New Era Ready to Begin at Airborne Park Speedway on Sunday
PLATTSBURGH, N.Y. – Airborne Park Speedway begins writing a new chapter in its long and storied history on Sunday, April 28, at 5:00 p.m. The track’s 70th season of stock car racing opens with the “Leon Gonyo Memorial” event and a special 40-lap, $4,444-to-win race, kicking off a new promotional era that has garnered an entire off-season’s worth of positive attention from both the local Plattsburgh, N.Y., community and the racing industry.
Airborne Park Speedway’s operations are now under the management of former multi-time track champion driver Mike Bruno, who, along with his wife Alayne, has successfully owned and promoted Vermont’s Devil’s Bowl Speedway since 2012. Airborne’s special Sunday-night opener leads into an exciting, all-new “Thursday Night Thunder” weekly schedule on the 4/10-mile dirt track from May to September. Fans are encouraged to attend in person, but as an alternative, every event in 2024 will be streamed live on DirtTrackDigest.TV.
The Be Cool Heating & Air Conditioning “358” Modified division will headline weekly competition at Airborne Park Speedway in 2024, and the North Country’s biggest racing stars are expected to be on hand for Sunday’s 40-lap, $4,444-to-win lid-lifter. The race is named in honor of the late Leon Gonyo, a former Airborne champion, whose No. 4 racecars were a staple in the region until his passing in 2015.
Reigning king Chris Raabe will begin his title defense on Sunday, but the Alexandria, Ont., native will have plenty of company in an international battle at the front of the field. Among the top American and Canadian drivers expected to challenge Raabe are former Airborne track champions Steve Bernier, Patrick Dupree, and George Foley, former Super DIRTcar Series champion Tim Fuller, and local favorites like Mike Mahaney, brothers Félix and Jeremy Roy, Carey Terrance, Matt Woodruff, and Justin Stone, to name just a few.
The J&S Steel Sportsman Modified class will also have a big race on Sunday, with a 30-lap, $1,200-to-win feature; more than 30 drivers have registered to compete weekly at Airborne in the Sportsman division, and as many as 40 are expected to race on Sunday. In addition, the weekly 9th State Cannabis Renegade and Mini Stock classes will begin their championship seasons, and the non-weekly Limited Sportsman division will make a special appearance.
Racing begins at 5:00 p.m. on Sunday, April 28. Pit area gates open at 12:00 noon, grandstand gates open at 3:00 p.m., and hot laps begin at 4:00 p.m. Grandstand general admission is $15, and free for children aged 12 and under. Pit passes are $28 for valid Airborne Park Speedway license holders and $38 for non-members. Live streaming video coverage is $24.99, available at www.DirtTrackDigest.TV.
Airborne Park Speedway is located at 70 Broderick Road in Plattsburgh, N.Y., one mile south of Exit 36 on the Interstate 87 Northway. Visit www.AirborneParkSpeedwayNY.com for more information, call (518) 554-8606, or find Airborne Park Speedway on Facebook at Facebook.com/AirborneParkSpeedway.
Sources: Airborne Park Speedway PR