Airborne's Greatest Moments

Sorry if i get the years mixed up on some of these cause was kinda young when some of them happened. Obviously Airborne opening back up in 1990 on asphalt under Tom Curley. That 1990 season produced some good racing. Steve Miller dominating the Flying Tigers and Steve Rennedette doing the same in the Street Stock division. 1 of the memorable nights in the 1990 season was the night my dad won his 1st heat race in the street stocks. He ended up winning the semi feature as well that night and had a chance to win the triple crown. Joe Thomas also was up for the triple crown that night in the flying tigers. Triple crown seemed like a big accomplishment back then. In the street stock feature I remember Bucko losing a rear wheel down the front stretch and somehow everyone avoided him. Dad battled back and forth all race long with Brent Currier and Brian Williams for the top spot before he got a flat tire going into turn 1 with only a few laps left. Currier eventually won the race. I think Joe Thomas also missed the triple crown that night placing 3rd.

Been some wild wrecks seen throughout the years at Airborne that i remember since the 90 season. Think it was 91 at the start of the tiger feature with Dave Whitcomb and Red Mead. Whitcomb got turned at the start and ended up flipping over right under the flag stand at the start. Another spectacular flip would have to be Jim Bartons flight down the back stretch in 92 or 93. He flipped off turn 2 and landed on the back window of Danny Bridges. Also who could forget some of the wicked hits into the turn 1 wall. Brad Leighton had a hard shot into the wall in 91 when he drove the 1x. Shook the grandstands in turn 1 he hit so hard. Chris Fisher also had a hard hit into the turn 1 wall when he hopped a loose wheel and flew into the wall. Also remmeber the night that one of the tigers went for a wild barrel roll down the backstretch and ended up off the end of turn 3. #49 Mike Boucher hooked the #13 off turn 2 and the 13 went for a ride. Also when the billboards got put in, several drivers tested the strength of those things. Only a few drivers managed to bring one of them down.

Aside from the crashes there have been several nights of great races there. From the battles between the tiger battles between Steve Miller, Jim Cilley, Red Mead, Norm Andrews, Brent Dragon, and many others. They would leave you on the edge of your seat each weekend. In the street stocks there was Rennedette. He pretty much won week in and week out. And cant forget Bucko, Robin Wood, Bill Fountain, Mark Lamberton and the Lamberton screamers. Them and their fans or the fans who hated them always made the night at the races much more exciting.

And then theres the return of the 4-6 cyl street stocks in or around 94. The 1st race there was between moon miller and I wanna say Tim Campbell. They were the only 2 entries but those 2 gave the fans their moneys worth that night. In the feature race they battled back and forth and Moon Miller ended up getting spun of turn 4 coming to the checkered. They finished in a dead heat across the line for the win.

The Napa legends were always exciting to watch. Steve and Charlie Benoit always put on a great show. The Rotella brothers Dave and Joe also seemed to run very well.

Some of the extra curricular activities the track put on were pretty exciting as well. The ever popular Enduro that they had a few years. Also the team demolition derby. The 1st one was the Vermonters Vs the New Yorkers. Steve Miller ended up winning ti for the VT team. The always exciting Joie Chitwood Chevy Thunder Show. And of course the stuff for the kids. Autograph night, kids poster contest, kids rides and the tricycle races.

So many favorite memories from Airborne you have a hard time picking just a few.

by Rockin Ron Klein Jr.

The first time I ever attended Airborne in 1980. NASCAR North was there for a 50 lap event. During the midlle of qualifying for the Late Models some drunk in a station wagon entered the track at full speed from Broderick Road. Obviously the race was stopped and he was removed from the facilities. At that time the pits were in the infield. Beaver Dragon went on to win the race.

In 1982 when Airborne was dirt the ARDC midgets came to town. It was a great race and I got to watch legends like Mel Kenyon.

Also in 1982 when the CVRA was promoting the track they had a 3-race series called "Super Shootout '82" with 82 lap features being run at Albany-Saratoga, Devils Bowl and Airborne. It payed some huge amount for the win at each track, had a mini points fund and a $10,00 bonus if someone could win all 3 races. After winning the previous night at Devils Bowl Jack Cotrell had the race well in hand when he got hit in the head with a rock, momentarily knocking him out. With the big $$$$$$$ it drew from all over the Northeast and Pennsylvania legend Kenny Brightbill took the win.

In May of 1984 Charlie Wilbur & Ed Champange, who were running side-by-side, had about a 1/2 lap lead on the field coming out of turn 4 to the checkered flag. They touched and somehow Champange cleared the wall and hit the catchfence. He rode the catchfence the length of the straightaway until he hit the flagstand, knocking it over and the flagman onto the track. Somehow the flagman, who still had the checkered flag in his hand got up and waved the checkered to the rest of the field from the MIDDLE of the track. He then collapsed. He was OK, although it ended his flagging career, he was at the track in a couple of weeks with a race car.

The electricity in the air at the first ACT event ever held when it was repaved. I can't remeber who won though.

The year the New England 200 came down to the last lap with Karl Allard, Patrick Laperle and Eric Williams.

There a lots more but....

by Big Al

Fall Foliage 1992 ? Street Stocks all lined up to head out for thier final race of the year. Problem ! Point leader Chet ( Gerber Baby ) Devarney's car won't start. No problem , Ricky Dennis says "hop right in". Chet finishes 7th in the #32, but enough to secure the Championship over Mark Lamberton.

by Jamie Muir

2004, August 22nd I believe. One week after Adam Maynard captures his first Tiger Sportsman feature win in heat race gets in a tangle with a couple other cars coming out of turn 2 and ends up flipping end over end over the backstretch jersey barrier into a billboard. At least one other car was over the wall (Ben Hough I believe) but none as spectacular as Maynard that night. What a view, feet away in line in the staging area in the pits. He was fine, and in the pits I was proud to help push his #5 Tiger with his crew back onto his hauler, and even happier to see him back with it the following week for more battle.

by Dale Matott Jr.

I'll never forget the night (late `70s I would guess) that Ed Champagne showed up for a NASCAR North race dressed as Jesus; right down to the white robe and sandals. Airborne had a track clown who rode a go-kart on the frontstretch at intermission, and when he went up in the stands to interact with the kids, Champagne stole the kart. He ended up flipping it end-over-end, landing on his head, cutting himself wide open and knocking himself out. The site of a bloodied, unconscious "Jesus" lying in the middle of the racetrack, getting M-F'ed at high volume by a clown was almost too much to take.

by Dave Moody