Branham, Aubin Split Modified Mains at Airborne Park Speedway
Turner tops Renegades; O’Neil returns to Mini-Mod winner’s circle
PLATTSBURGH, NY – It was the tale of two very different race at Airborne Park Speedway on Saturday, August 22, but for Bucko Branham and Codie Aubin, the results were the same. The hometown duo were the winners in a pair of 25-lap main events sponsored by Yando’s Big M Supermarkets, Casella Waste Systems, and the New York Army National Guard, and highlighted a night that also saw Richie Turner, Dale O’Neil, Brett Wood, and Chris Reeves visit victory lane.
Branham survived major carnage to win the opening event for the J&S Steel Modified division of the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series presented by Yandow Sales & Service and John Deere. Only eight of the original 17 starters were able to finish the race after several multi-car crashes, including one that required a 10-minute red flag for cleanup. When the smoke cleared, Branham had his fourth victory of the season, beating Clintonville’s Greg Atkins, point leader Nick Heywood, Aubin, and Jamie LaFountain.
The second 25-lap race was the complete opposite, running start to finish without incident. Aubin led every lap, but had constant pressure from behind – first from Atkins, then in the final laps from rookie Danny Sullivan of Morrisonville. Aubin crossed the finish line first to become the 10th different feature winner in the Modified class in 2015. Sullivan took runner-up honors ahead of Atkins, Mike Wells, and rookie Jamy Begor.
Plattsburgh racer Heywood stretched his point lead to 52 markers over Branham, and is lined up to take an unprecedented fourth consecutive track championship if he can hold his advantage in the final two events. Atkins, Sullivan, and Jason Durgan complete the top five point runners.
Richie Turner of Fairfax, VT outlasted hometown racer Jason McClatchie for his third Key R-D Trailer Sales Renegade victory of the season in a 25-lap race. Brent Jarvis of Rouses Point was third, followed by Zack Daniels and Shawn Duquette.
Turner picked the right time for win; with the championship chase winding down, the victory broke a three-way tie with Duquette and Robert Gordon – who finished sixth in the race – at the top of the standings. Turner and Gordon also scored bonus points by qualifying for Saturday night’s semi-feature. Turner now has sole possession of the lead, with an 11-point cushion on Gordon and 18 markers on Duquette.
Dale O’Neil of Mooers topped the 15-lap Busch Beer Mini-Modified feature to end a dominant streak by point leaders Chris LaVair and Kris Clark. No one since O’Neil on May 17 had won a race besides the lead pair, though they were not far behind; Clark made a final-corner charge at O’Neil but fell a half-car length short at the finish line, and LaVair finished a close third.
Eddie Bresette and Tim LaFountain completed the top five in the race. LaVair, of Saranac Lake, continues to hold the championship lead by 44 points on Keeseville native Clark.
The father-and-son team of Brett and Zach Wood of Georgia, VT finished 1-2 in the 50-lap Enduro race for bone-stock vehicles and amateur drivers. Jeff Murray, also of Georgia, finished third, followed by Chris Mattos and John Bradley.
Chris Reeves of Peru, NY won the eight-lap Modified Mechanics Race behind the steering wheel of Nick Heywood’s No. 29 machine. Reeves held off Jared McKee, who was driving a Heywood team car, and Dave O’Neil in the Mike Wells No. 76.
Airborne Park Speedway is back in action on Saturday, August 29 as Huntley Trucking of Cadyville presents Modifieds, Renegades, and Mini-Mods, along with the Ernie’s Discount Tools “King of the Hill” tournament for the Renegade division, and a ladies-only “Powder Puff” race in the Mini-Mod cars. Hot rods from the Champlain Valley Classic Cruisers will also be on display and will take part in a smoky burnout contest at intermission. Gates will open at 5:00 p.m. with racing beginning at 7:00 p.m. Special discounted general admission tickets are just $8.00 for adults and seniors, and free for kids age 12 and under.
Airborne Park Speedway is located on Broderick Road in Plattsburgh, NY, one mile south of Exit 36 on the Interstate 87 Northway. Visit www.airborneparkspeedway.com for more information, or call (518) 647-4444. Airborne Park Speedway is on Facebook at Facebook.com/AirborneParkSpeedway and on Twitter at @AirborneSpeed.
