–by Ricky St. Clair (@Ricky_StClair)
VMM Correspondent

(As seen in the Sunday, May 15 edition of the Press-Republican)

PLATTSBURGH, N.Y. – Roger Labreche, a Saint-Rémi, Qué., competitor, went flag-to-flag to win the 35-lap feature for the Ernie’s Discount Tools Sportsman Modifieds on Saturday night at Airborne Park Speedway.

Labreche was the pole-sitter after finishing in second place behind Opening Day-winner Nick Heywood in the first of two Sportsman Modified qualifiers.

Labreche jumped out to a comfortable lead and never faltered to win his first race of the 2016 season.

Danny Sullivan, Bucko Branham, Codie Aubin and Heywood completed the unofficial top five.

Morrisonville’s Tylor Terry executed his race-winning pass on lap 22 of 25, overtaking Shawn Duquette, to take home first-place honors in the feature event for the Jeffords Steel Renegades.

Terry, who entered the racing card second in the division’s points standings, raced his way from fourth place to the top spot.

The victory was Terry’s 15th-career win at Airborne.

“Man, the more we went, the better and better it got,” Terry said. “I did get into to Shawn a little bit, and that wasn’t intentional. We came down the backstretch, and I was in there. We’ve been digging so hard; there was no way in (heck) I was pulling out.”

Unofficially, Duquette, Brent Jarvis, Richie Turner and Josh Terry finished second through fifth, respectively.

Peru’s Josh LaPorte regained the lead with three circuits remaining to capture the checkered flag in the 15-lap feature for the Busch Beer Mini Modifieds.

LaPorte worked around race leader Tim LaFountain, and LaPorte held off Dale O’Neill and Ed Bresette in the closing stages of the event.

LaFountain and Robert Foley each earned top-five honors, unofficially.

Racing resumes with Little League Night Saturday. Post time is 5 p.m.

UNOFFICIAL RESULTS – Egglefield Ford/Interstate Batteries Spring Green
NASCAR Whelen All-American Series – Airborne Park Speedway, Plattsburgh, N.Y.
Saturday, May 14, 2016

Pos.-Driver-Hometown

Ernie’s Discount Tools Sportsman Modifieds (35 laps)
1. Roger Labreche, St-Remi, Que.
2. Danny Sullivan, Morrisonville, N.Y.
3. Bucko Branham, Plattsburgh, N.Y.
4. Codie Aubin, Plattsburgh, N.Y.
5. Nick Heywood, Plattsburgh, N.Y.

Jeffords Steel Renegades (25 laps)
1. Tylor Terry, Morrisonville, N.Y.
2. Shawn Duquette, Morrisonville, N.Y.
3. Brent Jarvis, Peru, N.Y.
4. Richie Turner, Fairfax, Vt.
5. Josh Terry, Essex, N.Y.

Busch Beer Mini-Modifieds (15 laps)
1. Josh LaPorte, Peru, N.Y.
2. Dale O’Neil, Mooers, N.Y.
3. Ed Bresette, Plattsburgh, N.Y.
4. Tim LaFountain, Keeseville, N.Y.
5. Robert Foley, Saranac, N.Y.

PHOTO: Roger LaBreche of St-Remi, Quebec won the Ernie’s Discount Tools Sportsman Modified feature on Saturday night at Airborne Park Speedway. (Dave Brown photo)