2011-09-12

Big Block Rocks at Airborne

Perrotte wins Mohawk Casino 100

SOUTH PLATTSBURGH, NY – The Charley Trombley Memorial 100 Big Block/Small Block Challenge went the way of the Big Block Sunday as Mike Perrotte landed the Adirondack Auto No. 35 in Airborne Speedway’s victory lane.

 

 Perrotte started on the pole after a random draw inverted the top three qualifiers. He led every step of the way in the Mohawk Casino/Rent-A-Wreck event, despite being pressed hard from laps 50-70 by Martin Roy. The 2011 Airborne champion from Napierville, QC ran the low lane and worked his way to Perrotte’s door in turns one and two several times, only to have Perrotte pull away down the back chute.

 

Two restarts in the final 10 laps proved to be no problem for the winner. “I thought it was possible to keep the tires under a Big Block for 100 laps, but starting up front was a help,” Perrotte said. “I never had to work the car really hard in lapped traffic.”

 

“With the rev limiters we run, the difference in power turned out to be a little too much,” Roy said. “I could get to him, but I couldn’t get around him.” Perrotte’s winning margin was five car lengths.

 

A few car-lengths behind the Perrotte/Roy battle, George Foley and Patrick Dupree ran 3-4 until a lap 81 restart after tire failure ended Pat McGrail’s top-10 run. Dupree took over third at the drop of the green and never gave it up. “With the extra-distance and the sun, the car loose, something we’ve been fighting all season,” Dupree said.

 

Lebanon Valley regular Keith Flach, Perrotte’s front row partner at the outset, rallied back from fifth to pass Foley for fourth with five laps to go. Foley finished fifth, followed by Aaron Bartemy, Leon Gonyo, Martin Hebert, Roger Labreche and Andy Heywood.

 

Danny Sullivan of Morrisonville drove to his first J&S Steel Sportsman win of the season after several near-misses. Sullivan took the lead on lap 8 and was never headed. Bucko Branham reeled in Jamy Begor to place second. Positions 3-5 went to Begor, 2011 Sportsman champion Robin Wood and Nick Heywood.

 

Joe Warren of West Chazy also became a first-time winner by holding off Don Franklin in the Versatile Trailer Sales Renegade feature. Robert Gordon, Lonnie Rivers and 2011 Renegade champion Kevin Boutin completed the top five,

 

The Modified Sportsman made their Airborne debut. Their 25-lap feature was won by 16-year-old Jessey Mueller of Pottersville, NY. Hunter Bates of Pittsford, VT was the runner-up.

 

No comments: