5/7/2016
Airborne Park Speedway
Heywood Hooked Up
The 2016 racing season kicked off this past Saturday with a full racing card presented by Garrand’s Motorsports. The main event was the first leg of the CAN/AM Challenge; a 75 lap event for the Ernie’s Discount Tools Sportsman Modifieds.
Four-time defending track champion, Nick Heywood, picked up where he left off in 2015. The Plattsburgh native had a dominating performance, working to the lead on lap 5 and never looking back. The feature was slowed by four cautions, including one on lap 65, setting up a ten lap dash to the finish. Heywood drove away from the field on the restart. He was followed across the line by Plattsburgh’s Bucko Branham, Mike Wells of West Chazy was third, Jamie Lafountain, and Danny Sullivan rounded out the top five. Greg Atkins and Jamy Begor picked up heat race victories.
The Jeffords Steel Renegades battled for 30 laps in their feature event. Milton, Vermont driver, Robert Gordon took the lead early, working the outside groove around the speedway. A lap-25 restart erased the four car length advantage that Gordon had built up. Gordon used the bottom of the track this time and cleared Morrisonville’s Tylor Terry on lap-27 and went on to claim the first checkered flag of the season. Shawn Duquette, also of Morrisonville, finished in the third spot. 2015 track champion, Richie Turner, and Brent Jarvis rounded out the top five. Turner, Terry and Duquette each picked up victories in the heat races.
Dale O’Neil of Mooers picked up the victory in the Busch Beer Mini Mod Division. O’Neil led all but one lap en route to his first checkered flag of the season. Josh Laporte, Eddie Bresette, Tim Lafountain, and Robert Foley completed positions two through five.
Racing action resumes next Saturday for Spring Green 116 presented by Egglefield Ford and Interstate Batteries. This will be the only stop for the American Canadian Tour during the 2016 campaign. All of Airborne’s weekly divisions will be in action. Post time is 5:00 PM. Admission will be $15 for Adults, $5 Kids (6-12), and $30 Family (2 Adults & 2 Kids).
Submitted By: John Walker