Branham Returns to Modified Division at Airborne Park Speedway
Track championship, NASCAR rookie title among hometown racer’s goals
PLATTSBURGH, NY – Bucko Branham, one of the North Country’s all-time winningest stock car drivers, is returning to top-tier competition at Airborne Park Speedway in 2015. The Plattsburgh, NY favorite and 2014 Late Model track champion is moving up for a full season in the J&S Steel Modified division of the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series (NWAAS) and joins a growing list of racers headed to the premier class.
Among Branham’s 57 career victories at Airborne are six wins in open-wheel Modifieds. He’ll return to the class this year hoping to make a run at not only the track championship but also NWAAS Rookie of the Year honors. As a first-time NWAAS Division I license holder, Branham will be considered a rookie in the NASCAR program and hopes to follow the lead of reigning track champion Nick Heywood, who took both the National and New York State Rookie of the Year crowns in 2014.
Branham has acquired proven equipment for his Modified return, and will campaign a chassis driven to multiple victories by Jessey Mueller. Branham pulled double-duty in 2014, driving his own car in the Late Model division while serving as Mueller’s crew chief, and has an intimate knowledge of the chassis.
“I really liked the Modifieds when I ran them a few years ago, and I’m ready to get back into one. The whole team is excited for the season to start, and I know we’ll have a good car,” Branham said. “I’m not getting any younger, and I figured it was time to do something different this year.”
Branham reports that he had his Modified plans already in the works, but when news broke recently about long-time Airborne rival Jamy Begor joining the Modified division, it motivated him.
“Jamy and I are friends off the track, but we always seem to create a little extra excitement when we race together,” Branham said with a smile. “It’ll be good to rub door bars with him again, like old times.”
A veteran team returns to back Branham, including Scott Bouyea, Howie Drake, Rick Frenyea, and Bill Clukey. Branham’s wife, Tammy, is a familiar fixture at Airborne, as are daughter Billie Jo and son Buddy. Sponsorship from Liquor & Wine Warehouse and Plattsburgh Paving will support the effort, and Branham says he is proud to extend a marketing relationship of more than 20 years with Bud Light during his racing career. If additional sponsorship can be found, Branham will also chase the track championship at Devil’s Bowl Speedway in Vermont and go after NASCAR Whelen All-American Series National Championship points.
Airborne Park Speedway’s 62nd season of stock car racing opens on Saturday, May 2. Airborne is located on Broderick Road in South Plattsburgh, NY, one mile from Exit 36 on the Interstate 87 Northway. For more information, call (518) 647-4444 or visit www.AirborneParkSpeedway.com. Airborne Park Speedway is on Facebook at Facebook.com/AirborneParkSpeedway and on Twitter at @AirborneSpeed.
Sources: Justin St. Louis/Airborne Park Speedway PR