% of the races run -- and solidified him as the champion, unofficially, by 14 points over Dupree, who won three times. During the season, the pair finished within one position of each other on eight occasions; on four of those nights, Roy beat Dupree for a victory, and twice Dupree beat Roy to win.

"I'm very happy. The competition is very hard at this place and it's very special for me to win in the U.S.A.," said Roy, with help from interpreter Steve Morin. Roy, of Napierville, Qué., is the first Canadian driver since Denis Giroux in 1971 to win a headline division championship at Airborne.

Dupree was extremely frustrated with his runner-up finish in the race -- although not necessarily the championship -- and placed the blame on himself. "I was thinking I was going to save tires [for the longer distance race], but I should have went right for the front. I was a much faster car. I gave that one away. Maybe not the championship, but tonight's race I gave away, like a (expletive) moron. Yup, just gave it away, watched [Roy] drive right by. Oh well, thought we had to save the tires, but they were fine."

The Saranac Lake, N.Y. racer thought that less caution periods could have helped his chances to pass Roy at the end of the race. "Yeah, I'd say at that point a longer green flag run would have helped us because I would have got him, but he's got a lot of motor in his starts and everything. He's got so much freaking motor, it pulls pretty good on the starts, it takes three or four laps to get back settled in, and the freaking caution comes out. If we had some green flag I would have got him, but it was my fault letting him go in the first place, he went right to the front."

Roy was appreciative of his season-long title fight with Dupree, which remained clean and respectful throughout the year. "It was very tight, very tight. Every race, it's like it's me and Patrick finish before [one another], finish after, finish before, finish after, and [it happened again] tonight. I was very, very nervous. In my life, I've lost three championships at the last [race]. In 2007 at this place, at Granby in '07, and Granby in '06. At Granby in '06 we ran at the rear in the feature, and we got in a wreck in '07 while leading the feature. That could have given us enough points to win the championship, so we were nervous about [something similar tonight]. You always think about the bad times instead of the good times, like when we won in '05 at Drummond. But tonight nothing bad happened. It's a happy time."

Dupree liked the idea of a close point battle, but felt as though Roy's team was better overall. "You know, it was close, but we were nowhere near as good as those guys," he said. "I mean, we had a little bit of bad luck, but we didn't 'get it' nearly as much as they did as far as the setups. We worked at it a lot, but with the new [progressively banked track surface constructed in April] we were struggling a little bit more. It was pretty good, like, tonight was probably the best it's been, but the track is so weird, it loosens up now [at night]. The later it goes, the looser the track seems to get, and everyone's got to deal with the same thing."

Behind Roy and Dupree on the track, Castleton racer Bruno finished third. Leon Gonyo of Chazy, N.Y. finished fourth, with Richard Tisseur of Chateauguay, Qué. fifth. Matt Woodruff, Cayea, Mike Reyell, Jason Durgan, and Mike Phinney completed the unofficial top ten.

Robin Wood of Plattsburgh posted his sixth Sportsman feature win of the season in a rough 25-lap event. Bucko Branham was the runner-up, with Travis Bruno inheriting third place after apparent finisher Tylor Terry faield post-race inspection. Jamy Begor and Jim Bushey completed the unofficial top five. Rob Gordon of Milton won the 25-lap Renegade feature over point leader Nick Heywood, Kevin Boutin, Lance Rabtoy, and Randy LaDue. Randy Martin of Keeseville, N.Y. won the Mini-Modified feature, and Bill Joyal of AuSable Forks, N.Y. was the Bomber winner.

UNOFFICIAL RESULTS -- Charlie Trombley Memorial Night presented by Cold Spring Granite and Bimbo Bakeries
Airborne Speedway, Plattsburgh, N.Y.
Saturday, Sept. 5, 2009

Pos.-Driver-Hometown

Ernie's Discount Tools Modified (100 laps)
1. Martin Roy, Napierville, Qué.
2. Patrick Dupree, Saranac Lake, N.Y.
3. Mike Bruno, Castleton
4. Leon Gonyo, Chazy, N.Y.
5. Richard Tisseur, Chateauguay, Qué.
6. Matt Woodruff, Bloomingdale, N.Y.
7. Chris Cayea, Mooers, N.Y.
8. Mike Reyell, West Chazy, N.Y.
9. Jason Durgan, Morrisonville, N.Y.
10. Mike Phinney, Keeseville, N.Y.

J&S Steel Sportsman (25 laps)
1. Robin Wood, Plattsburgh, N.Y.
2. Bucko Branham, Plattsburgh, N.Y.
3. Travis Bruno, Plattsburgh, N.Y.
4. Jamy Begor, Mooers, N.Y.
5. Jim Bushey, Mooers Forks, N.Y.

Versatile Trailer Sales Renegade (25 laps)
1. Rob Gordon, Milton
2. Nick Heywood, Plattsburgh, N.Y.
3. Kevin Boutin, Jr., Swanton
4. Lance Rabtoy, Fairfax
5. Randy LaDue, West Chazy, N.Y.

Keeseville NAPA Mini-Modified (15 laps)
1. Randy Martin, Keeseville, N.Y.
2. Billy Thwaits, Clintonville, N.Y.
3. Justin Doner, Keeseville, N.Y.
4. Rick Doner, AuSable Forks, N.Y.
5. Dustin Duvall, Keeseville, N.Y.

Monster Energy Bomber (15 laps)
1. Bill Joyal, AuSable Forks, N.Y.
2. Jayson Blondo, Champlain, N.Y.
3. Chad Collins, Morrisonville, N.Y.
4. Josh LeClaire, Plattsburgh, N.Y.
5. Curtis Seymour, Jr., Plattsburgh, N.Y.