65th Season Opener at Airborne Park Speedway -- April 28

With the season about to get underway on April 28, teams are busy preparing for a long and hard summer of racing. This will be the 65th year for this historic track and the opening night will host the DirtCar Sportsman Series, the 358 Modifieds and all the regular divisions.

Competition is expected to be high this year, as many of the teams, who competed on the asphalt surface in previous years, have well adjusted themselves over last year’s transition to dirt and are ready to challenge for the championships in their perspective classes.

The opening night will see the DirtCar Sportsman series come to town with some of the best in the class drivers from the Northeastern United States and Canada, racing against the weekly regulars in the competitive class.

Last year, the Sportsman Modified division experienced nine different winners in this highly competitive class. In the end, Connor Cleveland of Corinth, NY, who progressed from the Karting world back in 2012, later honed his skills at the Fonda Speedway and the Albany-Saratoga Speedway, took home the track championship, winning three out of the thirteen events.

For this year there are a number teams capable of challenging for the title. Drivers such as Moïse Pagé of St-Louis-de-Gonzaguein, Quebec, in the number 49 car, Nick Heywood of Plattsburg, New Year, driving the number 29, or Jamy Begor of Mooers Forks, NY, in the number 19 car and a host other top drivers will challenge for the Sportsman Modified title, giving fans some good heads up racing.

In the 358 Modifieds, the situation is much the same as in the Sportsman, with numerous teams capable of winning this year’s championship. With their season also getting underway opening nigh, drivers from the Eastern United States along with Quebec and Ontario, Canada, will dual it out for the first time this year on the 4/10-mile track.

I asked Chris Raabe, the 2017 358 Modified champion, what his take is for this year at Airborne. “I don’t think it will be an easy ride, as many of the teams who competed on the asphalt surface have adapted well to the dirt transformation and will definitely be top contenders this year.” Chris also explained, “that even the newcomers like myself who have experienced dirt track racing have gotten to know the track well over the 2017 season. They will have an even bigger presence this year and will race hard each and every night for the win.” Raabe described Airborne as a racy type of track; any of the 358 drivers are capable of winning this year.

With drivers like Gage Morin of Cornwall, Ontario, Greg Atkins of Ausable Forks, NY, and local hero Mike Perrotte of Plattsburg, NY, along with Steve Bernier racing there weekly, this season’s fans should see some good racing over the 2018.

Also on schedule for the opening night will be all the regular classes, including Super Stocks, Strictly Stocks and Mini-Mods which are always a fan favorite as each of the classes are very competitive, with some well-known local drivers racing it out on a weekly basis.

Racing is scheduled to get underway at 6:00 p.m., with pit gates tentatively opening at 2:00 p.m. and spectators’ gates opening at 4:00 p.m.

The 65 edition of racing at the Airborne Park Speedway is sure to be the best ever for this historic track in 2018.

For all the up to date news and schedule of events please visit the Website at: http://www.airborneparkspeedway.com.

Writer / Photographer

Don Simpson