PHOTO: Vince Quenneville, Jr., (#78) passed Martin Roy (#90) for the lead on lap 92 of 100 at Airborne Speedway for his first win at the track on Sunday. (Leif Tillotson photo)

Wood earns Sportsman title, Boutin steals Renegades

PLATTSBURGH, N.Y. — All Vince Quenneville, Jr., had to do was be patient.

For nine-tenths of the Tri-Track Modified Series Apple Bowl 100 at Airborne Speedway on Sunday, the Brandon, Vt., driver played the role of pursuer, following Martin Roy of Napierville, Que., and 2010 Airborne champion Patrick Dupree of Saranac Lake, N.Y., in third place.

As Roy stretched out to a commanding lead, Quenneville dogged Dupree for over 20 laps for the runner-up position, finally making his way past on lap 85.

The complexion of the race changed one lap later, however, as the third and final caution flag flew. Roy’s torrid pace through the first 86 laps left little for his tires to give him at the end of the race, and Quenneville, Dupree, and Todd Stone — with their own badly worn tires — set to work.

By lap 92, Quenneville had the lead. He then held off Stone — Quenneville’s boss at the G. Stone Motors dealership in Middlebury — for the victory, his first at Airborne. Dupree finished third ahead of Devil’s Bowl Speedway and Albany-Saratoga Speedway champion Kenny Tremont, while Roy faded to fifth.

“That was tough. That was a workout. I think a couple more laps, I knew [Stone] had to be coming so I was just kind of holding on,” said Quenneville. “I could tell me and Patrick were catching [Roy]. As junk as [our tires] both were, we were catching him pretty bad.”

Keith Flach, Don Scarborough, Andy Heywood, Matt Woodruff, and Greg Atkins rounded out the top ten finishers.

Unofficially, Scarborough leads Dupree by 12 points, 357-345, heading into the recently announced Tri-Track Series finale at Albany-Saratoga on October 30. Quenneville sits third overall at 280 points.

Robin Wood of Plattsburgh, N.Y., earned the first Airborne Speedway championship of his 20-year career in the Sportsman division with a fourth-place finish. Wood unseated his uncle, Bucko Branham, as the track champion, despite Branham winning his sixth feature of the season on Sunday.

“The crowds have been great all through the year, and [promoters Mike Perrotte and Steve Fuller] have done a lot of work to this race track and improved it a lot over the last couple years. I’m just really proud to be one of their champions,” said Wood. “We’ve been close for so many years that to finally get one feels pretty sweet.”

Tylor Terry of Morrisonville, N.Y., was second in the race behind Branham, with rookie Billy Thwaits, Wood, and Nick Heywood completing the top five finishers.

Swanton’s Kevin Boutin came from behind to steal his first Renegade championship. Boutin entered Sunday’s finale two points behind two-time champion Lonnie Rivers, but beat Rivers by one position — a four-point gain — in the main event to overtake him for the title.

The Renegade feature was a hard-fought and well-driven race, won by Codey Benoit of Milton. Boutin beat Rivers to the line for second place, with Chad Provost fourth and Dave Rabtoy of Swanton fifth.

On Saturday, Chris LaVair of Gabriels, N.Y., won the Mini-Modified finale with nine-time winner Rick Doner of AuSable Forks, N.Y., taking the championship. Bill Joyal of AuSable Forks, N.Y., took his eighth Bomber win of the season to earn that division’s championship by just three points over Scott Richner.

UNOFFICIAL RESULTS — Liquor & Wine Warehouse/Casella Waste Management/Unifirst Championship Weekend
Airborne Speedway, Plattsburgh, N.Y.
Sat./Sun., September 11/12, 2010

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

Ernie’s Discount Tools Modified Tri-Track 100
1. Vince Quenneville, Jr., Brandon
2. Todd Stone, Middlebury
3. Patrick Dupree, Saranac Lake, N.Y.
4. Kenny Tremont, Jr., West Sand Lake, N.Y.
5. Martin Roy, Napierville, Que.
6. Keith Flach, Ravena, N.Y.
7. Don Scarborough, Brandon
8. Andy Heywood, Morrisonville, N.Y.
9. Matt Woodruff, Bloomingdale, N.Y.
10. Greg Atkins, AuSable Forks, N.Y.

J&S Steel Sportsman
1. Bucko Branham, Plattsburgh, N.Y.
2. Tylor Terry, Morrisonville, N.Y.
3. # Billy Thwaits, Clintonville, N.Y.
4. Robin Wood, Plattsburgh, N.Y. (2010 Champion)
5. # Nick Heywood, Plattsburgh, N.Y.
6. Jimmy Bushey, Mooers Forks, N.Y.
7. Danny Sullivan, Morrisonville, N.Y.
8. Bill Sawyer, Milton
9. Shawn Duquette, Morrisonville, N.Y.
10. Joey Roberts, Georgia

Versatile Trailer Sales Renegade
1. Codey Benoit, Milton
2. Kevin Boutin, Swanton (2010 Champion)
3. Lonnie Rivers, Cadyville, N.Y.
4. Chad Provost, Plattsburgh, N.Y.
5. Dave Rabtoy, Swanton

Keeseville NAPA Mini-Modified
1. Chris LaVair, Gabriels, N.Y.
2. Rick Doner, AuSable Forks, N.Y. (2010 Champion)
3. Jamie LaFountain, Keeseville, N.Y.
4. Justin Doner, Keeseville, N.Y.
5. Randy Martin, Keeseville, N.Y.

Monster Energy Bomber
1. Bill Joyal, AuSable Forks, N.Y. (2010 Champion)
2. Josh LaPorte, Peru, N.Y.
3. Scott Richner, Rouses Point, N.Y.
4. Johnmichael Bressette, Keeseville, N.Y.
5. Bill Desotell, Plattsburgh, N.Y.