UNOFFICIAL RESULTS – Yando’s Big M Supermarkets/Casella/N.Y. Army National Guard Night
Airborne Park Speedway, Plattsburgh, NY
NASCAR Whelen All-American Series presented by Yandow Sales & Service and John Deere
Saturday, August 22, 2015
J&S Steel Modified Feature #1 (25 laps)
Pos.-(Start)-Driver-Hometown
(# – denotes rookie)
(7) Bucko Branham, Plattsburgh, NY
(4) Greg Atkins, Clintonville, NY
(8) Nick Heywood, Plattsburgh, NY
(2) Codie Aubin, Plattsburgh, NY
(5) Jamie LaFountain, Keeseville, NY
(1) # Jamy Begor, Mooers Forks, NY
(10) Mike Wells, West Chazy, NY
(14) Rico Hernandez, Plattsburgh, NY
(15) David Bourgeois, Notre-Dame-du-Bon-Conseil, QC
(16) Brian McGinley, Plattsburgh, NY
(17) # Danny Sullivan, Morrisonville, NY
(3) # Timex Morgan, Plattsburgh, NY
(13) Speedy Bresette, Plattsburgh, NY
(6) Jason Durgan, Morrisonville, NY
(9) Leon Gonyo, Chazy, NY
(11) Mike Phinney, Willsboro, NY
(12) Pierre Berthiaume, Joliette, QC
Heat Winners: Jamie LaFountain; Jamy Begor
Ernie’s Discount Tools Rookie of the Race: Jamy Begor
Shiley Fabrication Hard Charger Award: Bucko Branham
Shiley Fabrication Hard Luck Award: Timex Morgan
J&S Steel Modified Feature #2 (25 laps)
Pos.-(Start)-Driver-Hometown
(# – denotes rookie)
(2) Codie Aubin, Plattsburgh, NY
(8) # Danny Sullivan, Morrisonville, NY
(4) Greg Atkins, Clintonville, NY
(6) Mike Wells, West Chazy, NY
(3) # Jamy Begor, Mooers Forks, NY
(9) Nick Heywood, Plattsburgh, NY
(10) Jason Durgan, Morrisonville, NY
(13) Bucko Branham, Plattsburgh, NY
(7) Jamie LaFountain, Keeseville, NY
(11) Leon Gonyo, Chazy, NY
(15) # Timex Morgan, Plattsburgh, NY
(1) Rico Hernandez, Plattsburgh, NY
(5) David Bourgeois, Notre-Dame-du-Bon-Conseil, QC
(16) Brian McGinley, Plattsburgh, NY
(14) Pierre Berthiaume, Joliette, QC
(5) Mike Phinney, Willsboro, NY
(17) Speedy Bresette, Plattsburgh, NY
Lenny’s Shoe & Apparel Hot Shoe Challenge Award: Codie Aubin
Ernie’s Discount Tools Rookie of the Race: Danny Sullivan
Shiley Fabrication Hard Charger Award: Danny Sullivan
Shiley Fabrication Hard Luck Award: Speedy Bresette
Key R-D Trailer Sales Renegade Feature (25 laps)
Pos.-(Start)-Driver-Hometown
(# – denotes rookie)
(5) Richie Turner, Fairfax, VT
(2) Jason McClatchie, Plattsburgh, NY
(4) Brent Jarvis, Peru, NY
(3) Zack Daniels, Plattsburgh, NY
(12) Shawn Duquette, Morrisonville, NY
(6) Robert Gordon, Milton, VT
(9) Dylan Rabtoy, Swanton, VT
(10) Tylor Terry, Morrisonville, NY
(7) Josh Terry, Essex, NY
(1) # Michael Wright, Alburgh, VT
(8) # Tony Salerno, Mineville, NY
(11) Curt Giventer, Saranac, NY
(13) Keith O’Neil, Mooers, NY
Heat Winners: Jason McClatchie; Zack Daniels
Ground Round Semi-Feature Winner: Brent Jarvis
Ernie’s Discount Tools Rookie of the Race: Michael Wright
Bond Auto Parts Hard Charger Award: Shawn Duquette
Busch Beer Mini-Modified Feature (15 laps)
Pos.-(Start)-Driver-Hometown
(# – denotes rookie)
(6) Dale O’Neil, Mooers, NY
(7) Kris Clark, Keeseville, NY
(14) Chris LaVair, Saranac Lake, NY
(3) Eddie Bresette, Plattsburgh, NY
(2) Tim LaFountain, Keeseville, NY
(4) Rob Clark Jr., Keeseville, NY
(8) Scott Richner, Rouses Point, NY
(5) Tyler Irwin, Peru, NY
(9) Robert Foley, Saranac, NY
(12) Mike Bresette, Keeseville, NY
(10) # Clement Bell Jr., Peru, NY
(1) Pete Blaney, Jay, NY
(11) Glenn Engstrom, Peru, NY
(13) Harold LaVair Jr., Gabriels, NY
Heat Winners: Pete Blaney; Chris LaVair
Ernie’s Discount Tools Rookie of the Race: Clement Bell, Jr.
Bond Auto Parts Hard Charger Award: Chris LaVair
Enduro Feature (50 laps)
Pos.-(Car No.)-Driver-Hometown
(802) Brett Wood, Georgia, VT
(20) Zach Wood, Georgia, VT
(35) Jeff Murray, Georgia, VT
(14) Chris Mattos, Milton, VT
(3) John Bradley, Morrisonville, NY
(117) Larry Underwood, Fairfax, VT
(20X) Nicholas Perham, Chateauguay, NY
(30) Tom Kudlacik, Milton, VT
(48) Rick Morrison, West Chazy, NY
(76) Shawn Moquin, Milton, VT
(91) Hunter Murray, Cambridge, VT
(80) Chad Tucker, St. Albans, VT
(1) Jim Narsh, Milton, VT
Modified Mechanics Race (8 laps)
Pos.-(Car No.)-Driver-Hometown
(29) Chris Reeves, Peru, NY
(29A) Jared McKee, Plattsburgh, NY
(76) Dave O’Neil, Plattsburgh, NY
(28) Andre Bombardier, Drummondville, QC
(20W) Skippy Bouyea, Plattsburgh, NY
(17) Paul Licourt, Plattsburgh, NY
(11B) Valerie Lauziere, St-Cyrille-de-Wendover, QC
Sources: Justin St. Louis/Airborne Park Speedway PR