PHOTO: Patrick Dupree (#24) scoots by Vince Quenneville, Jr. (#78) and Don Scarborough (#11) at Airborne Speedway on Saturday. Dupree was awarded the Modified victory after inspection. (Dave Brown photo)

–Ricky St. Clair

PLATTSBURGH, N.Y. — Patrick Dupree became the first repeat winner in the Ernie’s Discount Tools DIRTcar Modified division on Saturday night at Airborne Speedway.

The 2008 and 2010 track champion from Saranac Lake, N.Y., was declared the victor after apparent winner Aaron Bartemy of Sheldon, Vt., was disqualified in post-race inspection for being too light.

“It’s kind of a bittersweet deal,” Dupree said. “It’s good for us, but it’s too bad for them. I hate to win races that way, really. [Bartemy] was pretty fast. He was kind of running a line where I couldn’t get around. He did what I would have done if I was leading.”

The feature win was Dupree’s 22nd career victory since the Modified division first began racing at the Airborne half-mile in 2005.

“It’s pretty cool,” an elated Dupree said in the garage area. “Like I said, I don’t necessarily like getting victories like this. But you know what, it happens. You’ve got to be there to collect it if someone gets booted out in tech. It’s a good feeling of consistency. It feels like we’re doing something right.”

Maxime Viens of St-Cesaire, Que., was awarded second after apparent third-place finisher Martin Hebert was disqualified in post-race inspection after his engine’s cylinder heads didn’t pass. Andy Heywood of Morrisonville, N.Y., George Foley of Saranac Lake, N.Y., and Craig Reyell of West Chazy, N.Y., rounded out the top five.

Positions six through ten went to Kris Vernold, Richard Tisseur, Chris Cayea, Pierre Berthiaume, and Leon Gonyo.

Plattsburgh’s Robin Wood continued his dominance in the J&S Steel Sportsman division by collecting the checkered flag in the 25-lap feature, going four-for-four in 2011.

The track champion patiently worked his way through the field from his tenth-place starting position and grabbed the top spot from Bucko Branham on lap 16. Despite two late cautions on laps 19 and 23, Wood would hold off Branham and nab his fourth checkered flag of the season.

After coming across the start-finish line three-wide, Plattsburgh drivers Bucko Branham and Nick Heywood and Mooers, N.Y., veteran Jamy Begor picked up positions two through four, respectively, while Danny Sullivan of Morrisonville, N.Y., was fifth.

Jason McClatchie of Plattsburgh picked up his first career victory in the Versatile Trailer Sales Renegade feature. McClatchie took advantage of his first-place starting position and held off a hard-charging Joe Warren of West Chazy. Josh Terry of Morrisonville, Lance Rabtoy of Fairfax, Vt., and Robbie Favreau of Peru, N.Y., rounded out the top five.

Chris LaVair of Gabriels, N.Y., was the victor in the extra distance 25-lap $250-to-win Keeseville NAPA Mini-Modified feature. Vermont drivers Speedy Bressette and Billy Jenkins were second and third, respectively.

Josh Durivage of West Chazy earned the checkers in the Busch Bomber makeup feature to extend his streak to four consecutive wins, but Curtis Lagrave, Jr., of Plattsburgh picked up feature win number one in the regularly scheduled feature later in the evening.

Weekly racing at Airborne Speedway continues next Saturday night as Plattsburgh Ford, Bill’s Body Shop, Vermont Life Safety, and Unifirst will sponsor the racing card, which also includes the Classic Cruisers. Post time is slated for 6:00pm.

UNOFFICIAL RESULTS — Warren Electric/Atkins Logging/Kim’s Karpets/Culligan’s Water Technologies Night
Airborne Speedway, Plattsburgh, N.Y.
Saturday, June 18, 2011

Pos.-Driver-Hometown
(# – denotes rookie)

Ernie’s Discount Tools DIRTcar Modified
1. Patrick Dupree, Saranac Lake, N.Y.
2. Maxime Viens, St-Cesaire, Que.
3. Andy Heywood, Morrisonville, N.Y.
4. George Foley, Saranac Lake, N.Y.
5. Craig Reyell, West Chazy, N.Y.
6. Kris Vernold, Kingsbury, N.Y.
7. Richard Tisseur, Chateauguay, Que.
8. Chris Cayea, Mooers Forks, N.Y.
9. Pierre Berthiaume, Joliette, Que.
10. Leon Gonyo, Chazy, N.Y.

J&S Steel Sportsman
1. Robin Wood, Plattsburgh, N.Y.
2. Bucko Branham, Plattsburgh, N.Y.
3. Nick Heywood, Plattsburgh, N.Y.
4. Jamy Begor, Mooers Forks, N.Y.
5. Danny Sullivan, Morrisonville, N.Y.
6. # Dave Rabtoy, Swanton, Vt.
7. Jimmy Bushey, Mooers Forks, N.Y.
8. Michael Chagnon, Saranac, N.Y.
9. Tylor Terry, Morrisonville, N.Y.
10. # Cody Meyers, Plattsburgh, N.Y.

Versatile Trailer Sales Renegade
1. Jason McClatchie, Plattsburgh, N.Y.
2. Joe Warren, West Chazy, N.Y.
3. Josh Terry, Morrisonville, N.Y.
4. Lance Rabtoy, Fairfax, Vt.
5. Robbie Favreau, Peru, N.Y.
6. # Curtis Seymour, Plattsburgh, N.Y.
7. # Rick Doner, AuSable Forks, N.Y.
8. Lonnie Rivers, Cadyville, N.Y.
9. Kevin Boutin, Swanton, Vt.
10. Don Franklin, Milton, Vt.

Keeseville NAPA Mini-Modified
1. Chris LaVair, Gabriels, N.Y.
2. Speedy Bresette, Castelton, Vt.
3. Billy Jenkins, Milton, Vt.
4. Scott Richner, Rouses Point, N.Y.
5. Josh LaPorte, Plattsburgh, N.Y.

Busch Beer Bomber (make-up from 6/11 rainout)
1. Josh Durivage, West Chazy, N.Y.
2. Curtis LaGrave, Jr., Plattsburgh, N.Y.
3. Bill Joyal, Sr., AuSable Forks, N.Y.
4. JohnMichael Bresette, Keeseville, N.Y.
5. Chad Hendrie, Plattsburgh, N.Y.

Busch Beer Bomber (regular feature)
1. Curtis LaGrave, Jr., Plattsburgh, N.Y.
2. Travis Sherman, Plattsburgh, N.Y.
3. Josh Durivage, West Chazy, N.Y.
4. Bill Joyal, Sr., AuSable Forks, N.Y.
5. David Bresette, Plattsburgh, N.Y.