Airborne Begins New NASCAR Era in 2014
Historic Track Joins Whelen All-American Series
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — NASCAR and Airborne Park Speedway announced today that the historic New York short track next year will be part of the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series in 2014.
Airborne Park Speedway, a unique .4-mile paved oval, is operated by Jamie Atkins and Mike Perrotte. It is located in the northeastern corner of New York in Plattsburgh, near Lake Champlain.
The addition of Airborne Park increases the number of NASCAR-sanctioned weekly short tracks in the Empire State to five. The track hosts Saturday night racing and will be marking its 61st year of operation in 2014.
It is the first addition to be announced for the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series next season.
“Airborne Park Speedway is a great addition to the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series,” said Bob Duvall, NASCAR senior director, business development. “It’s an exciting facility for both fans and drivers. Airborne Park and our already-sanctioned Devil’s Bowl Speedway (in West Haven, Vt.) create the opportunity for a weekly two-night circuit.”
The two asphalt tracks are about an hour apart and share dirt track-style Modifieds as their NASCAR Division I. NASCAR-licensed Division I drivers are eligible to compete for NASCAR Whelen All-American Series championships and special awards at the track, state and national level.
Established in 1982, the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series is NASCAR’s national championship program for weekly short track auto racing. More than 50 paved and dirt tracks throughout the United States and Canada participate.
Promoter Perrotte began his own racing career in Street Stocks at Airborne in 1973 and was the track’s 1986 dirt Modified division champion. He still drives a dirt Modified at regional dirt tracks on a part-time basis.
“NASCAR’s return to Airborne completes a full circle for us,” Perrotte said. “We’ve been talking with Bob Duvall about joining NASCAR for a couple of years. We’re finally in a perfect position to join the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series.”
Todd Stone, 45, of Middlebury, Vt., won his second consecutive Modified championship at Airborne in 2013. Racing at Devil’s Bowl, he also won this year’s national NASCAR Whelen All-American Series Rookie of the Year Award presented by Jostens. He won the Devil’s Bowl NASCAR Modified division track championship and Vermont’s NASCAR state championship. He placed 30th in the prestigious NASCAR Whelen All-American Series Top 500 in 2013.
“NASCAR racing at both tracks next year is a win-win,” Stone said. “Everyone is going in the right direction. I won 17 features between the two tracks this year. That might have helped me in national points.”
Other 2013 champions at Airborne Park Speedway include Nick Heywood, Sportsman Modifieds; Robin Wood, Limited Late Models; Lance Rabtoy, Renegades; and Jayson Criss, Mini-Modifieds.
Airborne Park was part of NASCAR’s formative years. As a half-mile dirt track, it hosted a NASCAR Sprint Cup Series event won by Lee Petty in 1955. The win was No. 23 of the three-time series champion’s 54-win career. The 1955 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion Tim Flock finished third in that 200-lap, 100-mile race. Buck Baker was runner-up in the Airborne event and in the 1955 series point race.
The old NASCAR North Tour, the forerunner for today’s NASCAR K&N Pro Series East, competed four times at Airborne in 1979 and 1980 when the track was a half-mile paved oval. Beaver Dragon of Milton, Vt., won three times and placed second in the other. He won the tour championship in both seasons.
The .4-mile paved oval was remodeled to a unique configuration in 2008, Perrotte said. Progressive banking of four, six, eight and 10 degrees was added in the corners. The elevation of Turns 3 and 4 is 10-feet higher than Turns 1 and 2. This creates a down-hill front straightaway and uphill back straightaway.
“We have one of the most exciting asphalt tracks in the northeast,” Perrotte said.
The track has gone through many transitions. It was originally a half-mile dirt track from 1954-1960. From 1961-1981 the half-mile was paved. From 1982-89 it was a third-mile dirt track, then became a .4-mile paved oval in 1990. It was remodeled to its current configuration six years ago.
The track’s website is www.airborneparkspeedway.com.
Pavement Late Model driver Lee Pulliam, 24, of Semora, N.C., won the 2012 and 2013 NASCAR Whelen All-American Series national championships.
NASCAR special award programs are also available for support division drivers.
Connecticut-based Whelen Engineering is the series’ title sponsor. Whelen Engineering is a leading manufacturer of automotive, aviation, industrial and emergency vehicle lighting. NASCAR tracks and pace cars across North America are among the many showcases for Whelen products.