Aubin, Begor split Modified wins

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

(As seen in the Sunday, July 17 edition of the Press-Republican)

PLATTSBURGH, N.Y. — Josh Terry capitalized on Shawn Duquette’s misfortunes Saturday at Airborne Park Speedway.

When Duquette, the late-race leader, lost his brakes with 20 laps remaining in a 100-lap feature for the Jeffords Steel Renegades, Terry pounced.

Terry took the lead for keeps on lap 81 and survived a lap-96 restart to collect the checkered flag.

“He opened the hole up for me on the bottom, and I had the car to fill it,” Terry said.

Terry, who led laps during the first half of the event, was running third behind Duquette and Richie Turner when the race was halted by a competition caution on lap 50.

“This time, the car was perfect,” Terry said. “My crew, they made an adjustment in the pit stall over there. That thing, it came to life.

“It was awesome.”

Duquette limped to a runner-up finish, while Jason McClatchie completed the podium. Michael Wright and Brent Jarvis finished fourth and fifth, unofficially, respectively.

In the first of two 25-lap features for the Ernie’s Discount Tools Sportsman Modifieds, Codie Aubin went flag-to-flag to become the sixth different driver to win a feature in the track’s headline division.

Aubin, who scored double points, jumped out to a healthy lead before patiently maneuvering through lapped traffic, and he went on to capture his first victory of the season.

“First off, I got to thank the crew,” Aubin said. “We had some pretty bad luck this year so far.

“I’ve seen a lot of guys lose the race (in) lapped traffic. They’re out here doing the same thing we are, trying just as hard as we are. So I mean, I give them respect for coming out here.”

Jamy Begor and Bucko Branham were closing on Aubin in the final few circuits, but they settled for podium finishes. Danny Sullivan and Jim Morgan completed the unofficial top five.

Begor returned from his second-place finish earlier in the racing program to win the second 25-lap feature.

Begor executed a daring late-race pass for the lead in turn three. With Sullivan and Rico Hernandez to his inside, Begor made his machine stick in the third groove.

Sullivan collected his second top-five result in as many features, and Nick Heywood, Branham and Hernandez rounded out the unofficial top five.

Pete Blaney converted his race-winning pass on lap six and held off Dale O’Neil to win the first of two 15-lap features for the Busch Beer Mini Modifieds.

Blaney, who started fourth on the 12-car grid, overtook early-race leader Josh LaPorte with nine laps remaining and never looked back.

“I’ve tried to keep it out of the wall and off of people and out of the garage,” Blaney said. “That’s the biggest thing.

“Every week, we’ve been getting faster and faster. I’ve been getting closer. Finally, here I am.”

O’Neil, LaPorte, Tim LaFountain and Tyler Irwin rounded out the unofficial top five.

In the second of two features for the Mini Modifieds, O’Neil completed his race-winning pass on LaPorte with seven laps to go.

O’Neil kept LaPorte in his rear-view mirror to solidify another victory in the track’s entry-level division.

Blaney, Irwin and LaFountain earned top-five honors, unofficially.

Racing resumes July 30 at Airborne.

UNOFFICIAL RESULTS – Jeffords Steel/Island Excavating Night
NASCAR Whelen All-American Series
Airborne Park Speedway, Plattsburgh, N.Y.
Saturday, July 16, 2016

Pos.-Driver-Hometown

Jeffords Steel Renegades (100 laps)
1. Josh Terry, Essex, N.Y.
2. Shawn Duquette, Morrisonville, N.Y.
3. Jason McClatchie, Plattsburgh, N.Y.
4. Michael Wright, Alburgh, Vt.
5. Brent Jarvis, Peru, N.Y.
6. Zach Rabtoy, Fairfax, Vt.
7. Jon Boutin, St. Albans, Vt.
8. Ryan Boutin, Fairfax, Vt.
9. Zach Daniels, Plattsburgh, N.Y.
10. Mark Caron, Peru, N.Y.
11. Robert Gordon, Milton, Vt.
12. Robin Cummings, Milton, Vt.
13. Curt Giventer, Saranac, N.Y.
14. Jared Blake, North Herto, Vt.
15. Richie Turner, Fairfax, Vt.
16. Dylan Rabtoy, Swanton, Vt.
17. Tylor Terry, Morrisonville, N.Y.
18. Brandon Nolan, AuSable Forks, N.Y.

Ernie’s Discount Tools Sportsman Modifieds Feature #1 (25 laps)
1. Codie Aubin, Plattsburgh, N.Y.
2. Jamy Begor, Mooers Forks, N.Y.
3. Bucko Branham, Plattsburgh, N.Y.
4. Danny Sullivan, Morrisonville, N.Y.
5. Timex Morgan, Plattsburgh, N.Y.
6. Nick Heywood, Plattsburgh, N.Y.
7. Roger Labreche, St-Remi, Que.
8. Jamie LaFountain, Keeseville, N.Y.
9. Joey Roberts, Fletcher, Vt.
10. Brian McGinley, Plattsburgh, N.Y.

Ernie’s Discount Tools Sportsman Modifieds Feature #2 (25 laps)
1. Jamy Begor, Mooers Forks, N.Y.
2. Danny Sullivan, Morrisonville, N.Y.
3. Nick Heywood, Plattsburgh, N.Y.
4. Bucko Branham, Plattsburgh, N.Y.
5. Rico Hernandez, Plattsburgh N.Y.
6. Brian McGinley, Plattsburgh, N.Y.
7. Mike Wells, West Chazy, N.Y.
8. Timex Morgan, Plattsburgh, N.Y.
9. Roger Labreche, St-Remi, Que.
10. Chris Cayea, Mooers, N.Y.

Busch Beer Mini Modifieds Feature #1 (15 laps)
1. Pete Blaney, Jay, N.Y.
2. Dale O’Neil, Mooers, N.Y.
3. Josh LaPorte, Peru, N.Y.
4. Tim LaFountain, Keeseville, N.Y.
5. Tyler Irwin, Peru, N.Y.

Busch Beer Mini Modifieds Feature #2 (15 laps)
1. Dale O’Neil, Mooers, N.Y.
2. Josh LaPorte, Peru, N.Y.
3. Pete Blaney, Jay, N.Y.
4. Tyler Irwin, Peru, N.Y.
5. Tim LaFountain, Keeseville, N.Y.

PHOTO: Josh Terry (#43) races to the inside of Shawn Duquette (#18) on Saturday night at Airborne Park Speedway. (Dave Brown photo)