7/6/2014
Airborne Park Speedway
Mueller the Ruler at Airborne July 5
SOUTH PLATTSBURGH – Jessey Mueller reeled in Aaron Bartemy to win the Ernie’s Discount Tools 358-Modified three-segment 76-lap main event on Unique Cigs Fireworks Night at Airborne Park Speedway.
Mueller placed third in the first 30-lap segment, trailing only Bartemy and Leon Gonyo and despite inversion of the field, bettered his result one spot in each of the last two rounds.
By winning the final 20-lap battle with a surge around Bartemy on lap 13, Mueller recorded a combined event score of 3+2+1=6 – worth over $2,000.
Bartemy had his best night of the season as the runner-up with nine points (1+6+2). Chris Cayea, steady throughout, was third overall.
The field included several J&S Steel Sportsman Modifieds and Plattsburgh’s Nick Heywood earned a $500 bonus for having the lowest Sportsman Modified score.
Kris Vernold, who failed to finish the first segment after equipment failure and a slide off the top of the fourth turn, started on the pole of round two and won it decisively. Vernold placed sixth overall behind Leon Gonyo (4th) and Greg Atkins (5th).
Lamberton scored his second Sportsman Modified win in a row in the Banker Orchards No. 44 after chasing down Tyson Drown, who broke out to an early lead and held the point for the first 16 of 30 laps. Jason Durgan finished second, a car-length better than Nick Heywood, who ran well ahead of 4th-place Travis Bruno with Drown next across the line.
All-time Key RD Trailer Sales Renegade win leader Robert Gordon of Milton, VT carried the checkers for the second time this season after getting the better of Shawn Duquette on a lap-22 restart in the Renegade main.
Duquette had held the lead to that point despite an unusual amount of incidents and restarts for the fan-favorite Renegades, who often go flag-to-flag green. Five restarts helped Gordon advance from mid-pack. He sat fifth at the halfway mark, behind Duquette, Bill Thwaits, Jamy Begor and Lance Rabtoy, who recovered from a 360-spin a lap later to end up 5th. Duquette, Begor and Thwaits were 2-3-4. Ryan Boutin, Jim McKiernan, rookie Zach Rabtoy, rookie Dylan Rabtoy and Jon Boutin filled out the top ten.
Veteran Harold LaVair was credited with his first Busch Mini Modified win of the year after apparent winner Dale McNeil was disqualified for a tire rule violation. Scott Richner, Pete Blaney, Jay LaGrave and Tim LaFountain each moved up a position.
Submitted By: JOHN WALKER