4/21/2018
Airborne Park Speedway
Perrotte: 45th Season Behind the Wheel
PLATTSBURGH – The local racing veteran will be back for another season with the 358-Modified division at Airborne Park Speedway in Plattsburgh. Mike Perrotte is set to campaign the familiar number 35.
As the DIRTcar Director of series and sanctioning, Perrotte will run into some scheduling conflicts as the Super DIRTcar Series will run some events on Saturday nights during the season. With that in mind, the point championship will not be possible this season, but Perrotte plans to be at Airborne whenever he is available.
Last season, Perrotte collected two victories and nine top five finishes to go with his second-place point finish in the Egglefield Ford 358-Modified point standings. It was clear that he didn’t lose his touch after taking the 2016 season off.
“I had a lot of fun racing at Airborne last year, I like the track a lot,” Perrotte said. “That’s what its all about, we had a bunch of the old crew around because we were racing close to home.”
Perrotte’s racing team has been together for a long time. Jack Rugar has been with the team since the mid 1980’s and continues to help now. It is in the blood for Rugar, as his father was a head wrench man for Bob Bruno’s winning cars throughout the mid 1960’s into the 1970’s. Mike McGinn has been involved with the team since the early 1990’s and hardly ever missed a race. A number of other people have helped out at some time or another over the years, but they are the only two from the earlier years.
“My boys Nick and Shane help me out along with my nephew Darin,” Perrotte explained. “Kevin Broderick who is the son of Airborne founder, Maurice Broderick, also helps out our team.”
The foundation of their racing program since the mid 1980’s has been George and Julie Huttig. The pair have owned the racing operation since then. Charlie Huttig, their son has also been a big part of the racing program as a crew member.
Perrotte noted that his girlfriend Betsy Finnegan is the one that keeps him glued together.
“She travels and works with me on the Super DIRTcar Series and then when we are at Airborne racing she is right there helping,” Perrotte explained.
The season is scheduled to get underway at Airborne on Saturday, April 28 for the 65th Season Opener presented by Pepsi. Post time for the event is set for 6 p.m. For more information on the season, visit airborneparkspeedway.com.
Submitted By: JOHN WALKER