5/14/2014
Airborne Park Speedway
No Catching Mueller at Airborne Opener
No catching Mueller at Airborne Opener
Travis Bruno takes Sportsman Main
SOUTH PLATTSBURGH – Jessey Mueller drew the outside pole for the Subway 50 presented by Econo Lodge, Haun Welding, and Casella at Airborne Saturday and made the Ernie’s Tools DIRTCar 358-Modified field pay.
Mueller led every lap in the season opener held in memory of Airborne Modified veteran Craig Ormsby despite having runner-up Leon Gonyo in close pursuit during the middle third of the race.
By lap 33, Mueller opened up a five car-length lead in the Freihofer/Mueller & Sons Towing No. 19 and was never headed.
“This is the payoff for having worked so hard to prepare the car,” Mueller said. “I’m so happy to be able to win this race in Craig Ormsby’s name. We did our homework. We stepped up our game.”
Gonyo finished 2nd, well ahead of veteran Greg Atkins, who held off Kris Vernold for third place. Chris Cayea kept pace with Vernold to finish 5th. Positions 6-10 went to Richard Tisseur, Andy Heywood, Aaron Bartemy, Mike Wells and rookie Codie Aubin.
Defending champion Todd Stone was sidelined early with power steering problems.
Bruno spent the J&S Steel Sportsman Modified feature battling at the front with Jake Branham, Nick Heywood and Mark Lamberton. Branham crossed the finish first, but failed to pass post-race inspection. Heywood, the defending champion, started 10th, passed Jason Durgan for 4th at the halfway mark and raced at Lamberton’s door for a dozen laps to eventually become the runner-up.
Lamberton, Durgan and Jamie LaFountain completed the top five. Branham and Heywood won the heats.
Jamy Begor drove the Huntley Trucking/Begor’s Supply No. 19 to victory in the Renegade feature after many laps of close-quarters racing with Lance Rabtoy and Robert Gordon.
“They were coming after me all right,” Begor said. “That was a good, tough race.”
Rabtoy and Gordon ran 2-3. Shawn Duquette and Ryan Boutin finished nose-to-tail in 4th and 5th. Duquette led the first six laps before Begor took over. Begor and Rabtoy were dead even on lap 24 and then Begor regained the lead for keeps.
The top three finishers in the Busch Mini Modified feature were disqualified for camber violations, which gave Kaine Favro his first career win. Michael Whalen Jr. and Tyler Bresette finished 2-3.
Airborne holds an Enduro/Demo Derby event Friday, May 16 at 7 p.m. Saturday, May 17, the American Canadian Late Model Tour comes to Plattsburgh for a 100-lap event – post time – 5 p.m.
Contact: Tom Herzig
802-249-2850
Submitted By: JOHN WALKER
Article Media
