Mat Williamson gets a win at Airborne (19th June 2025 BLOG )
It’s been another busy week for me with five events in four days. It wasn’t supposed to be that way, I should of been back in the UK on a short vacation , but as mentioned in last weeks BLOG, I had to cancel the trip.
Just like last week , with very little spare time on my hands, I’ll make things brief .
As usual the week got under way with a Thursday night visit to the Airborne Park Speedway in Plattsburgh NY, with my ‘tog’ buddy Don Simpson.
They had a big show going on, hosting rounds of the DirtCar 358 Modified Series and a regional round of the Sportsman Series.
We got there a bit earlier than usual and the pits were full of eager contestants.
There were 40 Modifieds and over 30 Sportsman . The Rengades and Mini Stocks were also on hand and had timed Hot Laps to determine positions for their one-off features. (no heats)
I had plenty of time to check out the pits before things got under way.
I had a chat with Lance Willix and Chris Herbison .
Then I got a chance to meet Jordan Fornwalt # 25. He’s a regular at the track , and comes from Vermont. This was the first time we’d chatted.
Once DIRTCAR race director , Denis Moquin had addressed the drivers meeting I took my usual spot on the outside of turn four, for the Hot laps and heat races.
Once these were done, it was the Last Chance Qualifiers, and the Renegades with their Feature.
This was won Shawn Duquette .
It was then time for the 358 Modifieds to enter the track for the 75 lap 358 DirtCar Series headliner.
Early leader was Jarrett Herbison , who stayed up front until Mat Williamson caught up at around the half way point.
Then there were a couple of cautions that regrouped the field, and it was Williamson who mastered the ‘get away’ on both occasions.
Herbison tried in vain to stay with him, but just couldn’t do it.
The cautions also helped Jordan McCreadie to stay near the front and for Felix Roy to move up.
Mike Mahaney who started at the back of the pack , also benefitted from the cautions. .
At around the 63 lap point of the race, the speedway went into darkess with a power outage. The race came to a quick red flag situation, while the electrical fault was fixed.
Once the problem was sorted , things got restarted with just 12 laps left to run, and soon Roy was past Herbison . Mahaney moved up to challenge the leaders and it wasn’t long before he was also ahead of Herbison .
A great battle emerged between Mahaney and Roy for the second place .
When the checkers fell for Williamson , it was Roy in the front Mahaney.
To his credit, Jarrett Herbison stayed close behind the top three, to get a creditable fourth.
The power outage delay , plus the extra cars ( which results in extra races) meant things were running late .
We finished Victory Lane celebrations around 11-00 pm , with the Sportsman feature was yet to run.
With this in mind, and our busy weekend agenda ahead, we decided to miss this , and head for home.
In our absence , Donavan Lussier took the checkers, only to be DQ’d at post race tech due to a fuel infringement. Second placed Vince Quenville, was also DQ’d so Zach Buff who crossed the line third, was declared winner.
Friday the 13th was a regular week at the Mohawk International Raceway.
Even though its the nearest track to my home, I still like to get over the International Bridge early and treat my self to a Steak Sub from JRECK just before the track, and next Twinleaf. I then chill out in the parking lot until things get going.
Like I said , this weeks BLOG will be brief. (very brief)
The headline event of the night was for the Modifieds and Carey Terrance got the winner.
Here he is with the Craig Marshall, the guy in charge of running his REZX team .
The Sportsman feature was dominated and won by Brennan Moore, after a controversial first lap that involved Eric Gauvreau hitting the wall.
During the post race interview, Brennan took full responsibility for the lap one incident and apologized for his actions.
Now on to the Pro Stocks
This race provided a second consecutive win for Denis Gauvreau .
In the remaining divisions, Koby Hernandez won the Limited Sportsman feature while Emily Massy took the Mini Stock feature.
The racing was all over by 10-30 , and as a contrast to the previous week there were no long delays at the border, so I was home nice and early.
On Saturday, it was day three on my agenda, and in the late afternoon , I was heading to the Brockville Ontario Speedway.
The Program consisted of 358 Modifieds, Sportsman , Rookie Sportsman , Crate Sprint Cars, Street Stocks and a rare visit of the DIRTCAR Pro Stocks.
My back pain was playing me up , so didn’t stray too far from my usual picture taking spot on turn one and two.
The first of the features was for the Street Stocks that took place before the intermission.
I watched this one from the grandstand area, where I bumped into an old friend of mine . It was nice to re-unite with Rosie Estevez .
Over ten years ago we used to work together at the track on the Victory Lane duties, Rosie did the hostess bit while Henry Hanewyk and I , did the picture taking. She was back on duty , filling in for the hostess that normaly does it these days.
The Sportsman feature was the first of the premier divisions.
Quebec’s Jacob Nadeau got his second consecutive win in this one.
The modifieds were next up.
Gabriel Cyr ran away with this one , and claimed his first career victory in the Modifieds.
The last race of the DIRTCAR divisions was for the Pro Stocks.
After getting his first career Pro Stock win at the Mohawk International Raceway last weekend, Eric Jean-Louis got his second one here at the B.O.S.
With just the Crate Sprint Cars and Rookie Sportsman features left to run , it was my cue to make an exit and head for home .
Sunday, was the final day of the five events in four days.
I was up early in the morning heading down Montreal Road in Cornwall in my 1978 Ford Thunderbird bound for Lamoureaux Park that sits beside the St Lawrence River.
It was the annual ‘Fathers Day Cruise ‘ organized by the local Road Warriors Club .
As usual the park was packed with cool cars, and vendors , as this show becomes one of the biggest in Ontario.
I stayed around until lunch time , before making an early departure, to be ready for event two of the day.
A Sunday evening means , I’m at the Cornwall Motor Speedway.
There was quite a bit going on that night , with a DirtCar Pro Stocks Series and the visiting Vintage Mods , that were joining the 358 Modifieds, Sportsman , Rookie Sportsman and Mini Stocks.
Things got off to a dusty start for the Pro Stock heats before, a Track Prep break was needed for track watering and the show to continue.
The Modified and heat races for the other divisions were then able to continue.
The Vintage Mods were first to have their feature and it was won by Randy Gaudet.
This was followed by the Rookie Sportsman race, that was won by Garin Thompson
The Pro Stock Series race was the first of the premier divisions
This was a very good race , with Eventual winner Burton Ward having a race long battle with Ian Bressett.
The Modified feature followed, and it was Louie Jackson who dominated this one after challenges from Brianna Ladouceur and Jackson Gill.
It was then time for the Sportsman feature .
Donovan Lussier got this one, adding yet another victory to his portfolio.
The Mini Stocks brought the night to an end, as well as my busy stint of five events in four days.
Monday and Tuesday were days of relaxation, before by next little road trip.
I was off to Montreal airport to pick up my good friend Lynn who was making one of her regular visits from England.
I stopped along the way to take a picture of the Good Year Blimp that was flying over Coteaux de Lac.
Our original plan was for Lynn and I to be flying in on the same plane, but with my UK trip being canceled, it meant she was arriving solo.
There was a bit of a delay in Montreal with the usual chaos at this particular airport..
Once back in Cornwall , it was time to chillout with a glass (or two) of wine.
With no racing on Thursday night at the Airborne Speedway, Plattsburgh , we decided to take the Thunderbird to the Alexandria cruise night
