SOUTH PLATTSBURGH – Patrick Laperle is up in the air about his strategy for the 40th American Canadian Tour (ACT) Rent-a-Wreck Fall Foliage 200 at Airborne Speedway Saturday, October 8.
Laperle has the 2011 Séries Castrol title in hand and is seeking his third straight Fall Foliage win. He has won the event four times. His Gestion MN/Patriote Auto race team fields two cars – one Ford powered, one with a GM motor. Recently, ACT mandated Ford engines must run a restrictor plate on tracks of Airborne’s size (1/2 mile) or longer.
ACT Late Models are limited to six tires for the Fall Foliage 200. “Tire management is not my strength and the Fords are easier on tires, but with the restrictor plate, they may not have enough power off the corners,” Laperle said. “But we have had some problems lately getting the other car to go good, so we are still undecided.”
The past two Fall Foliage events were 300 laps long. Laperle ran out of fuel as he pitted late in 2009, and then roared to the front on fresh tires. Last year, he came from a lap down and took the lead to stay with 34 laps left.
“Airborne is a great place to race and a great place to win,” Laperle said. “I won my first ACT race there in 1999.”
Top contenders include 2011 ACT champion Brian Hoar of Williston, VT, former Airborne Late Model Champions Brent Dragon, Jean-Paul Cyr and Mark Lamberton of Mooers Forks and Eddie MacDonald of Rowley, Mass., recent winner of the ACT Invitational at New Hampshire Motor Speedway. Plattsburgh’s Bucko Branham, the 2010 Airborne J&S Steel Sportsman champion, will also compete.
The Rent-a-Wreck card includes the 100-lap season finale of the Bond/WIX Tiger Tour and Airborne’s Versatile Trailer Sales Renegades.
Post time Saturday is 1:00 p.m. Admission is adults/$18, kids 12 and under free. Front gate opens at 10 a.m.