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PLATTSBURG, NY – Home track advantage is always important, especially when it’s a different surface.
On Tuesday night, several of stars of the DIRTcar series invaded the Mike Perrotte run Airborne Speedway looking to pick up the $3,000 payday only to be denied by weekly 358-Modified campaigner Mike Bruno.
Bruno, of Bomoseen, Vt., took the lead at the drop of the green flag from the pole starting position and led the entire 40-lap distance to claim his third win of the season at the ˝ mile asphalt oval.
“We had a great car tonight,” stated Bruno. “We worked all night and I think we almost got it back to where we had it a month ago.”
Current Airborne Speedway Modified point leader, George Foley, finished in the second spot while seventh starter, Patrick Dupree finished third.
Wayne Jelley, of Pittsfield, Mass., was the first DIRTcar Modified regular across the line in fourth and Cameron Grady of Wilmington, N.Y. was fifth.
LUCK OF THE DRAW: Bruno started on the pole after winning the third heat race and drawing the pole for the event. He immediately took control of the field when the green came out.
“The draw was really important,” said Bruno. “There was a lot of tough competition to run against tonight and starting in front of them was very important.”
SMOOTH NEGOTIATOR: By the lap seven, Bruno found himself in lapped traffic with Leon Gonyo staying right with him. The pair continued to weave in and out of traffic with Bruno being forced to race three and four wide several times by lap 19.
“Those guys were all racing to stay on the lead lap,” stated Bruno. “I just tried to pick a line before I made the pass to make sure that I didn’t leave anyone room for anyone to get underneath me.”
A NEW CHALLENGER: Foley, of Saranac Lake, N.Y., took over the runner-up spot on lap 24 from Gonyo in lapped traffic. He then began to apply pressure to Bruno but he was unable to make any headway before the caution came out on lap 26.
CAUTIONS BREED CAUTIONS: The first caution of the event was for Aaron Bartemy who slowed on the speedway with the second coming out two laps later for Danny Johnson. Johnson, who piloted Foley’s other car, stopped in turn four.
HOLDING ON: The cautions bunched up the field clearing the track for Bruno but it allowed Foley to pull right up behind. Once racing resumed, Bruno again pulled out in front but Foley continued to try and work lower on the speedway to take the lead away.
“I felt George (Foley) by me a few times,” commented Bruno. “I made sure I stayed to the bottom and kept running my line so I didn’t open the door.”
DIRT TRACKIN’: The races final caution appeared on lap 35 for oil on the racing surface. Speedy dry was put down around the entire speedway causing for slippery conditions in the closing laps.
“It was slippery at the end of the race,” said Bruno. “It was like dirt racing with all the speedy dry out there.”
NO OPENING: With all the speedy dry on the speedway, Foley was unable to mount a charge in the final five laps allowing Bruno to hang on for the victory. Foley, using a Morrison powered Bicknell, settled for a runner-up finish.
“There was just too much speedy dry out there at the end,” said Foley. “I was hoping that there wouldn’t be a caution near the end so I had a shot at him (Bruno) in lapped traffic.”
IT HAPPENED AGAIN: Foley was unaware that he had a broken torque arm in the rear of the car until it sat in victory lane. The same problem occurred last year in the track’s 75-lap affair when he finished second to Kenny Tremont.
“This is the exact same thing that happened to me last year,” stated Foley. “With that broken the car sat on the left rear tire and I lost a little bit there at the end.”
CONSTANT MOVER: Dupree, also from Saranac Lake, N.Y., worked patiently through the field from the seventh starting position to finish third. Dupree utilized slick tires rather than using the DIRTcar Hard tires that the other two competitors in front of him utilized.
“Track position was important and we didn’t have it,” said Dupree. “We were really good but at the end the car was sliding all over the place because of the oil and speedy dry.”
QUALIFYING: Three heat races were held for the 26 cars in attendance with Jelley, Gonyo and Bruno grabbing victories. Bruno secured the Syracuse 358-Modified qualifying position.
Airborne Speedway, July 24, 2007 Big-Block/Small-Block Modified Event Summary (40-laps): Mike Bruno, George Foley, Patrick Dupree, Wayne Jelley, Cameron Grady, Kenny Tremont, Frank Cozze, Matt Woodruff, Francis McNeil, Richard Chauvin, Greg Atkins, Leon Gonyo, Chuck Hossfeld, Pierre Berthiaume, Mike Reyell, Chris Cayea, Zack Baldwin, Craig Reyell, Andy Kane, Spencer Rushlaw, Aaron Bartemy, Jason Durgan, Danny Johnson, Ryan McLean, Martin Roy, J.P. Gobeille
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