5/18/2014
Airborne Park Speedway
Durgan, Aubin Sportsman Winners at Airborne
SOUTH PLATTSBURGH – Jason Durgan took a licking and kept on ticking to score a wild J&S Steel Sportsman Modified win at Airborne Park Speedway. In the second Sportsman feature of the night, a 25-lap challenge in which DIRTcar Modifieds with restrictor plates were eligible, Codie Aubin of Plattsburgh used a lap-17 restart to notch his second career-win.
Tylor Terry prevailed in an action-packed 30-lap Key RD Trailer Sales Renegade feature. The Busch Mini Modified checkers went to Steven Bresette.
Durgan, driving the Valley View Firewood/NYCO Minerals No. 17, started 8th in the first Sportsman Modified feature. He led the final 15 laps while getting tested from every angle by Mark Lamberton. The pair made contact at the flag stand as the white flag came out. Durgan’s machine glanced off the front stretch wall and continued on while Lamberton’s car lost traction and slid broadside of the top of the first turn.
“I knew he was right there,” Durgan said. “He almost had me on the last restart. My car was free off turn four. I thought I was a goner when we hit, but the car just skinned the wall and I gassed it.”
Travis Bruno, busy battling Nick Heywood for what was third place at the time, wound up as the runner-up. Heywood, Jamie LaFountain and Codie Aubin were 3-4-5. LaFountain had to pit after a yellow on lap 2 and was saved when the yellow was back out for a false start giving him time to get back out on the lead lap at the rear of the field.
In the Sportsman Modified finale, Aubin got the jump on Mike Wells on the restart after a lap-17 caution that erased the pair’s long lead and brought Todd Stone and Nick Heywood back into the race. On a Wells’ shunt after a touch with Aubin, Stone shot into second place.
Wells settled for third ahead of Heywood, Travis Bruno, Jessey Mueller and Leon Gonyo.
Tylor Terry chose the outside lane on a restart with six laps left in the Renegade main and made it stick while the fur flew behind him. Richie Turner split a five-car pack and got a nose into third place only to have a spin behind him bring out another yellow and negate the move. Terry’s win the Corryn Rose Photography No. 44 was his 8th – good for 5th-place on the all-time Renegade win list.
Lance Rabtoy got up for second straight 2nd-place finish. Ryan Boutin, in contention throughout, finished 3rd. Josh Terry, Turner and Jamy Begor were 4-5-6.
Steven Bresette landed the Bob’s Trucking No.14 in victory in the Mini Modified feature. Bresette dove under Pete Blaney in turn thee on lap five and held the lead the rest of the way. When CJ LaVair failed post-race tech inspection, Blaney became the runner-up. Rob Sines, Kaine Favro and Tim LaFountain completed the top-5.
Submitted By: JOHN WALKER