Late restart sets up Duquette Victory
Toolbox
By TOM HERZIG CORRESPONDENT - Published: July 13, 2009
PLATTSBURGH, NY — It's not how many laps you lead, it's who leads the last one. Shawn Duquette of Morrisonville took the lead for the first time on a lap 97 restart and outraced Tylor Terry to the stripe to win the ACT Tri-State Sportsman 100 at Airborne Sunday.
The top-finishing Thunder Road regular was Shawn Fleury, who took 11th.
Terry began swapping the lead with Toby Ebersole when Ebersole lost his brakes after leading laps 4-82. As Terry drew away, Duquette and Jason Bonnett closed in and took over second and third place. Then came the caution that gave Duquette a shot.
Terry had taken over second at the halfway mark with Jamy Begor, Joey Becker, Robin Wood and Bucko Branham next in line, but Begor lost a motor, Becker began to fade, Wood was soon gone with electrical trouble and Branham wound up in the turn four wall.
"My car was very loose for half the race then it came on," Duquette said. "I knew Terry was fast on the inside and I was going to have one chance." Duquette earned $1,000 for the win.
Skip Liberty rallied late for fifth. Ben Hough, Geoff Bodine, Becker, Howard Stoner and Joey Roberts finished 6th-10th. Bodine started fourth and was seventh after 50 laps.
Aaron Bartemy won the Ernie's Tools in explosive fashion. Bartemy started 11th and swept past George Foley for second after Foley and Martin Roy brushed together while dicing for the lead. Four laps later Bartemy shot underneath Roy and was never headed. It was the first win of the season for the Sheldon, Vt. driver. Roy later pitted for a tire and settled for 11th. Richard Tisseur gained three spots in the final 10 laps to earn the runner-up spot. Patrick Dupree also staged a late rally to finish third and unofficially take over the points lead. Foley was fourth, Don Scarborough fifth, Jessica Zemken sixth and Leon Gonyo seventh.
Randy LaDue caught Joe Warren with five laps remaining and won the Renagade featue. Positions 2-5 went to Warren drivers Ken St Germaine, Kevin Boutin and Nick Heywood.
Bill Joyal of Ausable Forks posted his first career win in the Monster Energy Bomber feature. Bill Thwaits of Clintonvillewon the Mini-Modified feature.
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