"The timing is right as DIRTcar continues to expand and so do we," said Perrotte, 52, who addressed over 150 Airborne racers at the Plattsburgh (NY) Holiday Inn on Sunday, December 2 to usher in a new era at the popular north country oval. During the past three seasons the driver turned promoter has helped elevate the track's status with numerous site renovations and a successful race program that will feature the DIRTcar 358-Modifieds on a weekly basis in '08. "I like the way things are going with DIRTcar, it's a positive direction for us to follow."
"All of the Modified teams are excited about joining DIRT. They like the idea of belonging to the organization. There's a sense of being part of something bigger and better. They'll be able to compete in a regional series now with our points champion invited to the banquet to receive some extra money and more notoriety. A solid insurance program is intact and the chance to host some bigger events like Syracuse qualifiers is another bonus," added Perrotte, himself a four-time DIRTcar 358-Modified points champion at Frogtown Int'l Speedway with 26 career DIRTcar Modified feature wins.
The 2008 season-opener for Airborne Speedway has been set for Saturday, May 10 with the premier DIRTcar 358-Modifieds headlining a full show of Sportsman (limited late model), Renegade (8-Cylinder Street Stock), Warrior (4-Cylinder Stock) and Bomber (entry level 4-Cylinder stock) race action. Along with the 50-lap lid-lifter, Small-Block specials have also been penciled in over Labor Day Weekend with the Fall Foliage 100 closing out the season later in September.
"Mike is both a respected racer and promoter already recognized around the entire DIRTcar circuit so coming aboard is a natural addition," said Cory Reed, DIRTcar Racing NorthEast Director of Competition & Track Sanctioning. "Mike and Steve (Fuller, owner) have done a great job on both sides of the fence, establishing a healthy field of cars while creating a strong base of fan support. And there are plenty of promotions in place to keep everyone coming back."
"As a sanctioning group we're always striving to expand the reaches of DIRTcar Racing. We revived some specials on blacktop last summer and now we're excited with the opportunity to showcase Modifieds on asphalt for the whole season. Airborne already has a great racing history and 2008 will be another banner season for both the track and our organization," Reed added.
Steve and Denise Fuller completed the purchase of Airborne Speedway in January of '07. Perrotte worked with George and Julie Huttig each of the two seasons prior, both leasing and managing the asphalt facility that first opened as a dirt track in 1954. The since razed Flemington (NJ) Fair Speedway is the only other paved track to hold full DIRTcar membership from 1991-92.
Some of the teams that will be back include those of defending 358-Modified track champion George Foley (2 wins) and last year's DIRT/Asphalt mini series winners Mike Bruno (Airborne) and Patrick Dupree (Oswego). '06 Airborne points champ Bruno, who in July joined Alan Johnson, C.D. Coville, Bob Savoie and Robert Ranger on the list of past DIRTcar Big-Block Modified feature winners at Airborne, finished third in points with Martin Roy securing runner-up honors.
Now with 11 wins, Leon Gonyo was crowned the first dirt-style Modified titlist on pavement at Airborne in �05. Under DIRTcar sanction with Perrotte the track co-owner in '88, Frank Keene (1989), C.D. Coville (1988) and Charlie Wilbur (1984) were declared season point champions when Airborne boasted a dirt surface.
Airborne Speedway is nestled in the beautiful and picturesque Adirondack Park region of Plattsburgh, New York, located just 2-1/2 hours from Albany, New York, an hour from Montreal, Canada, and a ferry ride from Burlington, Vermont. One of the oldest tracks in the Northeast, the half-mile asphalt oval is surrounded by Lake Champlain and the Green Mountains of Vermont to the east, the St. Lawrence Seaway and Canada to the North, and the breathtakingly beautiful Adirondack Mountains of New York to the South and West.
The Advance Auto Parts Super DIRTcar Series for Big-Block Modifieds is brought to fans across the Northeast by several sponsors and partners, including series sponsors Advance Auto Parts, Hoosier Racing Tire and Sunoco Race Fuels. Promotional partners include AMB i.t., Rite Aid Corporation and the University of Northwestern Ohio and the contingency sponsors are Bert Transmission, Bicknell Racing Products, Bilstein Shocks, Brodix Cylinder Heads, Crane Cams, Integra Shocks, MSD Ignitions, Motorsports Safety Systems, Penske Shocks and Wrisco Industries.
From Tom Skibinski, DIRTcar Racing NorthEast Public Relations Director
*Photo attachment of 2007 Airborne Speedway points champion George Foley (Credit: Mike Watts)
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